July 14, 2014 Random Thoughts...........

Here is a photo of Zoe and her fawn, taken a couple of days ago.  She had twins......but, I have been seeing only one fawn with her for some time now.  So, whether the resident bear got the other....or, she has been taking turns with them, I'm not sure yet.  We had seen both of the twins with her quite a few times.....so, I am guessing one went missing.  She has a history where that is concerned.....in the 7 years of her life.  She has learned a lot of hard lessons in those 7 years.  Evidently, she has "learned" something from them.....because she is still here.  The life of a deer isn't always easy.  But, she knows when she has it good too.  She sure knows she has friends here.  She will never be as "tame" as Shadow, but...she likes also being a "special" deer around here. 
It is a spring of many deer friends around, for sure.  Shadow's family gets bigger all the time.  Those girls have been born and raised here.  They have learned it is a safe place to be, most of the time.  This spring....I think the bears are more of a problem for the deer than the wolves are.  And, yes.....I really said that.  There surely was no shortage of wolves around this winter.......that went on and on and on.  However, since all the snow disappeared, finally, they have been keeping a low profile.....which is perfectly fine with me. 
I have been keeping pretty busy lately.......all things considered.  But,   I haven't written on here for a while because I knew I would get a real grump on!  I am generally a really upbeat, positive, cheerful person........all of that good stuff you know!  However!!......lately, I am getting to the point of almost being grumpy.  This stinkin' grey rainy weather every day and bugs so thick you just about go nuts...is honestly getting the best of me.  I have so much outside stuff I not only need to do but actually enjoy doing......but, can't do it because of all the standing water and soft ground.  This is even on the higher ground.  Over half of my yard has not been mowed the first time this year.......because of water standing and the fact I will get the big mower stuck trying.  I did decide to try to get a trip around the trails yesterday so maybe it would be more enjoyable to walk on them without being wet up to where and bugs annoying me.  Hubby said.....oh yeah, wet....but, you won't get stuck!  Famous last words.  I am pretty sure I knew better.  However, I couldn't think of anything else to do and the weather looked iffy enough I didn't want to head inland to a lake and get poured on again (besides the fact it was too windy for the paddleboard or kayak)  so off I went.  Well....it spun out on every little thing, hung up on the roots that cross trails you generally just bounce over, got stuck in a few others and then, almost buried itself in a couple places where I really packed the wood chips in damp places last year.  Between the mud and the bugs.....oh, and not to mention a few new trees that have blown down since my last walkabout back there......I was not in particularly good humor when I finally got back in the yard with the mower.  But.....I did make it.  It won't be getting a trip to widen the path any time soon tho.  As I told my husband.....that would have been enough to make a preacher swear!  I can only imagine what color the air would have been had he tried that walk with the mower yesterday!

Here is a photo I took on the beach where Toby and I went late in the afternoon while the sky was still pretty and the sun was shining between the clouds.  I generally don't post these because I always feel there is something lacking there.  There are little drainages that come down off the banks and run onto the beaches and to the lake.  Some, like this, aren't big.  But, they have little drops and look pretty running over the rocks.  I just can never get them to look like I think they should.  But, here is a look at one anyway.
There is a tree that is very crooked that grows out of the bank near this too.  I finally posted one of the shots on my Facebook page yesterday.  But, that is the same issue.  It is a really cool tree.  But, it is right along the bank and hard to get a view of it that looks like anything.  Some of those things are easier said than done, for sure. 
Anyway.....we had a nice time on the beach and Toby fetched sticks and swam like crazy.  Then, the rain clouds came in and we just beat them home when the rain started to come down again.  As I mentioned, it just doesn't seem to quit this year.
One thing that has been surprising tho........radishes!  I have never had such large, big, juicy radishes.  They aren't getting strong or woody.  But, world class big radishes.  I should take a photo of some before I cut the tops off.  The lettuce is doing quite nicely these days too. The garden has been slow in many respects....but, hopefully it will produce something.  We have raised beds with good drainage in them but, even so, many of the potatoes rotted rather than growing.  We shall see.

