Ground Porn

One of the first things I got to do after my last post was get out to my rock.  And luckily, Aaron was still home, so just Duce and I went while B napped.

Without a squiggly little boy on my back, I can be more nimble.  I am also able to hold a camera steadily and not get kicked while I snap the photo.  This particular day, wet and warm, I was interested in ground cover.  Here are some of the shots I took on the way out.

A tiny ecosystem grows on an old stump

If I didn't have a one-year-old,

I might have this as my carpet at home

For some reason, I have always been intrigued by these tiny ground covers.  They turn something old into new life.  Their structure seems simple, yet effective.  Like how those light green stems in the top picture have a dent in the top, so water can pool there, and they can stay moist.  Genius.

Out at the rock, my soul was on fire.  I scampered all around like a child, exploring all areas of this magnificent geological beast.  One of my favorite parts was the lichen.  Guess I was still on that kick, hey?

Lichen on my rock

White, gray, green and orange all in the same spot.  Pretty spectacular.  And once my own heart settled a bit, and I could hear beyond myself, I heard this woh woh woh woh sound.  In not too long, I knew it was a freighter.  For some reason, I got really excited.  Probably because I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there.  I could almost feel it.  So I sat on that rock, and I waited.

Enjoying my view again

The woh woh woh woh kept getting louder, so I figured it would poke out from behind the lighthouse point at any moment.  I tried not to stare at that spot and just enjoy myself, but it seemed to be taking quite a while.  And my excitement just built.

Then there it was.  Haha.  It was pretty anticlimactic.  Yes, there it was: a freighter in the mist on the horizon.  Seen it a hundred times.  Got lots of pictures of it.  So I thought for a moment how the anticipation was more intense than the actual delivery.  Kind of like a kid opening a present on Christmas, you know?  Life is like that.

Now I will forget a lot of incidents in between, but here are a couple more of note.

Winter Wonderfest was a blowout despite the fact there was no snow.  The grass was lush and green.  People hung out by the fire because the air wasn't even too chilly until it started to drizzle.

Okay, but let me back up.  B and I worked a shift at the bake sale that day.  During that time, we saw lots of people come and go.  I always wonder where they come from.  Then around 3:30, before the ornament decorating was about to begin, the kids came in droves.  Holy crap I was almost claustrophobic!  Where did they all come from???  Were they here to make ornaments?  See Santa?  Well, I still don't know the answer to that, but they came.

And after the park lit up at 6pm, they all ran into it to play around the lights.  That part was pretty cool -- mostly because we weren't all in the same room.  Thank goodness for the great outdoors.

Well, HERE IS A VIDEO OF THAT GRAND LIGHTING.   Just click that underlined part.  Oh, you know what to do!

It was pretty sweet, I tell you.  Nice job to Donny and all the helpers.  Maybe you'll be there next year!

The other cool story happened yesterday.  I was out on a walk with my friend Annele (thank goodness I have another adventure buddy for the winter!!!), and while we stood on Jamsen's dock, this freighter scooted by.  It was so close, but we didn't hear it -- just barely saw it in the mist.  Now this photo is heavily edited, so you can actually see the freighter.  But it looks cool that way anyway.

Freighter in the mist through the gap

I mean, how perfect is that?  It's half the length of the gap!  If the wind was from the north, we probably could have smelled the fuel.

Oh, see? Now I'm remembering some other things.

One day I walked along Lake Fanny Hooe, and she was soooooo still.  I mean look how still she was!!!  A perfect reflection!

A perfect Fanny Hooe reflection

Can you tell where I was standing?  That's the resort on the right side.  Pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

And lastly, I recall a day when I wish I had my camera.  I had just gotten back from a hellacious drive from town.  It was a day that I wish someone had told me how horrible it was going to be, so I just wouldn't have gone!  But I did, and we didn't die.

So I got back, and often times, instead of turning right at the blinking light, I'll go straight  through and take Brockway Ave. along the lakeshore.  Man, we pulled up to the Jamsen's dock, and I couldn't believe the gap!  It was a constant whitecap!  The water level seemed to be higher than the rocks out there!

When I stepped out of my car -- getting pelted by freezing rain and sloshing through a huge puddle -- I noticed the waves in the harbor itself were breaking over people's docks!  I don't know if I've ever seen that before.  A lot of elements had to be aligned for that to happen.  And it did.  And I got to see it.  But I didn't have a camera.

