Life between the lakes, part 14

 

 

Wednesday Epiphany

I baked some homemade bread this evening and the cottage smells wonderful.

Today’s version is a little more personal than giving you the weather report from Deer Park.

Weather is important, Hemingway said so, but I digress.

Despite living a place with a beautiful view, it is easy to have down days up here because weather can impact your mood.

Today was quiet with a slight warming trend. At 37 degrees Snow is actively melting on Muskallonge Lake.

Today is also the Christian holiday of Epiphany. And it is was ironic that I had an epiphany today (which has nothing to do with the theme of the holiday.)

The epiphany is somber and has been a bit crippling and it is this:

After you lose a parent and the next parent passes, there is an invisible Tsunami that hits you from behind.

You can’t stop it and even if you think you could come out of the trauma unscathed, you won't.

The emotion is hard hit for a human heart to absorb, much less process and live with. 

I am taking some time to process mine.

Just had to get that out.

That and also that I baked some homemade bread tonight and the cottage still smells wonderful.

Life between the lakes, part 13

 

Finding the barn.

A coupled weeks ago I stumbled across this structure on a county road south of Deer Park.

I was mesmerized by the enormous height of the building and with each step I became more intimidated. When you suddenly realize that you are trespassing every step is cautionary. When it felt like the two enormous pine trees were guarding the place, I knew it was time to leave.

Life between the lakes, part 12

 

Life between the lakes, part 12 

End of the year, potpourri edition.

The snow has stopped in Deer Park; at least for now. Lake Superior looks like a horizon of slush as the freeze point is closing in on the shoreline.

Meanwhile, the snow coverage on Muskallonge Lake is now quite impressive and the amount of snowmobiles has quadrupled in the last 2 days. I see them on the lake and they pass us on the road. There is something in the mechanism that reminds Tiger Jack Burke and Needa of the mechanical bunny at the track because their ears shoot up and they bark when a sled comes by.

Two nights ago a “moon halo” appeared. This optical phenomenon occurs when the moonlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. It was pretty awesome.

I know a guy who works in the State Park down the road and yesterday we chatted. He has a great sense of humor and when I asked him if anything exciting was happening over New Year’s weekend he thought for a moment, grinned and said the only excitement might be when they’d ignite the burn pile.

“Last year, it was as big as a house!” he said. “This year, not so much.”

I am considering of spending my New Year’s Eve with a traditional Yooper seven course meal.

It will consist of a six pack and a pasty.

Happy New Year everyone.