Here is one of my experiments from a day to the bog.  And yes....there is a lot of water in it this year.  I wore Teva sandals and ratty jeans I didn't mind getting yucked up in there to take photos.   The orchids and other pretty bog plants like this pitcher plant blossom, are all doing well this year.  This day, I had taken the mini camera which is over 20 MPs and used it to hold under the blossom and take the photo of it from the underside.  It is only 3-4" above the moss at this point.  They don't get taller and turn sideways for a while yet.  I got some interesting shots of them doing this that I thought were pretty neat.  The dragon's mouth orchids that grow there are always one of my favorites.  So, yes.....it's a good year for the bog life.
I have just about got the Hovland Arts Festival all put to bed for another year.  I still have to pay the musicians.  That comes after all the bills are in since they are kind enough to pay for free.  They get their tips and some of what is left over from the raffle monies that come in. 
I also went in and volunteered at the Grand Marais Art Fair over the weekend as a person to give the artists there a break.  That was fun and interesting.  I met a number of new people and saw a lot of people I don't see so often anymore, now that I am retired.  It was a good day and I walked a lot of miles.  Of course, I enjoyed seeing what the artists had to offer....including the photography there. 
Now......if someone would just shut off the rain faucet for a bit.  Happy medium would be good!

May 8, 2014 Change of Pace.......Change of Weather........

Lots of changes going on this week.  Mostly good, even!  :)  Above, is Miz Spectacles.  She returned from wherever she got chased to a few days ago.  I was happy to see her.  She's thinner since she went missing all that time.....if you recall, I thought she had finally run out of luck and the wolves got her.  She was just as happy to see me as I was her.  She hung around all afternoon the day she got back and was following me so close it was hard to even take her picture.  The next morning when Toby and I were coming back from our early walk, her little buck fawn followed us up the driveway, which he often does if he arrives "late for breakfast" and there was mom waiting.  I got both some treats and she promptly whacked him with her front foot.....like it was his fault she hadn't seen him in a while.  Anyway, she's a beautiful girl and I'm glad she's back.

Here's a guy who makes us chuckle.  I tend to call him Tall Guy......because he is.  He isn't all that old, probably 3 or 4.  However, he stands much taller than the older bucks around.  We had a Tall Boy a few years back.  But, since he isn't around any more, I guess that could be his name.....Tall Guy it is.  He is so funny because he has been around all winter.  He came after he was shed, so I don't know what he wears.  However, he likes to just stand around and observe.  He has also learned that if you stand in the window and watch me long enough, I will probably feel sorry for you and bring you something to eat!  This is what he is doing here...:).  When I am outside, he will follow me around feeding Shadow, or Miz Spectacles or one of the other really tame deer.  He stands usually about 3' from me and watches very intently.  Now and then....just for kicks and giggles, I reach over and rub Shadow's neck and ears for her, which she dearly loves.  He will always back off when I do that and look....like....what the heck!  But, he really likes his cracked corn so he has gotten to be quite the buddy.  The whole corn will do in a pinch......but, standing here looking has its rewards.

I have been out exploring some of the rivers this week......depending on snow conditions.  The trail up to the high falls on the Brule is not too bad.  There is snow here and there.  But, it is all fine to be done in hiking boots now.  I can't say the same for my trails....knee deep snow, mud, balsam and spruce tops down on them all over......argh!  I walk up to this falls and Devil's Kettle fairly often year around.  I honestly don't think I have ever been there when it was this high before.  You can see the spray flying.  I didn't even attempt to get a photo in the usual spots.  I went a ways down the river.

I explored a new spot this week too.  I was out and about, so, why not.  I had been to the short stretch below the highway on this river before.  However, I had never gone upstream.  I was quite impressed by the falls after falls on this.  Nice rock formations and cedars didn't hurt any either, as I like both.  I will have to go back and check this out some more when the water levels drop just a bit.  It wasn't a Toby friendly river at present.  I had taken him out on the lower side of the highway but it is cliffs right to the lake on the side I was on.  I left him in the truck when I went upstream.

Here is one more of interest to end.  See the nice puddles on the beach.  This is on the Superior Hiking Trail Lakewalk section.  The ice is still under the gravel so it is holding a lot of big puddles of water.  With Toby in it, you can see they aren't small.  It's always interesting to see these little changes as our weather starts to turn.  We have had a bit of sunshine this week, some rain, some snow, our first lightening storm with the rain last night......maybe spring is on the way.
I have seen swans fly over this week.  I had the sandhill cranes flying over yesterday.  The last two evenings the woodcocks have been in the field "peenting" and being generally busy.  Yes.....I am thinking spring is finally coming.  :)  I am thinking positive and hoping anyway.

April 30, 2014 Getting Cabin Fever!!!