Let me leave you with the fact that we are in the middle of a lake effect snow storm.  I'd say approximately 3 inches of fluff has built up on my porch so far.  It's beginning to look a lot like the Keweenaw!

Post Holiday Report

Happy 2015!  Hopefully I am another year wiser.

Remember how I mentioned the Winter Wonderfest last time?  Well, I thought it went pretty well.  The weather was warming up, but we still had snow.  And quite a few folks came out.

Folks and crafts at Winter Wonderfest

One of our local artists Donica created and donated this huge wreath for a raffle.  Those are life size doors, people.  What a honker!

Donica's massive wreath

And outside stood the snowmen, tall and proud.  Most of them were made by Staci, the one who decorated her mini golf course with them one year.

These two found the mistletoe

These two know how to party

Donny: the jolliest of them all

The leader of the light brigade

The lighting of the park was also lovely, though I didn't see it first hand.  Lydia took this picture, thankfully.

A pan of the park 2014

And the next day it rained.  I thought, well, there goes all that hard-earned snow.  But I won't lie.  Personally, a little break in the winter was nice considering what we went through last year.

The following day it snowed again anyway, so we were once again fluffy and white.  The trees were absolutely gorgeous.  I mean I stared in awe at them.  I realized that we live in a post card up here.  Everywhere I looked was picture perfect.

If you plan to come up to see this living post card, be aware that the Portage Canal lift bridge will periodically be closed.  The next predicted time for a prolonged closure is January 17th from 9pm to 7am.  I think this is pretty cool, actually (yeah, now watch me get stuck on the side I don't want to be on).  I mean, we live on an island up here.  That bridge is out, and the only option to the other side is a cold swim.

Otherwise you can expect short delays while work is being done on the bridge.  Just be prepared for that!

Since I talked to you last, a few places have reopened: The Pines Resort, Bear Belly Bar and Grill in Lac La Belle and Mount Bohemia Ski Hill.  Winter life has started here with snowmobilers and skiers, so that is promising, I suppose.

Aaron and some of his buddies are out on the east side of the harbor ice fishing for their first time this winter.  I heard there's 4-6" of ice on that side.  And they're actually catching some today!

Braeden needs to get bigger before I can take him out on winter adventures, so just be patient with me on that.  But when he is ready, we are going to have a blast.

I'd like to thank Grandma Mary for being here today, so I can actually get to this computer and focus long enough to write to you.  You should thank her too.  She keeps the little man entertained, that's for sure.

Thanks for your patience while I keep him entertained for all the other hours of his sweet little life.  I'll be with you soon, I hope!

The Refreeze

Today is the first day I have not been able to sing the Snowbank Song in over a week.  It's snowing, and the wind stings my face.  The puddles have turned to ice.

But on the warmer days, I got out to check on a couple things.

One day I went out with my friend Bryce and our dogs.  We went to Porter's Island because he's never been there before!  I knew he would like the blue ice formation.  Here's an action shot of him and his pup (Bryce, I hope I have your permission to post a picture of you on the internet!)

Bryce and Mr. Zi by the ice mound

As I looked to the south, I couldn't believe the wall of dark gray clouds crawling our way.  "Is is supposed to rain today?" I asked.

"I don't know," Bryce said.  "I learned never to watch the weather up here.  Just look outside."  Good answer.

But as you can see by his t-shirt, it wasn't terribly cold that day, so we didn't fret.  I was a little surprised, though, when the rain started as we began our trek back across the lake.  It was kind of an irony: walking across the frozen lake in the rain.  Who knows if I'll ever get to do that again?

Not today.  It's snowing.  Just some flurries, though.  Luckily I haven't heard word of any accumulation.

With all those other sunny, warm days, I thought Manganese Falls might be giving a show by now.  Actually, Aaron thought that.  But a snowshoe to the falls sounded good to Duce and me, so we went.  I didn't even have to put my snowshoes on until we got near Lake Fanny Hooe itself on the JLG Trail.

Then something embarrassingly odd happened.  I was lost.

"Where is the trail?" I asked Duce.  He couldn't find it either.  I knew which way to travel along the lake, but I didn't see what resembled a trail anywhere in the area.  So we bushwhacked.  

