Northern Wilds December 2021

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‘Tis the Season While Tuesday, December 21 is considered the “official” first day of winter, it’s probably safe to say that the cold days and nights, alongside the holidays, mean it’s already here. But the arrival of winter in the Northern Wilds is celebrated not only with the holidays, but with an embrace of winter activities. Whether we like it or not, winter is here for many months, so we might as well make the most of it by bundling up and getting outdoors.

Do you have a question for one of our writers? Or an interesting photo, recipe, or story you’d like to share with Northern Wilds? Please send it to storyideas@northernwilds.com.

Last December, we were blessed with near-perfect ice-skating conditions on many lakes up the Gunflint Trail. Though it’s unknown if we’ll get perfect wild ice again this year, Rae Poynter explores the magic of it in her latest feature. Eric Weicht inspires us to get outdoors at night for some spectacular stargazing, and if we’re lucky, we may see the northern lights. Speaking of outdoors, Gord Ellis talks about his adventures into the world of fishing for television. Elle Andra-Warner informs us of the newest additions to the Lakehead Transportation Museum’s waterfront site in Thunder Bay, and Erin Altemus recalls her not-so-fun day of sled dog training after a heavy rain in November.

As you probably suspected, we can’t cover December without mentioning the holidays. Peter Fergus-Moore writes about spending Christmas in Bethlehem and Rae Poynter tells us where you

can find the perfect Christmas tree. You’ll also find plenty of local shopping and gift ideas inside. Flip to our events calendar and there’s no shortage of holiday art shows along the shore this month, some of which are featured in the Art Spotlight section. And we can’t forget the amazing food this time of year; North Shore Dish columnist Kitty Mayo provides us with a great selection of mouthwatering candies.

While most folks have a few totes filled with holiday decorations, almost everyone has that one decoration that is cherished more than the others. While I love all my Christmas decorations—of which my husband might say I have too many of—my favorite decorations are old family heirlooms, some storebought and handed down to me and others handmade. We asked a few of our writers to talk about their favorite holiday decorations for a feature story and they didn’t disappoint—cue the warm fuzzies!

Though hardly noticeable at first, after we pass the Winter Solstice on December 21, daylight begins to slowly increase. May this bring you cheer alongside the holidays. From all of us here at Northern Wilds, may you have a very Merry Christmas.

Happy Holidays!—Breana Johnson

Merry Christmas

from all of us at Northern Wilds Katie, Breana, Shawn, Amber, Destry and Roseanne NORTHERN WILDS

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VOLUME 1 8, I SSUE 12 w w w . n o r t h e r nw i l d s .c o m SERVING THE NORTH SHORE A N D TH E WI LDE R N E SS B E Y ON D PUBLISHERS Shawn Perich & Amber Pratt

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EDITORIAL Shawn Perich, Editor editor@northernwilds.com Breana Johnson, Managing Editor breana@northernwilds.com ADVERTISING Destry Winant, Sales Representative ads@northernwilds.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Katie Viren • katie@northernwilds.com OFFICE Roseanne Cooley • billing@northernwilds.com

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16 Holiday Memories More than just a decoration

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CONTRIBUTORS Erin Altemus, Elle Andra-Warner, Emily Derke, Gord Ellis, Joyce Fergus-Moore, Peter Fergus-Moore, Kitty Mayo, Deane Morrison, Hartley Newell-Acero, Rae Poynter, Joe Shead, Eric Weicht, Sam Zimmerman

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While the length of time to maturity varies depending on the tree species, many take 10 years or more to grow from a seedling to Christmas tree-size, making tree farming a long-term commitment. | STOCK

Finding the perfect Christmas tree GRAND MARAIS— For many people, bringing home and decorating a freshly cut Christmas tree is a memorable tradition each holiday season. In a land so abundant with evergreens, the Northern Wilds offer several options for those looking to find the perfect tree: from tree farms to roadside stands and even hiking in the forest for wildgrown trees.

Doug Hoffbauer is the owner of Farmer Doug, a family farm near Duluth’s Spirit Mountain. In addition to locally grown foods and maple syrup, Hoffbauer first planted Christmas trees in 1987, and together with his son Jesse tends 50 acres of Christmas trees.

“I have a degree in forestry from the U of M and always had an interest in growing things,” Hoffbauer said.

The farm has nine varieties of Christmas trees, predominately balsam fir, and offers both wholesale and choose-and-cut trees.

Farmer Doug’s trees can be found at the Duluth Farmer’s Market and at the West Duluth Super One parking lot (beginning November 26). In addition to Farmer Doug’s trees, other members of the Hoffbauer family also provide balsam wreaths: Hoffbauer’s son Derek is the owner of Duluth Flower Farm, which makes holiday balsam wreaths and garlands. The Duluth Flower Farm’s wreaths can be found at Dan’s Feed Bin in Superior, as well as online at: balsamwreath.com.

Farther up the shore, the Surbaugh family also operates a Christmas tree farm. Located on Pike Lake Road in Cook County, the Surbaughs bought the business from longtime Christmas tree farmer Karen Smaby.

“She was a neighbor who had seen our kids grow up, and last year she came to us and said that she was no longer able to operate the tree farm,” said Steve. “She asked if we wanted to operate it on a lease. We acquired the farm in the spring of 2020 and had our first season of sales in the winter.”

Smaby passed away in the summer of 2020, but the Surbaugh family is keeping the tradition of the Christmas tree farm alive with a mix of wholesale and retail sales.

Their trees can be found at Holiday in Grand Marais, as well as Isak Hansen’s in Lutsen.

Last year, the Surbaughs also opened up a few weekends for people to come to the farm and pick their own tree to cut, announcing dates for tree cutting through local Facebook groups. Steve said that the plan is to do something similar this year, and will announce tree cutting dates in December.

Despite the seasonal nature of sales, Christmas tree farming is a year-round endeavor, from cutting trees in preparation for the holiday season to planting hundreds of seedlings in the spring for future years.

Christmas tree farmers also shear trees to keep them growing in a balanced, classic cone shape, and check for trees that are not growing well and may not make it to maturity. While the length of time to maturity var-

ies depending on the tree species, many take 10 years or more to grow from a seedling to Christmas tree-size, making tree farming a long-term commitment.

In addition to tree farms, North Shore residents also have the ability to add a little more adventure into their Christmas tree tradition by cutting a wild tree from the Superior National Forest. Every year the Forest Service offers tree harvesting permits, which allow purchasers to cut one tree from public National Forest land (excluding wilderness areas like the BWCAW). Permits are available online or at a Forest Service office, and permit-holders can enjoy a day of hiking through the beautiful Superior National Forest while hunting for the perfect tree. Permit-holders are encouraged to harvest balsam fir away from roadways and plantation sites. More information can be found online at: recreation.gov/tree-permits.

—Rae Poynter

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A group of religious pilgrims from Jerusalem, marching to Manger Square on Christmas Eve. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE

Christmas tree by the Old City, Jerusalem. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE

Spending Christmas in Bethlehem PALESTINE— One December morning in 2013, I woke up in Bethlehem, Palestine.

Outside, I could hear the usual heavy bus and truck traffic as our house lay beside the vehicle checkpoint road that runs between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Looking out the window, I saw someone up a ladder set against the light pole across the street, affixing a sizable Christmas decoration and stringing lights. Christmas was three weeks away.

The four other internationals and I prepared for a more or less typical day, Christmas notwithstanding. We donned our distinctive vests and proceeded to the checkpoints to monitor how Palestinians, people under occupation on their way to work in Jerusalem, were being treated by the Israeli military. We were among some

35 human rights monitors, known as Ecumenical Accompaniers, serving in various locations in the occupied territories. My wife Joyce was stationed in East Jerusalem, while I was in Bethlehem.

It’s fair to say that Christmas is a big deal in the Middle East. After all, the state of Israel and the occupied territories of Palestine are often referred to as the Holy Land, and the Christmas story arguably begins in Bethlehem. While the vehicular traffic on our road was fairly heavy most of the time, it was bumper to bumper with tourist traffic toward Christmas. Tourism is complicated by the military occupation of Palestine by the state of Israel, but most times, that does not stem the flood of religious tourists. Of course, that was the reality in pre-pandemic December, 2013.

A rare display of Christmas lights in Bethlehem. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE

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Many Middle Eastern dwellings do not have central heating, hence we are bundled up in our winter coats as we enjoyed a Christmas dinner at the home of our taxi driver. | PETER FERGUS-MOORE

Christmas in the Middle East is understandably very different from the habitual Christmas celebrations here in North America. We noted few Christmas trees and decorations, though churches and many hotels did feature crèches. Obviously, there was no familiar pre-Christmas shopping advertising on local media. No carols and no Elvis Presley or Bing Crosby crooning Christmas songs over loudspeakers.

terwards, we all trudged the hilly kilometre or so up a street off Manger Square to the Lutheran Christmas Church. It seemed that half the Christian population of the area was there, including people we had met in the course of our daily volunteer activities. The service was wonderful, featuring a delightful Palestinian youth orchestra playing lute-like ouds and violins, as well as scriptural readings by various clergy in Arabic and English.

It’s fair to say that Christmas is a big deal in the Middle East.

Still, there were celebrations. In early December, we were treated by our taxi drivers (whom we relied on for transportation during our monitoring work) to a Christmas dinner in one of their homes. Middle Eastern dwellings are generally not centrally heated, so we all kept our winter coats on as we were served a delicious Palestinian meal. It was a magical time, for which I will always feel a sense of gratitude.

On Christmas Eve, all 35 of us internationals gathered to meet up in Bethlehem from our various placements in Palestine. We were to enjoy a rare two-day holiday from our work. We, the Bethlehem team, offered an open house for snacks and refreshments.

It was great to reunite with the people with whom we had trained and worked through our stay. By prior arrangement, we were all to be lodged for Christmas Eve in the Bethlehem Inn, just down the street from our placement house. My wife Joyce and I were to be together for a day and a half, a cause for our own personal celebration.

That evening, we all ate a Christmas dinner at a local restaurant with a Palestinian cuisine: salads and hummus, lentil and rice dishes, falafels, chicken, mutton, and shawarmas for those who wanted them. Af-

Each one present had been given a long taper; all were lit, providing a special moment of peace and hope in a troubled land. We got to take them back to our placements with us afterwards.

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The following morning, after breakfast, about 20 of us gathered in the hotel lobby for our own impromptu Christmas Day service. Afterwards, we checked out of the hotel and returned to our placements.

Locally-made Products & Gifts – Apparel Outdoor Supplies — Beer – Books – Gas – Coffee

Boxing Day was a working day for us in Bethlehem. We got up at 4:30 a.m. as usual to monitor the nearby pedestrian checkpoint, hoping that for a change, it would be operated smoothly. A more or less normal checkpoint day meant sudden, lengthy stoppages of the checkpoint turnstile, bullying

by Israeli guards, crowds of Palestinians desperate to get to their workplaces. To our astonishment, the checkpoint operated with previously-unseen efficiency and humanity.

