More Sun and More Fish

Tuesday July 7th 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

The day started out a little slow I did some wash and cleaned the MH.  Mike washed the truck and got that all shinny.   Had breakfast at Sherry and Mike’s cabin again.  Great not having to cook and Mike is sure happy.

It was a terrific fishing day everyone caught fish. 

Drew and Liz came back with some pretty nice crappies.

Mike got a small northern and a few sunfish.  Yes he is still cleaning fish, and no more blood has been let.

Ryan and David came back with a bunch of sunfish and crappies.  Should keep them busy cleaning for an hour or more.

Drew got her in the water. The kids spent lots of time in the water today.

Liz and Drew swam across the lake again, Liz is the one out front she swam it in 3 min. and 7 seconds. We didn’t time Drew he was a little slower.  Liz swims on a couple of swim teams and practices twice a day.  When Drew came up he told me he couldn’t swim, and then he takes off across the lake.  Trying to be funny.

 

 A wine and cheese party on the pier at David and Joan’s cabin.  This is cabin 8 and is part of the resort but across the bay from the main part of the resort.  You can see the resort in the background.

It was an enjoyable day spent with friends and family.  The pier is a perfect place to host a small get together, and spend a lazy afternoon. 

 

Gordy and Jackie, the owners of the resort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had a birthday cake.  Not really anyone's birthday until next week, but I guess we just like to celebrate early and besides they are all leaving on Saturday.  Birthday people David Lizzy and Bill from Wisconsin.  

 

The Days Just Keep Getting Better And Lumber Jack Days

Monday July 6th 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

What can a person say about a perfect day, this is the best summer we have ever had, and we have had some pretty good times. 

Give a couple of guys a chain saw and they can make saw dust and piles of fire wood.

Last year Mike did some cutting of the trees behind the campground, and now him and Mike are trying to finish up the project.

That’s our son-in-law Mike driving the chain saw.  It gets very confusing when you have two Mikes in the family.  They worked on the undertaking for a couple of hours today.  They still have a few more days of work to finish it up.

Sherry and I had our own thing going today, we were working on some beading.  Just so nice to sit outside and enjoy Mother Nature.

Lizzy and Drew enjoying the water on a warm afternoon.  We don’t see much of our grandson Ryan, if it’s daylight he’s in the boat fishing. 

David made BBQ ribs for dinner tonight, and they were fall off the bone delicious.  Lots of food and a couple of great desserts. 

   

The girls after dinner.  Sherry, Me, Joan and Jackie.  A perfect ending to the day.  Is that a wine bottle in the middle of the picture, where did that come from.  I do try to throw a little humor in here and there. 

A fabulous Day At The Lake

Sunday July 5th 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

What a day, they just don’t get much better.  The sun is shinning and the temp is just about perfect mid 70s.  The Grandkids are having a good time, fishing and swimming and just messing around.

We had breakfast with the kids this morning, Sherry invited us up for French toast and sausages. 

Lizzy, Mike, Sherry and Drew. 

The Geese are back.  I took pictures of these same geese back in June and boy have the babies ever got big.  Still trying to keep them off the beach. 

Lizzy and Drew chilling in the MH. 

Our son-in-law Mike our Grandson Ryan and Mike chilling after a big day of fishing.  The fish have really been biting, they all came back with northern, crappies and sunfish. 

Happy 4th Of July

Saturday July 4th 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

A day for celebrating.  We live in the best country in the world.  It may have some problems right know, but when you think of the alternatives, we certainly  are so blessed to live in America. 

Mike and I love traveling, we have been to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, but the US is our favorite, and we are trying to see as much of this great country as we can. 

The day started for me at 8:00 AM, cabin cleaning day.  We finished earlier then normal, a few guests are staying two weeks, consequently  fewer cabins to clean. 

Our daughter Sherry and our grandson Ryan came late Friday afternoon, and our son-in-law Mike, our granddaughter Lizzy and her boyfriend Drew came Saturday morning.  They are staying in cabin 4.  They will be here for the week.  Saturday dinner was with friends David and Joan and the kids, BLT, sloppy joes and salad. Lucky me no cooking. 

The fireworks display started after dark and once more what a display. 

 

The sky was lit up for a half hour at least.  I have always loved fireworks all the noise and light.  Stormy our cat it not crazy about the noise she finds a dark corner to hide in.  It was another good time had by all. 