Have you ever snowshoed in a forest full of snow that has been melting for days?  Snowshoes don't really work.  Nothing does.  You just sink proportionately to the weight of your body.  I sank down to my knees and thighs in spots.  Ugh.  That was a lot of work. 

Finally, we found the trail.  I was relieved for myself and Duce.  He looked like he was swimming in the snow!  But that relief didn't last long because we sunk in on the trail just like in the middle of the woods!  Holy buckets!  I never experienced that phenomenon before.  Oh, I couldn't wait to see that bridge by the falls.

But before that bridge, I saw the colors in the puddles on Lake Fanny Hooe.  Just like this.

Pretty green and blue ice on Fanny Hooe

Then after a few hundred more grueling steps, we came to the bridge and took a break.  Was the sight worth it?

The bottom of Manganese Falls

It sounded nice, but still pretty snowy under all those cedar trees.

We took a little break, turned around and went back along the snowmobile trail.  The easy way.

Remember that unreadable Fort Wilkins sign from the last post?  Here is is three days after that.

Fort Wilkins is peeking out now!

It's peeking even more today, but I didn't get a picture yet.  We'll save that comparison for the next post (if I remember!).

As I stepped out to bring in some wood today, thankful that we still have some, I experienced a different phenomenon.  The last time I brought in wood, I stepped through snow thigh deep.  In some spots I could barely get my boot back out!  Know what it was like today?  Walking on top of a rock.  This refreeze refroze the snowbanks.  I bet the walk to Manganese Falls would be easy now!

Life in a Fairy Tale

Happy 2014!!!  Unlike most commercial holidays, I actually appreciate a New Year celebration because a person can start fresh.

Four days into it, I already have treats for you.

You can call me a wuss for this, but I don't really want to hang from a chairlift with these low temps and high winds.  I've been getting creative instead.  Here's how.

Sledding

The plow banks in my driveway are 10 to 12 feet high, so I bought me a new orange sled, and I climbed up the bank for some excitement in my own front yard.  Well, that bank was okay, but, you know, my house is on a big conglomerate boulder way off the ground.

I had it perfectly planned out.

I would climb the stairs to my porch, hoist over the rail and bomb down that boulder.  It was awesome!  I got to rip it about four times before I realized my sled was slowing down.  Upon inspection, I realized that I had cracked the back end in the shape of my back end.  I didn't let it get me down, though.  I had the perfect remedy used by yoopers for years.

Duct tape.

So I taped her back up and tried again.  Wee hoo!  So much fun!  For two runs.  Yeah, that last run was a little slow too.  Did I crack it again?  Sure enough, I cracked that sled into pieces.

Me and my busted sled

At first, I was a little upset.  I mean, I planned on sledding all afternoon in my new sled, and I got six runs before it was obliterated.  But I couldn't blame anyone but me.  I am probably not in the weight class for a kid sled, and on half my runs, I got air before landing on the hard-packed driveway.  I abused that thing.  And my own back end.

Biking

Upon realizing that I was too sore to chance crashing at Mt. Bohemia or even lift my right leg high enough for a snowshoe, I had to find another option.  What can I do when it's really cold, but I can't fall or walk?  

Ride a bike!!!  

I busted out the cruiser and rode merrily to the beginning of Highway 41.  Oh, I love a bike ride, and that was the ticket.  Upon passing the Lighthouse Overlook area on my way home, I decided to pull in, and check out the shore.

It was then that I realized what I had been missing.

Shore Exploring

So I've taken you around da Harbor lately.  Up Brockway's Nose, through Clyde's Feild, on Lake Medora, almost to Horseshoe Harbor, etc.  But there is one place we haven't gone, and the minute I was there, its grandeur flooded my soul.

The lakeshore.

With a couple clumsy toddles here and an almost slip there, I became something new.  All the sudden I was Goldilocks adventuring the caves of The Three Bears.  And I wasn't even wearing snowpants.

Here is the first ice cave I stumbled upon.

Outside Baby Bear's Cave

Now pardon me for finding them out of fairy tale order, but I didn't quite realize what was happening yet.  So I crawled inside.

Inside Baby Bear's Cave

I was enamored.  I haven't been inside one of these since last winter... and it has already been winter for months!  With my curiosity antennae pointed down the shore line, I followed my instincts.  Another cave was just up ahead!