Yours truly is going stir crazy..... or something.  I am an outside type of person.  Lately, it is either snowing or raining or something half way in between.  I am seriously needing some serious outside time doing something constructive...even if it is only chainsawing all the spruce tops up and stuffing them in the chipper from that last snowstorm.  I would even prefer more of these type of pictures.... like this of Toby walking through the  big puddle.  Just out of sight, it is knee deep snow again.  It's been a LONG winter and I am so ready for it to be done with.  I love winter when I can do winter things.  But, knee deep slush is a different matter.  My yard is either muck or deep slush snow too.......
Yup!  I am ready for serious spring weather.  And........  I want it NOW!
Oh yes......there is always the spring cleaning to be done too.  However, when every time someone goes out the door and in comes how much more mud... am I inspired.........NO!
Here I go....about my day...... trying to get my "POSITIVE" attitude back.  :)

April 27, 2014 Will IT Never END!?

April 25th was a snowy day.  We got over a foot of heavy snow.  The roads, driveways, even the deer yard......had just been getting to the point of drying out and snow free, almost.  It was almost to the point of putting on decent shoes to go outside.  Now.......it's the knee high rubber boots!  Yes, it's that bad.  I have finicky feet so I do not enjoy wearing rubber boots.....at all!
On the surface, it looks really pretty out.  It is still snowing pretty hard in this photo, by the way.  But, you notice how all the tree tops are leaning to the east.  Well, by the end of the day.....many of those tree tops were missing.  Toby and I did all our walks for the day down the driveway and on the Moose Valley Road.  The first one, in particular, did not impress him.  Being a long haired golden retriever, he came back to the house with baseball sized snowballs hanging all over him.  Ugh!

I am standing on the Moose Valley Road here.....looking at one of the neighbors driveways.  Isn't that just lovely.  How would you like to plow snow on that .....today?

Here is a view of me looking up another driveway.  I am standing on the MVR again, here.  Notice the tipping spruces.  The willows and alders were taking a beating too.  However, spruce, balsam and jackpine seemed to get the worst of it.  Later on in the morning, more of the willows were collapsing in full clumps, right to the ground.  The snow, in most cases, only took the tops off of the spruce.  In a few cases, the smaller spruce or balsams snapped right off in the middle.  I know that I, for one, am going to have a LOT of chainsaw work to do when the ground bares off.  I will have to cut them into workable sizes to put in the chipper and I am going to be busy. 

In some cases, big spruce went down across the road.  One such tree went down on the corner near another neighbor.  After having fed the deer and was out for a walk with Toby, I saw the plow down on the corner.  Well....it was snowing so hard the visibility was terrible.  I thought I could see a body out there doing something.  But, I couldn't tell what exactly.  After quite a while, it turned around and went back down the road.  So, later I found out that a huge spruce had gone across the road and the truck plow couldn't handle it.  Evidently, he doesn't carry a chainsaw.  Usually, this road is plowed by a grader.  That guy was on vacation.  Quite a lot later in the day, my neighbor on the other side of me plowed out his driveway to get ready to take a trip.  Then......guess what.....road isn't plowed.  So, he goes plowing down the road until he gets to the tree.   And then....guess what!  He has to try and turn that plow truck of his around in all that wet heavy snow so he can go home and get his chainsaw.  After a fashion, he sawed out the tree and got it off the road.  But, until then, no one on this end of the valley had ventured anywhere.  Over a foot of that kind of heavy snow is hard to handle and easy to get stuck in if you do anything but drive straight forward. 

Here is another driveway.  Again, you see a lot of trees out over the driving area. 

Here is another view on the MVR showing a bunch of the willow bent over the ditch.  Some of these actually did stand up again.  But, many are history.                                                                               

Here are a few more crooked spruce.  Luckily, these ones didn't break off and land on the caged apple trees.  The cages and fence around the garden were just about completely solid snow.  It did look kind of neat.  However, some of them got so heavy they tipped over with the trees in them going over in them.  Then, we had to get out there and get them up before the deer ate off the whole tops of them.  One cage by our pond with a cedar in it had a deer nudging the cage all over the place.  It had fallen on her trail to the water hole and she wanted that thing out of her way so she could get a drink.  That was  rather humorous to watch.  However, we got down there and got that fixed too.                                     

    Here are a bunch of the deer wondering what we are up to.  They were sleeping all over the middle of the yard today.  Most of the next day they did the same.  The wet slop was falling off the trees in loud plops and they didn't appreciate being under it.  Not to mention the falling tops.
This storm definitely ruined more tree tops, up here, than any storm I've seen.  I just shake my head every time I go out and find so many more down.  Unbelievable.
I do hope it is soon done with the late season snow storms.  Neither I nor the critters need any more.
                 

