It's a Dog-Eat-Deer World Out There

The other day, my computer wouldn't allow me to post a couple of photos, so here they are today. This is the bus all snowed under.

As I mentioned then, the bus isn't rolling very far these days. For the time being, we'll just have to be content with memories of the places that it has carried us. In the summer, a favorite trip to take the bus is merely to the end of the Trail, where we like to go picnicking. Last summer, we packed up the food, our little twin buddies and their brother, as well as other assorted friends and relatives, and took Paul up to his band practice, at Trail's End Cafe. While Paul played music, we feasted on chicken sandwiches, wonderful salads, and other goodies. The little kids played in the water at the landing and had a blast. Won't be long, and that season will be here again.

In the meantime though, thoughts are still towards this---Much more appropriate for February.

Finally a Chance to Ski

The bus won't be moving anytime soon. The snow keeps getting deeper around it and on top of it, a sure sign that winter is still here. And glad we are of that, because for some of us, the skiing is just beginning! On Friday, Sharlene, Addie and I got out on the trail for the first time this year. It was a beautiful day, with the temperature hanging right around ten degrees. The sun was out, and we decided to head over to Warren's Road. This is one of the easiest trails in our system, and it had been years since Shar and I had been there. Addie had never experienced it.

The snow was freshly groomed, as we encountered the groomer guy when we got started. What a delight to ski on tracks that had just been set. We glided along, quite happy to be out there. I missed skiing completely last season, thanks in part to my achilles tendon injury. One of the reasons we chose this easy trail was to see how it would respond. I'm happy to say that it did only its usual complaining when I started, and again at the end. It's almost like a squeaky wheel---once I've started, and it's juiced up a bit, my heel feels like nothing ever happened to it. Then when I am tiring, it kicks up some to remind me of its existence. I can deal with that. I think I'm ready for the Lonely Lake trail next.

That is, once the weather warms up a bit. We got nabbed by the Arctic blast cold front that moved in on Saturday afternoon. I went down to light the sauna around four p.m., and then proceeded to chop out the hole in the lake ice. Since it had just been opened the previous night, the ice was only about an inch thick. The wind made it very cold for the task, but worse than that was the snow that kept blowing into the hole. I shoveled thick slush out a few times, and it would fill right back up. It became quite plain to me that keeping it open for the next four hours (when it was needed) was going to be a real challenge.

Providence stepped in in another form, however, when the power went out around five. In this kind of weather, a power outage that lasts more than a few hours can cause some serious troubles to pipes and water systems. We had some empty cabins, so we went out and started fires in the woodstoves in those, to keep the temps above freezing. I gathered up candles and jugs of water for the fellows who were in Spruce cabin, and broke the news that I likely wasn't going to be able to keep the sauna hole open. They were fine with that, and rightly pointed out that the wind on the lake would whip the warmth right out of a body before even reaching the hole.

Between keeping the fires stoked, filling the oil lamps for light, and listening to the radio for updates---oh, and Greg had to go plow the Mile O' Pine Road---we had a busy few hours. I was preparing to spend the night at Cedar Point, since that cabin was particularly vulnerable to the punishing west wind. Greg figured that he would have to stay in Tamarack. The older cabins just aren't as well-insulated as the newer ones. It was an adventure to be outside, walking from cabin to cabin through the wind, snow and cold. Weather extreme at its best! Thanks to excellent clothing, we never felt cold.

The electricity was restored around eight, so it was a relatively short stretch. Two weeks prior, the power went out in the middle of the night. That outage lasted for about eight hours, but since most folks were still sleeping, it didn't cause much in the way of inconvenience. (Except maybe for early morning coffee drinkers!) This is just something we all take in stride up here, and we are very glad of our old-fashioned conveniences, like oil lamps, outhouses and woodstoves.

We Knew It Wouldn't Last

...the phone service, that is. Out again. The latest word I heard is that the phone company is working on it, but they don't have an estimate of when it will be repaired. If you have tried calling us, and only get lots of ringing, with no answering machine, then they are out. We're probably in, we just can't answer you. But we're here with email, so drop us a line.

