West End News: December 18

Visit Cook County is organizing sleigh rides at Cascade Lodge again this year. Although targeted at our tourist population, this is a fun event for locals and their visitors too. 
 
The horse-drawn sleigh ride begins at Cascade Lodge between Lutsen and Grand Marais.  Parking is at the lodge and you should arrive at least 10 minutes before the ride begins. The ride is roughly 45 minutes in an open hay wagon, so you should dress very warmly and wear insulated boots.
 
Marco Good is the sleigh ride operator. Marco brings a wealth of knowledge to his work. He is a walking encyclopedia of the history of horse logging in Minnesota in addition to being a perceptive naturalist.  He is also well-known for his friendly and outgoing personality and - how can I put this delicately – having a colorful vocabulary with a unique ability to turn a phrase.
 
The regular schedule is Friday, Saturday and Monday evenings, from Jan. 16 through the end of March.  During holiday times, there will be more rides available. 
 
In the past, bookings for the sleigh rides were made through Cascade Lodge; now reservations are made through Visit Cook County. The easiest way to make a reservation is online at visitcookcounty.com. You can also reserve by calling VCC at 387-2524.
 
A few weeks ago, I talked about the purchase and remodeling of the venerable Northwoods Café at the shopping center in Silver Bay.  Word has it that the new establishment has commenced their “soft opening” under the new name of Northwoods Family Grille.  The reviews I’ve received have been glowing, with both the remodeling and the food drawing enthusiastic praise.  I urge everyone to stop by to check out and support this new/old local business.
 
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a community square dance at the Clair Nelson Community Center in Finland.  It was a really good time, with a great turn out of more than 50 people.  Based on that success, there is discussion of making it a monthly event.
 
The Clair Nelson Center has become the vibrant heartbeat of the Finland area community, featuring many regular and one-off events. Coming events include the monthly communitywide potluck dinner, which is happening on Dec. 28, starting at 5 p.m. Bingo, featuring cash prizes, is on Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.  The North Shore Area Partners senior lunch and program is Jan. 6 from 10 until 2.
 
Lake Superior School District Community Education will start offering classes at the Clair Nelson Center for the first time.  The first classes will include Powering Your Home with Renewable Energy, Organic Gardening Basics, Basic Genealogy and Family History, Community Acupuncture, and the Core4 Business Plan course. 
 
For more information and registration, go to the Lake County School District, ISD 381 website.
 
Last week our dogs spent the better part of an afternoon barking at our dumpster.  An investigation revealed that a pine marten had taken up residence, thanks to a lid that was ajar.  I corralled the dogs and left the lid open for an hour, allowing the marten to escape - or so I thought. I closed and latched the lids carefully so the marten couldn’t get back in.
 
I left town early the next morning for three days.  When I got back, Cindy mentioned that the dogs were still barking at the dumpster every day.  I reopened the dumpster and dug through the fragrant contents.  I could see many signs of marten habitation, but no sign of the marten in the dumpster. Guessing that the marten was quietly hiding under the garbage, I propped the lid open again and retreated to the house. Sure enough, about an hour later I witnessed a very bedraggled marten hop out and run up a nearby tree. 
 
The dogs took up their positions at the base of the tree and after a few good shakes and some quick grooming the marten returned to its pre-dumpster good looks.  It soon departed through the forest canopy and the dumpster is now marten-less, much to the disappointment of the dogs.
 
As usual at this time of year, there is more snow over the hill than down in the banana belt along the shore.  After the most recent storm, we have 11 inches of snow here at Sawbill. It’s all the better because the 4 or 5 inches of old snow in the bottom layer is solid as a rock, which goes a long way toward covering up the rocks on the ski trail.
 
Speaking of which, I need to sign off so I can fire up the snowmobile and start grooming the ski trail!