Welcome to Marie's Northwoods Journal . . .

05/10/08
Fishing Opener--a few snowflakes this morning around 7:30 and then it was mostly blue skys. Must admit, the Vogts did not wet a line--yard work, etc. awaited. The fun and BIGT news of the day: a MOOSE, a MOOSE--JR and Gary were on their way in the driveway and there was a moose walking down the center of the driveway! It was fun for them to see one this time of the year AND right here at the resort.

05/07/08
Can't say for sure, but from here I see no ice! It rained last night and the sun is shining today so if there is any ice on the far end of the lake it won't last much longer.

It makes me chuckle and perhaps puts in perspective just how high the water table is right now. I've written about the return of the ducks to the lake and how every now and then we have a pair of ducks in the pond next to the driveway. Well, there is so much water that the ducks are even "swimming" in the standing water along the driveway in other areas AND twice this week I have followed ducks out the driveway as they WALK down the driveway--they don't even fly off or move to the shoulder! This morning, I went down to Gary's shop to get a bit for my drill and there were two ducks sunning in front of the garage door.

The pond is full of the sounds of the frogs and our resident owl was outside my bedroom window two nights ago "Who, whoing" away.

04/30/08
Today is our "resort anniversary" and we purchased Northern Lights Lodge 7 years ago. Summer #8, here we come! The big Up North news is that we are still waiting for ice out and based on the 10 day forecast I am predicting ice out for next week. We were relieved that last weekend's snowstorm missed us and we did not receive the 14" of snow that they were talking about--only around 3".

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Blomberg family this week--John and Carol were on their way to Ely on Monday and they lost control of their Jeep on Highway 21. John did not survive and Carol was transported to Duluth. Many of you know and remember Zach--my second son--who spent 4 summers working here and may have met Megan last summer. John and Carol are their grandparents.

Looking for something new to read--listening to books on tape right now as I paint, clean, etc. Any author or title suggestions for me? Gary is busy working in Duluth and JR is busy with school and track. The girls and I are busy here! Graded the driveway yesterday and did some yard work around the snowbanks. Deer, fox and wolves are everywhere. No sign of bears yet.

04/25/08
This time of year I don't have too much time to read but if you like Dean Koontz and love Goldens then I recommend The Darkest Evening of the Year. The story line is typical Koontz and it's a quick read.

More than one? I woke this morning to what I thought at first was someone talking in their sleep or one of the girls having a puppy dream but as sleep left me I realized that it was an owl outside my window--a 5am wake up call. At 6:30 when I left the girls out I could still hearr it near cabin #12 and at 7:30 when I was cleaning in cabin #3 it was over by cabin #1 chatting away. Felt like I had a taskmaster on my heels--the things you notice in the northwoods.

04/22/08
8:45am and I just heard a loon--they're back!

04/21/08
The pussy willows are out, temps are over 60 degrees, tax season is over, the lake ice is getting darker, grouse are drumming furiously, I hear birds everywhere, the channel is wide open, full of ducks-Canadian geese-2 swans, the snow was a good thing because now there is standing water in the woods, the pond is full, the creek is rushing and last night delivered a nice spring shower. Life is good!

Tough Mom Weekend--sniffle, sniffle--my baby bought his first car--sniffle, sniffle!. Granted, I have a little time to get used to the idea since he won't have his license until the end of June. Then to make the week even harder his class ring was just delivered. Oh boy! Track season has started so he is busy running and training again.

Busy weekend ahead clearing the trees that snapped over the winter or that were too stressed after last summer's dry spell. Last Saturday afternoon I opened up the seasonal cabins and I felt like a kid on Christmas Day as I went through each one--Gary says he would remind me of joyful mood come August-September!

04/13/08
Whew! I'm glad that the last 7 days are behind us. Feels like the last week was spent shoveling snow, plowing snow and raking snow off of the cabin roofs! I keep hearing different snow reports but it sounds like the past week's snow storms brought us around 38-40" of snow. I'm loving today's blue skies and this week's forecast of 50-60 degree temperatures. JR was loving it with 2 snow days (unheard of up here!). The channel is wide open today and there is plenty of squawking and flapping in the open water--looks like ducks. The deer clearly don't appreciate the new snow amounts as they prefer to walk the driveway. Nearly every trip in or out of the resort the last 3 days we've "followed" the deer herd down the driveway. Around sunset last night I walked over to cabin #3 and disturbed 3 deer sleeping under the deck, another first for me.

04/06/08
From golf carts to snowplows this morning! The fresh accumulation of snow is over the 12" mark. It's wet, heavy and still coming down hard--I can't even see the lake. Apparently, Pepper was not impressed--I went outside with the girls this morning and she stepped out of the lodge onto the deck and looked at me before turning around and going back into the lodge--she went back to bed!

