Wildersmith on the Gunflint: January 16

At the time of this week's keyboard exercise, the Gunflint territory is seeing little movement by we human animals. As of this past Monday evening, the Wildersmith neighborhood was completing a ninth straight day where the temperature has not been above zero.

Life has pretty much been about trips to the wood shed, curling up with a good book near the humming wood burner and sipping a warm drink or a hot cup of soup! Residents are pretty much just hunkered down waiting out this not too unusual cold streak.

With the opening of the lake trout season, ice anglers are hoping for a break. But I’m guessing no matter what the conditions, they will not be deterred from auguring a hole in the hard water.

The extended cold snap has been both good and bad in terms of snow. It’s good because what we have has been maintained, but bad due to moisture opportunities having been held at bay to our south. Barely one half inch has been added during the past seven in our neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the animal world continues its normal survival tasks, fighting off the bitter elements and dodging predator situations. The “wild kingdom” is tough out here!

A couple of visiting whitetails spent a cuddly morning at Wildersmith last Sunday. In a relaxed mode for a few moments, after a time of browsing the moose maple shrubs, they decided our yard was a good place to settle down for a cold winter's nap. For the better part of an hour these two snoozed, nose to belly in snuggled comfort of snowy nests.

One has to observe scenes like this to fully appreciate the calmness these wild critters so seldom experience as they’re on high alert most of the time. It was a peaceful, precious diorama of north woods life!

Our supply run to Grand Marais last week provided further wild sightings. Several moose were on the loose, and we happened along at the right time. Four healthy specimens were observed at various places in the mid-trail moose zone.

Beyond those up-close roadside encounters, there was considerable evidence of even more activity based on tracks in and out of the snow banks at any number of byway locales. Let’s hope winter treats them well during the balance of the season. Survival activity around our yard continues as well. From tiny voles and other related rodents tunneling about just under the snowy surface, to pine martens dashing from tree tops to ground and back, plus birds, birds, birds; there is little quiet time from sun-up to sun-down.

The Smith’s enjoyed a pair of juvenile pine martens one day last week. This must have been their first appearance here at our deck-side food trough. The two seemed overjoyed with the easy grub opportunities as they sampled poultry parts, sunflower seeds and a can of bacon grease. Their frolic included several acrobatic stunts while exploring this new world of food service at Wildersmith.

Confirmation of members in our Gunflint/Loon lake wolf pack occurred during the past week. Two separate reports were received counting eight, in single file, perusing the Gunflint Lake south shore. Their hunt goes on, and on!

Sadness hangs over the Gunflint Community again this week. Word has been received on the December 22nd passing of Nathalie Rusk. She was 95 and passed at Gunderson Hospital in Whitehall, Wisconsin. Nathalie and husband Ken have been active members of the Gunflint Trail Community for some forty-four years while residing at their summer place on Seagull Lake. Such a sweet, talented person, Nathalie was a joy to be around and will be sorely missed. Gunflint Trail condolences are extended to Ken, her two daughters and a bevy of grand, great-grand and great-great-grandchildren.

Keep on, hangin’ on, and savor a thought for more snow!

(Photo courtesy of Jack Hynes on Flickr)