June 5, 2020. The strawberry moon, so-called by American Indians to recognize the short season of that luscious fruit, rose at Camp Many Moons last night. Summer arrives soon! Strawberry season is a big deal in the U.P., where summer is so brief. The small town of Chassell, 30 miles from here, holds a strawberry … Continue reading Strawberry Moon at Many Moons
May 24, 2020. A kayak isn't just for recreation. Up here in the far north, it's sometimes transportation. We paddled across Huron Bay today, to the tiny Ravine River, to get a few groceries at The Trading Post on Skanee Road. The tiny store is a short walk from the river. It feels good to … Continue reading Kayaks – Not Just for Recreation
May 20, 2020 - Bull thistle. Prickly, annoying, pervasive. I've pulled up buckets and buckets of this stuff. Seeking out the newest ones has become a daily habit. They thrive in disturbed ground, and we are disturbing a lot of ground as we dig up and move dirt from here to there to develop Camp … Continue reading Weeds = Unwanted
May 16, 2020. I have to write. I write for therapy and clarity. Sometimes I don't know what I think (or feel) until I write it down. I've been unable to write since retiring young, five years ago. Something inside was stuck in psychological mud. The mud-clog is easing now as I sit on the … Continue reading Writing on the Waterfront
May 16, 2020. The season's first flowering plant brings a "yipee!" in planting zone 5a. It's a long wait! This cheery yellow wildflower, called marsh marigold, is springing up in the low-lying places. Spring arrives so slowly here, each indicator is a little thrill. The ferns are sending up their first curly shoots too. I love … Continue reading First Flowers & Natural Habitats
May 14, 2020. Roscoe loves outings in the john-boat as much as I do, and I always try to take him with me. It cracks me up when he sits on the stern seat like that. (Does this seat make my butt look big?? Yes! ;)) He gets in the way of the oars sometimes … Continue reading A Husky = Great Boat Partner
May 14, 2020. Spring is so slow to arrive this year. While I never tire of looking at the water, I yearn to dig into the dirt too. Is it finally safe to put in perennials and sprinkle flower seeds? The weather forecast suggests that our below-freezing nights are finally behind us. I hope so, … Continue reading Nurturing Plants – And Humans
April 30, 2020. If you're one of those who likes to feel clean all the time, you aren't cut out for the rugged life. Occasionally, I'm not sure I am either. Most days, though, I accept dirt as part of the deal. I feel closer to the earth somehow when I see (and feel) the … Continue reading A Rugged Life = A Dirty Life
April 10, 2020. Deer scat. Everywhere. Our neighbors feed them daily. I feed them too, sometimes. They like to hang out in our little cedar grove in the winter. I love to see them! But here's the consequence. Deer scat doesn't quickly absorb into helpful fertilizer, as I expected. It stays. And stays. And stays. … Continue reading Wildlife – The Consequences
Nov 30, 2019. Some storms announce themselves loudly and some sneak up on you--kind of like elections (fanfare) and mass protests (sneak-up). Both are caused by atmospheric instability and both change the landscape. The Thanksgiving 2019 storm was a bit of both -- expected, but more fierce than was forecast. It was the storm of … Continue reading Storms of Nature, and Democracy