04/05/08
What a beautiful day! Hey to the neighbor down the road--nice visiting with you this morning and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your run! We took advantage of the conintued spring weather and did clean up projects today. Still a little cool and wet out there but the snow is melting fast. The channel opened up yesteday and I could see birds enjoying the fresh water. Guests spotted a HUGE black wolf on the lake this week while out with their dog on walk--the wolf was drinking water from an open area on the lake. Lots of fresh scat in the driveway again yesterday.

04/03/08
It's good to be home and getting away for a little while has given me a new burst of energy. I'm busy this week painting cabin #12--all 3 bedrooms, both bathrooms, the hallway, stairs and kitchen. I've refinished the bunkbeds and sanded/stained/sealed all the windows. It's looking great--next step, clean the carpet and do a little redecorating. Thought I heard a Robin today but I couldn't see it in the pine tree.

03/31/08
The family returned yesterday from a FL vacation--our second family vacation in 7 years and as you know Gary's ONLY vacation destination--I can't get him back to the mountains or into Alaska! Once the truck was unpacked (we drove--3,450 miles round trip), the dogs were picked up from the kennel (and bathed!) I took my evening walk through the resort and soaked up the complete and utter silence of the lake--I MISSED IT--except for Buddy across the lake who barked a couple of times as if he knew we were home. Florida was nice and I loved getting to the beach every morning before sunrise.

This morning as I took my morning walk with Daisy I couldn't help but chuckle as I reflected upon the change of scenery. Instead of shorts and a tank top I donned a turtleneck and a light pair of mittens! While there were no pelicans flying overhead I was treated to a pair of pileated woodpeckers, I came upon 5 huge white tail deer in the driveway instead of crabs scurrying off back to the ocean, I spotted wolf and moose scat instead of starfish and AND I found the pin and washers that fell off of the snowplow last January! I've returned to my desk with pink cheeks from the cold and I wouldn't trade it for anything--it's good to be home!

Congrats to David and Colleen who are expecting their first!

03/11/08
Went for a walk with Daisy this morning at 5am--it's balmy out, the stars were still out and saw a shooting star pass under the Big Dipper. Beautiful morning!

03/08/08
Chipping away at my To Do List:

02/25/08
An amazing weekend-clear blue skis and warm! Daisy is outside right now with a VERY fun group from Rochester sledding--in their t-shirts!

Late this afternoon the family went out for a short snowmobile ride-it was great. We stopped along the trail to stretch our legs and got to listen to two owls hooting back and forth to each other and saw a wolf crossing a frozen pond. After we returned to the resort we jumped in the hot tub-the stars were amazing and we even got to listen to the wolves howling!

Guests who were here for a couple of days of snowmobiling saw a pack of wolves out on Bear Island Lake just before Noon--pretty cool.

02/20/08
Okay, it's -20 this morning and I am beginning to day dream about a warm, sandy beach and a coastal ocean breeze! You all know that I love winter but even I am ready for something warmer! Looking back at last few entries you are either getting the message that it's been cold or I'm whining BUT this morning the girls (Goldie, Daisy and Pepper) wouldn't even get up to go outside with me at 5:30am! Well, the good news is that the days are getting longer and we are seeing more of the sun--you needed shades today!

02/15/08
Still no measurable NEW snow but what came down early in the season is holding on pretty well because it's been COLD. Someone told me last week that the temps are typical but it seems like there have been a lot of NEGATIVE temperature readings all winter long. Fortunately there have been no winter casualties like frozen water lines and I hope it stays that way.

The annual winter festival was fun and the resort hosted dog sled rides twice during the two week festival--actually only once as the seconded weekend was canceled due to the COLD and something like -50 windchill temperatures.

01/31/08
Moose! No shortage of moose so far this winter--Gary was treated to a moose sighting while grooming the Taconite Spur Trail when he came upon a large bull moose standing in the middle of the trail-he said it didn't want to move off the trail and just turned to watch him. Resort guests riding snowmobiles also came upon a bull moose that was crossing the trail near the resort and finally, guests out dog sledding caught a glimpse of one as it dashed off the trail and back into the woods.

January has been busy AND cold! I'd love to see some more snow but it really has snowed since the first week of January. JR has taken on the job of grooming the cross country ski trails around the resort--I'm glad he enjoys the job because I'm certainly not very good at operating the controls!

Daisy the Wonder Dog has been busy sledding with the guests--she's not shy about asking anyone to play with her either and she'll select a sled from our collection and take it to the top the hill. If you've ever done the hill here, you know the walk back up to the top is so much fun but when you are playing with Daisy the job is just a little bit easier because she brings the sled up for you.

