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I realize that there have been areas of the UP, even northern MN/WI and northern lower MI that had seen their first flakes of the season, even the first coating. However, it was not the case that nearly everyone in the UP had seen their first flakes. That all changed in the past 24 hours. The first widespread lake effect sow event of the the season has occurred and is still occurring across the UP, with some snows also falling across the MN Arrowhead and NW WI. 

As mentioned, we saw our first flakes here in Jake over a week ago and then yesterday afternoon, we had a mix of snow and ice pellets fall. That was enough to put some frozen material on the ground (and deck) and thus qualify for the first trace of snow. We have had off and on snow showers all day today and this evening when I was headed to Calumet to take Grace to skating we got into a pretty healthy squall about 8 miles to the north of where we live. By the time we got to Calumet, there was some sun peaking through the clouds, but that did not last long, as it was snowing when we parked the truck and headed into the Coliseum and about 1/2 inch on the truck when we came out an hour later. I have heard reports of as much as 3″ in Painesdale and also have seen some pictures of 1-2″ east of Munising and inland a bit. So it has begun, the 2021-2022 snow season! 

The snows of yesterday kept up with the tradition of having snow on Halloween for the past 5-6 years. Previous years have actually provided a couple of inches of snow on the ground though and not just flakes falling from the sky. I think both parents and kids were just fine without snow on the ground though. Makes for a much more tolerable time to be walking around. Grace and her friend Flora did dress up again this year, although the did not go to town to trick-or-treat. There were some neighbors that said to come by and they would have some candy for them. Each neighbor gave them quite a bit of candy, so in the end, they ended up with nearly as much as they would have if they had gone door to door in town. I am not sure how much longer she and her friend will continue to dress up. I am perfectly fine with her doing it as long as she wants to, especially if we do not have to trounce around Calumet/Laurium like we did in the past. It has been interesting to see the costumes take on a more adult theme as she has gotten older. This year her and her friend were sorceresses. 

I had a treat of my own arrive the day before Halloween. It arrived in the Rt 12 Arctic Cat mystery machine. Or at least that is what It looked like to me when it pulled up to the house! Inside the mystery machine was my new ride! I was actually a bit surprised it fit into the van, but it did! I will have to keep that in mind, maybe buy an old work van from someone and use it as my sled hauler. Not only will it be kept dry while being transported, but warm too! It was so very nice to turn the key and have it fire up! Even more fun was the 30 foot ride into the garage! As we drove through that snow squall this evening, I was thinking that if that had been my field with the snow in it, I might just have gotten the skis snowy for a hot minute! Ahhh, but alas, that time is coming soon, just not soon enough!

Last week I think I shared a picture of a 6 point buck we had in our yard and then earlier this past week, his older brother swung by with his 8 points. Not a very wide spread, but I like the taller ones better. I guess we will see if he is cunning enough to escape the season. There have been some hunters on the property next door either baiting or maybe even bow hunting. Not sure which and not even sure if it is bow season at this very moment.

I picked up a new toy for Big Red and I to play with early last week. It is a log grapple. I have a lot of trees to cut down and most of them are softwoods, so they cannot be used for burning in the fireplace. So rather than struggle with having to buck all the limbs off and then cut the trunk to pieces small enough to move, I can now leave a lot of the limbs on and only have to cut the trunk in 8-10 foot sections to move them. This last week, a neighbor friend and I cut down three balsams that were dead and could topple onto the shop. Here is one of them freshly fallen. There are two more to come down, but they are not leaning in a very friendly direction and there is a tree cutting company down here doing work for the power company and will be taking them down as they also threaten the power lines along the road.

Not much else to say, except for the fact that we are now 2 weeks away from the first snowfall forecast for the season! I also hope to have the first youtube video accompany that forecast and will be putting the link to my youtube channel on the site in several places. I did succeed in moving th AL Cam to it’s new location. I was planning on adding a light, but it looks like the night vision of the camera might be enough to go without. The snowstick will get put up as soon as the wet snow stops falling later this week. I also plan to use half the picnic table to show the last 24 hours snow and the month to date snow. I have also ordered the same make and model camera for the Woods Cam and should have it going later this weekend. I do believe this gets you all caught up on things for this week. Talk to you next SUNDAY! if all goes as planned!

Good Night From the Keweenaw..
–JD

Last week when I said I would be going back to writing on Sunday, I forgot that it would be Halloween. So I will not be writing tonight, but rather tomorrow. NEXT week will begin the traditional Sunday night journal! – John

For the past few weeks, the snowbirds have been flying and driving south for the cold season. For some around here, their trek was not too far south, such as Pennsylvania or Ohio, but for others it has been a true heading south, to places like Tucson, AZ, Houston, TX and Okeechobee, FL. I still cannot see myself heading south for the entire cold season, but I could see myself getting away for a week or two sometime in February and I could easily get away for the entire month of April. I suspect that when Grace has left the house and Nora is retired, we will be doing just that. For now we stay and tough it out, occasionally taking the spring break trip.

