Wildersmith on the Gunflint: October 31

At the time of this Gunflint news scooping, the upper Trail has just come off a swell week of warmer-than-normal weather. More specifically, it’s almost been too nice as we’ve had barely a smidgen of rain, and the forest is pretty much a dangerous pile of dry leaves and brush. Every resident and user of this territory should exercise care with regard to any burning.                                                           

With ghosts and goblins in the offing, everything seems to be in readiness for chapter 11 of 2014. Leaves are down and neatly windrowed along roadsides by the breezes of passing vehicles. This natural order is the advent of soon-to-be snowplow turnings. Tamarack needles have sifted to earth and “getting ready for winter chores around this place are completed. About all I see left to be done is Mother Nature” sending the bears off to slumber.                                                                                                                                   

So we’re off into what our Ojibwe neighbors call the month of the “freezing over” moon. We know our sweet fall days are numbered come November. That in mind, folks are reminded to “fall back” with their clocks before retiring on Saturday evening. Yep, we’re going back to standard time early Sunday morning. Enough of this manmade twisting time nonsense!                  

Another bear incident has been brought to my attention. This time the growly culprit became enraged and attacked a dog over in the Loon Lake neighborhood. This attack seems rather unusual as most barking dogs will send a bear readily up a tree. Perhaps this scenario involved a cub, thus provoking a protective Momma. I’m told the midsized canine was chewed up quite badly. In a frantic attempt to save the dog, its owner chanced a difficult shot during the battle. He fortunately dispatched the bear without hitting his pet during the melee.                                                                                                                                                                                         

At this writing, the dog, named Ike, is in a difficult recovery mode back home in Duluth. Ike has no broken bones, but his hide is sutured up like a hand-stitched quilt. Best of luck to Ike and his master, as the hope is for no infections from the wounds.

As we celebrate this night of sometimes eerie happenings, folks are reminded of the wicked snowstorm that did in Halloween back in 1991. Longtime Gunflint residents will forever remember the 40-plus inches of white that buried sections of the territory 23 years ago this weekend. The storm goes down in infamy as a trick that was no treat! 

A trip last weekend back into the mayhem of metro America once again affirmed why so many folks cherish this area as a place of revival and renewal. The Smiths enjoyed a special time with family near the metropolis, but we we’re soon to realize once again how great this area can be. When we returned to the pristine peace as we headed home down the Mile O Pine, there was no human hubbub, only a welcome of wind whispering greetings through the pines and ripples giggling against the shore. 

Too many people and too many vehicles, all in a hurry to only the Lord knows where. And we call it civilization! In this neighborhood, the often lonesome roar of a chain saw or hum of a wood splitter offers solace to the soul far surpassing the uproarious clamor of a world seemingly gone mad. Hurrah for the quiet of border land!

As we enter into this month of bounteous celebration and Thanksgiving, the first order of business is radio revelry at WTIP. The fall membership drive kicks off next Thursday, November 6.    

Themed “Many Thanks,” it’s a time when the abundance of community radio programming is honored by pledging to support this ever-expanding North Shore asset. This time, it’s a two-fold time to give thanks, both for those who make the day-to-day operations happen, and to those who have fiscally bolstered the efforts for many years. What a team for which to be thankful!

Our national pastime (baseball) has drawn down, but everyone in the WTIP universe can make another hit for the season by re-upping with a financial promise starting late next week. The fund raising effort runs through Monday, Nov. 10.                                                                                                                               
Keep on hangin’ on and savor the sounds of silence in the woods!

(Photo by zoomyboy on Flickr)