01/01/08 - Happy New Year! A great day to be outside! Had fun skiing with our guests.

12/25/07 - Merry Christmas One and All! It has been a WONDERFUL white Christmas here with our guests--thanks for making it so memorable.

12/24/07
Late this afternoon I snuck away from the resort and got to see what it was like to groom a snowmobile trail--my first time out--here we are going down the Stony Spur Trail--it was a great day to be out and the trees along the trail were covered with snow and the skies were blue!

12/22/07
All's quiet in the lodge, the snow is falling (click here for a view out my window!), our guests have arrived for the holidays and Dean is singing "what do I care" and it seems fitting. My boys are out grooming the Stony Spur Snowmobile Trail, the girls are all out in the lodge sleeping in front of the fire and I'm taking advantage of the calm. I think Gary is wondering where the presents are...there are a few under the tree but he has not yet found where I hid them! We've had three days of warm and moist air-everything has a magical quality covered by hoar frost.

12/19/07
Congratulations to Kari and Pierre, who were here on their honeymoon after being married on Saturday on the shore of Lake Superior in the middle of a snow storm.

12/15/07
Waiting to see what this winter will bring-we've had some early snow which is nice to see but I'm a bit nervous because it came before we had really good ice on the lake. Here at the lodge we are ready for the holidays--many of you have asked what it's like here in the winter and of course I've told you "winter is best!" the trees are decorated (10 of them), the holiday wreaths and swags are trimmed and hanging (22 of them-JR and I make them), the lights are strung and the end of my shopping list is in sight.

On the home front, the boys are both doing well. Gary has to take it "cool" but the main seems to be diminishing. He was told that he could have surgery but the doctor wants him to wait two months as it may get better-it seems like it was sound advice. JR is "fine" but is a little worried that he may not run track next year.

12/01/07
Oh baby! It's beautiful outside. Cold temps since Thanksgiving have helped to start freezing up the lake....need more but we are off to a nice start. It's snowing again today and we may see close to 10". This will be the 4th snowfall and I've officially broken in the snow shovels this winter!

Here at the resort, we're ready for the holidays....JR and I collected boughs for our holiday wreaths and swags. All of the straw is spread and everything is winterized. Thank you to everyone who has dropped us a note during the last month--as I make these entries, I tend to "forget" how many of you read them!

They say things come in 3s so we should be there for this series, but I think if I were keeping score this would be #14....Gary hurt is back just before Thanksgiving simply rinsing shampoo out while in the shower. I'm ready to close out 2007 and am hoping that 2008 is eventless. My biggest accomplishment since my last entry is that I have FINALLY unpacked the last box in Gary's shop and he says it's just like Christmas having all of this things unpacked. The resort is ready for winter--the snowshoes and toboggans are out, all 30 bales of straw are spread so the septic systems are insulated. The only project we did not get finished is the new landscaping along the suites but that will need to be a spring project now.

11/20/07
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

11/12/07
An unusual couple of weeks have passed that I am glad to have behind me. Last Monday brought us our first measurable snow of the season and unfortunately, I forgot how to drive in the snow and had a not so minor accident on my way to Ely. Glad to report that JR was not hurt and I won't complain about my bumps and bruises. JR reported that conditions were just as bad again on Saturday while he and Gary were hauling sand and gravel--they called it quits when a friend nearly collided with them about a mile from the resort. The guys are working to fix the hill along the suites that were damaged in September/October with the nearly 30" of rain that we received. Last weekend Gary and I dug in drain tile off of the rain gutters and now we are reinforcing the hilly slopes with more fill.

A little bit of ice is along the edge of the lake each morning, nothing permanent yet. Saturday's snow was beautiful-big wet flakes blanketed the trees and covered everything. Much of it appears to have melted overnight.

Thursday, I discovered a "break in" at cabin #6. While attempting a temporary repair of the broken window, I discovered that the culprit was still inside. Follow these links and you'll see that my intruder was able to escape unharmed! Intruder #1 Intruder #2

Very happy to report that JR's football injury will NOT require surgery. He hurt his knee when a bunch of the guys picked up a game after school. The official report is that he sprained his ACL and probably has a very small fracture. He's enjoyed having "time off" from his usual chores around the resort.

Finished painting the interior of cabin #11 last week--all 7 rooms/hallways are finished! Now, I'm hoping to move into cabin #12 and finish it before Thanksgiving arrives. The resort is nearly "ready for winter". Our only remaining winter prep project is to cover the septic systems with straw.

