Wildersmith June 8

The faucet has been turned off by Mother Nature for several days. We are drying out along the Trail.

Remnants of the big rains, however, are still being felt as lake levels continue to rise. With inland waterways still gushing lake-ward, beaches have all but disappeared on most bodies, and docks are floating higher than they have in several years.

Docks that are not floaters are either at surface level or have been raised to avoid being repositioned with the action of waves and currents. At Wildersmith, the dock has been escalated twice in little more than a week as the Gunflint Gal continued to climb. I’m in hope that the rising water will stabilize soon.

With Gunflint Lake higher than its been in several years, a neighboring dock that was thought to be secure on shore last fall suddenly was discovered as a moving craft one evening last week. Luckily, yours truly was in the right place at the right time, and with the help of a passing fisherman rescued the Tom Sawyer-like platform before it ended up in the woods several miles down the lake. Perhaps there have been more of these episodes in other locales throughout the territory.

Area weather this first week in June has been extremely pleasant in spite of a few nights that saw patchy frost as May ended. Guess this was just another natural reminder to folks around here that early gardening can be touch and go. I would guess that as we head into week two, gardens will be getting serious about growth.

Speaking of growing things, this is becoming a bloomin’ place. Wild roses have been seen showing their pink faces along area roadsides, and in the shadows of the forest canopy, moccasin flowers are out. On a not-the-most-exciting side of the flowering forest, those beautiful, but somewhat unwelcome non-native lupines are beginning to open their rainbow spires.

Meanwhile, the yard at Wildersmith is alive with the bluest blanket of forget-me-nots that have ever presented themselves. By alive, I mean it is much more than just countless thousands of diminutive azure petals. The blooms are alive with the throngs of buzzing critters. I haven’t waded in there, but I have to assume that they are bees or maybe black flies. Whatever insect, that drone of life is another unique setting of nature singing its song.

Phenologically speaking, the leaf-out is now complete with the first week of June. Our sugar maples along the Mile O Pine are finally unfurled.

An interesting thought comes to mind that in two short months, that foliage will have noticed that daylight minutes are diminishing. Thus their short life will begin to wane as chlorophyll production slows and those magnificent yellow, red and orange pigments take center stage. I wonder, with every summer breeze, if they’re already whispering an autumn tune.

News has come from the gang that gathered to complete final clearing of the Gneiss Lake Trail on the Chik-Wauk site. Their work is done and the Trail is ready for serious hikers. Signage is yet to be installed but I’m told that the path is marked with flagging, and some tree blazing from pre-blowdown days can be found to help guide one’s journey to blueberry hill.

My 9 to 5 day of volunteering at Chik-Wauk Museum last week gave me a chance to observe the ultimate in parental commitment. I watched as momma loon spent the entire eight hours sitting on her eggs with not a moment of relief from her mate. He was not to be seen, apparently off on an extended day of fishing.

One has to be mindful that this probably happens day after day, but one would have thought that the guy might have at least checked in once in a while. She even hooted a couple “eagle overhead” alerts that failed to register a concern.

I felt kind of sorry for the gal, yet admired her dedication to those encased cherubs. Some of us humans could do well to take a lesson in parenthood from the wild neighborhood once in a while.

Lastly, a reminder is extended to Gunflint Trail Historical Society members that the next monthly meeting is coming up this Monday, June 11. The meeting will once again be held at the Gunflint Lodge Conference Center, beginning at 1:30 pm. In addition to being the annual meeting, the agenda will feature a time of remembrance honoring Gunflint Trail friends and neighbors that have passed from our midst in the last year. All are welcome.

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor the land of sky blue waters!

Airdate: June 8, 2012

Photo courtesy of Michael Grogan via Flickr.