Strange Finds in the Woods

All of the raven activity reminded me of a funny sighting last fall. We were on our way home from church one Sunday, when we saw a raven fly across the Gunflint Trail. It was carrying something green in its beak. Odd, we remarked, as it was a vivid shade of green that seemed totally out of place in the forest. As we got closer, we were able to get a better look at what it was. The bird was carrying an empty twenty-ounce soda pop bottle.

Immediately Greg spun a scenario for us, of how things would be once that raven came home to the nest with his latest treasure. Mr. Raven arrives home, and drops the bottle into the nest. Mrs. Raven says, "What are you bringing this junk home for? We can't use that in the nest!" And she tosses it overboard to the ground below. Mr. Raven feels a bit chastised and embarrassed. "I was just trying to help!" Mrs. Raven says, "Well, get on out there and find some sticks and things then!"

We laughed, but then thought about the possible day in the future when some hiker in the woods comes across a green pop bottle in the most improbable place, and wonders how the heck it got there. I had a moment like that once. We were exploring on the shore of North Lake, and I happened to look down to see a bunch of little black rubber circles. Then I started to spot snippets of what looked like purple ribbon. What a curious find amidst the natural setting, in a place that looked as though no one had been there for years. I looked up, and could see the remnants of what seemed to be a bouquet of black balloons. Had someone accidentally released a bunch of helium filled balloons? What were the odds of me finding it that day, who knows how many years later? Questions to ponder for which I will never know the answer.

Pretending to be a Nature Photographer

Recently I've been gaining a new level of respect for nature photographers. The coffee table books of scenes and animals are masterpieces, and I enjoy looking at them. It takes a special person to bring the subject, the moment, and the artistry all together for a perfect shot. I'm not special.

For several days, I have been trying to photograph our neighbors, the Ravens. I'm not really sure just when they moved in to the neighborhood, but we've heard them around for several years. We don't know with certainty where their home is, but they do come visit us regularly. They hop around in our parking lot, they frequent our compost pile, and they do regular fly-bys of our kitchen. It's great entertainment. With all this activity, you'd think that I could catch a photo or two--nothing great, just good. No luck.

Maybe they are camera shy. I see them out the kitchen window, as they swoop down and land. Then they see me stand up to retrieve my camera, and they take off. Their eyesight must be incredible. I try sneaking to the window, crouched low as I make my way around the table and chairs. If so much as my face pops in to view, they're gone. The only thing so far that is working a little is to sneak my camera around the side of our big icebox, and snap from there. Evidently, they don't think that there is a person attached to the camera, if I do it that way.
I should say that these attempts generally apply to ground-level shots. If I am outside and the ravens are safely in a tree above me, they willingly sit for the picture. But photos against a bright sky don't register as well with my little point-and-shoot.

Future opportunities do look positive, however. Lately, Greg has been calling to the ravens daily, and they seem to be responding. He will go outside, cluck his tongue, and call, "Hey, Ravens!" The clucking sound is very similar to one of the sounds the ravens themselves make. They've become quite reliable in their response to him: They soon appear in a tree nearby, and wait to see if Greg has some tidbit to toss to them. If he does, they watch where the food lands, but rarely come to retrieve it when he is still there. It's been fun to watch this exchange happen. It does make me wonder, though, who is training whom?

Ham Lake Fire Retrospective 2007

Today marks the third anniversary of the start of the Ham Lake Fire.

Finally, I can look at the photos with a calmer perspective.

The shots can still evoke a sense of the stress and anxiety I felt back then.

But mostly I remember how helpful everyone was.

For that, I will always be grateful.

Spring Cleaning

It's clean up time in these parts, and that means the end of a season. During the winter, Greg makes homebrew on the back porch of the lodge. He has been brewing for better than twenty-five years now. In that time, he has refined his beer in many ways....and his equipment and methods, too. He chooses to brew in the coldest times, because that means the air is sterile and free of things that could potentially infect the beer. By boiling the mash, cooling the wort, and pitching the yeast outside, chances are high the final product will be excellent.

But now it is spring, and the lively little natural yeasts are beginning to fill the air. So we loaded up the truck to stow away the gear until next winter. No worries, though, about running out of beer. Both Paul and I have begun brewing in recent months. We do a simplified version of beer-making: we use malt extract instead of all-grain. It's as easy as cooking soup, and we can make it on the kitchen stovetop.

So, as I was saying, we loaded up the truck to put away the...Hey! Wait a minute....

Would you look at that! A few years ago, we upgraded all of the cookware in the cabins, with some nice Wolfgang Puck stainless steel pots and pans, and clear poly lids. If you come to stay in one of our cabins, and the lid for your big pot is missing, I think I know where it is!