I will leave you with some of the juncos enjoying the heated bird bath.  There were hundreds of birds out here.  Seems a big late season storm is just the thing to bring them all in.
Sorry about the writing all over the place.  It was fine.  Then, I put in the second vertical photo and it went nuts.  Then, a couple of horizontals and it straightened out again.  Go figure!

April 20, 2014 You never know......

This is Saturday, April 19 in my yard at 4:30....feeding time.  There were even more in the morning when I fed them.  We had a blizzard yesterday and more snow.  More snow the day before too.  Just when the roads were getting dry on top, more wet snow.  After that, it rained.  So, things are rather sloppy in the neighborhood and my truck looks like mud camo.  I'm quite sure it will look that way for a while too.  This late in the season, when it snows that much again....the deer get almost frantic.  They all remember where to get something good for their bellies and show up in big numbers.  There were over 60 here in the morning yesterday.  This morning, barely over 50....

Here is my husband out doing the afternoon feeding.  Along side of him, you see my favorite buck fawn.  He followed him all the way around, trying to make up to him I guess.  This little guy regularly rubs noses with me.  He is just a sweetie.  However, he had never made friends with my husband.   Maybe he is just being a bit more lonesome now.  It seems the wolves got his mother, who has been one of my favorite does in the years she's been around.  He has been here every day.  She has been missing around 10 days now.  She had the most beautiful big white eye rings you ever saw.  Her name was Miz Spectacles. 
I had posted about that on Facebook.....about the wolves.....of which we have too many of in our neck of the woods.  Lest any of you think I hate wolves.....I don't.  But, I most certainly believe in keeping them under control and putting a little fear of God into them now and then.  As I mentioned before, we don't live in Bambi land!  Wolves kill for a living.  They do it well too.  I have no problem with them doing what they do....in the woods, out of my face.  But, when they start in killing in my yard, let's just say my good humor disappears.  You have people out there with no concept of what people here put up with where wolves are concerned.  Still.......they can make a lot of noise.  I also know wolves can do plenty of good.  So, there you have it.  I am not a wolf hater.  But, I will not ever hesitate to put one in it's place that tries to do things it shouldn't to me or my pets.  Unfortunately, that little doe liked to live across the road where the wolf pack hangs out.  That was her choice and she ran out of luck.  This little guy has a lot of spunk and hopefully, he lives a long healthy life. 

Here is something else new this week.  I took this on Thursday.  The bay was full of dirty water from the creeks opening up.  There is also some almost black, fine sand in this bay.  So, after the shore was clearing nicely and lake open, wind off the lake blew this back in and was making lots of really dirty ice volcanoes and mounds on the shore.  It did look kind of neat, even if it was so dirty.  They are still there.  However, some north wind blew the dirty stuff out.  Then, today.....with a beautiful cloudless sky....the lake is full of clean slush ice and chunks again.  East wind.....it's really filling in.  I should have had the camera along today.  But, I left it home.  I took Toby and went to pick up Kirby....my brother and sister-in-law's dog......and went to a beach for a nice long walk to celebrate the gorgeous day.  The dogs had some friendly competition swimming and fetching sticks.   Oh my, for fun.  With the sunshine and 50 degrees today.....you'd have a hard time believing we had a blizzard yesterday.
The geese are really flying today too.....besides all the other spring birds that are showing up.  I can hope Spring is finally ready to arrive....to stay. 
After the gloomy day, it cleared off late, just before dark.  That gave us a beautiful,  subtle sunset.  It is always fun to see a pretty sky to end a day.  :)

April 9, 2014 Is April going to bring us Spring Showers?

Spring is Sprung!?

Well, maybe we are on our way toward Spring.  The precipitation has turned to some rain anyway.  Also, it has been warm enough to settle some snow and melt puddles under a few of the trees.  The deer are loving it.  As you can see by the photo above, the deer love to play in puddles.  You will see some of the darnedest contortions and antics when the deer get to playing in water in the Spring.  One thing for sure, my "deer" friends give us a lot of hours of entertainment and enjoyment.  I know some people are determined they are nothing but pests.  However, if I am going to have some around, I may as well enjoy them......which I do.......very much.                                                                          

Plus, having a yard full of deer means you have lots of "watch dogs" if you should be needing to be alerted to something.  Nothing like a herd of deer to be aware of every thing that is going on.

