Tuesday at the Mazik's

I hosted my walking group - WOWWs - yesterday.  It was a small group because many head south for March.  We hiked 4 miles in the Chequamegon National Forest and then lunched at a local restaurant.  Tuesdays are always a great day.  (WOWW=Women of the Woods and Waters)  I am in the first row in red.  Case is taking the photo after being the parking director for all the cars.

I also must comment that all the restaurants - and I mean all - write up separate checks for a group this size.  They just do it.  In Chicago and suburbs, the waitress would laugh! 

Early Spring in the Northwoods

65 degrees here.  All the snow has melted except for mounds in parking lots and near the end of driveways.  Ice is melting in the lakes.  Case and I headed for a favorite spot to hike along the Flambeau River.  Current was moving swiftly due to the winter run-off over Little Falls.  The noise of it all!  Both of us were glad that we wore our knee high rubber boots.  Fabulous day for so early in the spring.

 Case looking upstream of the Flambeau River.  Little Falls to his left.

Jo needs to look where she is going!

Large chunks of ice have been pushed up on shore by the fast-moving water.

Christmas Present

Because we no longer have our pet birds, Case gave me a bird feeder for Christmas.  Now I have lots of birds.  Some I had never even heard of before moving here:  Red Polls, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downey Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and of course, Chickadees.  We are both having great fun watching them. 

From bottom to top:  Chickadee at feeder, suet cage for the Woodpeckers, baffle to keep the squirrels away.

Here is a full-sized black squirrel enjoying the dropped seed.  He is sleek and beautiful!

Overload and Explode

We have been watching the debates and then CPAC.  Our heads are on overload and I think they will explode.   I am embarrassed to be an American if this is what we have to offer on both sides.  November 9 - the day after the general election - better have some good news for the country.  

Netflicks

By the miracle of today's technology, we have Netflicks free through somewhat shadowy means.  Case and I have limited tastes so much of what is offered does not interest us anyway.  However, recently, we found 3 movies that I recommend.  Stories with characters worth watching and have a message.

Little Boy - starts slow so stay with it (happy ending)
The Physician - set in middle ages (happy ending)
and this one I recommend but Case doesn't:  a comedy - Johnny English - the actor who plays Mr. Bean plays a bumbling secret agent.  I can't remember the last time I have laughed so hard at a movie.

The Big Ski Race

Every February Hayward and Cable host the largest cross country ski race in North America called the American Birkebeiner.  The original Birkie is held in Norway to commemorate and re-enact from 1206 when a infant prince was kidnapped in the Norwegian Civil War.  The prince's father sent two of his best skier/warriors to rescue the prince and ski as fast as they could back home.  They skied 53 kilometers.  Thus is born the annual race.  Twelve thousand skiers come to our area for the weekend.  Each skier brings an entourage with them so the population of Hayward is much more than the usual 2100.

Early February brings "Birkie Fever."  Symptoms are varied but all bring excitement culminating in the volunteer dinner for 1000 the day after the race.  Local volunteers pack the registration packets with race bibs, gather supplies for spaghetti feeds the night before the race, lay in their own supplies at home because shopping in town that week is impossible, on the radio listen to Birkie songs recorded by local musicians.  It is excitement beyond my description.  My tasks this year were packing registration packets, baking several desserts for the church spaghetti feed, and taking a long shift the day before by checking IDs of skiers coming to pick up packets.  Really enjoyed the international skiers, especially the Spanish team. Case spent all of race day sorting the skiers' bags of belongings and handing them back when they finished the race.  His group was in charge of more than 3,000 bags. 

Case in the race several years ago before he blew out his knee.

 

Behind the start line at the Cable airport.

Skiers write an essay to win the honor of being the warriors.  Modern day adds Inga, the mother of the Prince who is skiing with a baby doll.  The three of them lend moral support and fun to the racers.  Note the birch bark leggings on the men.  Birkebeiner means just that - birch bark leggings.