For some locals, their appearance has just started to take place. They are a much quieter neighbor, mostly keeping to themselves and only swinging by to grab a bite to eat. Most of these locals are actually around all year long, but are even more strict in their ways of keeping to themselves. The other morning, I was looking out one of the picture windows in our living room and happened to spot one of these locals. Some of the ladies of this clan have actually been seen out and about for a couple of weeks, but the gentlemen of the group have only just begun to hang out under the apple trees or other sources of food. That was a pretty healthy 8 point buck and yesterday Nora spotted a 6 pointer. 

It’s actually quite rare to see buck so close to a residence during the daylight. At least here in the Keweenaw. The doe’s are much less shy about being close to human dwellings and the bucks hormones are what is driving them to do what they are doing right now. In around two months or so, that drive will go away and they will go back into hiding. Also dropping their antlers, which makes it difficult to tell the males from the females. I have a feeling that both that 8 point and the 6 point will not make it through the main hunting season that starts November 15th. A buck that is not afraid to wander close to where humans live during the day is not a very smart one. Or, perhaps I have it all wrong. They are super intelligent and know that we are still a few weeks away from the 15th and will go into hiding then!

It is amazing and wonderful how quiet the neighborhood is. Not that I don’t like my human neighbors. Quite the opposite. This is an amazing community, one like I have never been part of before in all of my life. Everyone is respectful of each other and are quick to offer a hand, even if not asked. We also have such good times at our picnics, pot lucks and bonfires. The ladies plan to resurrect the quilting club and the Jacobsville Gent’s club is alive and well. In any case, I do love the solitude of Jake in the cold months. Seems like you have the entire place to yourself. The quiet roads become even quieter and if you listen carefully, you can hear yourself think. There is just such a relaxing feel to things once the summer sun cools.

Speaking of the cooling, we have cooled to where we should be this time of the year and Calumet saw their first snowflakes of the season on Friday and while letting the dogs out before bed last night, I got to be part of Jake’s first flakes of the season. I tried to take a few pictures of the flakes falling, but the camera just could not pick them up. So I tried a short video and for whatever reason, the video setting did catch the flakes falling from the sky. No accumulation, just a broken layer of slush on the windshield of my truck this morning. None the less, those first flakes of the season bring such joy to my heart and excitement for all the winter goodness to come!

There currently is some accumulating snow seen for much of the lake effect snow belts around Halloween. What would a Halloween in the Keweenaw be without accumulating snow?!

The only other items I have to share are that: 1) I will be starting up the winter forecasts by November 15th, sooner if there is a meaningful snow storm possible for the Midwest. 2) I will be moving the writing of the Journal back to Sunday next week. The Monday date is better in the summer when the girls do not have to get up early Monday and that gives me more time with them on Sunday. So be sure to check in a day earlier next week! 

Good Night from the Keweenaw..
–JD

I’m pretty sure this will be a short one. Last week was pretty busy with getting the new Discussion Board going and also putting out the seasonal outlook. My mom is also still here and will be headed home the day after next. Even though she has said she will be fine and I can go about my regular duties, I have chosen to spend most of the day with her and not leave her alone in the house.

The leaves are in the process of falling now. Some areas appear to be nearly bare, while others are about half bare. The weather has still been much more like September than October. Today we look to warm to around 65 and tomorrow are suppose to hit the low 70’s. That will be it as far as warm weather goes the rest of this week and we might even have a bit of wet snow fly by the weekend. The typical, early season lake effect/enhanced stuff, where the higher terrain away from the lake has the best chances and others near the lake almost no chance. It would be pretty cool to see the first flakes and depending on my schedule and where the closest flakes are flying, I may take a road trip to catch them.

The “snowbirds” are heading south one-by-one now. A few left Jake in the last 10 days, another left this morning and I know of some others leaving in the next week or so. It’s been interesting to live here and experience the departure and arrival of those that are only here during the warmer months. I knew it went on all across the Keweenaw, UP and Northwoods, but most of my neighbors in Lake Linden and then when we were up outside of Mohawk were year round residents. It’s almost like a mini season itself, only not as well defined as the ones you would find in a calendar. 

I am taking advantage of these two beautiful days to get the pool put away. It has been mostly drained for about 3 weeks, but the pool pump cannot get all of the water out and I have to use a submersible pump to get the final 5-6 inches out. I am down to about 3 inches right now and plan to have it empty before my mom takes us all out to dinner this evening. Then tomorrow will come the disassembly and packing up and I will be left with one outdoor chore to do, cut and store some wood for our fireplace and one that needs to be done before the real snow flies and that is putting the blower on the front of Big Red. 