We were finished hours early, and returned to our house to sleep.

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Aurora borealis is a phenomenon caused by the interaction of solar wind with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. | LEVI JOHNSON

Appreciating the darkness GRAND MARAIS— I was working at an outfitter on the Gunflint Trail when I saw the northern lights for the first time.

I saw the famous colors on a night towards the end of September. Conditions were perfect for aurora borealis—a new moon, a high Kp-index, a clear night, and I could sleep-in the next morning. All important factors when it comes to enjoying the northern lights.

That night, I rolled out my sleeping bag on the outfitter’s dock and set alarms for midnight, 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. so that I could open my eyes and see what was above throughout the darkest hours of the night.

When I fell asleep around 10 p.m. the sky was still. The air was crisp and smelled of fall, and despite the lack of shimmering green the sky was alive with the mysteries of stars. Starlight shown bright through the darkness of space. It felt close enough to touch.

At midnight my alarm went off and I opened my eyes. On the northern horizon I could see a faint shimmering white cloud.

Was that them? I watched for a few minutes before drifting back to sleep.

At 2 a.m. my alarm went off and, again, I opened my eyes. This time, there was no

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mistaking the scene playing out above my head.

A solid green wall danced on the horizon while faded flames flicked past the tops of the white pines behind me. The night sky burned on a backdrop of one of the most impressive displays of stars that I had ever seen.

The lake was dead calm and reflected everything happening above like a giant mirror. I paddled a short distance out and felt as if I was floating in space.

Experiencing the northern lights is rarely an accident. It takes intention—knowing when and where to look—and, of course, a little bit of luck.

Aurora borealis (or northern lights) is a phenomenon caused by the interaction of solar wind with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. The northern lights are, in a sense, always dancing above our heads, they just aren’t always visible.

The Kp-index is used to rate global geomagnetic activity for a three-hour period on a scale of zero to nine, and because of this it is a great way to predict how active the northern lights might be on any given night.

A Kp of five or more means that there is a

NORTHERN WILDS

This year’s Dark Sky Festival in Cook County is Dec. 9-11. | RYAN WYSTEPEK good chance that, if conditions are right, the northern lights will make an appearance.

Thankfully, we have some of the darkest skies in the world on the North Shore.

No matter how active the solar wind is predicted to be, however, if the sky is too bright the northern lights will be impossible to see. Light pollution can wash out the spectacle; even a full moon is often too bright for the borealis to break through.

The International Dark Sky Association recently designated the entirety of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, making it only the 13th location in the world to gain this special designation. The BWCAW is the

Dark Sky Festival DEC. 9-11

Every year, explorers, adventurers, artists and photographers from around the world travel to Cook County to experience our northern lights and dark sky.

Join us for the third Dark Sky Festival as we celebrate our world-class dark sky.

visitcookcounty.com/darkskyfestival

HANFTLAW.COM

The stars and distant galaxies visible on clear nights along the shore are always spectacular. | LAVIN MANSUKHANI first Dark Sky Sanctuary in Minnesota and at just over a million acres in size, it is also the largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world.

Since my first encounter with the northern lights up the Gunflint Trail, I have seen them a handful of times along the North Shore in places like along County Road 7, on the south shore of Sawbill Lake, and from the top of the White Sky Rock overlook.

You don’t need to be in the BWCAW to see the show, you just need to be somewhere with a clear view of the north and away from lights on a cloudless, moonless night. An excellent map of good places to go looking for the northern lights can be found on the Visit Cook County website at: visitcookcounty.com/adventures/northern-lights.

Of course, there is much more than just the northern lights to see in a night sky as wonderfully dark as ours.

The stars and distant galaxies visible on clear nights along the shore are always spectacular, but every year throughout most of July and August the Perseids meteor shower

puts on a nighttime-spectacle of shooting stars that is particularly unforgettable.

COMMUNITY MATTERS

The lesser-known Leonid meteor shower that takes place in November is also worth staying up for, but, remember, you can spot a shooting star any time during the year— you just have to get out and look.

Winter nights are cold, but they are also long and dark. Stargazing is often underappreciated in the winter, yet it is more than enough reason to bundle up and brave the outside-cold.

Night cross-country skiing is another great way to appreciate the night sky. There is nothing quite like skiing down Onion River Road by the light of the stars—the sound of swishing snow underfoot. Pure magic.

We’re proud to serve this incredible community. Wishing a holiday season full of warmth, joy and togetherness for all.

YOU MATTER HERE.

The annual Dark Sky Festival in Cook County will be taking place this year Dec. 9-11 with special events taking place at the Gunflint Lodge on the 9th and a “Turn Off the Lights” event in Grand Marais on the 10th.

Law Firm

For further information, visit: visitcookcounty.com/events.—Eric Weicht

DULUTH 218.722.4766 | CLOQUET 218.879.3333 NORTHERN WILDS

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SPONSORED BY SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS

Energizing Opportunities How a solar co-op can make a solar dream possible

Many people along the North Shore and beyond like the idea of powering their home or business using renewable solar energy but don’t quite know where to start.

Lucky for the folks in the Duluth and Arrowhead region, Solar United Neighbors (SUN) and Cook County Local Energy Program (CCLEP) have partnered to make this process a whole lot simpler by forming the Duluth and Arrowhead solar co-op.

Matt Tyler and his wife, Erin, started attending the solar co-op’s webinars last year after hearing about the program from CCLEP coordinator, Jesse Carlson. They initially decided to join to learn more about the process and costs involved since members can join for free without committing to any purchases or installation. The Tyler’s had discussed solar installation prior to purchasing their home in the Grand Marais city limits last year, but saw it as a long-term goal given the significant financial commitment required. After joining the co-op, they realized they might be able to make this happen sooner than they thought.

The Tyler’s hope to lower both their energy bill and their carbon footprint quickly became a reality. By joining the solar coop and taking advantage of the group purchasing power, the Tyler’s got a great price on solar from a vetted solar installer. Solar United Neighbor’s staff have solar installers provide bids for the group’s business.

A selection committee of solar co-op members review the bids with guidance from SUN staff and choose the solar installer that is the best fit for the solar co-op. The committee, which Matt served on, chose to work with Wolf Track Energy of Duluth.

One of the biggest draws of their proposed contract for Matt was their installation, parts, and service warranty. While Tyler is confident in the support from SUN and CCLEP, he says the warranty gives him added peace of mind.

Matt and Erin attended their first solar co-op meeting in January 2021 and in August the Tyler’s had their solar array installed and ready for inspections. The actual installation was complete in one day, simplified by the fact that their roof was fairly new and solar-ready. Before they could install though, they had to decide on the best location for their panels. They grew concerned when realizing much of their roof was not south-facing. Wolf Track Energy worked closely with the Tylers to assess the roof of both their home and their detached garage to design an array that would work efficiently. After doing some modeling, and thanks to improvements in solar technologies, they were able to install 16 panels. The models showed that even with some east and west facing panels, they would come close to generat12

DECEMBER 2021

ing the amount of power the family uses annually.

It will take time to gather enough data to truly calculate the return on their investment, but at this point Matt is happy they took the leap. It is hard to deny the benefits of their solar setup even at an early stage.

In the first couple of months of generating solar power, their energy bill was cut roughly in half, even in October which is a suboptimal month for generating solar power. The lowered bill was a result of using the solar power as well as the credit they received from the utility company for the net electricity generated. For most folks, the solar array will be connected to the electric grid and the solar power that is produced but not used is diverted to the electric grid and the home or business owner is reimbursed.

That’s the way it’s supposed to work, says Bobby King, an organizer with SUN. “When the sun is out and you are producing energy, the electricity you don’t use literally goes to your neighbors,” King said.

Net metering encourages homeowners to go solar and helps them recoup their investment in solar. Best of all, as electric rates rise, so does the payment from the utility company.

The Tyler’s plan to keep an eye on the numbers and are excited to see what the meter reads in the spring and summer when the days are longer and brighter.

Looking ahead, they have plans to work with the solar co-op and CCLEP to further their investment. Projects like installing a battery for solar storage and an electric car charging station would increase the impact of their installation. Their first step will be to work with CCLEP to conduct an energy audit of their property, a service available to all Cook County residents and businesses.

Working with SUN and CCLEP not only allows you to take advantage of shared expertise and cost savings, but will also let you learn about tax credits, low interest loans, and federal grants that may be available. One such incentive for this year’s coop members who took the leap is a federal solar investment tax credit allowing for 26 percent of the project cost to be taken as a tax credit in 2022.

Switching to solar with the advice and purchasing power of a solar co-op means joining a community of like-minded neighbors who are committed to a renewable future. If you are wondering how you can take advantage of these programs, your best bet is to become a member during this round of recruitment. You may just find, as the Tyler’s did, that your solar dreams are more achievable than you think—with the right help at least.

NORTHERN WILDS

Matt and Erin are excited about the benefits of going solar and creating a more renewable future for their son, Corwyn. | SUBMITTED

You can go solar too!

The Duluth and Arrowhead Solar Co-op is free to join and there is no obligation to go solar.

Join online at: solarunitedneighbors. org/duluth.

You can register for the solar co-op’s webinar on January 6 at 6:30 p.m. by clicking on the “Events” tab. After you join Solar United Neighbors will do a satellite roof review of your home. Once a solar installer is selected, they will prepare a proposal for your home at the co-op price.

CCLEP is one of the local partners with Solar United Neighbors and promotes renewable energy in Cook County. Learn more here: https://www.cookcountylocalenergy.org/

Two historic, electric-powered Brill trolley buses are now on permanent display in Thunder Bay beside the museum ship Alexander Henry. The two trolleys were restored and painted in their original exterior colours—burgundy and cream for the Port Arthur transit systems [ABOVE] and orange and cream for the Fort William ones [RIGHT]. | DONNA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

Historic Brill trolley buses find their way home THUNDER BAY— Who remembers riding on Brill trolley buses in the U.S. or Canada? As of Sept.

1, visitors to the Lakehead Transportation Museum (LTM) waterfront site in Thunder Bay can relive the experience—indulge in some nostalgia—as two of the historic, electric-powered Brill trolley buses are now on permanent display in Thunder Bay beside the museum ship Alexander Henry.

The two trolleys were restored and painted in their original exterior colours by volunteers from the non-profit group Buddies of the Brills. Since 2007, the trolleys had been in protected storage while an appropriate “home” was sought. With the opening of the LTM in July 2018 and site preparation completed this summer for the buses, the trolleys have found their home.

These were state-of-the-art transportation vehicles at the time and built at the former Canadian Car Foundry (“Can-Car”) plant (now Alstrom) from 1945 to 1954. The trolleys were part of transit fleets all across Canada. In the Lakehead cities of Port Arthur and Fort William—amalgamated in 1970 to form Thunder Bay—the Brills were in service from late 1947 to late 1972.