10/15/07
Another 3.75" of rain last week. This morning after Gary left for work I heard a couple of fox just across the channel. We've had a red fox with white tipped tail visit us twice last week and I had a pine marten on the back patio. There are a LOT of deer and even more grouse-seems like you see at least 3 or 4 every time you go out the driveway. On a return trip from Ely one evening last week, I slowed down for what I thought was a pair of deer coming up out of the ditch but quickly realized it was two young timber wolves. They trotted down Highway 21 in front of us for about a quarter mile before they stopped, turned around and watched us before deciding to get off of the highway. Still hear the loons occasionally. Quite a few ducks below behind the channel.

Congrats to Kelly, Mary Bess, Jan and Pat who just redeemed their free two night stay!

Woke up early Saturday morning, set out with a fresh cup of coffee (that's my occasional escape) and went for a short drive and watched the sun break through the fog. The tamaracks were golden and frosted-glorious! Not a lot of leaves left on the trees-still a few yellow birches painting the shoreline.

Book Review: Just finished reading Greg Iles True Evil novel. Enjoyed the story and the characters. Now, I've picked up a copy of Marker by Robin Cook. Probably shouldn't have picked out something with another clinical theme but the introduction sounded like another fun read.

Dan and friends were back this weekend for their fall camping break-to be that young again...the frosty overnight temps did not get in their way-they weren't even tempted by Gary's offer to "camp" out in a cabin instead!

The lake is REALLY up this fall. We had to move the firepit for the suites this weekend because the original area is now under water. We'll pull the docks in on Saturday.

Spent a good portion of last week working away in cabin #11--painting the kitchen and the downstairs bathroom. Next week I'll finish up with the master bedroom, the upstairs hallway and bathroom. Then on to cabin #12. Both cabins now have all new dishes and cookware.

10/08/07
I'm back....I hope....I'll try! After hearing from yet another guest today that they miss my updates to this journal. So, for all of you faithful readers thanks for hanging in there and for being so patience.

Welcome to the family Baby Joey!

I love a rainy day-especially when I can be in the lodge and listening to the rain falling on the steel roof BUT enough already. Since the first week of September by my rain gauge we have had 24" of rain. The lake is really high-in fact it is coming up and over the peninsula. Our biggest rainfall was 11+ A HUGE thank you goes out to Wayne, Barb, Selma and Warren for jumping in and helping me take the Bongo out of the lake this year. I was geared up to take on the task by myself and suddenly I had 4 wonderful volunteers.

The 5 seasonal cabins are closed for the season, the motors are winterized so we are almost ready for winter. I'll have to wait until spring to put the new carpet in cabin #5.

JR played football again this year for Ely (JV and C squad). His season is almost wrapped up. I managed to sneak away and get to almost all of his-I don't know a lot about football but I sure have fun watching....brought Pepper to a late afternoon home game. She loves watching the ball but really wants to be on the field playing with the kids.

So, why the long lasp? Summer #7 proved to be "interesting" and for those of you who were with us through these "interesting" times right now, you can sit back and chuckle knowing that you KNOW the rest of the story! Fortunately, I can now sit back and chuckle....wish I could write a book! Staffing was definitely a challenge this summer. JR worked "solo" on the grounds this year and on Saturday's with no outside help after about the third week of June. What a great kid! I started out with 12 housekeepers but was down to 5 by the middle of June....that's actually typical. A big thank you to Wendy for helping me out through August. Bottom line, just too busy and there were not enough hours in my day.

08/14/07
Took in the annual Perseid meteor shower last night-there was just a little bit of meteror viewing when I went out at 11:45. Congrats to Sherm and Vicky who recently redeemed their free two night stay!

Welcome to the family baby Mya! Congrats to Dawn and Rod who are expecting their first child-Rod, I bet you can't wait to show this little one how to bait a hook!

Congrants to Marc and Heather--they are getting married! See you next July.

06/10/07
Busy, busy! It's been impossible to sit down at my desk (obviously since my last entry was 04/25) but we have completed almost all of our spring projects (some planned, others....a little unexpected) here at the resort. We've done new carpet and vinyl, new plumbing fixtures and replaced a couple of decks too. The "to do list" is almost complete. The lake is really up right now and the rain gauge said 6" last week and it's a treat to have blue skies again today. Guests have had a little fishing success in between our rain showers. The walleyes are hitting a bit and the bass action has been phenomenal. Spent last night on the dock with a Ryan and Isaac (even JR joined in on the action) teaching them my fishing secrets-they had fun and congrats to Ryan who can now bait his own hook and release his own fish! I think that JR and I will take the kayaks down the river today. Gary and JR have been busy building their "dive boat" and JR and I spent a little time out on the lake with his dive gear last week. The water should be warm enough this week to get the Bongo and swim rafts out on the water.

