Wildersmith June 15

“June is bustin’ out all over” as the old tune goes. It was never more evident than the past weekend as temperatures soared into the miserable category up the Trail.

In an area that lives more by a thermometer and barometer than a calendar, our mercury spike chased me and the moose into the shade of the balsam forest and cool lake waters. Even those cooler escape places offered little mitigation to the suffering. It’s lemonade, iced tea and cold watermelon time for sure!

It was corn growing weather and this just isn’t acceptable at 48 degrees north. To put it bluntly, that’s how we feel about things here in border country. It’s not cool, unless it’s cool!

Lake water temps are warming rapidly with the mercury at our Wildersmith dock climbing into mid-60s this past weekend. In addition to water warm-up, the Gunflint Lake Gal has experienced a notable two- to three-inch drop from its recent high water point. That’s a lot of outflow and evaporation.

The territory has once again settled into one of those “no rain for days” stretches. I can’t say that we have been totally blanked, but since first of the month, that which has dampened the rain gauge along Gunflint Lake’s south shore is just barely over a quarter inch, pretty skimpy!

A fellow down the road tells of his concern for some nesting loon pairs that he usually observes in his lakeshore neighborhood. He fears that they were apparently flooded out with the recent high water times. Their nesting sites were occupied in the middle part of May, but since our late month deluge, he has seen no activity where previously observed.

I still hear loons calling in both daily twilight times down the lake, so it’s my guess that they will return to nesting territories as the water drops. Knowing that their body chemistry will realign, there will most likely be another attempt at setting up residence for raising a family.

I remember last year when the Chik-Wauk nesting pair lost their first eggs to an eagle. They came back in a short time with hormones in order and experienced a successful hatching during mid-July.

Another avian happening has occurred with the annual disappearance of our hummingbirds. The usual minute-by-minute arrivals and take-offs from our sweet juice port has dwindled to almost none. I suspect that they might be in the nesting mode with little ones to tend.

Travel up the Trail these days will provide a ground level rainbow experience to be sure. Our narrow ribbon of blacktop is lined with wild blooms too many to count. Especially noted are huge patches of lupine with complements from gold and orange hawkweed, buttercups and a myriad other varieties. In a matter of days these will be joined by drifts of daisies.

A special treat would be a trip down Lupine Lane (a/k/a South Gunflint Lake Road/County road #20). The roadside is a maze of purple, blue, lavender, pink and white spires for nearly two miles.

Trail residents and Gunflint Trail Historical Society members are reminded of the third annual fish fry fundraiser this coming Monday, June 18. The Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center grounds will be the site beginning at noon. Free will donations will be accepted to get a taste of the fine shore lunch that will be provided by Gunflint Lodge and hosted by GTHS volunteers. Please plan to bring a lawn chair if possible. Don’t miss it!

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor some north woods cuisine!

June 15, 2012

Photo courtesy of AnnCam via Flickr.