During World War II, Can-Car had been a major manufacturer of the famous Hawker Hurricanes and Hell Diver planes, employing about 5,000 people. During the war, steel had been directed to the war effort resulting in transit fleets being unable to buy new buses. After the war was over there was no need to build new planes, so the plant was at risk of closing. But then Can-Car made a deal with Philadelphia’s American Can Foundry (maker of U.S. Brill trolleys) to build the Canadian Brills. The

In the Lakehead cities of Port Arthur and Fort William—amalgamated in 1970 to form Thunder Bay—the Brills were in service from late 1947 to late 1972. | DONNA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY local plant was re-tooled and construction of the first Canadian Brill trolleys began in 1945. By the mid-1970s, most cities, including Thunder Bay, had replaced their Brills with diesel buses.

Almost everyone who rode the Brills remembers with a smile the ‘snap and crack’ of the poles that connected the trolleys to the overhead electrical grid and the dead-stop when the poles disconnected (the driver would have to go outside to re-hook them).

The Brills had a distinctive curved design, wide aisles and comfortable seats.

Mayor Bill Mauro had the honour of cutting the giant trolley-designed cake at the ceremony. | DONNA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

“More like a living room couch than a utilitarian vehicle; the public loved the Brills,” said Charles Brown, president of LTM.

The Brill trolleys ceremonies were attended by Mayor Bill Mauro, Councillor Kristen Oliver and members of the public.

Lakehead Transportation Museum’s two Brill trolleys were saved from a “Brill trolley graveyard” in Richmond, British Columbia, where about 250 Brills were waiting to be scrapped. A dedicated team of volunteers— Buddies of the Brill—with support from the City, purchased two for $12,000 and restored them to their original condition and operating colours—burgundy and cream for Brills in the Port Arthur transit systems and orange and cream for the Fort William ones.

“I’m here basically on behalf of council celebrating the work of a group in the community who are really responsible for the success of this project,” said Mayor Mauro, who later did the honour of cutting the giant trolley-designed cake.—Elle Andra-Warner

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Wishing Everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season!

www.GrandMaraisStateBank.com

Grand Marais: 218.387.2441 · Tofte: 218.663.7891

Edward Jones Financial Advisor Announces Grand Opening “I am excited to be opening an Edward Jones office in Grand Marais, because I see a need for the type of service we provide,” Claire Smith said. “This firm concerns itself with the needs of individual investors and small-business owners, and I’m happy to be bringing that kind of personalized service to this community.”

Claire S Smith Financial Advisor

“My business is primarily referral based. If you feel I have provided you with valuable service, I appreciate referrals!”

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ST. PAUL—The Minnesota DNR is excited to announce the availability of mini grants through the extremely popular No Child Left Inside Grant Program. These grants help more children cast a line, study animal tracks, hike or bike, or simply learn more about nature.

“We’ve had a great response to the first couple phases of the grant program and we’re excited to be able to continue to support getting more kids outdoors,” said Jeff Ledermann, DNR education and skills team supervisor. “These mini grants are here to boost outdoor programs and initiatives all around the state, especially in communities with limited opportunities to connect with nature.”

Public entities and non-profit organizations serving youth under age 18 are able to apply for mini grants. A total of $200,000 is available for programs all around Minnesota. The minimum request is $500 and the maximum is $5,000. Future phases of the grant program will have larger grant awards with more extensive application and review processes.

Applications can be submitted starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2, and awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

The application period will close once all the money is awarded. All the reimbursable grant project work must be completed by June 30, 2023.

gram, which supported 59 mini grants that reached over 12,000 youth, as well as funding dozens of larger grants, many of which are still in progress. The 2021 Minnesota Legislature provided an additional appropriation of $900,000 to continue this work.

Funding can be used for outdoor recreation equipment, transportation and related natural resource education expenses. Successful grants will: • Be distributed in a way that ensures statewide impact • Provide students direct experiences and understanding of nature • Use research-based, effective environmental, ecological, agricultural or other natural-resource-based educational curriculum • Maximize the number of participants • Serve children with limited opportunities to outdoor activities • Use public parks and other natural resource venues and personnel as resources • Commit matching funds or in-kind support.

For more information on the grant program and a link to the application, visit: mndnr.gov/R3.

The 2019 Minnesota Legislature authorized the No Child Left Inside Grant Pro-

Kay Grindland to retire from Care Partners GRAND MARAIS— Care Partners of Cook County wishes to announce an important change coming to their organization. Kay Grindland, executive director, will be retiring this coming spring, after guiding and leading Care Partners from a community/volunteer effort to an essential, successful provider of aging services in Cook County over the last 12 years.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of branch offices, caters to individual investors. The firm’s nearly 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients with a total of $1.7 trillion in assets under care. Visit edwardjones.com or the recruiting website at careers.edwardjones.com.

425 W Hwy 61, STE A Grand Marais, MN 55604 218-387-3588

DNR mini grants to help get children outside early and often

edwardjones.com Member SIPC

Kay has shaped Care Partners in such a way that it fills a critical niche in Cook County, providing companionship and practical help to older adults and the people who care for them. She leaves a legacy of building Care Partners to be client-centered with values of respect, compassion and confidentiality while supporting community members as they navigate the journeys of aging, chronic illness and end-of life. Under Kay’s leadership, a solid foundation has been built that will last for decades to come.

Kay’s dedication to Care Partners continues as she supports the Board and staff in hiring a new executive director. They are embarking upon a search for a leader who will build upon the mission and programs and support the staff and volunteers that make up Care Partners and meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. They are seeking someone who will sustain the compassion-

ate and vital work of supporting community members as they navigate the journey of aging. For more information and application materials, call 218-387-3788 or visit the Care Partners website: carepartnersofcookcounty.org.

The Grand Marais Public Library also offers board games, tarot cards, HALO portable chargers that double as jumper cables, and an assistive technology device called a C-Pen. | SUBMITTED

The Arrowhead Library system offers more than just books GRAND MARAIS— Libraries have been around for a long, long time. The oldest known library—The Library of Ashurbanipal—dates back to the seventh century B.C., while the first public library in the U.S. was likely the one founded in 1731

by Benjamin Franklin.

Our North Shore libraries may not be quite as storied as the ancient libraries of the Middle East, however, they have played an important role in North Shore communities ever since the first one was formally established in Duluth in 1892.

The North Shore has one of the most impressive library systems in the state, if not the country. Formed in 1965, the Arrowhead Library System (ALS) is expansive—offering a plethora of digital and in person services to community members and visitors in seven counties in Northeastern Minnesota, making it the largest public library system in the state.

Public libraries are not a new concept, but the role that they serve in our communities has evolved significantly over time.

“I’ve often heard library patrons refer to our library as ‘the soul of our community,’” says Amanda St. John, library director at the Grand Marais Public Library. “If libraries are places where people can explore, create, learn and connect, then part of my work is to make that ‘dream-space’ a reality.”

“Everyone is welcome at the library,” continues St. John, “and we want to get to know them. Everyone is invited to relax in our cozy chairs, to read a book, or use the Wi-fi.”

Libraries are, as they have always been, a great place to discover new reads and to borrow books instead of taking on the cost of purchasing new. At all of the libraries within the ALS you will find thousands of titles to discover, and anything that isn’t readily available on-site can almost certainly be ordered from a different ALS location.

North Shore libraries also serve as community gathering spots—places where North Shore residents and tourists alike will find access to computers, printers, photocopiers and the internet; all in a quiet space that lends itself to reading, writing, or “doing a little work,” whatever that may be.

Book lending and community gathering are but the tip of the iceberg, however, as the services provided by North Shore libraries to their communities goes well beyond that.

“Although we have a great selection of books and DVDs,” says Madeline Jarvis, the new director at the Two Harbors Public Library, “some of our most popular materials in the collection are our telescope, trail maps, and foraging and birdwatching kits.”

Spotting reindeer isn’t your only superpower.

“We live in the most beautiful part of the state on the greatest lake in the world,” continues Jarvis, “so it makes sense for us to provide resources that help our patrons feel connected to the great outdoors.”

St. John also points out that a lot of what gets borrowed at the Grand Marais Public Library are resources other than books and magazines.

“Our library circulates board games, tarot cards, and HALO portable chargers that double as jumper cables,” says St. John. “We also circulate an assistive technology device called a C-Pen, which is a pen shaped scanner that reads aloud to support reading, learning and understanding, especially for readers experiencing dyslexia, visual impairment or aphasia.”

Today, an ALS library cardholder has access to all of the digital resources found on the ALS website. These include, but are far from limited to, services like CreativeBug—a digital resource that offers unlimited access to more than 1,000 award-winning arts and craft videos taught by recognized design experts and artists; Novelist, which is a tool that, according to St. John, is great for helping people “find new authors that have similar content or narrative style;” and Brainfuse’s HelpNow & JobNow—services that provide both school and job coaching resources respectively.

“Brainfuse HelpNow is essentially a one-stop shop for homework help,” says Jarvis. “It includes virtual collaborative spaces for students, customizable study tools, and even live tutoring with a 24-hour writing lab.”

Join in. Shine on.

Save the holiday for our North Shore neighbors in need. Sign up today or make an additional one-time contribution.

We’ll match up to $3000 of pledges and donations to local food shelves. northshorefcu.org/hungerheroes

“Through the JobNow portal,” continues Jarvis, “users can chat with a career coach, complete career assesments, and receive feedback on application materials. It’s a great way to ensure that your next application packet truly shines.”

Jarvis, who views her role as director as “identifying and eliminating barriers of access” to all that the Two Harbors Public Library has to offer, wants to remind people that regardless of whether they are accessing ALS resources remotely or in person, they can always reach out to the library with questions.

“If you have access questions,” says Jarvis, “just reach out to your local librarian. We are here to help.”

To learn more about the numerous services offered by the ALS and its members, be sure to visit your local library in person or by logging onto their respective website. Information for ALS online resources can be found at: alslib. info.—Eric Weicht

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More than Just a Decoration Almost everyone has that one holiday decoration that you cherish more than the others.

Perhaps it’s a family heirloom or something that reminds you of your childhood. Or maybe it’s something you made yourself. We asked a few of our writers to talk about their favorite decorations, and they didn’t disappoint.

A Unique Christmas Decoration

By Joyce Fergus-Moore One of my most treasured Christmas decorations is a beautiful candle lantern which was a gift from my daughter. It was crafted by a tinsmith at the Fort William Historical Park, close to our city of Thunder Bay. I have always loved visiting this site and seeing how things were made with meticulous attention to detail in the 19th century.

My candle lantern is a good example of such fine work, for the design is perfectly crafted to let the light come through at just the right angles and proportions.

I especially appreciate my lantern’s soft glowing light at Christmas time when we are experiencing the darkest days of mid-winter. Seeing the lantern, flanked by a few smaller but also lovely candles, never fails to lift my spirits and renew a sense of hope. In these days when our world is struggling to overcome the ravages of a global pandemic, we need such symbols of hope, love and beauty.