Outside Mama Bear's Cave

When I took this picture, I remember thinking, My readers better appreciate this because I can hear the water moving underneath the ice that I just jumped onto.  But I went ahead and crawled inside anyway... in my corduroy pants.  Boy, do they gather the snow.

Inside Mama Bear's Cave

Wow, Mama.  Great view of the lighthouse!

I was geeked.  What a spectacle!!!  I wished a camera crew was out there with me to capture the splendor, curiosity and magic I felt and saw.  Plus, they could help ward off the bears.

Back outside, my hesitations about the ice were gone as adrenaline took over.  I saw another cave ahead.  Surely it was Papa Bear's.

Outside Papa Bear's Cave

Papa must be able to get down low because I even had a rough time not breaking icicles off with my head as I crawled inside.

The view from in there could be on National Geographic.

Inside Papa Bear's Cave

Just imagine if I had a professional camera!  This is my new favorite picture of the Copper Harbor Lighthouse.

But wait... what are those furry looking things hanging from the ceiling?

Frosted Icicles

Have you ever seen those before?  Really, I mean how do they form?  There must have been some moisture build-up... from heavy breathing... I thought as the water groaned under me like a tired bear.  Maybe my fairy tale wasn't so tale after all....

Okay!  Time to go!  And I pedaled home.

Driving the Gauntlet

If you read my last post, you have heard all about The Covered Stretch, aka The Gauntlet, aka Super Mario Brothers game.  But let me tell you.  Besides becoming a casualty risk for all who enter, for a few days, it turned the most surreal exhibition I have ever seen it be.

I literally could not believe was I was seeing, and I drove it three times that way.  My sincerest apologies for not getting a video of it.  By the time I realized I should, the south winds picked up, and it was no longer surreal.  Just a gauntlet of tree bombs.

But I have a plan on how to describe it to you.  Make sure you are relaxed to get the full effect.  Here is goes:

Imagine the Covered Stretch -- branches arching above you, touching each other.  Now let the branches turn into elk, caribou, moose and deer antlers all entangled with each other over your head.  

Seriously, stay with me.

Cover those antlers in sparkling white velvet.  All of them.  Now take all the end points of those antlers and let gravity pull them down at least two feet closer to where you are.  If you could slam dunk a basket ball, you might be able to jump up and touch the velvet.

On top of these low-hanging, white velvet antlers, we're going to throw up some white snow snakes: 10 inches wide and eight feet long.  They lay anywhere from the thick branches close to the tree trunks to the tips of the points.  You wonder how they stay there.  So do it.

We'll top it all off with a couple frosty snowmen.  Yup, round and jolly.  They're laying up there too, winking as you pass underneath.

And all this sets against a white road and a white sky.

If you were able to follow this all the way through, you are lucky.  You are one of the few people left in this world with an imagination.

But now I'm imagining that this is getting a bit long for your busy schedule.  First, I will tell you that yesterday the whole harbor was frozen from east to west.  Today the middle blew out.  That was quick!

It's Snowing Again (We Say Everyday)

It's officially been eight years since Aaron and I moved to Copper Harbor.  Only eight?  It seems like longer to me.  And you know what?  In all those eight years, not one moment has gone by when I regretted that impulsive move.  Did you know I had only been to Copper Harbor two or three times in the winter before I moved here?  I hadn't even seen it in the summer!

Speaking of summer, I can hardly fathom that time right now.  The calendar does not say it's winter yet, but everywhere a person can look, it is winter.  Here is just a little comparison for you. 

The back porch on Thanksgiving Day

The back porch this morning...

that table is in there somewhere!

Yeah, so it's winter.  Sorry calendar.  

But it's winter like it's supposed to be winter!  Mount Bohemia opened yesterday, and I got to go snowboarding in some thick snow on mogul-less terrain.  Lots of other people came for the event as well, but I found some freshies to glide through.

I was so excited to carve the hill up that I didn't bring my camera.  No time for frozen fingers pushing buttons on a powder day.  That's just a rule.  But I do have other pictures from throughout the week! 

This is how I knew it was time to put the cruiser bike away.

