This and That

We now have fragrant blossoms of all sorts.  We have wildflowers spewing forth their vibrant colors.  We even have blackflies to the point that Aaron just came home to bring back bugnets for the trail crew.

What we don't have are people.  Yeah, there are a few here and there, but this town is still quiet and peaceful.  If potential visitors are watching the weather, they may just be put off by the 40 - 50 degree temperatures.

Don't take that as a complaint.  I know they will come and consume my energy in a couple weeks.  I am grateful for this time.  It's just a little different than past years.  And yes, we are blaming the weather because this place is awesome.

The Isle Royale Queen began her journeys to the rock.  I stood on the dock and snapped a shot of her maiden voyage three weeks ago.

The Queen IV's maiden voyage 2013

I have danced the cancan twice for her already on the Harbor Haus patio.

The sunsets have been quite stunning lately.  Monday's lit the sky a deep magenta.  I stood along the shore and watched it change colors (without my camera).  As I stood still, the mergansers and geese swam around me to dive and feed.  That was a moment of serenity for this girl.

The biking and hiking trails have been lovely.  Just a couple spots are still muddy, but I don't care.  The mud is a small price to pay for the joy of the experience!

I fear this post may seem a bit scattered, but I have no main idea besides current events.  

Speaking of events, BINGO is starting tonight in the Community Building.  The balls drop at 7 pm sharp each Wednesday, so get your cards before then!

You can see the progress of the Copper Harbor Playground Project at this site.  (Can you tell who writes those posts?)  We plan to build it August 24th of this year.  Yes, in one day.  Volunteers are needed.  Check that site for details on how to help!

Back to the grind for me.  Catch you next week!

Confused Plants

There's some flora news I haven't told you about yet this year.  Oh brother.  She's going to talk about the plants again.  Yes, I am, and you're going to relish every word.

As you are already aware, all the plants bloomed two weeks to one month earlier than usual.  But I have found some glitches in the system.  

For one, the buffaloberry never fruited at all.  AT ALL!  I have not seen one single shiny buffaloberry all summer, and I look for them.  The leaves are already starting to brown and crisp up, so I doubt they will still fruit.  Good thing I wasn't relying on them for any special potions this year.  I bet next year will be bountiful.  I'll let you know.

For two, the orange hawkweed and bladder campion are blooming their second time this summer!  They both went to seed in July and early August, but here they are again bright as the hot June sun.  I don't know enough about these two to answer this phenomenon, but I do have a couple thoughts in my little brain.

For three, the common snowberry has produced more fruit than I have seen before.  Maybe it's just because I have found more patches of it, but those white berries are big and juicy.  I even have a bush in my back yard!  Too bad I can't eat those, but I'm sure the birds and other critters will enjoy them.

I can eat the plums, however, and I picked five gallons the other day.  Yeah, just before the bees started buzzing around all the squished ones on the ground.  I've already been stung this summer (like most everyone else I know), so I was out of there in a hurry.

And lastly, I have never seen leaves turn this early.  Granted, it's mostly because they need some rain.  There's a birch down the road that is already completely yellow (at least from where I can see), and those usually turn last!  I've seen a couple deep red maple leaves and some crunchy oak leaves on the ground.  But don't drive up with your camera just yet.  We've got a way to go before peak.

Capturing this August

It's been too long since I posted any pictures.  So guess what I did this morning!  I biked around (with both hands on the bars) and took some pictures of what I thought captures da Harbor at present.  It's August 9th -- the peak of our summer.

Today is a bit cooler and gray, so I really didn't see as many people roaming, but I found some fitting images.  They are displayed in the order I shot them.

This year's common tansy grows with last year's

My favorite rose bushes by the Welcome Center are turning to hips already

(I sniff them every time I go by)

Plums!

The mint is flowering

A view of the new lookout on Brockway's Nose

Um, apples in August?

The Lighthouse Ferry cruises toward the gap

Chokecherries!

Kayak tour life vests hang out to dry

Geese and ducks float toward the water walkway

The Isle Royale parking lot is packed with cars

(Another reason I go there in May!)

The playground fund is up to $60,000!

Bike and canoe rentals are in full swing

A man checks his iphone with Brickside's wifi connection

(This made me laugh...)

I could have gone farther out of town, but a few sprinkles fell on me, so I headed back.  I had enough fun for the day.

Oh, but here is the best part.  I checked on the jewelweed plants to see if the pods were ready.

Thanks to everyone who introduced themself to me this summer as a reader of my blog.  I am writing for you, you know!

The People are Coming, The People are Coming!

Here they come!  Motorcyclers, four-wheelers, mountain bikers, families, campers, kayakers and travelers of all sorts.  They are here, and more are coming.  I feel good about it, though.  It’s going to be okay.  

