I'm confused, is the recent warm weather a normal midwinter thaw or is it already mud season?  South facing gravel roads have melted and are left exposed.  There are even reports of open water on some of the lakes along the Gunflint.  Oh wait, now it's back below zero!  I guess that you have to have the extremes to find an average, right?

We woke up this morning to a deer standing in our living room window.  It appeared to be waking up after sleeping under the spruce in front of the cabin. 

I was fortunate enough to see a cow moose in the daylight near East Bearskin (typically I spot moose while driving at night).  Also saw two otter sunning themselves on the lake while running a dog team this weekend.  The dogs just kind of sniffed the air and decided that they were busy enough already.  A Bald Eagle soared above our road and led us home yesterday afternoon.

The moon is getting brighter and the wolves are howling.  The sun is getting higher and days longer...