Fall's Bounty.

Dear Friends and Family,

September has gone already, and October is going by quickly. The warm fall weather is over apparently, as we've been dodging the snow flurries this week. It could be worse; Lisa says that they got about three inches of the white stuff in Colfax on Monday morning.

Jim and I tried to make the best of the warm September weather by journeying up north to camp in the Sylvania Wilderness in the U.P.'s Ottawa National Forest. The autumnal trundle up north has become an informal annual Bragg ritual the last five or six years. This year Jim and I were joined by Bob and his girlfriend Deb. Mom and Dad also made it up to the campfire on Friday night. As you can see below, Bucky tried to stow away in the tent bag, but we caught him before he made it into the truck! Too sleepy!

Jim and I stayed in the modern campground. Bob and Deb were more adventurous. They paddled into the wilderness on a canoe and stayed at two different wilderness sites. Both parties saw some amazing stars on those moonless nights. I don't think I have ever seen as many ... at least since the car dealership (now defunct?) at the head of Shepherd Lake Road and Highway 17 installed its floodlights near Mom and Dad's.

On Saturday morning, Jim and I took a hike down the east side of Clark Lake to the beach at the south end. I had forgotten how long that walk was. Jim had had enough by the time we got there; he's more of a fire tender than a hiker-canoer. He decided to head back to the campsite after he and I helped Bob and Deb portage to Crooked Lake. I don't think it helped that Jim was trying to listen to the Badger game on his headphones, and his radio reception was cutting in and out. He also did not appreciate my attempts to photograph a giant porcupine on the way down to the beach.
So, map in hand, I decided to strike out on my own to meet Bob and Deb for a late lunch at their second night's campsite deeper in the park. I soon discovered that the U.S. Forest Service did not mark all their trails equally well, so I had to pay careful attention to sun angles and trail turns as I proceeded. I had a great hike, despite the dead weasel I found on the trail.

The fall foliage was just starting that weekend, so color was very spotty. Rhinelander and Eagle River were much further along. I think the density of the old growth protects the branches of its trees from being exposed to the earliest frosts. Bob made a tasty campfire paella. I was very impressed. I couldn't dawdle too long, though, as the sun was getting low on the horizon. I had planned on taking a short cut off trail to make it back to the modern campground.

My little shortcut, perhaps a mile and a half as the crow flies, ended up being quite an excursion. At one point I had to traverse an isthmus that rose probably 150 feet above Crooked and High Lakes. I had no problem finding my way, because I could use the due west sun to help keep me attuned to the major milestones on my map. I probably should have let Bob, Deb, and Jim know exactly where I had planned to go before venturing off trail, though, as I could have turned an ankle or been eaten by a bear or wolfpack.

I visited Jon, Lisa, and family in Colfax the first full weekend of October. It was a very fun trip, full of games and field trips. I was very impressed with Lisa's ambitious canning. I think we share an increasing attachment to home and locally grown foods.

Mikey and Emma impressed me with their musical attainments. Mikey is a proud bassoonist, and he did a very impressive job of improvising a tune. Emma has taken up the clarinet. Leila loves tuting on her recorder.

Leila didn't know what to make off me at first, but she warmed up to me by the end of the weekend. She's just a bundle of energy, as you can tell from the video post below.

Coco impressed me with her chicken herding instincts. The chickens impressed me with their big chicken poops.

I also enjoyed a stroll through neighbor Johnnie's farm. I picked pears and apples with Lisa, Jon, and the kids. We had to make our way through some very large cattle, of which Emma has no fear. Yikes.

I should pass along special thanks to all those gardeners (Mom, Lisa, Lisa's neighbor Johnnie, and Jim's brother Joe) whom helped supply us with fruit and vegetables this summer and fall. Thanks! We really enjoyed them.

jkb