04/25/07
Looks like the ice is out! I think the last "ice berg" just drifted past! The lake looks like it has returned to normal levels- it's right up to the edge of the docks. The creek is flowing fast and sounds like a series of rapids as is flows past cabin #1 and down into the lake. Spring is here!

04/21/07
The loons are home! I heard them calling during the middle of the night last night and this morning I went down to the lake and was greeted by our resident pair of loons! Congrats to Mike and Doug who have decided to set claim to their own piece of heaven up on the Echo Trail.

04/19/07
On Monday morning I saw a pair of robins that afternoon the channel opened up enough to fill up with a variety of ducks. Tuesday morning I noticed a pair of swans in the channel. Spring! Can't wait to hear the loons again. It's that time of year when we try to tackle all sorts or resort projects-remodeling projects inside and out. Today's fun project is removing the old tile and grout around the fireplace in cabin #11. As soon as the temps are a little bit warmer I have a few outside painting jobs to tackle before opener. JR and Gary have been busy cutting a lot of firewood.

04/09/07
Where's spring? Another "winter" storm is in our forecast! Gary and JR are clearly getting ready for open water-this weekend they started working on their "dive boat" (a large pontoon boat that they bought last fall) they've completely taken it apart and are building a new deck and steering console for it. I think I've been recruited to help with the carpet installation and painting! I think that the entire family is ready for open water-starting to wonder when ice out will be this year.

03/28/07
Another moose on the loose! JR saw a moose this morning along Highway 21 while riding the bus to school.

03/26/07
March has delivered the most snow we've seen all winter-too little, too late. Of course, it hasn't stayed on the ground very long with our warm weather. It's 70 degrees today and it feels GREAT! The snow is nearly gone and I'm ready for spring. It's been warm the last week so we've already dug into a few spring clean up projects as we prepare for our 7th summer season here at the resort. Saw a moose again right on Highway 21 this weekend! Looked like a calf or a very small cow and it stayed right along the side of the road eating for more than an hour. Most of our guests this weekend even saw it. The track season is underway for JR so he's been busy preparing for their first meet.

03/13/07
I think the season is about over for all of our winter activities and even I'm ready for longer sunny days and warm temps. I've sent Gary and JR to Florida for a week! A spontaneous decision that wasn't too hard for me to make. Gary still wants to "retire" some day in Florida (he's still trying to convince me-I don't know if I could stand the heat!) and JR is showing a strong interest in commercial diving so they are checking out a couple of schools and of course the Florida real estate market mixed with a little time on the beach. There just didn't seem to be a good time to get away this year with the resort and the weather. Plus, Daisy had a little accident on Sunday and have to have stitches AGAIN so I'll be nursing a wounded dog. So, the project list is long for this week (spring cleaning, painting a couple of rooms in our living quarters, cleaning cabins/suites (of course!), eliminating the mound of paperwork on my desk and of course just enjoying a little quiet time at the resort). If it doesn't snow during the next week, I should be able to check off everything on my list.

02/28/07
Oops! Gary had a "little" accident with my truck as we were going to a meeting tonight-hit the biggest deer I have ever seen and made a mess of my truck just a couple of miles from the resort. Another first.

02/23/07
It's finally snowing this week. I would normally say "too little too late" but I think that we badly need the moisture so let it snow! Even though we have finally snapped out of this winter's cold spell everyone is still watching their cabins and systems to try and prevent things from freezing up. We have truly been fortunate this winter and have only had a couple of close calls with the water lines leading into the lodge.

Pepper Goes Ice Fishing! Well, sort of. A couple of our guests decided to try their luck ice fishing this past week in the channel just below the lodge. Pepper tagged along and confused the ice fishing rod for a stick....SORRY! Everyone swears they had more fun playing tag with Pepper (trying to get the rod back) than ice fishing-course they never did manage to drill through the ice to try fishing.

02/16/07
Our cold weather continues, but I must have acclimated. This morning I made my morning rounds to the cabins and suites around 5am and thought that it felt pretty warm out but a quick peak at the thermometer said it was -14. Certainly better than -28! Near dawn, the dogs all perked up so I went to the front door and found 7 deer at the deck looking back at me. Even the animals are taking note of the warmer weather. Looking back at my journal entry of exactly one month ago I see we had -30 and I thought "finally" winter temps. Today, I'm thinking enough already!

02/15/07
Where's the snow? Sounds like New York! Here in Ely we've been robbed so far this winter with no measurable snow since New Year's. I've given up on trying to groom and maintain the Bear Island Ski trail as there is so little to work with and the snow is so hard packed that it can't be tracked very well. The cold has actually been an advantage for the snowmobile trails as they are still in fair/good conditions.

