North Shore Morning

It is always hard to find news for the West End immediately after one of the annual peaks in the tourism industry.  It really is kind of a “no news is good news” situation.  When things are going well, as they did last week during that magic time between Christmas and New Year’s day, it seems like all West End residents are either working or enjoying the company of their own visiting friends and family.
 
This year, the weather cooperated with the holiday season to give everyone a wonderful winter experience.  Based on what I saw around the area, it was busy, busy, busy.  I think it’s likely that it was busier than last year, which continues a multi-year trend rising out of the recession that began back in 2008.  The county-wide lodging tax figures through November confirms the trend of a slow but steady increase in business.  Comparing apples to apples, May through November lodging revenues rose 6.5% compared to last year.
 
Speaking of tourism, the Los Angles Times recently published a story about the declining moose population in Minnesota.  The article was generally pretty favorable to our area, even though the focus was on kind of a sad subject.  The reporter, Andrew Khouri, contacted Sally Nankivell, who directs the Cook County Visitors Bureau, for background information as he was writing the article.  Sally found herself in the awkward position of trying to describe the annual moose rut to a thoroughly urban reporter.  Sally tried to use gentle euphemisms, but when it became clear that the reporter was just getting more confused, she had to give it to him straight.  The conversation caused a few uncomfortable silences, but eventually professionalism on both sides carried the day.  In the article, Kourhi refers delicately to the “moose mating season” and leaves it at that.
 
If you are fascinated by the habits of moose and all the other flora and fauna of the West End, the North Shore Stewardship Association is offering a Northwoods/Great Lakes Master Naturalist course at Sugarloaf Cove in Schroeder.  The course consists of six Saturday sessions, starting in February and ending in May. You will study the fascinating geology, plant and animal communities, inland lakes and bogs, ecology and human interactions of the Northwoods and Lake Superior.  Field trips are a key part of the curriculum.  At the conclusion, you will be a certified Minnesota Master Naturalist by the University of Minnesota Extension service.  You can register at the Minnesota Master Naturalist webpage.
 
Here at Sawbill, we host an annual reunion of our summer staff, both current and former, over the New Years holiday.  This year we had about fifteen young people here, playing broomball, skiing, snowshoeing, eating and generally celebrating the time between canoeing seasons.  We are lucky to attract very accomplished and interesting employees who quickly become honorary family members during their summers at Sawbill.  A number of them are living in the region now, scattered between Duluth and Grand Marais.  Over the years, at least a dozen of our summer employees have settled permanently in Cook County.  I’m pleased that they are all productive citizens of our beautiful community.  Who knows how many of next year’s crop will end up here as well?

Huge, endless, large—these are just a few words you might use to describe Lake Superior. At 31,700 square miles, it is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world.
 
But imagine—if you can—that in a matter of years, it shrank to a quarter of its size. It is hard to picture, but that is exactly what happened to another Great Lake on the other side of the world. The Aral Sea, situated between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has shrunk significantly over the last 50 years. In a short time, it has lost 75 percent of its surface area and 90 percent of its volume.
 
In this edition of the Lake Superior Project, journalist and author Peter Annin, along with Dave Naftzger of the Council of Great Lakes Governors, explains why the Aral Sea experiment is relevant to North America, what has been done to protect water quantity in the Great Lakes, and why the next century may be the "century of water."

Fika Coffee is a small, independent artisanal coffee roasting business in Grand Marais, Minnesota.  Owner Joshua Lindstrom roasts small batches of sustainable coffee beans for local distribution.  In this edition of WTIP's ongoing series, Behind the Work, producer Carah Thomas spends time with Josh at his home-based business near Grand Marais.  

To learn more about Fika Coffee, visit their website at www.fikacoffee.com

(Photos by Carah Thomas)

Amy Marie Schmidt lives in Hovland with her husband and young daughter. She moved to the North Shore from Iowa about 6 years ago. Amy is a multi-instrumentalist and gifted singer that has performed in the past with local groups like the Flute Reed River Band and Blueberry JAAM. BarbaraJean Meyers got a chance to visit with Amy and learn about her love of music.

Deane Morrison is a science writer at the University of Minnesota, where she authors the Minnesota Starwatch column. In this edition of Northern Sky, Deane explains how you can catch perihelion, Venus and Saturn in the morning sky, the Orion complex and much more at the beginning of the new year.

Read this month's Starwatch column.

The Gunflint is closing in on its last days of 2012. This is happening under the watchful gaze of our “little spirit moon” (Manidoo Giizisoons).
 
