All We Need

At first I thought that it was a child screaming.  Then I remembered that I was two miles from anyone.  Suddenly a fleeting shadow, soaring towards the tallest old growth white pine, drifted over the ridge top forest .  The screaching became more frantic.   Finally my eyes caught a scene that struck me.  A perfect image of a Bald Eagle; bleach white head, ink black body of feathers on wings as wide as I am tall, a yellow hooked beak.  In it's dagger talons was a fish.   The frantic screaching halted.  Before I knew it another formally unseen adult Eagle appeared and the three birds feasted.  The feast took barely a minute to complete.  Suddenly both of the adults departed and soared over the to the distant lake leaving the egglet quiet; never to divulge it's location until the next meal appears soaring over the horizon. 

I've seen a lot of Bald Eagles.  Afterall, Minnesota boasts the largest breeding population outside of Alaska.  I've seen an eagle dived in front of my canoe and pluck a trout out of the water.  Never, however, have I witnessed an eagle tend it's nest with food.  For some reason this scene struck me.  I hung out in the shade for a while longer to see if the adults would return.  I watched the younger tinker around in it's nest.  It was perfectly content to sit there and gaze off at the surrounding lakes of the border country.

The adults didn't return in the time that I was able to remain waiting.  The experiance made me think about my new role as the caretaker and provider.  It's funny; humans are real good at attempting to disconnect ourselves from the animate roles that ultimately and very simply play.  We try real hard  to prompt up our role in the order with our SUVS, dish networks, computer, running water and beauracracy.  The older I get the more convinced that we are only fooling ourselves.  Humans are animals.  When it comes down to it all we need are the basics of life. 

4.3 inches of rain

With mud boots next to the door, a shovel on the other side of the wall, and drying rain gear hanging in the bathroom I'm beginning to feel seasoned in weathering flash floods. Three flash flood events have inundated the area in two years. This storm, however, was the largest in terms of the amount of rain.

Record rains have fallen for the past 24 hours.  In the end, 4.3 inches of rain settled in our rain gauge.  More than eight inches fell in the Duluth area.  The St. Louis River, one of the largest rivers in Northern Minnesota, is now at a record flood level.  The interstate was shut down with three feet of water drowning it's lanes.  Highway 61 was closed along the shore.  Fiber optics and communication lines were severed when the raging waters toppled a bridge over the Knife River.  Phones and internet were down all day.

Around Cook County the already-saturated soils accepted little before it began to flow in sheets over the land.  Small tributaries swelled within minutes and cut into any banks that were in their way.  Unconsolidated ground swelled, became a viscous plastic fluid and gave way to the forces of gravity.  Immense masses of earth wasted down the slopes of the North Shore.  Root beer brown colored water derived from the clay-rich run off sheens the surface of the lake along entire shore.

Relative to our neighbors down the shore, our property was spared the worst of damage.  The toe slope of the recently installed septic tank was eroded.  Beyond that everything held up.  So for now we will count our blessings and think about flood insurance...

Warm and humid.  Highs in the low eighties with lows in the mid fifties.  Gentle afternoon rain showers sporadically brush the Shore after storming down the hills of the Gunflint.  In the evening and morning hours fog creeps up the hill from the lake as the dew point and temperature embrace each other.  Woodland lily, Wild Rose, Lilac, Columbine, hawk weed and Lupine are in bloom.  

Woodland Lily

A young fisher has been hanging around the neighborhood.  Hopefully he's busy hunting the thriving mouse population.  What rodents he doesn't capture the circling sharp shinned hawk in the sky above will.  I've spotted a couple of Moose grazing in the ponds of the upper Brule valley.

I've been busy stacking poplar and piling up the tops to burn.  Slowly we've been accumulated materials to begin building the wood shed.  This evening; after planting the tomatoes, brussel sprouts and cucumbers, the garden will be completely planted.  The rain that fell a couple of weeks ago washed out most of the parsnips, rutabagas, spinach, kale and parts of the peas and beans, but we got everything sorted out and replanted.  Our evening meals are supplemented by the first harvest of lettuce from the garden.   

One of our favorite picnic spots

We've also been spending quite a bit of time hiking around our neighborhood.  It's been a great experience watching Penelope soaking in the world around her as we show her some of our favorite places and explore new ones.

Hiking the Superior Hiking Trail

Overlooking Lake Superior from the aptly-named Wildflower Hill

Descending Woods Creek

Luna moth

This Luna moth was attracted to our window.  With wingspans of up to 4.5 inches they are among the largest moths in North America.