The shivering Swhinn

And see what's leaning up against that tree?  My snowshoes!  That was the day of my first snowshoe.  It was grand.  And here are some shots from my second snowshoe.  Aaron and Johnny went out to Lake Medora to do some kiteboarding, so I went with.  I always wanted to venture to those islands out there anyway.

Snowy trees on a Medora Island

Icicles on a Medora Island

They kites in action on Lake Medora

Though the wind was really whipping, it was awesome being out there.  And though I have never been to Isle Royale in the winter, exploring those islands reminded me of exploring Isle Royale.  Probably because it was some place new, it was gorgeous and I knew I wasn't going to meet another soul.  

So Aaron and Allan have already been ice fishing at the west end of the harbor.  No catching, but the ice was thick enough to stand on and fish.  Here are some shots of ice on other parts of the harbor that day... Friday.

Looking west from the Isle Royale Queen IV dock

Looking east next to the Harbor Haus dock

And when I looked down at the lake from my house today, I didn't see any ice in the middle of the harbor.  The current 40 mph gusts probably had something to do with that.  But those gusts also make me want to get out to Hunter's Point to check out the waves.  

But before I do that, I wanted to point out one thing.  Scroll through those pictures again.    What colors do you see a lot of?  White, gray, some wood colors... oh, the kites have colors!  Thanks goodness!  What do you not see?  Shadows.  Okay, maybe under that little table on my back porch.

So imagine.  A week without shadows.  A week without a sparkle in the snow.  A week seeing white and gray for color in the natural landscape.  It makes for an interesting perspective on life.  Thanks goodness for Vitamin D supplements and snow sports!  See you next week!

Snow Makeover

Did you already hear what happened in da Harbor on Thursday?  We got over a foot of snow!  It's still settling and compacting, but it sure was beautiful!  Aaron had to plow twice that day.

Aaron plowing the first time... in one day

Hikes area getting a little tougher in all this snow, but I've been too lazy to actually bust out the snowshoes.  If I wanted to venture into the woods, I would need them.

So where else can I go?  Up to Brockway's Nose!  However, I switched from walking the snowmobile path to riding the Cruiser Bike to the bottom of the hill.  Pedaling a slick road is way more efficient than tromping through 10 inches of snow in my boots.

The actual hike up the hill is increasingly more overtaken by gravity.  A couple boot slides up to half a boot slide back down.  Oh crap.  You know what wouldn't make my boots slide back down?  Snowshoes!  But then if I strap those babies on, I'll just want to rocket a short cut straight up the nose.  Then you'll worry about my safety and send me concerned messages.  Oh boy, what to do???

How about I just show you the cool comparison picture I got for now.  I think I might keep this shot up throughout the winter.  Then I'll definitely trek up there in snowshoes... straight up the ridge.

View of Copper Harbor November 22, 2013

View of Copper Harbor November 30, 2013

Lake Fanny Hooe is almost frozen over!  Shall we take a closer look?

Fanny and Clyde's Ponds in deep freeze mode

It's kind of an odd feeling to climb all the way up to the nose of Brockway, take a couple pictures and then slide back down.  So today I perched for a few moments.

Hardly a leaf twitched on a branch.  The only sound was Lake Superior waaaaay in the distance as she was so calm today.  Below me, a lone pickup cruised through town.  A fresh feeling of peace wrapped me in a warm blanket.  Yes.  This is why I live here.

And on my way down, my handsome black beast looked so sweet.

Duce waiting for me down the hill

The way down is heavily influenced by gravity as well.  Sometimes my feet just can't stop, and I have to angle my out-of-control legs off the road in case I biff it.  So far the landings have been soft enough.

In case you can't access facebook or twitter, here is my snow angel from earlier this week -- before we got all that snow!

Snow Angel at the Fort Wilkins Boat Launch lot

We actually had a spot of sunshine that day, as you can tell in the shadows.  Man, what a difference a burst of sunshine makes!  It makes me feel all exotic!

December starts tomorrow.  I have a feeling it will be an exciting one!

Keystone Bay... Once Forgotten

Oh, man.  Now I feel like a jerk.  You know what I did?  I totally forgot that I went to Keystone Bay last week and that I took pictures and video for you.  Then I teased you about not liking to read in my last post because I didn't have any pictures and videos to show you.  Well, another point for you.  At least I wrote a sweet poem.