Now it’s not even July, and I have eaten a handful of blueberries and bilberries.  Can you believe it?  The rose hips have already taken the place of the petals and are turning pink.  It’s not even July!  But it sure has been warm, and we’ve been getting a decent amount of rain.  Ooh, watch out, you little berries… I’ve got my eyes on you!

I have become ever more curious about the plants up here.  I’ve been finding more to identify and find medical and nutritional uses for.  Hey, I want to be useful in case the world ends!  Plus, my curiosity takes over when I find one I don’t know, and I nose through all my identification guides until I have conquered my new findings.  That is quite fulfilling for me.  It’s like I’m in my own little plant school.

How are you doing?  Are you sweating just sitting in your chair?  It is stinkin hot up here, so I can only imagine that anywhere south would be hotter.  I won’t even complain about the heat to you.

Yesterday, however, my friend Rachel and I made the best of a hot day and went to Bete Gris Beach down by Lac La Belle.  Oh, I haven’t been there in a couple years.  The sand flies were out to bite, but the sunshine was glorious.  And Lake Superior herself is still a bit frigid, especially with the west winds that have been turning her over.  But I jumped in a few times anyway.  She sure is refreshing in that hot sun.

Hunter’s Point has been a nice breather too.  As long as the wind is blowing over the Big Lake, we are golden out there.  And cooler.  Ahh.

I would imagine that because I have only worked two days of the last three weeks, I am not nervous about the week of the Fourth of July.  I feel ready to take it on, actually.  And like I hinted to earlier, I am excited to see some people up here.  It’s been a little too quiet for this little tourist town.  Okay now, remind me I said that in August. 

Have a great day, and stay cool!

Signs of Spring

Besides the 70 degree weather and the raging runoff, there are a few other signs of spring that I have forgotten to tell you about.

The peepers are out!  The first peeper I heard was Saturday evening out at Horseshoe Harbor.  I laughed because, just a couple hours before, I mentioned that the sound of a peeper would be the next step for us to know it was spring.  I have heard them in various places all the way to Eagle Harbor.

The eagles are everywhere!  I have heard/seen multiple eagles every day when I go to the woods or on the shore.  They are flying around with their families, talking to each other, looking for food and probably looking for a partner.  Love is in the air!

I saw two mallards today at the water treatment plant.  Mallards!  That was fun.

Robins!  It seems early for this specimen too, but it sure is nice to hear their lovely voices!

Lake Fanny Hooe is open.  Not even two weeks ago the ice on it was two feet thick.  Now it has vanished!  That should give you a good idea of how warm it was.

Little buds are forming on the trees and bushes.  Even the rosebush in my back yard has little buds.  Oh, I get nervous for them because we could get another blizzard yet!

I saw full out crocuses in my friend's yard.  I know they are one of the first to pop up, but they were already in full bloom!

Even the cross country ski trail around Fort Wilkins is mostly clear.  I was surprised to see how quickly that happened too.

I realize that many of these things (and probably even more) are happening or have happened by you as well.  That is wonderful.  I'm glad.  But now you know where we're at up in da Harbor!

What the Weather Brings...

I heard the bell buoy today.  I couldn't tell if he was squealing with glee and child-like amusement, or if he was cursing the winds and frigid waters.  I'll let you take a wild guess.  

It was funny, though, because when I sat on Lake Superior's shore today I could watch him bobbing and tipping about, but I couldn't hear him until I was on the shore of Lake Fanny Hooe.  The wind was probably too loud in my ears.

And the wind was cold on my cheeks!  This is really the first day this fall that I can say the wind from the lake stung my face.  Brrr!  But yet it was so invigorating!

On the rest of my walk beside Fanny Hooe, the sky started dropping this crystally wet stuff.  I would like to call it snow, but snowflakes have intricate structural design.  These looked like misshapen blobs of ice.  I hear we're supposed to get some of that refined fluffy stuff, though.  The lake sure looks like she's brewing a batch!

Want to know what's ironic about this today?  I saw bearberry flowers on that same walk.  The flowers!  Those come out in May!  But the last warm spell we had must have tricked them into thinking it was spring again.  Here is proof.  You can see the red "berries" have already fruited too.

The flowers are the pink cluster toward the bottom center.  What an unseasonal treat!

It seems like all is well in da Harbor (I really only know my little slices), and I hope all is well with you!

Winner Number Two!

Wow, you always surprise me with the winner.  It was another close one, but Zik's Jukebox it is... good thing it's Saturday night!

Thanks for voting.  I'll post the interview as soon as I can.

By the way, all sorts of new wildflowers are springing up.  So beautiful.  Green little berries are also lining the bushes.  As you are well aware, I am so pumped for picking time!