02/12/07
Picture This: It's the middle of what feels like a long cold winter (reality check, it has been cold for a while now), I'm tucked away in my warm bed, sleeping soundly and I find myself abruptly and completely awake. I lay in bed with my eyes closed, listening. I don't hear a sound but know that something woke me up. Suddenly, I feel a warm breath directly over my face and a noise. I still don't move but I open my eyes and peak at the clock to find that it's 3:45am and when I look up I see this HUGE shadow looming over my head. The average person might think its an intruder, but in our house it's just Pepper standing beside the bed letting you know that she desperately needs to get outside for nature's call. Anyone who owns a Great Dane (or any dog for that matter) knows that you are instantly wide awake and running for the door! So, here it is 4am and there's no way I can get back to sleep and such begins another day.

02/12/06
Another full weekend where everyone visiting the resort was able to pursue their winter passion. We had folks snowshoeing, xc skiing, dog sledding and snowmobiling. Guests saw a large wolf this morning while out skiing on the lake and Gary saw two moose just at the edge of the driveway. The wolves were howling at dusk this evening and tonight JR and I took advantage of the warmer temps and the full moon and skied the lake loop at 8:30...very nice!

02/07/06
There were no northern lights out tonight but there was an interesting halo around the moon caused by ice crystals and cold temperatures. This year's Winter Festival themed Snow and Ice Paradise was, I think, the best one yet. The snow sculptures were GREAT and JR and I had a very hard time trying to choose a favorite. We especially enjoyed Brrrrrrrribbit (frogs and cat tails), The Heck with Hibernating (3 bears enjoying a hot tub and beverages click here for Photo I and again for Photo II) and finally a sculpture with a dog theme and this section shows Fido head first in a log. I'm always in awe of the creative talents of others. Everyone-professionals and ameteurs alike did an amazing job this year.

01/23/06
It's snowing again today-enormous wet flakes! Congratulations to Craig and Sandy who are here celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and Jeff and Brenda who are celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary (Jeff caught an AMAZING 40" Northern Pike while ice fishing). The 5th annual Northwoods Storytelling Retreat hosted by local author and story teller Kevin Strauss took place this weekend here at the resort with a live concert last night at the International Wolf Center-several of our guests were able to attend. I recommend his both his CD recordings and books! Our guests this weekend spent time outdoors snowmobiling, xc skiing or snowshoeing and shared GREAT trail reports.

Check This Out: Obsessive Compulsive Fishing (O.C.F.) is a wide spread condition that many are "afflicted with" but here in Ely we've decided to recognize and accept this condition. So, if you enjoy the lingering smell of fish of your finger tips, get "stuck" out on the lake or own more fishing rods than shoes than a spring fishing trip to Northern Lights Lodge should be part of your "4-Step Plan" this spring. Give Marie a call, check out our O.C.F. page on our site or the link above to our local chamber of commerce site and learn more about the celebrated condition of Obsessive Compulsive Fishing (O.C.F.)!

01/17/06
During the past month, quite a few of you have taken the time to inquire about "Mikey". For those of you who have met/heard Mike you either loved his quirky antics or you didn't. So, if you are in need of your "Mikey Fix" you can find him back, live on the air, during his new internet based radio broadcast at www.boundarywatersradio.com.

What a great experience we shared this weekend when we hosted Polar Bear Camp! We had an absolutely wonderful group of sixth graders here for a enriching winter weekend full of dog sledding, snowshoeing, outdoor cooking, sauna time, and plenty of sledding! I think that everyone had a memorable experience that they will cherish for a lifetime.

A recent guest, Charles Brittain Fleming, was kind enough to share is creative works that include poetry, stories, a blog and favorites. I had fun reviewing his site and the photos from his other recent trips. I'm always in awe of the talents of others and wish I were better at making time to pursue some of my own!

01/09/06
I've set out to make 2006 a year of firsts for me and I think I'm off to a good start. It has taken me nearly four years but tonight I saw my first moose...no wait...not just one moose, I saw two! Coming home from town I found a cow and her calf near the end of our driveway! Like a typical visitor to our area, I sat there and watched the two of them for about 10 minutes before the walked off into the woods. On Sunday night I stepped into my first pair of cross country skis and JR gave me my first lesson. He says I did well, I "skied" the entire lake loop here at the resort and managed to fall four times-but I got back up and kept on going. We had a blast!

01/06/06
Winter fun...our guests this week were treated to a moose sighting while skiing the Bear Island Lake ski trail and we continue to hear the wolves howling at night between 9 and 11pm. Our temps have dropped off again-what a relief! Now if we could just get some more snow.