A couple of mornings ago, 6 a.m., a large pack of wolves started howling just a bit SE of us.  I want to tell you that every deer in the yard.....close to 40 at the time, was on alert and on point.  They didn't really relax until I went out to feed them and was moseying about with them.  After I fed them, I took Toby for him normal morning jaunt.  We were just down the road a way when a whole pack of wolves started singing again, just south of us.  I was just wondering about whether the snow was hard enough for then to be able to really run now......when they shut up and the original pack I hear that morning started in howling again.  That was two large packs, pretty close together for wolves, howling.  So.....with the coming of Spring we are getting the hard snow.  That could spell disaster for the deer this spring.  There is far too much depth out there, at this point, for it to be crusty enough to hold wolves and not hold deer at all.                                                                                                       

This morning, Toby and I tried to take our morning walk on top of the snow.  That didn't end up working out so well.  We got about a quarter mile and it didn't hold me anymore.  Given it was 20 degrees when I got up, I didn't think it should be a problem.  However, when one or both legs go through the crusty snow over knee deep, it ceases to be amusing.  We turned around.                     

Yesterday morning..."rainbow" clouds

On Facebook, these rainbow clouds with this same size file transferred color pretty well.  It really isn't showing here.  Too bad, it was very pretty.  But, I am not used to seeing these type of clouds in the morning so it was quite a treat.  Usually, I see them just before sundown.                                      

Also, yesterday, Toby and I went exploring because it was such a beautiful day.  The clouds were gorgeous and the lake so blue.  When I got back to the truck, it was 49 degrees out there.  It really did give some hope of Spring.  However.......the little bits of precipitation that have come down today have been of the frozen variety.  I think we still have a ways to go.                                                        

 Lake Superior view from yesterday.  Enjoy the beauty.  :)

April 3, 2014 Are We Becoming a Nation of Fools?

One could look at this beautiful piece of lake ice sticking out of the snow and pretty much believe the world is a peaceful, serene place.  In our little corner of the world, it is......on the surface.  As I go about my daily business and walks in the woods......or on all that nice Lake Superior ice this winter....it's easy to look at the beauty and not think about the real world out there.
However......you listen to the news and you read the daily newspaper........and.....guess what!  It's not so pretty any more. 
Yesterday, our Supreme Court of the United States sold us out to the highest bidders.  The wealthy 1% can really go to town and buy whatever they want as far as who is president now or what favors they want.  It's not like they weren't doing it already.  But, now it is official.  Our Constitution and every thing that made this country great is going down the toilet fast if this continues.  A few power hungry elites are going to decide every last thing we do pretty quick.  And, it won't be good for the common folk out here just peacefully getting by .....living their lives. 
Unfortunately, there are still some out there who believe every word that comes out of the president's mouth and that of his minions.  The whole government is getting so corrupt, I honestly don't hardly believe a word that comes out of any of their mouths any more. 
What to do.....what to do.  Well, they always told you to write your Congressman/woman when you don't like something.  Well....I have almost given up on that too.  You write, you get a form letter back which talks about everything except what you wrote them about.  For example....write Franken about gun control issues.  Well, he is all about gun control......including the U.N. stuff, which both he and Klobuchar signed.  It wasn't because I wrote them letters saying they shouldn't sign....not a good thing....don't sign our rights away to someone else.  What's new there?  Oh, I get so disgusted with politics these days.......
Anyway.....so now you wrote Franken a letter. Must mean you support him, right!  Wrong.  However, I get emails and personal letters every day from him asking for money because those other groups are raising money to get rid of him.  Of course, I get emails from them too....wanting money to help oust Franken.  If I had it.....I would probably give some.  However.....I don't give money to politicians!
We are moving down the road to socialism at a fast pace these days.....or worse.  Our freedoms will be going down the road too.....if it continues.
Folks, we all need to wake up.....and I mean now.  When the mid-term elections come around this year, you better check out who you are voting for and do it very carefully.  Don't just vote Democrat or Republican because you always have.  That doesn't mean a thing anymore.  NOT A THING!
Oh, and another thing......another shooting at Ft. Hood yesterday!  The elites want gun control.  A few idiots who don't have a clue want gun control too.  I just hope to God none of them ever have to find out why they shouldn't want gun control.  It was never about the guns.  It's about controlling the average joes out here.  If they have guns, they can't control them.  You better remember that.  If ever a place should be able to handle a shooting, Ft. Hood should.  All the gun laws in the world aren't going to fix what's wrong with bad people.  All they do is harm the honest people!
I suppose I should quit now.....but you know, I worked a job for a good many years where I wasn't allowed to have an opinion, what's more express it.  Maybe all those years of not being able to express myself got me on overload!

 I will leave you with another beautiful Lake Superior ice shot I took on Sunday when I was walking around on the ice.....way the heck out there.........  my peaceful part of this crazy world.