Celebrating The 4th Of July

Friday July 3rd 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

The resort celebrated the 4th of July on the 3rd.  Saturday is change over day, guest leave at 9:00 AM, the new arrivals start coming at 3:00 PM.  Friday had to be the day.

The morning started with the boat parade at 11:00 AM.  Boats from all over the lake lined up in front of the resort and we circled once around the pond.  Big Balsam is a good size lake, takes about 45 minutes to circle it.  Most everyone had their boats decorated for the festivities.

    

Mike and I had fun decorating our little boat.

 

A shot of just a few of the boats, everyone did such a good job of decorating. 

 

All along the parade route we had people on the docks waving and having a good time watching the display of boats.

This was quiet a site, a pair of loons with their babies. 

Later in the afternoon we had the picnic.  Gordy did the fish on the grill and everybody brought a side dish.  Their was tons of food and boy was it good. 

The guys on Al’s deck helping Gordy do the cooking.  Gordy is the guy in the center of the picture.  I think there was a little drinking going on.  I believe I saw pictures of margaritas being passed around.  

It was a perfect day with perfect weather. After the picnic most of the people headed to the beach, and had a great time in the water. 

At the end of the day, Gordy had a small fireworks display.  Saturday evening he will have the main event.

Clouds But No Rain

Wednesday July 1, 2009. Big Balsam Camp and Resort

It warmed up a bit and the sun kept trying to come out.  Towards evening it had a little more success, we almost had a sunset.

Mike was fishing off the end of the dock and his NEW fishing reel came apart and the top fell in the lake.  Mike does not like the water and he is a freeze baby.  The only way to retrieve his reel is to get in the water.  With no sun  this past week the water is pretty chilly.  No swim suit for Mike he goes in fully clothed socks, shoes, jeans , shirt and hooded sweatshirt.  He was a site.  It took him three tries.  He would go part way in come out to cold try it again got a little further but still to cold.  The last try he made it to the end of the dock, with water just past his waist.  He looked for 5 minutes feeling around with his shoes.  He really thought he could find it that way, right, no such luck.  Came out empty handed.  You know what I was doing the whole time, right giving him a bad time, and taking pictures just for you.

This is the second try, the first try he only got to his knees.

 The third try.  He put the sweat shirt on, now he has to think about it and get really cold before he goes all the way.

Under the dock trying to feel the real with his shoes.  No luck.

Does this look like a happy man.  He just loved me taking the pictures.

The reel was retrieved later in the day by one of the kids staying at the resort.  Mike was very appreciative.

That was the best part of the day, everyone in the resort was entertained.

In the evening David and Joan, Al, and Carol and Augie (they are also spending the summer here in their trailer.) stopped over.  We sat around the campfire and told jokes and lies.   It was a fun day for me.  

 

The Iron Range Towns

Tuesday June 30 2009.  Big Balsam Camp and Resort

The weather was cold and raining again today, but I will not dwell on that.  We did some traveling and I a great time.

When I was a child and we came up here to the Iron Range, all the iron ore mines were in full swing.  Now they are all closed and most of them filled with water.  Some of the old open pit mines even have fish in them.  A few of our 10,000 lakes.

We stopped in three towns today Nashwauk, Keewatin and Hibbing.  Hibbing being the largest of the three. 

 

Downtown Hibbing

Hibbing’s most famous celebrity is singer songwriter Bob Dylan.  He lived here from the age of 7 and left at the age of 18. 

Please follow the link below and read a little on the history of Hibbing and the Iron Range.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibbing

Keewatin is the smallest of the three towns.  It also was a mining town.  Keewatin’s mine was the St. Paul Mine and operated between 1905 and 1964. 

This building is no longer the City Hall, I believe it is now the police station.

Again please follow the link below and learn about the first settlers on the Iron Range.  I thought most of the people that settled in the area were Scandinavian, but many were from Ireland and Italy.   (check this out Bob C)

The beginnings of the Iron Range and Keewatin

Our next stop was Nashwauk.  Nashwauk is located between the two largest Iron Range Cities, Hibbing and Grand Rapids. Over 1000 lake are in the area

In the town of Nashwauk, the Hawkins mine was the first mine in Itasca county.  It shipped out over 25 million tons of iron ore between 1902 and 1962. 

Pictures of the open pit mine, now filled with water.

 

 

Not sure what this building was or when it was built, but I like the architecture.  It is now abandoned.

  

Downtown Nashwauk

Hope touring the iron range with us.  Maybe the sun will shine Wednesday.