12/23/05
Restless in the Northwoods! I'm not sure how much sleep anyone on this end of the lake got last night. The wolves were in full chorus and they started howling at about 10:45pm and they kept it up off and on all night. I don't think Daisy slept a wink all night. Well, I think we are ready for Christmas and winter: the lights are up, holiday treats have been made, the resort and cabins are decorated for the holidays, the lake is marked for the snowmobilers who are soon to arrive, the cross country ski trails are groomed/packed....maybe it's time for a nap in front of the fireplace!

12/19/05
Congratulations to Susan and Peter who are spending their honeymoon at Northern Lights Lodge this week! Today JR and I finished clearing the Bear Island Ski Trail all the way back into Perch Lake. Yeah! Once we got there we also packed a trail along the entire shoreline of the lake. What a pretty lake-not a single house on the lake and amazing huge rocks along the shore. We'll be packing both the Bear Island Trail and Perch Trail throughout the week! Now, we just need a little more snow to cover the last of the rocks that were still showing.

12/17/05
Today we tested the ice thickness and staked the snowmobile trail across the lake. The ice was between 9" and 12" thick at each of our test sites! Gary spent about 20 hours grooming the snowmobiling trails near the resort this fall! This afternoon JR and I packed a cross country ski trail along the shore of the lake-this is gonna be fun!

11/14/05
There was ice on our end of the lake this morning! We got another dusting of snow over the weekend much to the joy of all of our weekend guests. With more snow in the forecast it's beginning to look like we'll have a white Thanksgiving this year. This is the year that I'm going to learn how to cross country ski!

10/24/05
As Gary and I cleaned up the last of the leaves with the leaf blowers today, I had to chuckle at just how much Daisy must miss all of the activity of the summer/fall season. Daisy was so desperate to play with a tennis ball that she kept tossing the ball into the path of leaf blower because she figured out that it would roll off and get covered in leaves-giving her something to chase after and retrieve. Needless to say, she kept up the pace for almost 2 hours.

10/13/05
The wolves have been very active this past week. We have seen a pack along Highway 21 numerous times and even in the driveway twice. They were howling "under the moon" just the other night for nearly twenty minutes. Perhaps it has something to do with the increased number of deer we have been seeing in and near the resort. Gary and I have both been catching glimpses of buck with an amazing rack in the driveway. Our resident mule deer has been spotted repeatedly with both of her fawns.

10/07/05
Winter is in the air, but there is still at least one loon on the lake! The seasonal cabins have been closed for the winter and the docks have been pulled in. All of the firewood is cut and stacked, the leaves have dropped and we've already raked up the leaves and pine needles. Bring on the snow! Plenty of wolves howling the last two nights. Gary encountered a pack of wolves in the middle of the driveway midmorning last week. Our friendly SirSpeedy delivery guy stopped for a bull moose just as he was approaching driveway....timing is everything.

Check this Out: If you happen to be passing through Decorah IA be sure to take a lunch or dinner break at the Dayton House Cafe' located at 516 West Water Street-across the street from the Museum.. Chef and owner Andrew Shawver stayed with us this fall and treated us to several of his bread creations....FANTASTIC!

09/15/05
Well, I now have a full time partner in this resort business....Gary has retired from his other full time job in Wisconsin and is now here with me at the resort full time. Yeah! No more plumbing repairs for me!! Our immediate plan is to finally finish the inside of our shop (probably so Gary has a place to hide out this winter!).

09/10/05
A special thank you to Barb and Wayne for the beautiful Chickadee bird house they made! With what looks to be an extended fall season, the birds will have plenty of time to move in before the cold weather arrives.

08/05
Cabin 6 was treated to the grunting of a black bear just after 10pm. The bear must have been just passing through as it did not disturb anyone (or anything) else that night.

07/10/05
A spectacular 4th! Looks like everyone had a fun celebrating the 4th again this year and guests enjoyed the Ely parade, Bear Island Lake Flotilla and of course the fireworks! Even though we had a few quick and short sprinkles, it was a great day to be outdoors. JR and I especially had fun at this week's double feature movie night. It's been plenty warm this week and everyone has spent extra time in the water. We've been treated to several black bear sightings and wolf howling sessions. Russ and Bell were out late enough last night (2am) to see their first Northern Lights!

07/02/05
Reunited! Today I had the privilege of meeting Mike (a former NLL employee) and Brenda (a past NLL guest). Mike and his wife first met when his wife's family vacationed here at Northern Lights Lodge. Over the years, they stayed in touch. Mike, now 28, was home visiting Ely for his 10 year high school reunion and worked here when he was 13 years old for the Rusk family. Thank you for sharing your special story!

06/19/05
Congratulations to Will and Chris who got engaged during their stay last week here at Northern Lights! We wish you all the best!