Hope is also needed when we try to address the urgent environmental issues of our times. On April 22 each year, our family honours Earth Day by turning off all our electric lights and appliances, and enjoying a quiet Earth Hour by candlelight. Our tin candle lantern provides beautiful illumination as we look out at the stars, drink a glass of wine, and share a few thoughts. My parents, who lived through the Great Depression and never wanted to waste anything, would be very pleased that my special candle lantern is not used for a few short days at Christmas and then hidden away in a box for another year. They also taught me, by their example, to enjoy the simple gifts of life—music, laughter, shared meals, and all the light you can encourage to shine and reflect.

My Christmas candle lantern from Fort William Historical Park. | JOYCE FERGUS-MOORE May your holiday season be filled with light!

A Silly Little Choo-Choo Train

By Eric Weicht When it comes to celebrating Christmas, my family does not mess around.

I was born Christmas day, so it should come as no surprise that it is my favorite day of the year. Christmas presents in the morning, birthday dinner in the evening— it’s no wonder my childhood-self could never fall asleep on the 24th.

But my family’s love of the season—the Christmas traditions that have come to define the end of each year and the start of the next—started well before me; before any of my relatives thought it clever to tell my mom that she should name me after my great-great uncle Rudolph.

In fact, I don’t really know when Christmas came to take on such an important role in my family’s story. It’s just always been that way, as far as I can tell.

December 25 is the one day each year that you can’t, under any circumstances, not be home for the holidays. My mom and her three brothers have never missed a Christmas, an impressive 64-year streak that me and my siblings are determined to beat. So far, we’re 24 for 24, a perfect record that we’re all quite proud of.

Christmas is the only day each year that I know exactly where I will be and what I will be doing.

In the morning, I will wake up in my childhood bed, my siblings asleep in rooms next door, and listen for the sound of my 16

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parents’ downstairs. I will get up, walk to the living room, and take a seat on the couch in my pajamas with a mug of coffee while I wait for everyone to find their way to the Christmas tree.

The air will smell of fir needles and cinnamon rolls, with the occasional whiff of woodsmoke sneaking out from the fireplace. Christmas music will fill the room like sunlight, and everything will feel right with the moment, right with the world.

We’ll open presents, eat the usual breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls and egg dish with a glass of fresh orange juice, and at some point, someone will, inevitably, set off the train…

ChhooooOOO chooOOO. CHUgga chugga chugga. CHUgga chugga chugga.

[LEFT TO RIGHT] Author Eric Weicht and his siblings Patty and Brett.

WOOOOoooooooooo!

| ERIC WEICHT

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

but at some point, it choo choo-ed its way into our hearts and wove itself into the very fabric of the holiday season.

Ka-klunk ka-klunk, ka-klunk ka-klunk.

It is such a silly little Christmas tree ornament, but it is an ornament that has come to mean so, so much to my family and I over the years.

Like the season itself, I don’t know where or when that little red and green locomotive with the button on top of the stack that you can press to hear a series of recorded train sounds came into our lives,

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I press the train’s worn button and am brought back to a past Christmas where my wish list comprised mostly of Legos and I worried that Santa might miss our chimney on his way back North.

I listen to the train ornament’s recording and am reminded of the year that our cat Taffy pulled down the Christmas tree, of the years when you could tell the height

of my siblings and I based on how high up the Christmas tree the ornaments made it.

I see that train and I’m reminded of the first Christmas that I could have wine with the adults and how weird that made me feel, and of the first Christmas that I spent with my wife.

I hear the sound of that train and I’m reminded of how silly our traditions can be—and why they are so important.

One Last Gift from Grandma

By Joe Shead

My grandma was a hot mess. As a boy, I wouldn’t have described her as such, but now that I’m more or less an adult, I see it. She was a packrat. I mean a bona fide hoarder. You had to navigate a narrow goat path to get around her house and in her old age, her knees gave her problems, which made it all the more difficult for her to hobble through the tunnels she had created through her home.

Plus she was chronically late. I knew that even as a boy. In childish naivety, I would wait at the window for Grandma to arrive to take us to the lake or wherever our adventure might lead, but I soon learned I should add at least an hour to the pre-appointed time. And when she did arrive, it would take several minutes for her to move around the overflowing mass of junk in her old Buick to make room for my brothers and I. I say this not to rag on Grandma, but to paint a picture of her. Whether good, bad or otherwise, these qualities were just Grandma, and I loved her for who she was. I see (unfortunately) some of those same traits in myself. I guess maybe some of Grandma rubbed off on me. Grandma always laughed at my nonsensical sense of humor, and I know I was her favorite. The twinkle in her eye when she looked at me gave it away.

At Christmas, Grandma always made her homemade Chex Mix, which she called “Nuts and Bolts.” She made this treat long before it became popular, and hers is the best I’ve ever had. Nothing else comes close. Everyone in the family would get a gallon bag of Nuts and Bolts for Christmas.

On Christmas Day, Grandma was always fashionably late. Plus, she would arrive without wrapping our gifts, so she would skulk away to some quiet corner of the house to wrap them. Usually, my brothers and I got the same thing, so we hustled to unwrap the gift first while the identity was still a surprise.

We lost Grandma last year, two weeks before Christmas. As we took on the monumental task of going through a lifetime collection of junk piled to the ceiling in her home, basement and storage unit, we first grabbed the multitude of Christmas decorations we didn’t intend to keep, so we could donate them and let someone put them to good use for the Christmas season.

For days we toiled at cleaning out Grandma’s home. Some items we kept, some we donated and others we hung onto to sell in a never-ending garage sale.

As we went through unending boxes of dishes, gardening equipment, clothing and other Grandma items, one tiny gift

Grandma’s last gift was likely purchased a few years before I discovered it deep in the recesses of her basement, just days after she passed away. That last gift is one I’ll always cherish. | JOE SHEAD caught my eye. It was a tiny snowman ornament with a bell inside, wrapped in tissue paper. Written on the paper was the inscription, “Joe here is your male Snow Bell. Love Gram.”

Given the location where we found it buried on a table far back in the basement,

I suspect it was intended to be given years earlier. But what impeccable timing!

Looking back, I can’t recall many of the Christmas presents Grandma ever gave me, but I’ll always cherish the last one.

Making a Christmas Legacy with Vintage Handmade Ornaments

By Elle Andra-Warner One of my favourite Christmas memories was decades ago when a friend asked if I’d like to take an evening course with her on making fancy Christmas ornaments.

Admittedly, it wasn’t of particular interest to me, but I said “Sure, why not.” I was already a knitter but one who strictly followed a pattern, so making these ornaments would test my creative skills—I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone as there was no pattern to follow. For the next four weeks during a cold November, we drove out to a nearby rural community centre to attend the course.

We learned to make an eclectic mix of elegant handmade Christmas ornaments using satin-covered balls in various colours and shapes. Nowadays, I see on Etsy similar ornaments listed as vintage, some selling for over $100. We made ornaments with sparkling sequins, crystals, beads and fancy ribbons that were anchored with little straight pins onto 3-inch diameter satin balls.

One of my favourites was the 4-inch angels we made using bell-shaped Styrofoam balls decorated with sequins for clothing, accented with ribbons and topped by a premade plastic angel with wings. Another favourite was the swanky Victorian-style ornaments made with hundreds of beads,

sequins and fancy ribbons pinned on a white or coloured satin ball, about 3 inches in diameter, a style reminiscent of the famous jewelled Fabergé eggs. And then there was the pinecone-shaped shapes that were completely covered in round bright sequins (pinned starting from bottom upwards) topped with a colourful ribbon tree hanger.

One style we made used artwork from a napkin that was transposed onto a Styrofoam oval and framed on the sides with colourful ribbon and beads. Easy to make, though I can’t remember now how we got the napkin design onto the Styrofoam ball.

The handmade fancy decorations I made were a far cry from the first ornaments we had after coming to Canada. I remember those Christmases when our real tree (cut from a nearby bush) was decorated with colourful glass ornaments (that would shatter when dropped) and European-style clip-on candleholders that held white, short candles that were actually lit.

The vintage ornaments I made back in the 1970s are now family heirlooms; a Christmas legacy to pass on to my children and grandson in the years to come. And for me, that makes them super special.

The Victorian-style swanky Christmas ornament was a style reminiscent of some of the famous jewelled Fabergé eggs. | SUBMITTED NORTHERN WILDS

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The Magic of Frozen Lakes

By Rae Poynter

In order for wild ice to form, many days of cold temperatures are needed to create a thick layer of ice. If it gets too windy, the wind will make the ice bumpy and opaque. | EMILY RUNNING

L

ast December, the lakes of the upper Gunflint Trail region experienced something that happens every few years: near-perfect ice skating conditions. The waters of the lakes froze into a smooth, glass-like ice, known as wild ice. And smooth ice, of course, means optimal wild ice skating. So what causes ice like this? And what’s the best way to get out and enjoy wild ice skating?

While not all lakes in Northern Minnesota had impeccable ice conditions last year, several of them on the Gunflint Trail did. In order for wild ice to form, many days of cold temperatures are needed to create a thick layer of ice. If it gets too windy, the wind will make the ice bumpy and opaque. And if it snows, the snow will insulate the ice and keep it from thickening. (Not to mention, of course, that the ice needs to be clear of snow in order to skate.)

Not every winter brings a stretch of cold, still, and snow-free days, but last year did.

“It seemed like one of those stars-aligning moments where everything has to be just so in order to happen the way it did,” said Cassidy Ritter, manager and part-owner of Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.

Cassidy and Matt Ritter had just returned from their honeymoon when their neighbors told them about the ice conditions that had formed. They knew right away that they wanted to go see for themselves.

Cook County resident Emily Running also made the most of the wild ice last year. | EMILY RUNNING 18

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“We dug out our ice skates and headed over to Seagull Lake with our neighbors and it was absolutely amazing,” Cassidy said. “It is hard to put into words how eerie and beautiful it all was—it was just a really special moment to be able to enjoy with our friends. The Gunflint always has its way of welcoming us home after being away, and this was no exception.”

Not every winter brings a stretch of cold, still, and snow-free days, but last year did. | CASSIDY RITTER

Matt and Cassidy Ritter enjoyed the wild ice last year on Seagull Lake with some friends.

“It is hard to put into words how eerie and beautiful it all was—it was just a really special moment to be able to enjoy with our friends,” said Cassidy. | CASSIDY RITTER As word got out about the ice conditions, people traveled up the Gunflint Trail to enjoy the exceptional conditions. Cook County resident Emily Running was one of those who made the most of the wild ice last year.

“I had never heard of wild ice before, and didn’t even know what it was,” Running said. “Tuscarora Lodge was posting daily ice condition updates, and I was following their updates and decided to go check it out. I went up on a Friday morning to Seagull Lake, and it was honestly amazing. The ice was so clear that you could see every detail of the rocks below you.”