Our final hurrah for the past year finds the Wildersmith neighborhood celebrating the freeze-up of Gunflint Lake. Official closing date was last Saturday, the 22nd. For a second consecutive year the “old gal” put on her winter coat later than we would normally expect.
 
With the latest recorded Gunflint Lake freeze up for which I have data (since 1982) being Dec. 29 in 2001, this year’s tardy date ranks fourth, after last year, which was Dec. 28, and the 27^th in 1997. Our average before the past two years had been holding around Dec. 12. Just for the record, the earliest Zamboni exercise on the Gunflint over the past 30 years was Nov. 26 in 1996.
 
After last week’s wolf serenade, the winter song in our neighborhood has been tuned in to howls of a different tone. As the lake finally succumbed to its new landscape, she let out a screeching thunderous announcement, adding yet another voice to the wilderness choir.  
 
This first stanza reverberated from end to end, shaking some folks right out of their slumber. One has to wonder if the spirit of our Gunflint Gal was either uncomfortable with her new attire or thrilled that she finally delivered.
 
As fitting adjustments are being made, she is now murmuring subtle notes of acceptance. With a number of sub-zero to single-digit mornings since, and no insulating snow cover as yet, the thickening process is increasing rapidly.
 
Although I would not recommend heavy foot travel just yet, I did get word that the folks at Gunflint Lodge observed a wolf examining the shiny new surface on the morning of official solidarity.
 
While folks to our south were squawking about the blizzard of the decade, the upper Trail got barely a sniff in the past seven. These parts are still beautifully decked out in holiday flocking and ski trails are groomable (just barely), but we are still in dire need of substantial applications. Makes me worry about what next summer will be like if Mother Nature doesn’t do something about refilling our streams, rivers and lakes.
 
Speaking of being decked out for the holidays, our trip to church in Grand Marais this past Sunday was stunning. Jack Frost had been about and gave a crystal dousing to everything in creation. Sparkling jewels of the forest were so dazzling that one was almost blinded while old Sol tweaked even the smallest of these diamonds with beams of brilliance. It goes without saying that this area is rich beyond one’s wildest imagination in these simple, but precious, natural treasures.
 
For all the significant technological and engineering developments of mankind over the past couple centuries, it remains a mystery that man often cannot match the brain power and ingenuity of a hungry wilderness critter. A fellow down the road confides that he has been doing battle with a squirrel for months over sunflower seed accessibility at his bird feeder stations,
 
He has tried everything under the sun to deter the rodent. To date he finds that in spite of his reasonable intellectual and inventive exploits, all avenues have been met with an equalizing counter move by his gnawing little red friend.
 
Frustrated but not giving up, he shared his latest tactic and believes that he’s got the answer. We’ll see! I’ll be anxious to hear how the critter adapts to this new scheme. It would be my suggestion to let the tiny gal/guy have at it. You can’t seem to outsmart ‘em!
 
Every day out here in the woods is a wonder. The Smiths continue experiencing great moments in nature. Sharing them, as well as being able to report happenings of other Gunflinters, during this weekly Trail news scoop on WTIP has been most enjoyable in the past 365. Hopefully you enjoyed too!
 
As we wind down 2012, it is my wish for you that 2013 will be fruitful, rewarding, memorable and full of goodwill toward your fellow man!
 
Keep on hangin’ on, and come out to savor this wonderful creation we call the Gunflint. See you on the radio next year!

Airdate: December 28, 2012

Sometimes the steady diet of bad news that streams in via radio, TV and Internet can be really discouraging.  The news cycle has been especially grim recently, causing me to worry about the state of the world. 
 
Then, I attended an event at North House Folk School that restored my faith in the human race and gave me good hope for the future.  The event was watching 11-year-old Will Surbaugh attempt to do 500 pushups in an hour.  He did it, and then some, but you need to hear the whole story to understand why it was such an inspiring event.
 
Will is the son of Kate and Steve Surbaugh, who live outside of Grand Marais and own Cascade Vacation Rentals in Tofte.  Last spring, Will informed his parents that he would like to ski on the downhill ski team at Lutsen Mountains this winter.  Good parents that they are, Kate and Steve told Will that he could be on the team, but he had to earn enough money over the summer to defray at least half of the cost, including the expensive equipment that’s required for competitive downhill skiing. 
 
Will started a firewood business, worked hard and earned an impressive amount of money over the summer. His parents then explained to him that philanthropy is a core value of the Surbaugh family, and Will was expected to donate 10% of his earnings to a charity of his own choosing.
 
