North Shore Morning

WTIP commentator, Vicki Biggs Anderson is producing a "Retro for Radio" segment of her Magnetic North feature. Vicki is selecting and reading from her columns written in the 1990's for the Cook County News Herald. 
This column was titled "My Bobbins and Tub Runneth Over".  Enjoy!

Grand Marais Parks and Recreation Manager, Dave Tersteeg talked with North Shore Morning host, CJ Heithoff about the April Parks Board Meeting in this interview.

North Shore Morning host, Mark Abrahamson talks with Bonnie Dalin with the Oral Health Task Force about the Free Day at the Dentist event coming up on April 26th.

"Voices of Spring" opens at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery on Friday, April 2nd.  It features six artists and a variety of media.  

North Shore Morning host, Mark Abrahamson talks with organizer and artist, Kathy Fox Weinberg to learn more.

North Shore Morning host, Mark Abrahamson talks with Amy Addy from "The Retrievers" for an update on Rowdi, the Labrador Retriever that went missing from the Tofte area in February. They're not giving up on finding him.

Please call 612-669-8965 with info or sightings.

Wildersmith on the Gunflint     by     Fred Smith
April 2, 2021    
           
Back to the beautiful Gunflint woods after a first visit out of state in fifteen months. Following a couple winter like acts of the past week, it’s now April, no “fooling.”                                               

While I don’t know if this has any meaning, as to this time of the year, while shoveling from the weekend snow, a dark brown item appeared as my scoop passed by. I thought it must be a bit of lint off my apparel, but closer examination found it to be wooly caterpillar. Laying a finger close to the fuzzy critter, I nudged it, finding life as it coiled in reaction, no “April Fool” here. An anomaly  yes?                                                                                                             

The “wow” of the north woods was once again highlighted with a spectacular full, Ojibwe, “crust on the snow” moon, last weekend. The past few full lunar happenings in this neighborhood have occurred behind clouded skies. With clear skies this time, and on the “breast of new fallen snow” the “big cheese” cast near daylight, after dark, on objects below. If listeners weren’t up to see the late night landscape, you missed another Gunflint delight!                   

As winter sputters to an end, it has been mixed with enough spring teasing to open up occasions of mud. With the warmth of the past few days and April at hand, I would declare “mud” season is now official. Such is most noticed along back country roads and on vehicles traveling them. I will just concede to driving the dirt colored vehicle until green-up commences.       

On our trips south toward the village, we are always on the look-out for an experience having never before observed, and it usually happens. This trek was no exception.                                

Our attention was suddenly captured as we approached the Trail intersection with Birch Lake Road. For those not familiar, this is near the location of the Christmas season sentinel cared for by the good folks on Birch Lake.                                                                                                    

For some reason the magnificent, lonesome pine was lit up, twinkling like it was December. Wondering as we neared, what could be going on, had the lighting crew slipped a belt?                                                                                                                                                              
It was soon discovered “old Sol” had risen into an exact position, sending rays into the crystal luminaries, and giving off the appearance, of their being energized by man.                            

While the symbols of light to the world are beautiful after the dark, they seemed more awe-inspiring with enabling from the sun. Sparkling like pearls of dew or rain drops after a morning shower, the solitary scene was akin to a starlit heaven only here on earth. What a refreshing encounter on a bright cheery morning!                                                                                               

Having been out of the territory for a week, our return out the Byway was equally exciting although there was nothing physically observable. As we trekked through the pines, along still snow covered ditches, it was just a “hard to explain,” spirit of the Trail that seemed to reach out with a welcome. So magical and reverent!                                                                                

It was not until we pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the vehicle when we were greeted by a Mile O Pine reality, welcome wagon. I don’t have an official descriptor for a group of squirrels, but there was an excited gang on hand.                                                                        

While the little rodent folk can be annoying at times, it kind of warms one’s heart even though you know they are not really interested in your return, so much as they know, you will be opening the feed bin.                                                                                                                           

Nevertheless, the quiet of the forest was interrupted with excited chatter as they scampered madly about, and into the wood shop where the goodies are kept. I had a devil of a time shooing them out, until I grabbed a handful of seeds to lure them back into the out of doors. Boy, am I well trained!                                                                                                                       

In closing, the border territory is now playing the April waiting game. Waiting for snow to melt, ice to go out, rain to fall, mud to dry, green to come, flowers to sprout, animal babies to be born and the annual re-birth of Gunflint adventures.                                                                          

For WTIP, this is Wildersmith, along the Gunflint Trail, where every North woods day has a unique splendor!
 