Running said that the first day she stayed near the boat landing, but that the skating conditions were so enticing that she went up the next day as well, this time skating all the way past the sign that marks the entry to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Altogether, Running made it to the end of the Gunflint Trail four times to skate on the wild ice.

Some of the lakes last year with wild ice included Seagull Lake, Clearwater Lake and Loon Lake.

“I would say Seagull Lake had by far the best conditions last season,” Cassidy said. “It is such a pristine lake with so much area to cover and such clear water that it made everything that much more amazing. To be able to see the bottom as if the ice you are standing on is not even there at all was absolutely unreal.”

For those wishing to try wild ice skating, Running said that people should be prepared to bring their own skates, as rentals and borrowed skates are difficult to come by. With the unpredictable nature of wild ice formation, those in the area may want to purchase a pair of skates in order to be ready for when the opportunity strikes.

In addition to ice skating, wild ice brings the opportunity to experience “singing ice,” or the ethereal sounds made by ice forming. Ranging from deep to high-pitched, the sounds are caused by the ice shifting as it undergoes temperature changes. Ice sounds are easiest to hear before it snows. Running said that they experienced the sounds of the ice cracking as they skated, as well as the unique noises made by skipping rocks across the frozen ice.

“Wild ice is really strong ice, but I still felt uneasy—it’s an eerie feeling being able to see down and knowing there’s water beneath you, water that we had kayaked across earlier that summer,” Running said.

Like any wilderness adventure, especially those involving water, safety is critical for those wanting to enjoy a day out on frozen lakes. Ice needs to be at least 4 inches thick to hold the weight of a person, and weather conditions can make rapid changes to the ice day by day, meaning that it’s always important to measure before going out. | KATIE MUMM Like any wilderness adventure, especially those involving water, safety is critical for those wanting to enjoy a day out on frozen lakes. Ice needs to be at least 4 inches thick to hold the weight of a person, and weather conditions can make rapid changes to the ice day by day, meaning that it’s always important to measure before going out.

“Safety was one of our main concerns last season when talking to people and sharing that the ice was skateable. We did not want anyone out there to get hurt or be in an unsafe situation,” Ritter said.

“It seemed like most people stayed close to shore which is important when you are unfamiliar with the lake you are on or how thick the ice really is.

When we went out, we had multiple people with us and we were checking conditions as we went. It is very important to respect the lake you are on and check conditions often because things can change very quickly. Always have someone else with you and have ice picks and a throw bag just in case.

Being prepared is always important when enjoying any wilderness area.”

Running said that one of her favorite things about the wild ice was how it brought people out of doors and created a shared sense of joy in the community—something extra meaningful after a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There were so many people from Grand Marais out skating. The parking lot for Seagull Lake was completely full! Everyone was so in awe of the ice, and it was great to see people of all ages enjoying it—from toddlers being pulled in sleds to people in their 60s out ice skating. Everyone was having fun,” Running said.

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By Breana Johnson

Holiday Art Shows

The first weekend of December is a busy one with multiple holiday art shows, starting with Pots for Presents on Saturday, Dec. 4 at the Grand Marais Art Colony Founders Hall. The Julebyen Christmas Village in Knife River will feature an indoor and outdoor market, held Dec. 4-5. Also held Dec. 4-5 is the Duluth Winter Village. See our events section for more info and other holiday art shows.

Duluth illustrator Jordan Sundberg, owner of Tin Cup Design, will participate in the Duluth Winter Village. This piece is titled “Ski Chester!” | JORDAN SUNDBERG

Adrea Davina Beres is one of five artists participating in Pots for Presents in Grand Marais. Shown here is a large blue, purple and satin white stoneware planter. | ADREA DAVINA BERES Self-taught woodworker Eric Helland will showcase his work at the Julebyen festival. His work also includes this pair of hoop antler earrings. | ERIC HELLAND

Local painter Dave Gilsvik will be attending the Julebyen festival. This piece is titled, “Harbor of Ice.” His work can also be found at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. | DAVE GILSVIK 20

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The Big Lake art and gift shop in Grand Marais will also be at the Duluth Winter Village, featuring goods by various artists. These felted dala horse ornaments are made by En Gry & Sif. | THE BIG LAKE

Find Duluth wood artists Anna and Nathanael Baily, owners of Bailey Builds, at the Duluth Winter Village. This wreath is part of their Yuletide Collection. | BAILEY BUILDS

The collaborative artwork for Hovorka’s album began with this pencil sketch by artist Sonya Belisle.

She and Vanessa Willow Kiiniw-Ikwe have been adding to the artwork as they listen to each new song. | SUBMITTED Her newest album, “And Then…” is being released in full this January, and many of the songs are centered on the tragedy of the residential school system and the discoveries last June of the unmarked graves near the schools. Although not the initial reason she picked the title, “And Then…” reflects the importance of truth in the reconciliation process.

Shy-Anne Hovorka’s newest album, “And Then…” will be released in full this January. | SUBMITTED

Singer-Songwriter Shy-Anne Hovorka

“People kept talking about truth and reconciliation, but it’s truth then reconciliation,” she said. “You can’t talk about reconciliation without acknowledging the truth first.”

CREATIVE SPACE: By Rae Poynter Some artists begin following their creative path early on in life, while others come around to it later on. For Thunder Bay musician Shy-Anne Hovorka, it was a bit of both. An educator, gardener, and award-winning singer-songwriter, Hovorka shared about her journey into music, the writing process, and the beauty of collaborating with other artists ahead of her upcoming album “And Then…”

There is no doubt that Hovorka has long held a deep love for music. Her first memory of creating music goes back to the young age of 3, when she began experimenting with making up her own songs. At age 7 her parents bought her a Fisher-Price piano, which she played and incorporated into her songwriting. Her childhood also involved opportunities to follow her passion for music, including taking voice and piano lessons and singing in church, and she eventually decided to attend university and major in music.

“I really wasn’t sure what to do with the music degree, so I ended up in Korea teaching and decided to go back into teaching,” Horovka said. “I’d always wanted to have that career in music, but it wasn’t something that just happened.”

Hovorka’s journey into her music career happened after she moved back to Cana-

da and was teaching in Red Lake, Ontario.

Hovorka, who is Indigenous, said that part of the Ojibwe belief system is that one’s life has to be in balance. At the time she felt that she wasn’t spiritually connected to herself, and because of that, she didn’t seem to have a clear direction in life. That all changed when the seventh and eighth grade Ojibwe class she was teaching was notified that an Elder was coming to the community to give Spirit Names. All of her students wanted to attend, so she joined them for the sweat lodge ceremony. While Hovorka said that she was skeptical going into it, during the ceremony she saw two flashes of light like a lightning bolt, followed by a big black bird. Hovorka didn’t tell anyone about what she had seen.

“Only one name came out of everybody in that lodge, and it was mine: it was Black Thunderbird,” Hovorka said. “I felt awful because I hadn’t gone into it with the right attitude, but I told the Elders, a husband and wife, what I had seen, so we put out an offering and did another little ceremony and then I went home that afternoon.”

When she returned home, she grabbed her piano book that she regularly played from. Out of the book fell a piece of paper with a poem she had written back when she was 13. The poem was about how

much she loved thunderstorms.

“I sat down at the piano and wrote the song Thunderbird, and it was that song that propelled me into coming up with my first album,” she said. “Then a few months after I came up with my first album, I’m at the Indigenous Music Awards performing on stage at the MTS Center. It was a whirlwind. But I really feel like I needed that spiritual connection to get on the path into music.”

Hovorka now resides in Thunder Bay and her work has received commercial airplay, won several awards, and was licensed for the TV series Blackstone. She described her songwriting as a natural process, rather than one that follows a prescribed method.

Sometimes the melody comes to her first, either spontaneously or from playing the guitar or piano, while other times a song starts with an idea that she wants to express. Her songs can take anywhere from a few minutes to 10 years to write. She has also collaborated with other songwriters and musicians on her albums, including Nashville recording artist Jerry Vandiver and local artists in Thunder Bay. “For the songs that are really me, it’s a reflection on something that’s going on in my life or around me, and my way of coping,” Hovorka said.

Hovorka’s newest album also features a new songwriter: her 5-year-old son. The song “Crying Bones” was born after Hovorka played her son her newest song, “Warrior’s Lullaby.”

“He said, ‘Mom, that song makes my bones cry—I have crying bones.’ I said that that’s a song right there, and asked him if he wanted to write a song with me, which we’ve never done before,” Hovorka said. “So I started playing the guitar and he started singing, and that became the chorus of the song.”

“And Then…” has been undergoing a slow release, and along with releasing the music has been a slow release of accompanying artwork. Artist Sonya Belisle began by listening to the first two songs and created a pencil sketch of an Elder. Artist Vanessa Willow Kiiniw-Ikwe collaborated with Belisle, with each artist taking a few songs and adding to the artwork as each song inspired them. Hovorka said that she gave the artists complete freedom to create whatever they wanted, and that it’s been interesting to see how they have interpreted the songs.

“Seeing what they’ve created has caught me off guard in a good way because if I had held control I would have never known what the songs were doing for them,” Hovorka said.

To learn more about Hovorka’s music, visit: shy-anne.com.

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

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Baskets in the North Woods

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Behind the Craft: By Emily Derke

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DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Driving down a dirt road in late fall, I notice all of the long, straight willow shoots growing along the roadsides and underneath the powerlines where the brush cutter came and cleared earlier this year. The willows are strikingly colorful against the crunchy, brown leaves that cover the ground. In my mind, I’m already making a plan to come back and cut them as I drive by at 35 mph. Late fall and early winter are my favorite times to harvest the willow. They have done all their growing for the year, the leaves have dropped, and cutting them now will ensure that next year the coppiced plants grow back as branchless, straight shoots again.

Most plants have a prime season for harvesting. Here in northern Minnesota, some of the basketry plants include willow, birch bark, spruce roots, cedar bark and black ash. Those are just some of the commonly used materials, but if one is creative and likes to experiment, you really could weave with almost anything.

One basket maker I know did a lot of weaving when she lived in Chicago. There, Baskets made of birch bark, spruce root, black ash and willow. she wove with old bits of wire and other | EMILY DERKE “trash” from the city. She made beautiful artistic baskets using many traditionly do look at things through a different lens. I’ve grown al weaving techniques found all over the world. Later in to notice and appreciate the specific characteristics I am her life she moved to northern Wisconsin and started observing as they relate to a particular ability that tree working with pine needles and dogwood. She explains may have developed in its growth. As I continue to walk, the shift in a very matter of fact sort of way. “I just weave I laugh at myself a little and appreciate the simple beauwith what’s around me,” she explains. She also once said ty of the world and the plants that grow, but also note “If you can bend it, you can weave it,” which has become the impressive spans of clear bark or prime root digging a commonly quoted phrase among my small circle of bas- conditions. I also observe and wonder how “this or that” ket making friends. came to be.

