Busy, Busy

I don’t know where the days go.  Time seems to fly right by and before you know it the day is over.

I managed to get the Living Room spring cleaned, it wasn’t on my list but it just needed to be done. Some days are like that around here.  I flit from project to project never finishing anything…but the Living Room is done!

Far Guy has a bad cold  AGAIN.  I think it is a secondary infection from the cold he had a few weeks ago. I  strongly suggested he go in to see his Doctor.  He probably needs a round of antibiotics to get over it.   But what do I know?  I guess if he wants to suffer along trying to get better all by himself then when he fails I will drag him to the ER.  A Doctors Office visit should be no big deal when you are sick… the ageing can go from just a little sick to really sick in a couple of hours.  I want him to get better so we can do fun stuff. 

We had a nice afternoon up at Itasca State Park.  I have been in the park over the past few years but not to the new Visitor’s Center.

This is quite an improvement over the old Visitor’s Center that one was in a  log building and always seemed dark inside. I am not certain when this new building was finished.

They have a couple of really nice gliders for relaxing!

They still have the afternoon cruises on Lake Itasca and I want to return for lunch someday.  We have a season pass and it is only about 30 miles from our home.  I want to see the Lady Slippers in bloom.   Sunrise at the Headwaters would be just perfect too.  Just a few things on my retirement list!

CCC Camp Lake Itasca

We have some Memorabilia from the Lake Itasca Camp.

February 10 1936.  It was –52 F or –47C

This is a patch from Lake Itasca CCC the 3701 st

There are two companies called 3701.  One is inside the park with Co. 1785 and one is just outside the park with Co. 1764.

We think that Far Guy’s Dad Marvin was at Co. 3701 Co. 1764 just outside the park in 1936.  The other CCC Camp was established in 1938.

So off we went to locate the old camp.  We took a gravel road and spotted some fellows planting trees.   We asked if they knew where the old CCC Camp was?  One said “We only come up once in awhile so where that camp is would just be a guess on my part…BUT go talk to Dorothy my aunt, tell her Lyle sent you.”

We had a lovely visit with Dorothy. She was Minnesota Nice!!  It turns out that she moved to this farm in 1940.  The CCC Camp was gone, only the foundations remained.  The Camp was right on her farm.  She reminisced about how her children loved to play fort and look for relics over in the pasture.  One time they were certain they found some Indian Burial Grounds because of the bones they found…turned out they were beef bones buried near where the Cook Shack was.  Dorothy has lived there for a a gazillion years according to her nephew Lyle..it is really only 74 years.  Her husband died two years ago.  When I asked if I could take her picture she said “Sure but your camera will probably break.”

Out in the pasture where that Oak Tree is was where the old CCC Camp Company 3701 and Company 1764 were.  This old camp is right along Highway 200 on the North Side of the road…at Dorothy’s place.

So this part of our adventure is complete.  We still need to measure the mileage for the other CCC Camp down on the Hanna Ore Road and take some photos before all the leaves come on. 

We have shared the Lake Itasca Old Photo and the Patch with a fellow who is writing a book about Itasca State Park, the book is due out this spring.   I helped him gather info for his research last summer.

Wistful Wednesday : 1936 Lovelis Lake

1936 was the year that Far Guy’s Dad, Marvin was at The Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Lovelis Lake.  I wrote about our failed attempt earlier this week.

I took a photo at a display at Itasca State Park.

We needed more info!
I contacted a Facebook friend, David a High School classmate.   He responded quickly to my plea for info.  He suggested getting in touch with his cousin Robert who hunts in that area.  Later that same day we found Robert and Far Guy got a better idea of where the camp was.  In the meantime fellow blogger and researcher extraordinaire Iggy located an Oral History of a fellow who was in the CCC’s at the same time and also emailed a fellow who had visited the camp at Lovelis Lake.
We deduced that the camp was between 1/2 and 3/4 mile from Highway 113 on Anchor Matson Road.   It ended up being 3/4 mile..and guess what we saw?

Crap…we were dejected.   All this land belongs to the State but parts of it are leased.   Technically it is not private property...but…we are so close.
Far Guy pulled the car into the driveway to turn around and then I saw it.  Plain as day.

