The Perfect Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

During the last couple of trips to the north land the dogs and I spent a lot of time in our woods searching for the perfect tree to bring home. There were a few to choose from but I think we got the perfect one. And here it is from beginning to end.

No that isn't what's his name from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie....although with that look on his face (he is a bit of a scrooge) one wonders!!!

Here my lumberjack is happily sawing away!

Out of the woods my tree comes.

Decorated with things that were also gathered from our woods

Leaves and cranberries (OK so I bought the cranberries!)

Pine cones

Birch bark

And a home-made tree topper.

Yup, the perfect Charlie Brown tree! Wouldn't you all agree...Lenny you shush!

The REAL Great White Hunter

So I have been reminded by two people now that I have not blogged in a while...meant to but you know how it goes!

Anyway, a picture of the REAL great white hunter and it sure doesn't look like David.

We had our first measurable snow fall while we were north and the dogs and I had a blast putting this guy together while David was in the woods. He melted the very next day though...not David...the other hunter.

This is how you get a deer out of the woods when your 4-wheeler has been stolen and your too old and achy to drag the big boy out!

David got the 7 point buck on the morning of my birthday. a very nice present in deed. This fella was harvested on our land...sorry Mikey and Jess.

We are now home and patiently waiting to go back.

Hunting Report

Well the weather was great, the company wonderful and the harvest pretty good!



Lenny and Kelly joined us and the Draegers/Fenskes were in the north land as well. Thus far David has won the money for our annual biggest buck contest much to Lenny and Steve's dismay!

Here is a picture of the beauty that we captured on our stealth cam. This shot is our resident buck scenting a rub right on the corner of our woods

He is still safely in our woods as David saw his track last night. He and his does are busy marking the trails in our woods. Needless to say, David didn't get his deer in our woods but in a public woods else where. That should make you happy huh Jess?

And here is David's big boy. The biggest deer he says he has ever gotten. Lenny was able to put his body inside the spread of the rack.

And here he is hanging beside the much smaller first deer that David got.

We are here the rest of this week and so enjoying ourselves. Can you believe that David left his tools at home so that he wouldn't do any work! Sounds like a good week to me.

More from the north land the next time I get to town for supplies!

David's Latest Accomplishement

Is the porch here in the north woods. We have the carpet left to lay and ceiling light fixtures to install but it certainly is livable now!

Walls are barn board that we found for next to nothing and the ceiling is corrugated steel.

Just another little piece of our heaven completed!

The weather is beautiful here this week....but it has been quite nice up here during hunting season the past couple of years. I am anxiously awaiting my husband's return as well as the hunter's Lenny and Kelly who are coming this weekend. I wonder if I can talk Kel into cooking as she doesn't hunt?????

Deer report to follow.

The Perils Of Walking In the North Woods

And no I didn't get lost this time...I was in our own woods..Ok so that doesn't assure that I am not going to get lost!

Yesterday after David left for home the dogs and I decided to take a walk in our woods. We've been checking out the many deer scrapes.....While walking the dogs always take a few side trails sticking their noses in fox holes and the like. They always come when I call...except yesterday. Tackla came but then ran right back to where Peeko had his nose in a large hallow tree that had fallen. I called both again and Tack again came running back to me but not Peeko...and then Tack ran right back to Peeko (who I could see had his entire body in the hallow of the tree). Finally out he came and he immediately began to scratch his nose. I thought shoot he is full of burrs again....walked up to him and there were three porcupine quills stuck in his lips!

Poor Peeko, can you see the quills in his lips?

I called David asking him what to do and then called the vet as I wanted to know about infection etc. Vet said the same thing that David said (man I hate it when he is right...LOL). It hurts like hell but you have to get them out. So I held him tight and yanked. He was a good boy!

The yanked out quills!

This moon was reported to be the closest to the earth of any this year...the true Harvest Moon so says channel 9!

Here it is reflected in Tackla's pool.

We have been busy watching the deer feasting on clover right by the cabin. This morning the dogs got me up at 5:45 and yup there were 4 deer behind the house/cabin. One got so close to the living room that I could have reached out and petted him. We watched them for an hour, they wouldn't leave despite my turning on and off the lights, stomping my foot and rapping on the window. The dogs had to pee! I don't know what I finally did to spook them a bit but they just didn't want to leave the dinner table! Hopefully it will be a good hunt this year.

Crazy Sexy Cancer

Kris Carr has an incurable cancer. I caught her on Oprah today (thanks to Jessica) and she is unbelievable.

