Category: Life at Tuscarora Lodge

THE DRAGON FLIES HAVE COME TO LIBERATE US!!

Staff members have armed themselves with positive mental attitudes—
most effective (and charming) defenses. Then there are the bug head nets—a splendid invention. And we’ve EVEN resorted to the bug dope—not a common thing when you live here. This morning I broke down and wore it on the road. Once I can get past the smell —I’m always amazed with how well that stuff works.

(Incidentally—I learned about DEET today—that it was invented by the US Army after jungle warfare in WWII….and it apparently interferes with the olfactory lobes in mosquitoes—they can’t smell our sweat to find us. Then I read some research on DEET, and am choosing the very effective Repel Lemon Eucalyptus alternative product in our store. )

On cloudy windless days, when the mosquitoes are the happiest , I remember some wise words of parenting advice given to me we first had a colicky new baby…My friend’s words seem to also apply to many life situations—Don’t worry, she said, just when something starts REALLY getting to you (when you wonder how you can function on two hours of sleep for the rest of your life)–, the pattern will change. One day you’ll wake up and that part will be over.
And so it seems!— the reinforcements have arrived. They speed around and must kill millions. Can they make an actual dent in the population? Who knows—- but I do know that the bug cycles hit the decline every year when the dragon flies arrive. They are like the busy little army guys in the helicopters, working overtime to clear everybody’s heads. God bless the dragonflies!

The other day Shelby and I visited our favorite blueberry spot, burned out by last year’s fire. I suspected they would come back, but not so many so soon! The absolute abundance is hard to believe.
It’s funny how blueberry patches inspire hoarding. Once, before I knew about Serious Picking Culture, my friend Ingrid took me to her hot spot in Chequamegon National Forest. (At the time I didn’t realize what a significant invitation that was). We drove into an area recently logged and could see people hunched over in different spots along the way. As we approached, they would disappear. We laughed as we watched them “hit the deck” so we wouldn’t discover their secret patches. Yet there was an entire forest of blueberries… we picked gallons.
The other day, as I drove from our secret spot, I was wondering about the incriminating photos—and Shelby warned me not to post them. I looked at the acres and acres of blueberry patches along the side roads of the upper Gunflint Trail—there will be no shortage this year! Still, we can’t tell you where we took the photos…

Jamison’s group was heading toward the Frost River—to venture into the unknown—I think Jamie just wanted to earn the right to a Tuscarora Portage Survivor tshirt!