The chimney that the Historical Marker mentioned.

Back in there amongst those trees is where the camp used to be.  It is on the west side of the Anchor Matson road.
We headed over to Itasca State Park to get a season pass and to the visitors center.

Itasca State Park is not open for the season yet, but they were having school tours so we were able to visit the CCC display.  We knew this list existed because cousins Bonnie and Wayne photographed it for us last year or the year before.  I also had a copy at the Hubbard County Historical Museum.  It lists all the name of the young men that worked in the park.
There was also a map.

This time Lovelis is called Loveless.  This is the second known error in spelling.   This map also led to another adventure that I will relate someday soon.  That lake on the map just south of Lovelis Camp is really just a pothole, Lovelis Lake is North of the old CCC camp.
Finding Lovelis Lake CCC camp was not easy. We were lucky. You may say why was it important?  Only a few people know where these camps were, most of the CCC enrollees are dead.  It is a bit of history that we were able to figure out and leave behind for the next generation.
I am kind of enjoying retirement and being able to do whatever the day brings!

Tesla Coil

Son In Law Andy is adventurous. He likes to build “stuff.”   For the longest time he has been talking about a Tesla Coil and building one and how cool would that be? 

A Tesla Coil  makes electricity…high voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current  electricity.

He treated us to a show after dark.  I stayed far away.

This was my best shot of the current.  It makes noise as it sparks.

Andy and I lingered, he wanted to try some adjustments.  I stayed incase I needed to call 911…but then he is the Fire Chief.  I gave him “the lecture”…you have two curious boys…and they have friends..yada yada.  He decided on a keyed electrical plug in.  In the meantime I strongly suggested that he disable it in some way…and he did.

I hope some kind of lock is in place. A Grandma worries about the darndest things.

On a side note Andy’s Vex Robotic Team from Thief River Falls took 32nd place in the World Championships in California a few weeks ago!  The entire family went to California.  I asked Noah what was the best thing about California and he said “The Vex Tournament.”  I thought his answer might be the Pacific Ocean or pretty girls… I did ask him if he saw any girls in bikinis…he said it was too cold.

CCC: Lovelis Lake

Back in April we finally got to read what the entire Historic marker at Missouri Lake said about the CCC Camp that Far Guy’s Dad was at in the 1930’s.

He used to talk about his time in the CCCs.  He planted Pine trees near the walk to the Headwaters.  They made roads and cleared trails.  He was at the Lake Itasca Camp and Lovelis Lake Camp and the Camp on the Hanna Ore Trail.  We know where the camp is on the Hanna Ore Trail very near the lake we call Bottomless Lake.  The foundation can still be seen.  We are now searching for the one that was near Lovelis Lake.

Here is that Historical Marker.

Hopefully you can read the marker if you wish!  The important parts are : The Lovelis Lake Camp (S-57) was located about one mile north and slightly east of this marker.  Today all that remains of the camp itself are concrete foundations and a lone stone chimney.

Far Guy spent some time on Google Earth.  Finding Lovelis Lake was a Challenge…finally we found it under Lovelace Lake.  Someone was an idiot.

We took off to scout it out.

This is Lovelis Lake.  Far Guy walked around in the brush and picked up some Deer Ticks…the tiny fast little buggers.  We were hoping that we could see the lone chimney that the historic marker mentioned.  No luck.  We drove around just looking on different trails.

We finally saw three people working on a campsite, two knew nothing of the area and the other guy said it might be down at the T in the road.  We searched with no luck and finally headed toward home.

On our way out we saw smoke, someone was having a campfire…but this was his sign.  We didn’t venture any further.  We decided that he was probably serious about being left alone..who knows who lives back there in the woods.   I will ask around.

My inclination now is to search for a better map of the location of Lovelis Lake Camp..or find some Hunters that know the area well.  No doubt someone with hunting experience in this area knows right where it is.

In the meantime we have done all we can do. 

Tamarac Wildlife Refuge

We went for a drive yesterday through Tamarac Wildlife Refuge.  It is not far from our home and if you aren’t in a hurry you can meander through it on the way to Detroit Lakes.  The road we travel is mostly gravel.

