If anybody would have asked me, I’d have put 38 days in February. It’s by far the best winter month.
Tuscarora hosted the broomball game for the 6th annual Winter Tracks Festival. We had a smaller crowd this year, but whatever we lacked in numbers, we recovered in gusto. I’d just like to point out, in the far back row, left side of this photo behind Kieran in the white t-shirt, you may not see the guy in the big black goggles. We’re not sure who he is, but we think he wore protective eyewear because he was afraid somebody might take him down.

This year we had our youngest broomball participant. He had such a perfectly cute round head, that when Roman first met him, he thought that we put a baby-prop on the sled. The kids got a kick out of having the “Little Dude” around. I got a kick out of watching Daniel try to fold himself in half to meet his eye…Daniel, who was a little dude himself about 10 minutes ago…sigh…

We had a perfectly sunny afternoon, but..that’s been about par for February this year. Some afternoons, we even get out.

Denali prefers the days we ski in towards Brant Lake—in the back country so she can run like crazy. Some afternoons we leave Denali at home to visit the Upper Gunflint groomed trails, because they’re really nice too.

This hole was an Edith Lake mystery. We didn’t drill it—it was wide open on this cold day, there were no tracks around it, I suspect the otters were keeping it open, or the beavers? Maybe it started as a spring…but there is at least a foot of ice out there.

Can you see the moose in here? I’m sorry you can’t see her face because she thinks she is camouflaged on the side of the Gunflint Trail. The other day, one mother stepped in front of her yearling ….she was ready to take on my car I think. I just waited out the face off, she eventually got off the road–about 10 feet. To hide.

Andy’s buddies Bob, Roy, and Eric gave Andy and Dan another good excuse to head into Tuscarora. They kept 5-and laid them out for the photo, but can you tell if they are guppies and fingerlings or trophies? Not so much. Daniel the sherpa had them cleaned and cooking before I even saw them.. Apparently they did make a feast…fresh fish-from lake to dinner plate in 4 short hours.Daniel usually jigs longer than anybody else, and …you know what they say about the odds.

I had to include this one, for those who recognize the rock. This particular boulder marks about 1/3 of the distance on the portage from Missing Link to Tuscarora Lake. That spot is just high enough to rest your pack, but too low to bridge your canoe. It’s that place all people rest, and you wish you were half way, and you like to think you are half way, but you are not half way.

Now ,well into March. the days feel so long, the sun is intense, my blood must be really thick because 35-and sunny is absolutely balmy. Winter is fleeting-we’re relishing these days.