Friends and family have always told me that I am strong and have had a good attitude about my diagnosis......mine is nothing compared to Kris. She is something else.

You cant control the cards you are dealt but you can play with what you have. That is her entire attitude on life. Everyone is going to die, life is about choosing to live with the time that you have.

She has written a book and done a documentary. Attached is the website if you are so inclined.
http://www.crazysexycancer.com/

Her take on life is not only for those with an incurable disease but is one that everyone should adopt. Kris is an ispiration.

Below is information on her documentry and when it will air-

NEWS UPDATE 10/20/07
CRAZY SEXY CANCER re-airs in OCTOBER!You did it! So many CanSer babes and chaps contacted TLC demanding rebroadcast - and they heard you! There are five chances to see it on TV again in October:
Discovery Health ChannelOctober 8th @ 8pm & 11pm October 14th @ 12pm
TLC has CHANGED THE AIR DATE!!It’s NOT on Halloween anymore… it is now:Wednesday, October 24 @ 8pm& 11pm
ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN TIME. AND AS ALWAYS, PLEASE CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS.

And how cool is this hat????

By the way...come October 27th I will be 2 years NED...no evidence of disease.

CHOOSE TO LIVE and play the hand you are dealt.

Buy pink.

Bobbi

IT IS OCTOBER

And October is, of course, breast cancer awareness month.

Buy pink and do your monthly exams. I am living proof that catching the disease early may very well cure it!

Kelly (my daughter in law) gave me this shirt...it says it all.

I had my first oncology appointment since completing Herceptin yesterday. Doc says everything looks good. My blood work wasn't back yet but he doesn't expect anything amiss....wooo whooo! We will beat this thing!

A Walk In The Woods

David and I took a walk (David in the lead so we wouldn't get lost!) in the north woods looking for a good place to hunt. As we were walking I spotted many overturned trees that looked like they would be mighty tempting winter resting spots for local bear. Now I want to see and get a picture of a bear but I want it on my terms....not there's.

As we are quietly walking David says' "This is what you have to look out for, and if you see one that has lots of fresh dug out dirt be careful" (Insinuating that a bear has dug a fresh resting spot)!

And then all of a sudden the dern fool starts running! I am creeped out a bit anyway and then he starts to run! I try to take off after him hollering, "David what are you doing...STOP"! He finally does and I'm thinking the poop is trying to scare me even more....OR he did see fresh dirt dug up beside an overturned stump. No he says, he thought he heard someone pull up alongside our truck which is parked on the roadside. For goodness sake he about gave me a heart attack! And I think I'm going to live in the north woods!

Woelpern's Resort had it's first motor home pull in and stay. Our friend's Mikey and Jan joined us for a weekend. I think that motor home looks quite at home there!

And my first trip on Lake Winnebagosh. Not a fish was caught (well none worth mentioning anyway) but it was a wonderful day on a beautiful lake with good friends.

The boat landing

A sky too cool to ignore

This lake is a host to many eagles. Beautiful creatures to be sure

It's always a great time in the north woods-soon to be home.

Fall Begins

The colors are beginning to turn but had not reached their peak when we were there. However, they were brilliant enough to capture with my camera.

Color through our entry sign

And walking through our woods

We had lots of rain and fluctuating weather temps which makes for great foggy mornings. I love taking pictures with the fog it seems to add something.

A foggy morning in the north land

I love this time of year but really would rather not have what comes after it. Take time to enjoy the beauty around you especially this time of year!

Working With My Husband In The Northland

David and I got lots of work done during our recent almost three week stint in the northland. When the two of us do a project it is always interesting and very often quite a cluster ----! But always is fun believe it or not.

When we bought our little slice of heaven it was supposed to be ‘debris free’ upon taking possession. It was not, our woods was full of old tires, car parts, household furniture and garbage in general. David and I hauled the junk out of the woods- he on the bobcat (no big surprise there huh Kel?) and I in the dump truck. He loaded the truck up and it was my job to take it out of the woods dumping it by the dumpster to be put in the empty ones as they came.

David managed to break the bobcat twice and during one of the last dumps that I made I managed to break the dump box. Well I didnt personally break it…apparently the poor old truck can handle only so much. As I was raising the box to dump the load I saw the box list to the left and almost fall to the ground. Its broke to be sure but David thinks he can repair it.