06/17/05
The painted turtles have been busy during the past week digging holes and laying eggs. So far JR and I have come upon 17 of them and our guests and their children were able to observe them. The past three nights there has been a chorus of loons announcing the arrival of their babies. During the early hours of the morning you can hear them calling to each from across the lake. I'm excited because this is only the second year that the pair that nests below the lodge has been seen with its chick. Yesterday at about 4am there was a heavy fog drifting over the water and the loon's calls were echoing from shore to shore. Guests this week were treated to numerous sightings of the adult loons carrying their young on their backs. The Northern Flicker returned to its tree just off of Cabin #12's deck and this week their eggs hatched. The lake is warming up nicely and this week we were able to put the Bongo out on the lake, even our guests from Texas ventured in the water this week!

06/03/05
Our "family" has grown again and it really does feel like there is a baby in the house. We now have a Great Dane named Pepper. She's just 5 weeks old and is Merle colored. Daisy seems content to have someone else to play with and Goldie seems to roll her eyes as if to say "another one". We'll post some photos soon.

05/27/05
A week of blue skies and warmer temperatures seemed to bring all sorts of birds in great numbers to the feeders: Rose-breasted and Evening Grossbeaks, Blue Jays, Purple Finches, Yellow Goldfinches, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Scarlet Tanagers, and of course plenty of Nuthatches and Chickadees. We've even been able to spot Belted Kingfishers and we can hear the Grouse drumming all through the woods. There seems to be a large number of Pileated Woodpeckers this spring and it has not been unusual to 2 or even 3 on one tree. There have been plenty of Common Goldeneye, Mallards, and Mergansers. We are also still seeing a few Gray Owls.

05/17/05
With another fishing opener behind us, mother nature delivered a taste of all four season over the course of the weekend. None the less, guests braved the elements and a few were rewarded with bass and crappies, but the Walleyes seemed to be suspended at about 28'. Had a second visit last night from a black bear, she likes black sunflower seeds. Saw a wolf last week crossing Highway 21.

04/18/05
Ice out happened over night or early in the morning on the 14th/15th. I think everyone was expecting a later ice out with all of the snow we had this winter. Spring may have arrived early this year, but today it feels like summer. It's 84 outside and the skies are blue. The frogs are awake and busy in the pond. It's count down to the Fishing Opener now.

04/14/05
Ice out can't be far away, today I heard the loons for the first time! The channel has been open for almost a week. The merganser have been in the channel since the water opened up.

04/01/05
Spring is near. The temperatures are warming up and the snow is melting. Awaiting ice out and all signs of spring.

02/10/05
This winter has been a BLAST! The snow has been consistent and the conditions are prime for every activity. JR is taking cross country ski lessons. The snowmobile trails have been in good condition all winter. The Ely and Babbitt clubs are doing a great job grooming. JR and I have been riding the trails quite a bit this winter-he's the trail expert so I let him navigate and I simply follow! We're staying busy with dog sledding day trips and rides from the lodge. JR is now mushing his own team (Daisy is jealous I'm sure).

01/17/05
Winter has settled in here in Ely and last weekend's guests at Northern Lights Lodge proved that winter really is best in the Northwoods! On Saturday everyone bundled up and enjoyed snowshoeing, ice fishing and snowmobiling even though temperatures stayed below zero. On Sunday afternoon, Bill Slaughter's Northwoods Guide Service brought two teams of dogs to the resort and everyone received an introduction to dog sledding with 20-30 minute rides around the islands of Bear Island Lake. Early this morning, temperatures dropped even lower to -51 and those of us who bravely stepped outdoors just before sunrise were treated to a colorful display of our namesake, the Northern Lights! Surely, this was the perfect ending to a long weekend in the Northwoods.

12/26/04
JR and I decided to take a break this afternoon and decided to go snowmobiling. It was a great first ride of the season with fresh snow and sunny blue skies. On our way back down to Bear Island Lake on the spur trail we spotted a doe and two fawns nestled into the hillside. They didn't mind our being there at all so we stopped and took a few pictures.

12/15/04
The moose herd is back! While walking with Daisy on the hiking trail on Sunday JR spot a moose calf just up ahead on the trail. Today, I was a little late getting out the driveway to meet JR's school bus so he started to walk in and saw a cow cross the driveway.

12/10/04
Last night we heard the wolves howling down somewhere near the narrows just below the rapids on the Bear Island River. This morning when we went out to wait for the school bus there were fresh wolf tracks in the driveway.

09/22/04
The fall colors are stunning once again and the maples are full of color. The birch trees are just starting their display. The driveway turns into a glowing tunnel this time of year. I think that the colors will reach peak later this year than expected. If the winds and rain hold off, there will be color for at least another week and a half.