And a Happy Saturday morning from my chesterfield here in the North Woods where I’m already parked with coffee in hand (‘chesterfield’ is a Canadianism for couch). It’s been a great week. Marlene and I were able to walk every day. Kayaking across the lake, plowing through some light white caps was invigorating. And neighbor Bulent managed to launch his Zuma (sailboat) almost every day.

We’re also back to campfires – two this week. These are adult events, hence no singing, just lot of talk and discussion. The singing we’ve left to the local musical troubadours who ‘jam’ on Wednesday evenings at the Curling Club in town.

”If it weren’t for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song.” ~ Carl Perkins

The Pony Man – Last week I wrote quite extensively about Canada 150 events and happenings; especially about the lovely evening at the Little Rapids Community Hall. But, due to space considerations I did not write about The Pony Man.

You’ve all heard of the song; Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Canadian composer and singer Gordon Lightfoot about the massive Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during an early winter storm in 1975.

What most people don’t know is that Gordon Lightfoot also wrote and recorded a series of children’s songs. So, at the Little Rapids 150 event a pair of 11-year olds, on violin and keyboards, sang the delightful and mystical song; The Pony Man written by Lightfoot. So much fun.

When it’s midnight on the meadow
And the cats are in the shed
And the river tells a story
At the window by my bed
If you listen very closely
Be as quiet as you can
In the yard you’ll hear him
It is the pony man……..

Adventuring – It’s become a bit of an unwritten thing where every season we embark on several adventures, be it an ATV trip, a long hike, etc. So, this week it was boating. We (Marcia, Marlene, Donn, and moi) took our little Sea Nymph fishing boats through the cut-through and into the adjacent Little Pickerel Lake.

OK, “now how does that rate as an adventure” you ask? Maybe because the cut-through is nearly a ¼ mile of running water filled with logs, water lilies, reeds, rocks, and Beaver Dams. ‘Dams” as in plural? Yup, three dams with one being 5-feet tall. The whole business consists of clearing the props of vegetation, paddling, poking, and pushing, all culminating by going through a spider infested tunnel (culvert) into the pristine waters of Little Pickerel.

The whole event is an adventure. Waiting at the far end of the lake is a beach (one of the very few in these parts). Click on the photo to enlarge and then spot the fresh Moose tracks at our feet. Some kind soul, several years ago left four plastic chairs for folks such as we. The whole lake has just three, off grid, cabins on it, plus two small islands.

One of the two islands is a rock with a single tree and several dozen roosting gulls. The other is maybe an acre. On that island we made a stop and Marcia discovered a gorgeous multi-colored rock. It’s already found a prime spot in the living room where its colors perfectly complement those in a painting made by Dia. Looks great!

Repairs continue (part deux) – The ‘Bunkie’ repair is complete and Marcia has it all painted. This week I’ve completed more than half the work of sealing in the foundation from the upper part of the cabin with ¼” metal mesh [40 square feet of the stuff] – soon it’ll be Fall and that’s the time that field mice seek shelter indoors – not this year (or so I hope).

Animal Planet – After one of our campfires, shortly after 11 and in a 15-minute time span, I saw the International Space Station swing by, going in an opposite direction was a satellite, and the glowing streak of a meteor hitting the atmosphere. Apparently I went to bed too early and missed the Northern Lights which made it a show around 2am (or so am told).

The Merganser Duck families are growing and insist on paddling by the dock – skittish but cute. This morning at shortly after five the Loons began to organize themselves by calling out to one another. And yesterday afternoon a Bald Eagle was riding the air currents, circling ever higher, till eventually it popped in and out of the clouds. Then Bob-the-Forester informed that in addition to the Owl which ‘hangs’ across the cove there is also a Peregrine Falcon that nests there. I’ve seen the falcon but didn’t realized it nested so nearby. I do so love all of these occurrences.

Finis – This week, special thoughts going out to David and Doris.

Shortly we’re off to the Round Barn for Amish veggies, Maple Ridge store for some meat. Then some regular shopping including a check on the status of my Weed-Whacker repair. Finally, it’s a refill of water at the nearby natural spring (nothing like drinking ‘fresh’ 10,000 year old water).

Maybe tomorrow it’ll be more Blueberry picking. So far Marcia has 4-quarts of wild Blueberries in the freezer (plus 40-cups of fresh-picked strawberries) and we enjoyed fresh Blueberry pie at our last campfire – ‘tiss the season.

Make it a great week everyone.

Cheers.

Dirk