So, uh, a couple weeks ago, I went to Keystone Bay with a couple crazy boys who still like to kiteboard in Lake Superior even though it's stinkin' cold in the lake AND the air.  Then, like the dutiful little blogger I am I took some pictures of the highlights.  So without further ado, here they are!

I always thought bikers looked goofy in their outfit, but this beats it!

Woo!  And this is on his way back down!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE KITEBOARDING TEASER

Then I took a walk along the beach.  You know, it certainly isn't boring out there!

A beaver dam at the mouth of Union Creek

A pan of the fire-ravaged Keweenaw Point

The wasteland at Keweenaw Point

At least the orange fungus is seeping!

That fire happened in August of 2006.  I did see evidence of thimbleberry bushes, grasses and some other things that had already withered from the fall.  Lots of burned tree trunks and roots, though.  Walking through there was like walking on a trunk trapeze! 

Since you deserve it, here is a picture from our first sticking snow.

November snow in the sunshine

It wasn't much, and it's already gone, but it was majestic while it lasted.

Today is the opener for gun hunting season for deer.  Right now it's way too beautiful out for this girl and her black dog to stay inside, but we're sort of trapped in town because the trails are closed.  Maybe we'll have to go to Wisconsin! 

Snow and the Gay Stack

As I look out the window

snowflakes fly by 

like swarms of bees searching for pollen

from bobbing anthers.

That season is past

as today the first snow sticks

to my ribs

and the grass

and the pavement

and the cars

and the ice 

so I can skate down Main Street

in my unlaced boots.

I figure I owe you something a little different.  I hope that poem did the trick cuz I sure don't have any pictures today.

"Dag nabit, Amanda!  No pictures again???  How am I supposed to stay connected to da Harbor without pictures and videos?"

"Simmer down, dear Reader.  I am a writer.  I paint pictures with my words."

"Ugh, but that is so much work to read all of your words!  Don't you know this day and age is full of constant stimulation and bright flashing colors?  How am I supposed to stay entertained if I have to read???"

"Well, dear Reader, reading is a skill that will soon be lost by our youth as they only text in sentences made up of the first letter of each word."

"All right, all right.  I'll read on.  But it better be good.  I'm a busy person."

There.  Dialogue.  That's different too.  And you read it, didn't you?  Good job.

As you may have picked up from the opening poem, it's snowing right now.  But this time, it is actually sticking to the ground!  That means it's pretty stinkin' cold out there.  Windy too.  And gray.  It has that wintery feeling.  Though I know it won't continue without a warm up, I embrace it fully.  Another season of change.

I've been pretty busy, trying to keep up with writing projects, teaching a few friends how to make wine, trying to get to the great outdoors and hanging out with the family.  Both sides of the fam!  I am glad they all love it here too.

Want to know the coolest thing we did?

We drove the Gay/Lac La Belle Road along Lake Superior's shore.  We got out at Brunette Park to marvel at the sandstone beach and the glistening waves in the distance.  That lake, she's a beaut.

When we got to Gay, curiosity pulled my family to the huge stack right on Main Street.  "What could that have been used for?" we asked ourselves.  "There's nothing under it."

But we were wrong.

Just behind it was concrete foundation after concrete foundation.  Such a different style of construction taking up a vast amount of space.

Now I was out there with family members 58 years old and beyond.  

They were like little kids!

Sticking their heads through openings, yanking on stakes, crawling through arched doorways, hopping over rocks to get a better view, bushwhacking to explore farther down and exclaiming:

"Oh, wow!"

"Look at this, guys!"

"What do you think this was used for?"

"This is so neat!"

"What a huge place!"

"We're on an adventure!"

Personally, I felt a bit like I was in The Goonies movie myself, crawling in and out of gaping concrete holes and exploring a new place with my goony family.  Just kidding, guys.  You know I love you.

After we came out, we checked out the old school, and then saw the historic sign that told about where we were: The Wolverine and Mohawk Stamp Mills from the early 1900's.  I even bought The Gay, Michigan Story book, part of a series by Clarence J. Monette from Copper World because we all found the place and history fascinating.

But it's just fascinating in the Keweenaw!  Past, present, and, if we are all lucky, future!

Well, thanks for sticking with me this long, but I better get on with it.  Hopefully this week I will remember to take a camera out with me!