Weekend of Perfect Skating

Ah, Saturday and Sunday were perfect...the ice on the lake was thick and black. It seemed we could skate backwards forever without hitting a crack. Since Sunday, it has snowed a couple of inches. We'll clear a rink for hockey and broomball, but can't ever quite capture the feeling that open ice gives..

Andy and I can't begin to keep up with our kids when we play hockey. They're very zippy when they cut turns---That, and trying not to skate over our tongues (because we were so out of shape) made us feel very old at times. Friends came to share it with us...it was a black ice weekend!

Skating on the Pond

Yay for the ice on the pond!---we could skate all over, even with the dusting of snow. Since Daniel wanted to shoot pucks---he shoveled a spot by the goal.

2 Degrees

2 degrees this morning---Round Lake is frozen, but not in the clear-skate-all over-the-bay ice that we've had the past few years. The Gunflint Trail is pretty much frozen...larger lakes like Gunflint and Loon are still open, but not for long ( I predict). Just a dusting of snow in our neck of the woods so far, but we're good and ready.

Andy and Daniel skated on the Moose pond after school yesterday. In the car on the way to the bus stop this morning, Daniel asked "if Dad doesn't have anything else to do today, could you ask him if he would set up the hockey goals on the pond?" Not much light this time of year, but we squeeze in a little afterschool activity when we can...

Fe Fi Fo Fum

At the end of October Andy made his annual fall Quetico trip with Hungry Jack Outfitter Dave. They put in at the far Northwest Corner---Beaverhouse Lake, traveled through every lake they could, and ended up back at Saganaga--6 days and many miles later.

On their traverse across the Quetico, they passed through lakes unfamiliar to me--- like Cutty, Sark, Sunday....

In the very middle of the park they came upon huge old growth pines---this is where the kids and I want to go.

We think Andy looks like Jack---who managed to cut down the beanstalk just in the nick of time....and foiled the giant.

Andy said it was very humbling to be in the presence of these giant trees--he said it took the swagger out of him, and he couldn't imagine ever cutting them down.

I chose this photo to exemplify the camping part of the trip. Apparently they had so many miles in their plan that they were getting up at 5am in the blackness, and usually setting up camp in the near blackness. Granted, the days are short in October, but I had to laugh when he came home---and a few of the following mornings we'd wake up at 5am (in our warm bed in our warm house---and still feeling mighty chilly to me)---I would joke---"OK, time to get up---who is in charge of starting the fire and making the coffee?" It sounded a little hellish to me, not a vacation. And I do like to travel a fair amount, but still-

All summer long, Andy looks forward to his turn in the woods, and I don't think he wanted to miss a minute (or a mile) of this experience. I think they got a big kick out of testing their limits, watching the sunrises and sunsets from the boat, and getting the full experience of the northwoods.

Morning Coffee

Andy lost all bets-no ice on the lake this morning. But the hoarfrost on the surrounding trees sure made for a nice view while we drank our morning coffee.

Here's Winter

We got about 4 inches of snow last night, and it feels like it is here for the long haul. The sun made for a bright winter afternoon.

Andy has a bet with us all that Round Lake will freeze tonight. It is dead still outside, about 10 degrees (at 9pm), full moon.

November Sun

Our drive to the mailbox (busstop) this morning was lovely.

Can you see the cow moose in the pond? I wonder if she's too warm today? It's awfully late in the season for her to be knee deep in the water.

We (humans) are soaking up the warm sun!