Of course there will still be leaves to get up and one or two more grass cuttings, but I guess if they did not get done until the spring, it would not be the end of the world. I am really hoping for the day that we can get a pool that does not have to be taken down. I ALMOST had Nora convinced this year, but then she wisely talked me out of spending that amount of money that needed to go to other things.

I can’t really remember anything else to talk about, so I guess I will end it here. Have a great week everyone and maybe, just maybe, I will have some snow shots for next week!

Good Night from the Keweenaw..
–JD

The weather that is. I’m not going crazy, already made that trip and it sure is nice once you get there! The mild and at times warm temps just will not let go. In the past month, we have had way more days with highs in the 70’s than in the 50’s, with the vast majority of them in the 60’s. We have also had a fair amount of sunshine. There have been some rainy days and we have gotten enough rain to significantly reduce the moisture deficit accumulated over the summer. All the grass is green and the floor of the woods is remaining damp almost through the entire day. That is important stuff this time of the year, as it can be a real fire risk as the leaves fall and all that dead vegetation is on the ground.

As for the leaf situation. Most of them are still in the trees where I have traveled. I have not been south of Houghton in a couple of weeks, but from Houghton north the trees still have most of their leaves on them. The color show is now past peak in most areas. I think it was one of those seasons where the colors were OK in spots and really good in others. Most of the pictures I have seen with really good colors in them were from the interior woods, meaning a logging road or recreational trail. 

The colors have been quite good on Jacobsville Rd this season. Unlike our situation when we lived in Keweenaw County, most of the trees on our property down here in Jacobsville are conifers, with a few birch and even fewer maples. So the color show outside our windows is not like that at our old residence. However, if you look a bit harder, there are some cool things to see color wise. We have some sort of a vine that grows off to the side of the house and it climbs a balsam tree. In the autumn it’s leaves turn a very pretty shade of red and contrast nicely with the other objects around it. We also have some golden raspberries that grow in the garden out back. They ripen in autumn and this autumn they just keep producing due to the mild temps! They are the sweetest raspberries I have ever tasted and one of these years we will have to make some jam out of them.

My mom is up staying with us for a few weeks and she and I took to the roads to take in the colors last Thursday. I have to say that I was surprised that our venture did not produce loads of beautiful colors. As mentioned, there were some great areas and other areas where, for one reason or another, the colors were not as magnificent as I was hoping for. One of the things that might have been handicapping us was the fact that we were touring during the middle of the day and the colors pop better when the sun is lower in the sky. However, the drive up the Garden City road did provide for some pretty sights.

Another road that usually never disappoints is the Eagle Harbor cross cut road, but this go around we hit it too late. many of the leaves had already come off the trees. Strange, as the distance between the last two shots was probably only 5-7 miles as the crow flies. Nor are they that much of a difference in elevation or proximity to the lake. We also did not have as much time as we normally would because Nora and Grace were at a camp, with Bleau and Kashi at home alone. So we did not get up to Copper Harbor or even go into the covered drive, but we did shoot up Gratiot Lake road to see what the colors were like in that neck of the woods. All in all, I’d say they were pretty darn good. The height of the sun washed out some of the colors, but it’s always cool to see the contrast between the autumn colors and the blue of the lakes. We did shoot down the lake shore to take in the views across the lake itself.

Nora and Grace both returned Friday afternoon and then Saturday was our 17th wedding anniversary! Nora said it felt more like 25…not in a bad way! I think I know what she meant! Anyway, my mom treated us to an early dinner and then once we got back to Jake, Nora and I headed to the beach for some alone time. It was a VERY enjoyable time. We had the place to ourselves most of the time. The weather was very nice and it’s kinda rare that Nora and I just get to spend time totally alone together. We even managed to sneak in a pretty good selfie. She is such a babe and I am extremely fortunate to have had her in my life for the past 19 years.

So out on front of us, the small waves lapped up against the beach, while just off to our right, the sun slowly fell until it disappeared behind the horizon. The beacon illuminated on the south entry light and it was about as peaceful as it could get. We both remarked at how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful place. Sometimes it feels as though we are living in a romance movie or something. The truth is actually better than that and we both know it and do not take it for granted. 

Not much else happening around here. I have not been as busy working on the shop and office the past 2 weeks with my mom being here. She will be here for just over another week and then I will be able to get back on things. I am still hoping to get my seasonal outlook produced by the end of this week, but I make no promises with my limited free time right now. I actually could make the guarantee, but I also was hoping to do a video of it and was planning that video to kick off the new Youtube channel I will have starting this season. It’s the video production that I am concerned about not having ready yet. 

I do have one more photo to share with you before going. It was taken last Tuesday morning, up the road at the north end of Jacobsville Rd. Just another magical moment from the land of the Keweenaw.

Good Night from the Keweenaw..
–JD