Wildersmith on the Gunflint     by     Fred Smith
March 19, 2021    
           
Spring along the Gunflint seems to be back on track following a brief guest appearance from “old man winter” about ten days ago. The one and done snowy stop over happened just as last weeks’ scoop hit the air waves, so it missed deadline.                                                                   

Just when we were beginning to see brown patches of ground, the late season happening was the first big snow in this neighborhood since the Christmas Holidays. The dropping saw near nine inches here at Wildersmith and upwards of near a foot at end of the Trail. While this was nice and much overdue, total snow measured at this location, to date, is just short of sixty inches, far below what normally would be expected.                               

Accumulations diminished as one headed down the Byway toward the village. At the same moment, we may have experienced the last sub-zero temperatures of the season on a couple mornings following.                                                                                                                                    

While people who live at forty-nine degrees north and beyond have affection for the cold, whiteness, fishing on hard water and  skiing or sledding on the fluff, enough has become enough. Perhaps I’ve shoveled, cranked the snow blower and plowed for the last time. At least one would think so ending week three.                                                                         

Getting back on track is surely the order as the Vernal Equinox sets the course for re-birth this weekend. The calendar and day light saving time are now in sync, so to speak.      Speaking of DLST, I’ve heard scuttle someone in D.C. governmental leadership is introducing legislation to enact daylight saving time permanently, no more “falling back.” Obviously this person doesn’t care the sun would not be rising until about nine in the morning at these latitudes, and kids in this neck of the woods will be heading to school in the dark. Don’t those folks have more important issues with which to deal?  At the moment of this keyboard exercise, the hour lost has me a bit blurry-eyed.                                                                  

Meanwhile, as the warm-up starts to escalate, ice on Gunflint Lake has not started to make its disappearing act, at least along the Wildersmith shore. Neighbors fishing in this locale report hard water out here remains in excess of two feet. While two feet of ice is two feet, this thickness remains like our snow, less than normal. It’s been pretty much a non-winter, except for one week.                                                                                                                                                 

I was out on the ice a few days ago with the neighbors and their grand-sons. It was a beautiful day, and what a good time those young lads were having, even though catching action was slow. A flag finally tipped up, and the excitement was over flowing onto the ice.                          

A nice eater trout was pulled through the hole by a nine year old followed by grins and high fives all around. One couldn’t help but reflect on an old adage dating back to the “Greatest Generation”, that “no boy is ever bad, when he’s fishing with his dad,” or Grand-dad.”                        

It would be a fair assumption the critters snoozing away the cold season may be rolling over and opening an eye to check on conditions for emergence. “Woody the Chuck” AKA ground hog was right again, as conditions have confirmed his six more weeks’ prediction of back on February second.                                                                                                                            

It’s funny the mythical prognosticator, historically, has always predicted with one hundred present accuracy. So we can expect “chippies” skunks, “Bruno’s and other dozing folk soon to be adding new chapters of Gunflint tales.                                                                                    

While there is still a good bit of snow on the ground, most folks paying attention to the beautiful Gunflint Trail know there is plenty of mankind littering hidden below. This in mind, the Scenic Byway Committee is reminding lake homeowner associations, it’s time to start thinking about the annual Trail clean-up, due to commence in May.                                                                

Please get those pick-up teams organized and ready to hit the Trail when the ground is bare. The official date for County pick-up crews to gather up the roadside bags of collection will be announced as soon as confirmed, around May day or sooner. I’ll have more info as it becomes available.  Thanks in advance to all pitching into those bags.                                           

Speaking of the recent extension of daylight minutes, both “nighttime and daytime” things are going on right now at the community radio station, up on the hill, along the north shore. The WTIP family is in the midst of their own rendition of spring renewal with the “Night and Day” membership support campaign.                                                                                                

As I introduced last week, the drive for both renewing and new family members kicked off this past Wednesday and continues through this coming Monday at noon.                          

While face to face visits to the station during the drive are still COVID restricted, daytime operators would love to talk with listeners on the phone, and 24-7 online communications of support will also be deeply appreciated.                                                               

If you haven’t “sprung” into action, it’s time to move into spring with your caring gift either “Night or Day.” Locally call at (218) 387-1070; or toll free at 1-(800) 473-9847; or “click and join” on line at WTIP.org                                                                                                                 

For WTIP, this Wildersmith, along the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, as spring will soon be “busting out all over!”
 

Chel Anderson is a botanist and plant ecologist and she joins us periodically to report on what she’s seeing in our woods and waters right now.

This project is supported in part by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

"Pack & Paddle" is a monthly feature on North Shore Morning.
In this edition of "Pack & Paddle," Scott Oeth talks about axe safety.

Chel Anderson is a botanist and plant ecologist and she joins us periodically to report on what she’s seeing in our woods and waters right now.

In this edition of North Woods Naturalist, Chel describes her recent observations during this March spring teaser.