So as I said, it is always interesting and quite often a cluster but always fun. I realized that one of the reasons I like it there so much is that David and I spend all of our time together. It really is quite nice.

The piles and dumpster full of junk!

One broken truck...poor old truck.

We'll probably be getting junk out of the woods forever but the biggest share is now cleaned up.

A Very Happy Birthday To A Very Special Person

Today is my daughter in law- Kelly's-birthday. We are happy to have her in our little family. Happy birthday to you Kel and many many more.



Love you

Dave and Me

Every Minnesotan

Really needs to walk across the Mississippi Headwaters at Itasca State Park. Itasca is a wonderful place and you could spend days just hiking the trails.

My friend Mary took her first trek to Itasca and did cross the headwaters....

Hesitant as she was

Oops be careful Mary....

It was too risky for my friend Mary and she took the easy path across...which is probably a good thing huh Bugsy?

On our way to Itasca this Eagle allowed me the pleasure of photographing him. He was (as all are) beautiful and sat for the longest time for me. I whistled to get him in flight.

And Tackla in her pond posing quite nicely amongst my wildflowers

Hello From The Northland

I am in town checking email and getting my hair cut. Up here, when you go to town you feel like a pioneer that makes the long trip to town for supplies!

Anyway, we have had a boat load of guests at Woelpern's resort this past month. First the 'concrete' workers, followed by our friends Jess and Melissa and last week my mother in law joined us for a few days. Her and I spent so much time gabbing that I didn't even have time to take any pictures and she didn't read a word of her book that she brought. We made it to the local thrift stores, ate lots of stuff and in general had a wonderful time. One night while sitting in the living room I looked over at her and she looked like my mom sitting there...just the way she was sitting. That I must say gave me great comfort. By the way Mikey, I did find out that when David was much younger he was very particular about how he dressed and as him mom put it, he was a neat nick! Can you believe it?

After David's mom left my friend Mary came to join me for three days. More about her trip next time that I come to town for supplies. I even have some pictures of her first trip to the Mississippi Headwaters-Bugs, she didn't fall in can you believe it!

By the way, we had snow flurries here in the northland this morning.

More next time I make the trek to town.

A Very Interesting Hike In Deed

Over the Labor Day weekend we again had visitors in the northland. Jess and Melissa spent the weekend and on one of the days we took the dogs for a hike on a trail that I had not been on before. It is a US Forestry trail that we later found out goes from South Dakota to New York and we started in the very middle of the trail.

It is a beautiful trail as you pass by fields

And whined through the trees

Glimpsing the first signs of fall

The day was hot as you can see by the tongues hanging out

This mud bog was a welcome sight

As it got to be an hour and a half with no end in sight we wondered what we should do. Doesn't this thing lead you right back to start we ask each other. Jess says (and we agree) that we should just keep going to see where it comes out (sound familiar Mikey and Jan???). We are all hot, bug bitten and getting tired. We worry about the dogs, especially Tackla who is old and is obviously becoming dehydrated.


Finally we come to a gravel road but we have not clue one where in the heck we are at. Oh wait, here comes a car with two older fellas and a lady in it. We ask them where we are-we are lost and have been hiking for almost 2 hours- they tell us we are about three miles from town....just go that way and you will hit the highway. They say that they are going to a craft show and off they go. Oh wait they are changing their mind, backing up, are they going to offer us a ride to our vehicle....NO but they do give us a half bottle of water which we give to the dogs.


We walk for a bit longer and I decide to call the sheriff to come get us (we were concerned about the dogs dehydrating)....rather than calling 911 I called information hoping to get the local police's number. The operator asks me if I want the non emergency number or the local library....I said the local library...I have no clue why I asked for that number. Heat exhaustion I think. Jess and Melissa figure that I was going to get a book telling me how to get back home!


Jess and Melissa convinced me to just call 911 which I did getting the county sheriff who finally figured out where we were (with no help from me as I kept babbling that we were lost, my three or four friends and our dogs...I guess I sounded pretty stupid!) and he sent someone to come for us.


Just as I hung up from him another car comes. The fella who stopped before came back (after he dumped his companions at the craft show) and asked if he could take all of us and our dogs back to our vehicle. Yup you sure can we say. I even thought to cancel our rescue ride from the county sheriff!


We all made it back in one shape. David shakes his head at us as we tell the story and of course I take a lot of ribbing for my foolishness.


Later that day we went back to look at the trail map which is when we found that it is the longest trail in the US or some damned thing or another and no it does not circle back to where you started.