Wildersmith August 24

Ambiance of adventure in this north woods territory is ever present, but is never more cherished than as we pass from season to season. Such is the case right now while summer fades into its final stanza.
 
In this resident’s opinion, autumn is gathering momentum earlier than usual. It would appear that the color show will be a few weeks in advance of most.
 
Flora along the byway is tinged with early crimson, and the foliage of aspen and birch are beginning to favor aurous tones over their virescent tints of the past few months. As a whole, there are an amazing number of golden tones already on stems, and this in advance of uncountable hues of brown that will soon follow summer’s last hurrah.
 
Mother Nature has provided some splendid weather over the past seven. However, the rain gauge has pretty much been stuck on empty during the same segment.
 
The area is getting nerve-wrackingly crunchy in regard to ignition potential. Therefore we have hope both for rain and that common sense will prevail with visitors and residents alike, if any type of burning is necessary.
 
Invasive species are continuing topics of conversation for those of us that really care about out north woods naturals. Everything from flora renegades, to water nemesis, to crawling invertebrates and even a few winged and four-legged critters keep on invading our midst with full intent of taking over our pristine paradise.
 
Sadly, due to our insatiable human greed, I would have to say, but without absolute scientific proof, that we Homo sapiens are most likely either directly, or indirectly, the cause for a good part of what is happening in our part of the planet. Even sadder is that a good share of our population is unwilling to bite the bullet and change our lifestyle in order that our natural place, as we would have it, might regain and sustain command over these nasty elements.
 
So much for my soap box prattle, I just fell off. I will tell you, though, that I had an encounter with a north woods invasive just a few days ago. It is the second episode with this species in 2012. My regular followers on WTIP will recall my details of a visiting masked bandit this past spring.
 
It turns out there are obviously more than one of these critters that have moved in and are now taking up residence in border country. A kin to my spring visitor showed up on the Wildersmith deck one night last week.
 
Like its cousin, this one too turned out as easy pickins for exclusion from the neighborhood because of a gnawing appetite that included a sweet tooth and not much savvy. Once again a small pig-sized raccoon could not resist the aroma of my enticing PB&J.
 
As the trap door slammed shut, the unwelcomed varmint’s journey came to an end. Humanely, it was dispatched to those happy hunting grounds out in the forest where it will provide sustenance to native critters that have called this place home for eons.
 
The mystery remains about how these masked invaders get here. It seems like it would be a long walk from their usual more southerly habitat. Perhaps they hooked a ride with some of that southern state sweet corn that is sold from the back of a pick-up in several north shore locations? Whatever the case, there are now two less of the troublesome bandits hanging around trying to upset the wilderness cycle of life.
 
What a great day for the Mid-Trail Property Owners Association this past Saturday. Their annual fundraiser, on behalf of the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department and EMT folks, drew what looked to be a record crowd. At day’s end, the event garnered just shy of $10,000.
 
The winner of the mid-trail quilt raffle drawing was Jo Ann Krause, who just happens to be a mid-trail resident. Congratulations Jo Ann, and a huge thanks to all those who had a hand in organizing this fun and worthy event!
 
Keep on hangin’ on and savor the magic of summer to fall along the Trail!

Airdate: August 24, 2012

Photo courtesy of BruceCyg via Flickr.