Basketry lends itself well to a lifestyle that interacts As a basket maker, harvesting materials is a huge part closely with the seasons and local environment. As winter of the job, and each plant has its own set of harvest etisets in, the spruce roots become hidden under snow and quettes. There is a lot to learn about that plant and its life frozen ground, and the birch bark glues itself tightly to cycle, sustainable harvesting, rules and regulations, and the tree trunks. Eventually the willow will be buried under how to process, prepare and utilize what is harvested, all the snow banks too, and the stash of materials collected of which is best learned from an experienced teacher, in earlier in the year are all that’s available until the warmer my opinion. weather returns.

I like to think about my friend who wove with old wires Sometimes when I am out on a hike with other people, and things while living in Chicago, and the way we can a tree will catch my eye. ‘Wow, those are extremely tiny interact with our local environment through basketry. lenticels on that birch bark,’ or ‘look how straight that The finished basket shows a little glimpse into the world cedar tree is growing,’ I will think to myself. I wonder if where it was created and tells a bit about the maker’s life.

I’m the only one who thinks like this on a hike, while the Emily Derke is a basket maker in the Artisan Developothers quietly appreciate the simple beauty of nature as ment program at North House Folk School, where tradiwe all walk along silently. I get a little self-conscious in my tional craft is taught on the shore of Lake Superior. thoughts. I’m not pining for the next harvest, but certain-

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This year’s Duluth Winter Village, held Dec. 4-5, will take place outside at the DECC in Duluth. | SUBMITTED

NORTHWOODS FIBER GUILD OPEN HOUSE & HOLIDAY SALE

and outdoor marketplaces with foods and handmade gifts by local artisans, horsedrawn sleigh rides, a flag parade, sledding, a bean bag toss, live entertainment for the whole family, a scavenger hunt, food vendors, a children’s herring run, Thor’s hammer throw, a train ride to troll canyon (admission required), and more. Santa will also be in attendance both days, starting at 10 a.m.

Julebyen will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 4 and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 5. julebyen.us

POTS FOR PRESENTS HOLIDAY SALE

DULUTH WINTER VILLAGE

Dec. 4, Saturday This year’s annual Northwoods Fiber Guild Open House and Holiday Sale will take place at the Grand Marais Art Colony’s Studio 21 (21 W. Hwy 61), featuring high quality handmade clothing and gifts for sale. Held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., there will be tasty treats and refreshments, as well as knitting, spinning and weaving demonstrations. A take-home craft kit will also be available. Masks are required to attend.

BENTLEYVILLE “TOUR OF LIGHTS”

Nov. 20-Dec. 27 Located in Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, Bentleyville invites guests to stroll under the glow of over 5 million lights, while enjoying free hot cocoa, coffee, cookies, freshly popped popcorn, and marshmallows to roast. Kids can also visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Bentleyville is free (though donations are appreciated) and opens at 5 p.m. daily, including all holidays; cost to park in the Bentleyville lots is $10 per vehicle.

Guests are also encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item or new unwrapped toy to donate to the Salvation Army for those in need. Remember to dress for warmth as Bentleyville is an outdoor event. bentleyvilleusa.org

24

DECEMBER 2021

Dec. 4, Saturday Join Cook County potters Adrea Davina Beres, Kari Carter, Joan Farnam, Natalie Sobanja and Ann Ward for the first annual Pots for Presents Holiday Sale, held Saturday, Dec. 4. The event will include all kinds of pots, such as ramen bowls, jars, mugs, garlic plates, vases, tumblers, serving bowls and more. Porcelain, stoneware and earthenware pots will all be featured. Held from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Grand Marais Art Colony Founders Hall. visitcookcounty.com/ events

JULEBYEN

Dec. 4-5 At the annual Julebyen Christmas Village festival in Knife River, you will find all things Scandinavian. There are indoor

NORTHERN WILDS

Dec. 4-5 The Duluth Winter Village returns this year to a new location: outside along the lake at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center’s Harbor Drive. This two-day festival brings more than 40 local businesses together to sell their unique, curated goods out of custom-built wooden cabins. Participants include Frost River, Atelier & Stone, Hucklebeary, Liz James Ceramics, Whimsy, Ivy Moon, Duluth Pack, Wonderfully Made, Lake Superior Art Glass, Yker Acres, and more. In addition to shopping, visitors will enjoy food and beverages from local restaurants in a heated dining space, campfires by the lake, live animals, carolers, free skating inside at the DECC with live music, and more. The festival runs from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. facebook.com/duluthloveslocal

VIRTUAL SANTA SHUFFLE

Dec. 4-5 Every year, the Santa Shuffle brings thousands of individuals from across the country to support vulnerable Canadians and the work of The Salvation Army. This year is no exception, but it will be held virtually. This family-friendly 5k fun run/walk will feature lots of fun surprises, such as a new

social media contest, national top runners contest, a best-dressed contest, and more. The registration fee will include a Santa Shuffle shirt, medal, customizable event bib and cool swag in your racing kit. Participants can register online as a team or individual, and those who fundraise $50 or more will receive a free winter pompom hat, too. santashuffle.ca.

DULUTH SUPERTOUR XC SKI RACES

Dec. 4-5 The Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club (DXC) will host the first event on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard SuperTour calendar, the premier cross-country racing series in the U.S. These elite races will take place at the Grand Avenue Nordic Center at the base of Spirit Mountain in Duluth. Sprint races on Saturday, Dec. 4 and individual distance races on Sunday, Dec. 5 will be filled with the best XC ski racers in the country as they vie for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team heading into the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Hundreds of athletes, support staff and spectators will swarm Spirit Mountain this weekend. The public is invited to come out and watch the best in the country race on Duluth’s only XC ski trail with snowmaking. duluthsupertour.com

THE GLASS SHOW

Dec. 10-Jan. 2 The Glass Show gallery exhibition, held at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais, features nine Cook County glass artists: Sharon Frykman, Nancy Hemstad Seaton, Lee Ross, Mary Bebie, Tony Rau, Veronica Weadok, Lissa Grover, Jeri Persons, and Bob Pranis (artwork shown above).

An opening reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10. The show will remain on display through Sunday, Jan. 2. johnsonheritagepost.org

Dec. 9, Thursday Sponsored by Care Partners of Cook County, the annual Light Up a Life event offers community members the opportunity to celebrate the life of a loved one during the holiday season, while supporting end of life care. Each $5 donation will light up one bulb in memory of one person on the memory tree, located in front of the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais. The tree lighting ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. Donation forms are available online. carepartnersofcookcounty.org

Dec. 10, 2021 - Jan. 2, 2022

Opening Reception Dec. 10, 5 - 7 pm

DARK SKY FESTIVAL

Dec. 9-11 Organized by Visit Cook County, the Dark Sky Festival in Grand Marais returns for the third year. This year’s activities include a night skies presentation, special menu dinner and a celestial legends guided night hike at Gunflint Lodge, held from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9. On Friday, Dec. 10, visit Harbor Park and watch as Grand Marais goes dark for a few minutes, starting at 6 p.m. Then, head to Voyageur Brewing Company for a star party, held from 6:15-10 p.m. Join staff and students from the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium for telescope viewing, a live star/constellation show under the stars, and delicious food and drink.

Check out the full schedule of events online. visitcookcounty.com/events

ARROWHEAD ICE FISHING & WINTER SHOW LIGHT UP A LIFE

Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery Grand Marais, MN

Dec. 10-12 Held at the DECC in Duluth and presented by Eskimo, the Arrowhead Ice Fishing and Winter Show features activities for all ages, as well as sales on the latest outdoor products and gear. Try your luck fishing at the frozen basin for prizes, attend panel discussions at the ice box, and save big with special show-only pricing.

Bring the kids to the Sea Lion Splash with multiple daily performances showcasing the talents of these amazing animals—this is the only traveling, self-contained sea lion attraction in the U.S. Admission to the show is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6 to 17, and free for ages 5 and under. There is also a $5 event parking fee. Go online to learn more. arrowheadiceshow.com

Jeri Person Lee Ross

Tony Rau

TUBACHRISTMAS

Dec. 11, Saturday Created by famous tuba performer and teacher Harvey Phillips, Merry TubaChristmas concerts are presented in over 300 cities throughout the U.S., including Duluth. Every Christmas season, tuba and euphonium players of all ages gather to pay respect to Harvey Phillips, William J. Bell and all the great artists and teachers who represent their heritage.

The second TubaChristmas in Duluth will be held at First Lutheran Church at 4 p.m., directed by Tracey Gibbens.

The UMD Low Brass Ensembles, under the direction of Derek Bromme will also be performing. There will be a free-will offering to defray expenses with the balance going to support the Great Harvest food shelf. Come and be a part of this great family Christmas event. facebook.com/ tubachristmasduluth

Melissa Grover Veronica Weadock

Sharon Frykman Bob Pranis

NEW YEAR’S EVE DANCE

Dec. 31, Friday Head to the Grand Portage Lodge and Casino for a New Year’s Eve dance with live music by The Southern Express Band. This free show will rock you into the new year with hits from ZZ Top, Allman Brothers, Lynryd Skynrd, Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker, and more. The event will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight; must be 21 or older to attend. grandportage.com

Mary Bebie

Nancy Hemstad Seaton

Grand Marais area artists showing fused, slumped and cast glass 115 W Wisconsin St., Grand Marais

Open: Mon, Thurs-Sat 10 am - 4 pm, Sun 1 pm-4 pm NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

25

NORTHERN WILDS CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thru Dec. 5

Karen Nease Exhibition: The Far and Near Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org

Dec. 3, Friday

Dec. 8, Wednesday

7:30 p.m. UMD: Weber Music Hall, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

7:30 p.m. UMD: Weber Music Hall, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

Sounds of the Season Symphony Concert

Thru Dec. 12

Dec. 3-24

Thru Dec. 19

Dec. 4, Saturday

Annie 7:30 p.m. and/or 2 p.m.

Duluth Playhouse, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Girl Scouts Santa’s Workshop 9 a.m.

Colvill Town Hall, Colvill

Thru Dec. 27

Santa’s Elf in Training Workshop 10 a.m.

Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall

Thru Dec. 31

Pots for Presents Pottery Sale 11 a.m.

Grand Marais Art Colony: Founders Hall, grandmaraisartcolony.org

Roshan Ganu: In the Presence of Longing Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org Pepperkakebyen (Gingerbread City) Nordic Center, Duluth, nordiccenterduluth.org

Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” 5 p.m.

Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, bentleyvilleusa.org

Santa Claus Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall Northwoods Fiber Guild Open House & Holiday Sale 9 a.m. Studio 21, Grand Marais

Holiday Art Underground 11 a.m. Betsy Bowen Studio & Gallery, Grand Marais, woodcut.com

Holiday Craft & Vendor Market 11 a.m. Gillies Community Centre, Gillies, facebook.com/gilliescc

Larger Than Life Lights 6 p.m.