There are a few signs of spring there.

A pair of Mallard Ducks

Eagles soaring

Finally at this wetland we heard the Spring Peepers.  I know spring is here now, they have awakened from their muddy entombment….and they are real happy about it!

Trumpeter Swan, they have paired off now and will nest soon if they haven’t already.

I think this might be a Yellow Rumped Warbler of some sort. We sat watching them flit around at the edge of one of the ponds.  Chance watched too.  Interesting little bird but they don’t stay in one place very long so this was my lucky shot of the day.

We saw our first Loons of the year over at Tamarac Lake.

There is a pair … they were a long ways off…usually we see them before we hear them and should have heard them down on Straight Lake by now… perhaps they are down at the other end of the lake or the wind has been blowing like a banshee, so we have not heard them yet.

They must have done a prescribed burn recently around one of the wetlands on the refuge.  Usually we don’t see burned areas in the refuge.  We also noted that the North Country Trail System has a real nice hiking/cross country ski trail along Pine Lake now.  Far Guy said “One day we will give it a whirl.”

Our weather was about 50F or 10C eh.  It was a nice day!  Lows at night are about 35F or 1C eh.

Scenic Minnesota

We went for a drive last night.

This Bald Eagle was pretty skittish, he was pecking at a deer carcass and we disturbed his feast.

A deer was hiding in a meadow.  They are looking for green grass.

Guyles Lake benefitted from all the rain.

So did Cripps Creek…it is overflowing into the wetlands.  We sat here quite a while just listening, we thought we heard a Red Winged Blackbird but never spotted him, we also hear an Owl and the pair of Canada Geese were honking at us.  Spring peepers maybe…my ears wanted to hear them so badly.

I wonder if the Canada Geese are going to claim the top of the beaver hut. Time will tell.

Here is what Cripps Creek looked like on April 8, 2014, what a difference some rain makes.

May Basket Smiles

Teddy was the first to get his May Basket…just a few days early cause that is when his parents brought him by.

The rest of the deliveries were made after school.

Brooke, Hailey and Olivia.  Their little sister Ava was napping.

 

Mason, Anna and their dog Bailey.  Look no snow!

Aubrey, Jordan and Gavin. Mable was running around so there is no photo of their dog.  They threw the ball for Chance and tired him out!

Hailey a neighbor gal…who has her very own chickens and a horse named Foxy and she talked Far Guys ear off. 

Here is our May Basket from Mason and Anna!

I hope you all had a wonderful May Day!  It is one of my favorite days of the year.  I am anxious to hear if you made a May Basket or if you got one!

May Day!

Happy May Day!  I will be delivering my baskets after school today. Stay tuned tomorrow for photos!

Here is the update on my April projects.

April List of Projects:

Finish Jen’s afghan. Done and here is a photo.  It goes perfectly in her porch!

Photograph a Robin in my yard!  

Spring clean the furnace/laundry room. Yeah!  I am done with this one!

Clean up some old sleigh bells for a project. I  didn’t get around to this one.  I will put it on the May list.

Contact one old friend through the mail.  I wrote a letter to one of my old babysitters/neighbor gal.  I have not heard back.

I did get some things done that were not on the list.

We have been trying to wood carve everyday.  We have 17 Christmas Ornaments totally done and in their boxes awaiting Christmas.  It is a big project.

May will be a busy month.  Trica our oldest daughter graduates she is now a Nurse Practitioner..or will be after she takes the State Boards.  Our oldest Granddaughter Savannah will graduate from High School.  Chance goes to the groomer and to the Vet for his annual visit.  I am getting ready for a garage sale.

My May List:

Clean garage

Vacuum cars and wash windows

Sleigh Bells

Spring clean some kitchen cupboards…probably not all of them.

Trim some grass around some old grave markers.

Visit some graves that I have not been to in a few years.

That should about do it. 

The ice is off of the Millpond at Osage but I am not sure if the ice is off on the big lake yet. (Straight Lake) 

The ice is off on Fishhook Lake.