Take care, my friend!

3... 2... 1... Summer!

It's Memorial Weekend.  Though that means something nostalgic and patriotic to most people in America, to me it means that I'm going to be busy until the middle of October.  I start bartending full time tomorrow at the Harbor Haus.  I have many events to plan and volunteer for.  I have a feeling this summer will be even busier than last year.  People are already up with their kayaks, motor boats, mountain bikes, RVs and families.  Oh, boy... here we go!

I think I'm ready for it, though.  I had an extremely peaceful and relaxing spring.  For that I am ever grateful.  It will give me a breath to meditate on when I feel like I can't take it anymore.

The grass is green and lush everywhere up here.  The golf course and people's lawns are in their prime.  As far as flora goes, I'll try not to stick every new plant I see under your nose, but I do have an exciting one to mention.  

Last year I got really into wild edibles.  I wanted to find the marsh marigold, but had no luck.  Well, when I saw it in the ditches this spring going up Hwy. 41, I knew what it was instantly.  I tried a raw leaf (though upon revising the plant book, it said to cook it first to get out the toxins... I am still alive), and it tasted like a dandelion green.  I feel no need to harvest them now, but if I'm ever scrapping for food, I know where the marsh marigold are!

On a completely different note, I forgot to tell you that the Isle Royale Queen IV is shipping out and back every Monday and Friday.  I would expect the number of days to at least double after this weekend.  And soon I will be doing the Can-can every time it comes back when I am at work.  That's fine... at least I don't have to wear the dress!

Speaking of Isle Royale (my most favoritest vacation spot ever), if you have been following this blog for a couple years, you know that I like to go every spring for a wonderful vacation with my friends.  Well, my dear, that time has passed.  Aaron and I have been busy planning to buy A HOUSE IN COPPER HARBOR!!!!!  I didn't want to tell you until we signed (though you may already know),  but we are officially so close to that.  I hope I didn't jinx myself.

We are buying the old Mercantile, Garden Brook Market, Brickside, whatever you may know it as.  It is right in town, so that means no more going days without seeing a soul out on Woodland Rd. for this girl.  Oh, no.  It's all hustle and bustle from here on.  But that's okay... I can see my beautiful Majesty Lake Superior from the front window.  I'll let you know when we move in.

Emerging in the business building will be Brickside Brewery: Copper Harbor's first microbrewery.  Right down my front porch?  Danger!  They are hoping to be up and running by fall.  I wish them the best!

With that I will close.  I will do my best to keep you posted on my little slice of da Harbor during the chaotic summer months.  Please bear with me.  And if you get sick of waiting for a post, come on up (or down, if you live in Canada) and get your own slice!

Lots of Good News

Good news! If you have been helping to vote for the Copper Harbor ambulance garage -- every day -- bless your soul! Our project has been moving up 2-5 spots a day toward number 1! When I checked this morning, we were at 59. Keep up the good work! For ease, here is the link to vote.

Here is some more great news: the leaves are changing. The leaves are changing!!! The Covered Stretch of Hwy. 41 is brilliant with pink, red, purple, yellow, orange and everything in between -- even green! Aetna Ridge is gorgeous and the Brockway Valley is alight. If you're not too far away, I would suggest coming to see these spots. It may last a couple more weeks, but the firey maples are on their way to peak.

It is truly fall here, with the cool weather, partially gray days, turning leaves and quiet nights. Though I still will not have a full day off in at least three weeks, I am grateful for the calmness of the town -- at least until people come gawking at the leaves (it's okay, I invited you).

I may as well throw in another cool event. Yesterday I biked to the Touch-me-not plant I found to try my luck with the seed pods. I have read that when you touch a mature seed pod, it bursts open instantaneously, spreading its seeds. I've had my eye on this little plant for over a week, but it hasn't been ready to burst yet.

Yesterday it sure was! I petted the swollen pod and BAM! a few seeds shot out all around it! I jumped, even though I knew that was going to happen! That was awesome, so I found another pregnant one. That one took a little more coercing, but exploded right in my hand. Ah, the wonders of the world.

Okay, I'll share one more spectacular viewing. 4 days ago I heard a bald eagle chirping at this East end of the Harbor. Its voice sounded not quite mature, so I thought it could have been an immature. After I had forgotten it was calling, I went out the front door toward the dock. I must have frightened the little guy (little, HA!) because it swooped out of where ever it was perched and soared down toward me. Ah! I thought it was going to pick me up in its talons!

I was actually so scared that I don't remember what I did, but it flew up into a pine right next to my house. A first year bald eagle. Beautiful. And guess what: I even got a picture of if for you.

There it is, and there it stayed for probably an hour while I spied in wonder. But I don't want to spoil you too much, so that's enough good news for the day!