Will decided to support a non-profit called “The Mission Continues.”  They award six-month community service fellowships to post-9/11 veterans who then use their skills and discipline to serve a community project that addresses educational, environmental or social issues. This takes advantage of the veterans’ training to build community, while giving them a good path to reconnecting with civilian life.  At the conclusion of the fellowship, each veteran is expected to do one of three things: be employed full time, pursue higher education, or commit themselves to a permanent role of community service.
 
Will cheerfully sent off his donation and was surprised to be contacted by the organization and invited to their annual meeting and celebration in Washington, D.C.  The Mission Continues leaders were moved by receiving a generous donation from such a young philanthropist and wanted Will to be a part of celebrating the success of the program.  Will and Steve traveled to D.C. and Will was asked to introduce the organization’s executive director - on stage - in front of 600 people.
 
Inspired by his experience in D.C., Will committed to organizing a Mission Continues fundraising event in Cook County, with an ambitious goal of raising $10,000.  Will and his dad were discussing what kind of event he could organize, and Steve suggested that Will think about some kind of physical activity that would raise money through pledges. Will thought for a minute and then said he reckoned he could do 500 pushups in an hour.  Will had never done that many pushups, but he calculated that it was feasible and his plans fell into place.
 
That’s how I found myself at North House recently watching Will Surbaugh doing pushups.  Will did 10 pushups every minute, which only takes him about 10 seconds.  He would rest for the rest of the minute, then click off 10 more.  Fitness expert Greg Nichols was the official timer and counter. 
 
More than a just a fundraising event, it turned into a community effort, with a silent auction, bake sale, live music, wood fired pizza and lots of excitement.  As Will burned through his pushups, a number of people, of all ages, joined him in doing a few, or a few hundred, pushups.  Although he did slow down a bit by the end, Will easily did the 500 pushups. In fact, he completed 638 pushups in the allotted hour.  But more importantly, he easily exceeded his fundraising goal of $10,000.  You can see him do it on YouTube.
 
Will is a modest kid and takes his accomplishment very much in stride.  But I couldn’t help but be inspired by his commitment.  He was modeling leadership, physical fitness, health, community service, philanthropy, family and fun for everyone.  These are all values that contribute to what is good in life all the time, but it’s particularly nice to think about them at this time of year and at this point in history.  Will and his friends give me great hope for the future.

Airdate: December 27, 2012

Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association is pleased to offer Master Naturalist volunteer training at Sugarloaf Cove.

Minnesota Master Naturalist is a program developed through the University of Minnesota Extension Service that educates adults about Minnesota's natural resources, empowers them to teach others and provides opportunities to participate in conservation projects.

Participants will learn about the fascinating geology, plant and animal communities, inland lakes and bogs, ecology and human interactions of the Northwoods, as well as Lake Superior in this course.  The course will run from 9 am to 5 pm every other Saturday for 6 sessions beginning February 23 and ending May 4, 2013.  Field trips will be incorporated into the scheduled class days.

(Click on audio mp3 above to hear an interview with course instructor Margie Menzies.)

Become a Master Naturalist Classes start February 23, 2013.

Saturday, February 23, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013 Saturday
April 20, 2013 Saturday,
May 4, 2013

Registration is through the MN Master Naturalist web page.

(Photo courtesy the Superior Hiking Trail Association)

Dr. Seth Moore is Director of Biology and Environment with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. 

The Grand Portage Reservation is located in the extreme northeast corner of Minnesota, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Cook County. Bordered on the north by Canada, on the south and east by Lake Superior and on the west by Grand Portage State Forest, the reservation encompasses an historic fur trade site on beautiful Grand Portage Bay.

The band engages in fisheries and wildlife research projects throughout the year, working with moose, wolves, fish, deer, grouse, and environmental issues. Dr. Moore appears regularly on WTIP North Shore Community Radio, talking about the band's current and ongoing natural resource projects, as well as other environmental and health related issues of concern to the Grand Portage Band.

In this segment, Dr. Moore talks about the plight of  Minnesota's moose, and ongoing efforts to understand why the species is dying off in northeastern Minnesota.  Click on audio mp3 above to hear the interview.  Produced by Carah Thomas.

Moose collaring photos courtesy Grand Portage Trust Lands.

If you could ask Santa Claus any question, what would it be? Sawtooth Mountain 1st graders spent time this week writing these very questions. In this edition of Sawtooth Mountain Elementary School News, first grade teacher Betsy Jorgensen tells us more about the assignment.