Lake Superior Zoo, Duluth, lszooduluth.org

Makers Market 11 a.m. Hoops Brewing, Duluth, facebook.com/hoopsbrewingco

Thru Jan. 10

Sounds of the Season Band Concert 7:30 p.m.

63rd Arrowhead Regional Biennial Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Thru Jan. 31

Waking Winter Exhibition Duluth Folk School Dovetail Café, Duluth, duluthfolkschool.com Michael Letts: Closer to the Wild Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org

Dec. 1, Wednesday

UMD: Weber Music Hall, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

Dec. 4-5

Duluth SuperTour XC Ski Races Grand Avenue Nordic Center at Spirit Mountain, Duluth, duluthsupertour.com Santa Shuffle Fun Run & Elf Walk, santashuffle.ca Julebyen 9 a.m. (10 a.m. Dec. 5) Knife River, julebyen.us

Piano Studio Recital 7:30 p.m.

Duluth Gun Show 9 a.m. DECC: Pioneer Hall, Duluth, decc.org

Dec. 2, Thursday

Duluth Winter Village 10 a.m.

Harbor Drive: Behind the DECC, Duluth, facebook.com/duluthloveslocal

UMD: Weber Music Hall, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu Mall of AmericInn 3 p.m. AmericInn Lodge & Suites, Silver Bay, Facebook: AmericInn Lodge and Suites of Silver Bay

Hillside Makers Market 10 a.m. Holiday Center, Duluth, facebook.com/hillsidemakersmarket

Sounds of the Season Big Band Concert

Dec. 9, Thursday

Light Up a Life: Tree Lighting Ceremony 5:30 p.m. Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, carepartnersofcookcounty.org Arena Dances 7:30 p.m. UMD: Marshall Performing Arts Center, Duluth, z.umn.edu/arenadances

Stars on Ice 4 p.m. Amsoil Arena, Duluth, starsonice.com

Dec. 10-12

Dec. 21, Tuesday Winter Solstice Dec. 24, Friday Christmas Eve Dec. 25, Saturday Christmas Day Dec. 26, Sunday Boxing Day Dec. 31, Friday New Year’s Eve

Italian Cultural Centre, Thunder Bay, tbso.ca Arrowhead Ice Fishing and Winter Show 10 a.m. (Noon on Dec. 10) DECC, Duluth, arrowheadiceshow.com Lotus Creek Events Craft & Vendor Show 10 a.m.

Miller Hill Mall, Duluth, facebook.com/millerhillmall Minnesota Ballet’s The Nutcracker 7 p.m. (3 p.m. Dec. 12) DECC: Symphony Hall, Duluth, minnesotaballet.org

Dec. 10-Jan. 2

The Glass Show Exhibition (Reception Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.) Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org

Dec. 11, Saturday

Wild Santa 5K & Santafest 10 a.m. Wild State Cider, Duluth, facebook.com/wildstatecider

Yuletide by the Lake 11 a.m. Skyport Lodge, Grand Marais, facebook.com/skyportlodge

Wednesdays

UMD: Weber Music Hall, Duluth, tickets.umn.edu

7 p.m. Port Arthur Polish Hall, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/goodlovelies

26

DECEMBER 2021

Veterans Remembrance Dinner Fundraiser 5 p.m. The Depot, Duluth, visitduluth.com

NORTHERN WILDS

Express Band 8 p.m. Grand Portage Lodge & Casino, Grand Portage, grandportage.com

WEEKLY EVENTS

Duluth, facebook.com/tubachristmasduluth

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Magnus Theatre, Thunder Bay, magnustheatre.com

New Year’s Eve Dance with The Southern

Nice Girls of the North Second Saturday Marketplace 10 a.m. Spirit of the Lake Community School, Duluth, nicegirlsofthenorth.com

Dec. 5, Sunday

Dec. 6, Monday

Audubon Christmas Bird Count Grand Marais, sundew@boreal.org

TBSO: Northern Ghost 7:30 p.m.

Holiday Craft Market 11 a.m. Moose Hall, Thunder Bay, calendar.visitthunderbay.com

Dec. 2-18

Hilldale Lutheran Church, Thunder Bay, tbso.ca

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Sensory Friendly) 10 a.m. Duluth Playhouse, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

(2:30 p.m. Dec. 11) Hilldale Lutheran Church, Thunder Bay, fwmc.ca

Shop Small Duluth Holiday Popup Sale 11 a.m. Zeitgeist Arts Atrium, Duluth, downtownduluth.com

Sounds of the Season Choir Concert 3 p.m.

TBSO: Home for the Holidays 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19, Sunday

7 p.m. Paramount Theatre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/paramounttbay

DanceWorks2021 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. Dec. 5) UMD: Marshall Performing Arts Center, Duluth, z.umn.edu/danceworks21

Dec. 17-18

FWMC: Prelude to Christmas 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 2-4 Dec. 2-5

A Charlie Brown Christmas 1 p.m. & 4 p.m.

Duluth Playhouse, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org

Dec. 10-11

Creekside’s Local Artisan Market 11 a.m.

Creekside Nursery & Garden Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/creeksidenurserygardencentre

Footloose: The Musical High School Edition

Dec. 11-19

Dec. 18, Saturday

Dark Sky Festival Cook County, visitcookcounty.com

TBSO: Something in the Air 7:30 p.m.

Hilldale Lutheran Church, Thunder Bay, tbso.ca

Shuniah Tour of Lights 6 p.m. Shuniah, facebook.com/macgregorreccentre

Dec. 9-11

South Neebing Holiday Market 10 a.m.

South Neebing Community Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/southneebingcc

Dec. 2-3

Dec. 11-18

Makers Market 11 a.m. Hoops Brewing, Duluth, facebook.com/hoopsbrewingco

TubaChristmas 4 p.m. First Lutheran Church, Good Lovelies 2021 Christmas Tour

Dec. 11-12

Hymers Fair Winter Market 10 a.m. Da Vinci Centre, Thunder Bay, facebook.com/hymersfallfair

Thunder Bay Country Market 3:30 p.m.

CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca

Thursdays

Date Night at the Winery 6 p.m.

North Shore Winery, Lutsen, northshorewinery.us

Saturdays

Thunder Bay Country Market 8 a.m.

CLE Dove Building, Thunder Bay, tbcm.ca Tour the North House Campus 2 p.m.

North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org

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A Centur y of Perseverance On July 14, 1914, North Shore lumber on the pioneer Andrew banks Hedstrom began nesota. A century of the Devil Track River sawing owned busines later, the Hedstrom Lumbernorth of Grand Marais , Minfrom its humble s operating at the same locationCompany remains a . This is the compa familythrough several start in a pioneer settlem ny’s ent during the transfor mations into of today. tall-pine loggingstory the modern no-was te sawmill operatiera Throughout the on sity with problem years, the Hedstrom family has met challen able to remain -solving ingenuity and tenacity ges and adver. By their pluck, Shore institutio in business when other mills n. failed and becam they were e a North In the remote settlement of first began sawing Scandi lumber to meet navian immigrants, Andrew ing a sawmil the needs Hedstro l he purchased demand for lumber and rebuilt after of his carpentry busines m s usit was ruined grew, so did the company in a fire. As the the company. hauled During the 1930s within the wildern a portable sawmill and to to the mill. Later, ess, where teams of horseswinter logging camps deep40s, when the advent were a forest road of mechanizationused to haul massive logs network made and the develop family returne it possible to d to a new, perman ment of deliver ent mill on the logs greater distances, the This is a story Devil Track River. of perseve rance. Even today, in a location as remote as it isn’t easy to Grand Marais challenges, includin run g several devasta . Andrew and his sons a business from adversity faced many ting fires. Yet they always before. Today, by making the mill better recovered and more efficien remaining in Hedstrom Lumber Compa northern Minnes ny is one of the t than it was the Hedstrom family’s achieveota. Sawdust in Their Bloodfew lumber mills try. It also celebra ments during is a celebration 100 years tes the North of a prominent part, and which Shore community of in the timber induswhich they are success. played a powerf such ul, continuing role in their About the Author

Co.

By Jack Blackwell

s Of The Hed Phil

strom Lum ber Co.

Jim Boyd is a St. John, and retired journalist who lives his in the Cook County dog, Scarlett. He current Cook County with his wife, ly serves as executi Jetty Chamber of Commerce. ve director of

Join the authors on the trails that lead to the magnificent waterfalls of Lake Superior’s North Shore. Maps and directions to over 150 waterfalls are included in this unique guide. $19.95

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Their Blo od: 100 Year

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From Andrew Hedstrom’s humble start sawing lumber on the banks of the Devil Track River north of Grand Marais, the Hedstrom family survived a century to become the modern, no-waste sawmill operation of today. $19.95

Bob Olson discovered the North Shore and Gunflint Trail in the 1950s. Driving a Ford Model A truck, he roamed the lonely north, meeting the resourceful characters who lived there, eventually making his home on a Gunflint Trail lake.

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Seventeen-year-old Jack Blackwell joined his grandfather, Alec Boostrom, on his northern Minnesota wilderness trapline.

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Elle Andra-Warner

One devastating day in November, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald succumbed to gale-force winds, plunging to the bottom of Lake Superior and leaving no survivors.

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The North Shore Dish Sweet Christmas Candy Memories By Kitty Mayo

The special treats we associate with holidays can spark fond memories, like the cut glass bowl of colorful ribbon candy that made its annual Christmas appearance on the end table next to my grandfather’s recliner. Peppermint taffies in green-and-red were my favorite Christmas stocking stuffer.

At Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen in Knife River, the third- and fourth-generations of the Canelake family are doing their part to keep happy Christmas candy memories alive.

Great! Lakes has a rich history stemming from the first family candy store in Virginia, Minn. where Gust Canelake opened the Virginia Candy Kitchen in 1905. That store was passed down to his sons, and was kept running as a candy shop by a family friend.

Enter Andy Matson, Gust’s great-grandson, whose mother and aunt started Great!

Lakes 15 years ago where he works with them. Matson is pretty busy these days, as his mom and her siblings recently brought everything full circle by bringing the original candy store back into the family.

Going strong for over 10 years, Gunflint Mercantile owner Chelsea Pusc’s handmade truffles have grown in popularity to gain a dedicated following. | GUNFLINT MERCANTILE

Their nutty ice cream bar is a summer favorite, but customers clamor for them right up until Christmas Eve. A reminiscence from Grandpa Canelake’s store when he would roll a small freezer out onto the sidewalk during town celebrations, the bars are chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream covered in coconut and peanuts.

During the holiday season, Great! Lakes revives old-timey Christmas favorites like divinity, a specialty of Matson’s aunt, Patricia Canelake, and ribbon candy made by his mom Pamela Matson, who runs the antique candy machine, rolled out for its annual appearance.

“We get a lot of people who are so excited because they haven’t seen a type of candy in forever and it reminds them of family,” said Matson, adding that hot air, also known as sponge candy, and peanut brittle are traditional seasonal favorites.