S-U-M-M-E-R

I'm beginning to get a bit of a soft spot for Summer in da Harbor. I know I have complained in the past about all the people and traffic and heat and work and events to volunteer for, but hey, that's life. That's why I'm able to live here the rest of the time.

So where did this soft spot grow from? Do I suddenly love following tourists down 41 at 20 mph? Do I love answering the same questions all the time? No and no. Here is the yes: nature is alive. For one, the berries are everywhere, and if I take the time to collect them, I can eat them all year round. For two, this area is full of wild edible plants. I have been foraging for the last few weeks.

I found medicinal plants -- Healall, St. John's Wort, rose hips and Yarrow. I've found peppermint and nettle for tea. I've found burdock, sumac, Evening Primrose, cattails and wild parsnip to eat. And there's plenty more which I have not yet found or identified. I have many of the above mentioned species drying for use over the winter. For free.

This is my new addiction (we all have our vices). If I go out for an adventure, I want to be able to identify all the flowers and trees I see. If I see a new blossoming one, I have to look it up when I get home. Also, many berries in the woods are edible -- not so much for a pie, but if the world suddenly ends -- they have nutrients and won't kill me either.

I wouldn't be able to see or find any of these wonderful plants any other time of the year. Summer is when they grow. So I must make a shout out to Summer for being one of my four favorite seasons here in da Harbor. S-U-M-M-E-R! What's that spell? Summer! Summer! Yaaaaaaaaaay Summer!

Epic Memorial Weekend

This has been the most enchanting spring I have seen up here yet. The weather has been warmer and more pleasant than it was all summer last year. The blackflies are pretty much done for (unless another round hatches), and they weren't even that bad! All the berries have blossoms, so I'm expecting to pick them within the month. That will be an early crop for sure.

We've even been getting just enough rain to sustain all the vegetation. It's simply flourishing! My commutes to work have been beautifully filled with pink roses, purple hairy vetch and yellow hawkweed. I count my lucky stars every time I pedal past.

This Memorial Weekend was the best da Harbor has seen in a while (if not ever!). The Trails Club hosted an Epic Ride-In event that brought over 100 mountain bikers up for rides, food, music and fun. What a great time! It's great to see this town become such a biking destination. I know I love to bike here!

On Sunday I rode the Epic Ride of 12.7 miles with boys. Bike riding/bike mechanic boys. I was leery to go with them at first, but they were going for a "leisurely" ride, so I figured I could keep up. And the way up sure was leisurely! I even had to brake, so I didn't run into the guy in front of me's back tire on the up hills. I have never had to brake on the up hills before, but 11 miles later, when we were on our fourth climb of the ride, I was grateful we kept a slow pace ascending.

The descents were another story. Good grief, those boys almost gave me a heart attack with how fast they bomb down the hills. I realized how much of a sally I am as they all quickly shot out of sight like they didn't have brakes. Looks like I have another thing to work on. Oy.

But that's good. I want to be prodded and shown what's possible. After a few more adjustments to my bike, I might be able to ride down that fast... once I let go of the fear of crashing and dying going those speeds. Hmm. Maybe I'll start slow with that one.

I hope you are well. Please forgive me if I can't find you everyday. I think of you often! Cheers to summer!

Bumble

I don't know how the weather has been by you (unless you live in da Keweenaw), but it's been in the 90-degree-Fahrenheits the last two days. Not today, thankfully. Not today.

If you remember my post about not liking hot weather, you can be right in assuming that I sure as heck did not go for any crazy adventures while the temperature is as high as my body's. I made it to my dock to lay in a bikini and sweat. And burn. Yup. Summer.

Anyway, I have a couple seasonal firsts for you. The lilacs are peaking. I smelled my first rose on Saturday. I smelled my first vanilla-y goodness from hairy vetch two days ago. Even the irises found their way up my nose! There's the old saying of "Take time to smell the roses," but I might do it a little too much. No, maybe just enough.

I did go out for a 6 mile jog this morning before 9 am. I figured the day could be sweltering by afternoon, so I got it in when I could. The fog was still on the lake, and I couldn't see one side of da Harbor from da udder! I couldn't even see the bell buoy from the lighthouse! And the air was refreshingly cool. A day to be grateful for.

Yes, and I will cherish the moments that I take to lay on the dock and sniff each flower as it arrives. Do you know why? The Harbor Haus opens this weekend. School will still be in session. I'm about to become a work-and-volunteeraholic. That's just what the summer does to a person in da Harbor. Memorial Weekend is the kickoff.

So I can officially say, "Good-bye Life! It's been great hanging out with you for the last few months. I'll see you in November!" And, "Hello, Tourists! Don't drive so stinkin slow on 41."