Vast Vibrant Vistas.

There was a two week stretch of chill weather that shocked the systems. The plants, animals, and people of Minnesota were given a reminder of where they live. The first hard frost has come and gone.

It has passed and now the days are into the 70's again. Work is hot. Yet you know it will not be that way for long. We feel fortunate for every warm day in October.

These are days to get things done. Winter is coming.

Last week was interesting; on Friday we left the in town stump-grinding grind and moved to a spot in Stillwater.

Some guy sold a successful business and purchased some rolling wooded acreage on the high ground.

He had already had his "garage" built, and we were there to clear trees from the drive and future house. We also where to do some cleaning up of the general area.

On Friday, day 1 of this multi-day adventure, Joe had brought in a crane.

It was a picture perfect autumn day on the uplands of Stillwater along the Saint Croix river valley.

We were taking out some big trees. We had a real climber, and me to help setting chokers.

The routine was for me to ride the ball of the crane up to the top of the oak or maple, set a choker or two around a strong enough limb to take a large weight. Then hook the choker onto the ball of the crane.

Then I rappel down to the ground and pull my line through the hook.

That's when the climber cuts it off, and the crane lifts the "Big Broccoli" up. It then turns to set it on the ground where it's bucked up and the brush separated from the logs.

It was a picture perfect day with a view clear to Wisconsin. The whole region was ablaze in the billowing autumn colors; of reds, yellows, orange, burgundies...

It was a stunning view seen in a spectacular way. I will probably never see it again, I am a very fortunate Minnesotan to have seen it at all.

The rest of the work on the site has been drop and buck. And I have been climbing and doing some trimming here and there.

There is at least another days work for five people.

Cruising to the End of November

Yesterday; Saturday, November 21, 2009 Steve, Gary and I took the 28 foot pontoon boat out for one last cruise on Eagle Lake near Big Lake.

It was nice and sunny, although a little windy by the end of the day. Gary and Steve both got skunked and didn't catch a thing.

I, on the other hand (who does not fish), brought my portable propane oven and was cooking nonstop.

Cinnamon rolls, pizza poppers, a whole rice and enchilada family meal, a blueberry pie and chocolate chip cookies.
All hot and tasty while we puttered about, the only boat on the lake.

We never made it to the bratwurst.

It was great. Check out the pictures at my facebook account here.

On another note, I have begun correspondence with the organizers of Stillwater's "Lumberjack Days" to see if I can set up and operate our lumbermill at next years celebration.

I hope we can. Stillwater is the birthplace of Minnesota and was born by a sawmill.

However these days the folks of the area seem to like the "theater" of the lumberjack but not so much the actual enterprise of logging and timber cutting.

I would not be surprised if I were to be informed that cutting logs into boards on a lumbermill does not "fit" with their "vision" for the future of lumberjack days in Stillwater.

Still I think it is worth doing and they may be all for it, who knows?

A Chilly October.

The first Saturday of October I had a good evening at the Minnesota Harvest Horse Show. I borrowed Steve's cool camera and went to the State Fair Ground and the Hippodrome to photograph the lead line class just before the nine thousand dollar Grand Prix.

Also, I took pictures of the "Jumping with the Stars" that took place just before the Prix. You can see pictures here

It was fun to watch the jump-crew, half of whom I know, at work from the stands for a change.

Since then the weather here in Minnesota took a turn for the winter. We have had three snowfalls of an inch or more, and we haven't got to Halloween yet.

The first fell soft and white straight down while I was at "HH" (double H) stables in Stillwater. It was nice and began to feel like Thanksgiving.

It was week two of October.

Since then it has been cold and we have had two other snows, slow to melt and lingering for over a day. I am ready for the winter, maybe one more pair of gloves...

Since then it has warmed back to the fifties and even sixties.

It has been a good week, I got into the woods with Steve and Gary. They have a permit to cut trees for fire wood in a State Managed wooded park. I helped out and we made a good two hauls with Steves truck; a load to Gary and his family home and one to Steve and Melodies house.

We brought the grill and cooked steaks and had lots of snacks. I like logging camp WAY better than hunting camp. The woods were sunlite and stunning with yellow and gold maples while the oaks held green big leaves. It was right out of the picture books. Steve brought the camera and I intend to upload pictures on facebook.

Today is Sunday the 18th of October and the sun is up and I have some personal chores to tend to.

It also has been a week of decision and redirection.

One of these seem to lead to the concept of moving the Band-sawmill rig to Stillwater. (If we do, it would be the only sawmill in Stillwater Minnesota. I like that Idea.)

Much is happening out in the field on the political fronts, here in Minnesota as well as at a National level.

Today the weather is beautiful and the trees are bright and happy, I'll put some of that stuff in the next post. Right now I have to get a gas bottle and test out my.... new portable oven/stove!

Check it out here I got it on e-bay and it is so cool.