Another Alberta Clipper came rolling through, so it was minus 22 degrees this morning. The temp is supposed to continue to rise now, and they are predicting highs in the twenties--above zero--for Friday to Sunday. That will feel like a regular heat wave after the snap. We've been seeing lots of blue skies during the cold weather, and the days are getting a wee bit longer. Can spring be far away? (Umm, don't answer that yet!)

On the really cold days, Moses and Jethro, the donkeys, only come outside of their barn to eat and take care of business. Otherwise, they huddle next to each other throughout the day, and maybe stick a nose or two out the doorway, when someone goes by on the road. Today must feel warmer to them, as they were still out and about, after they finished their breakfast. I marvel that they can stay warm all night long with just their fur coats on....Brrr. I'm happiest outside with a minimum of six extra pieces of clothing on--and often times several more than that.

The Other Side

Here we are, on the other side....The other side of the cold snap, the other side of our telephone challenges, and biggest of all, the other side of Paul leaving home.

I always think that it is the cold weather causing troubles like the phone was suffering over the weekend. It probably has nothing to do with it, but it sure is a convenient excuse. If you tried to reach us and were unable, we are sorry. Remember that you can always email us. We don't know how long this tenuous relationship with working phones will last, but for now, call away!

The cold snap wasn't so bad....just enough to remind us that we are in Minnesota after all. What would winter be without a blast or two? We hit about twenty-six below zero, and it warmed up each day to the low teens and even single digits below zero. We are on a warming trend again, with the temp already one degree above zero. Robert called the other day, and it was 15 above in Fairbanks, while it was 15 below here. And one other interesting little temperature tidbit: Yesterday Sharlene told me that Barrow, Alaska was reporting thirty-one degrees, and guess what it was in Atlanta, Georgia at the same time? Thirty-one degrees. Winter can be strange.

The snow, on the other hand, is great. The ten inches that fell a week or so ago has really improved the trails. Greg and Bob (from Gunflint Pines) were able to go out and groom all of the trail system, and folks skied over the weekend, despite the cold temperatures. Some chose to snowshoe instead, as that was a bit more of a workout, and kept them warmer. No matter what they did, the best part is just getting outside. The air is so crisp and fresh when it is cold like this. I had reason to call an office at the university in Morris last week. I learned that Paul needs to stop in to that office this week, and the woman pointed out to me that they were located in the same building as his dorm room, so that "he won't even need to go outside." I replied that I Want him to go outside, because it is good for him. She agreed, and also noted that it probably wasn 't as cold there as it is here. So Paul, if you are reading this--and Robert, too--go outside! It's good for you. (Once a mom, always a mom--grin.)

Paul and Greg took off from here early on Sunday morning, as it is about an eight-hour drive to Morris. They wanted to get to school in time for Paul to check in to his dorm room, but also so that they could watch the Packers game. One last evening together, in which the Packers did not win, but they had a good time. Today, Paul went back to the classroom--first time in better than seven years for that. He has a couple of friends already at Morris, so they will show him the ropes of the place. And I'm sure he is quite happy that he won't be having to haul firewood in to keep the place warm anytime soon.

When these young men with strong backs leave home, we need to find a new way to do the work that they have been tackling for the last few years. After Greg left Paul in Morris, he drove on to the Twin Cities to pick up a snowmobile. It seems like that should just be standard equipment at a winter resort. We do have an old machine--one that's been here about as long as I have. But it has seen its hard times in recent years. Robert had a knack for getting it to run, but lately it really was in trouble. It was time for an upgrade. Greg found this one on Craigslist, and it looks like it will meet his needs. Soon it will have a sled behind it, to haul things around, and it will also be used to go and check the ice thickness. After the cold snap, we should have more ice.

As I finish this up, it is snowing out. Not much new snow is predicted, but we can always use a freshening up. If the clouds stay, we won't be able to see the full moon tonight. Addie and I saw it rising last night, and what a beautiful globe it was. The brightness of it these days casts all sorts of moonshadows at night, so that even at two in the morning, we can see out the window with little trouble. It's an awesome sight.