When twin sisters Pamela and Patricia started Great! Lakes, their father transcribed his memorized candy recipes, and always with the same message; “His main thing was, ‘Don’t switch it around, and always use the best ingredients you can get.

These have been tested for many years,’” said Matson.

Wrapped caramels made with “lots of butter and heavy cream” are ranked by

During the holiday season at Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen, Pamela Matson runs the antique candy machine to make ribbon candy. They also offer an assortment of candy, such as Christmas deer. | PATRICIA CANELAKE Matson as a top-selling favorite, something he attributes to the perfect consistency. “Ours is not too hard and not too soft, and not overly sweet. It hits a nice middle ground that appeals to everyone,” said Matson.

It’s that kind of consistency, Matson says, that has made Great! Lakes so pop-

ular. “We have it dialed in to turn out the classics for consistency, that’s why people come back.”

Shipping from Great! Lakes is available during November through the first part of December, and in-store hours end on December 23, with the store reopening in April.

Callie’s Sweets, Two Harbors Callie Swanson owns the newest candy shop on the North Shore, located inside the Burlington Station tourist experience that just opened this summer. Swanson says her business idea started with her own sweet memories of childhood, and a

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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES ON HOLIDAY AND NYE SPECIALS Callie’s Sweets offers unique fudge flavors like key lime, s’mores, cookie dough, and cookies ‘n cream. | CALLIE’S SWEETS desire to add that kind of experience to her hometown.

“Originally it was going to be a gift store with a little bit of candy, but the candy was a huge hit,” said Swanson.

Featuring fudge, caramel and flavored popcorn made on-site, Swanson invites candy-shoppers to sample unique fudge flavors like key lime, s’mores, cookie dough, and cookies ‘n cream. A traditional chocolate fudge takes the cake, and her wrapped caramels are melt-in-your-mouth buttery soft.

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One might argue that popcorn doesn’t fall into the candy category, but Callie’s Sweets popcorn fits the bill with its most popular cinnamon roll flavor, and the Burlington Blend of caramel and cheddar cheese is a great combo of sweet and salty.

Callie’s Sweets also makes homemade popcorn. The most popular flavor is cinnamon roll and the Burlington Blend of caramel and cheddar cheese is a great combo of sweet and salty. | CALLIE’S SWEETS

Callie’s Sweets plans to be open yearround with a big Christmas decorating plan and with online ordering also available.

Chocolate Cow, Thunder Bay

Gunflint Mercantile, Grand Marais Going strong for over 10 years, Chelsea Pusc’s handmade truffles have grown in popularity to gain a dedicated following.

“The more people try the truffles, the more they are hooked and I’ve really expanded those in the past few years,” Pusc said.

From-scratch fudge, turtles, caramels and peanut butter cups are specialties of the house, and Christmas-themed truffle flavors are making their appearance in the form of eggnog, apple pie, pumpkin and candy cane options.

Pusc does all of the candy production in her store, following the recipe for thinshelled truffles that she developed herself, and a family recipe for peanut butter cups.

Holiday orders come in from all over the country, says Pusc, who takes orders online and over the phone.

Doug and Jane Stanton of Thunder Bay are the owners and candy-makers at Chocolate Cow, whose sweets can be found at Thunder Bay shops. Hanging their collective hat on their “nut-free” designation, the Stantons say that specialty alone brings in business.

Caramels and fudge are their mainstays, and chocolate-dipped bite-size pieces of caramel topped with sea salt is a fan fave.

The Stantons say the enrobed caramels are the far-and-away favorites partly because of their generous size, and partly because they are made with quality ingredients.

Sponge toffee, or sponge candy, is so desirable this time of year that the Stantons have a hard time keeping it in stock. Candy cane bark, a layer of dark chocolate with a layer of peppermint-flavored white chocolate, sprinkled with crushed candy cane, is a big seller this time of year, along with Chocolate Cow’s holiday-flavors of dipped pretzels.

Open year-round, Chocolate Cow can be found at Thunder Bay shops; online orders are only available for shipping to Canadian addresses.

Feeling Salty about Sodium

By Hartley Newell-Acero Question: What’s something that our bodies need a little bit of to work right, but if we get too much, it can cause increased blood pressure, damage to the heart muscle, heart failure or heart attack, stroke, injure kidneys or bones, and can even be a risk factor for cancer?

Answer: Sodium!

mercially prepared foods, and we’re eating more of these ultra-processed foods than ever. This means that most of our calories now come from foods that are industrially manufactured, ready-to-eat, contain very little whole food, but lots of sodium.

How can I reduce the sodium in my diet?

Eat more minimally processed foods: veggies and fruits, whole grains, and lean protein that hasn’t been injected with sodium solutions.

Salt vs. Sodium.

Are they different?

Salt is a mineral that is made up of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

It’s the sodium part that most people need to watch.

Why should we be concerned about sodium?

A little sodium is necessary for our bodies to function correctly, but too much can cause problems. Most Americans consume about 50 percent more sodium than is healthy. When we do that, our kidneys can’t filter it all out, so our bodies hold on to water to try and dilute it. This causes an increase in the fluid surrounding our cells and in our bloodstream. This extra volume makes our hearts work too hard and puts harmful pressure on our blood vessels. Over time, this damage can make our blood vessels get stiff, and cause a cascade of damage.

Do I need to throw away my salt shaker?

Probably not. More than 70 percent of the sodium we consume comes from com-

Pay attention to the amount of ultra-processed food that you’re eating and, whenever possible, minimize it.

Try “cutting” high-sodium food with low. For instance, add some no-salt veggies (fresh, frozen, or canned) to a frozen or boxed pasta dish. You’ll reduce the overall sodium while adding fiber and nutrients.

Become a label reader! Sodium is so sneaky that large amounts are often found in foods that don’t even taste that salty: bread, salad dressing, cheese or pudding.

What about “natural salt,” like sea salt or Himalayan pink salt? Does it have less sodium?

All salts are still sodium chloride. They may be different colors or have slightly different flavors, but their nutrient content is virtually identical.

A little sodium is necessary for our bodies to function correctly, but too much can cause problems. Most Americans consume about 50 percent more sodium than is healthy. | BRUNO GERMANY: PIXABAY abandon. Others replace some, or all, of the sodium with potassium. This is fine for most people, but some people who have medical conditions (like kidney disease) or take certain medications should be cautious. Talk to your health care provider before you make the switch to potassium-based substitutes.

plenty of onions, garlic, herbs, spices, citrus, or vinegar, then add salt. It will probably take less than you expect and will taste better too.

This is a condensed version of Sawtooth Mountain Clinic’s monthly health newsletter. To read it in its entirety and to explore past issues, visit: sawtoothmountainclinic.org.

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Northern Trails Adventures in TV Fishing By Gord Ellis

Like a lot of anglers, I grew up watching fishing shows on television. I’m old enough to remember the early ones like Bill Dance Outdoors, Fishing with Roland Martin, In-Fisherman and here in Canada, Red Fisher’s Scuttlebutt Lodge. For a kid from northwestern Ontario, those shows were windows into a fishing world that was barely imagined. Whether it was fishing for giant largemouth bass in Florida or flying into the Northwest Territories for massive lake trout, these shows took you there. In the days before specialty channels and YouTube, watching fishing shows on network TV was your only option.

My first foray into the TV fishing world was as a host of the Superior Fishing Show, in Thunder Bay. I can’t recall exactly how it came to be, but the writing and radio career was already underway, and someone must have thought I could do it. What this writer quickly learned was that making television fishing content was way more difficult than it looked on the tube. For starters, you always had to worry about the weather, and that was a pain. Too much wind was not good for the mics and rain was no good for the cameras. If it was too sunny the shot was potentially overexposed. Another major issue was the catching of fish.

On a fishing show, you want fish. That did not always work out as hoped. Then there were the batteries. Everything had batteries and you lived and died by them.

This lesson was learned the hard way on one of my very first fly-in television fishing shoots in the early 1990s. A guest and I, plus the cameraman, were flown into Ogoki Lake, north of Armstrong, for a five-day shoot. The weather looked great and the fishing was known to be good. The outfitter dropped us off at the outpost camp, we quickly unloaded and then waved excitedly as the Beaver disappeared over the treeline.

A few moments later, the mood changed.

A lot.

“I don’t have the batteries,” said the slightly frantic cameraman. “I left them in the truck.” For the next few hours, we tried to figure out a way to get some power to the camera, including—as I recall—trying to start a diesel generator that looked to be from the 50s. No dice. So, we went fishing without the TV camera for five days and it was pretty great. When the outfitter landed and heard we had no batteries, and therefore no show, he was less than enthralled.

However, I supplied him a bunch of still photos that populated his brochures and 32

DECEMBER 2021

[ABOVE] Gord Senior with cameraman

Mike Hehner in 2019. | GORD ELLIS [LEFT] Mike Hehner shoots as Gord

Senior releases a fish. | GORD ELLIS

cameraman was a dedicated soul and kept the rather heavy camera on his shoulder for hour after hour, day after day, for the whole four-day shoot. He wanted to capture a muskie grabbing a lure, so he had to be rolling on every cast. He burned up hours of tape and could barely walk straight by the end of it. We never did get a muskie.

show booths for many years after that.

My hosting on Superior Fishing ended after a couple seasons, but that experience morphed into doing the occasional guest spot on other shows. Winnipeg angler Don

NORTHERN WILDS

Lamont had a show called the Complete Angler, and he invited me on quite a few shoots. One I’ll never forget was filmed on Lake of the Woods in the mid-1990s.

We were supposed to be chasing muskie, but they were not cooperating. Lamont’s

More recently, I’ve had some interesting TV shoots with some of the best people in the business. A favourite memory took place in July of 2019, when my dad, Gord Senior, and I were the guests on the Lund Ultimate Fishing Show. The show is produced by Lindner Media, which was founded by angling legends Al and Ron Lindner.

The cameramen for the show were Mike Hehner and Rich Eckholm, two of the most experienced people in the business.

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Gord Ellis and James Lindner doing a shoot in September of 2021. | GORD ELLIS The plan had been to fish for lake trout on Lake Nipigon, but bad luck was plaguing us. The first day was windy and rainy, which is terrible for shooting TV. The next day was gorgeous, but as we drove to the launch, we found a giant tree down across the road. Once that hurdle was removed, we got on the water and went after Nipigon’s legendary tank-sized lake trout. However, the first laker off my hotspot was about two pounds. The second one was even smaller.

“Let’s try another spot,” said Hehner, diplomatically. It was decided that we’d fish a reef where there might be some lakers up shallow, and maybe a pike or even a brook trout.

We got there and within a few minutes I had a good fish on.

“I’m rolling,” said Hehner, from behind me. It soon became clear I had a large brook trout on and Gord Senior

grabbed the net. The brookie came near the boat and it looked huge.

Gord Senior seemed momentarily stunned at the fat, brightly coloured fish and failed to net it. The trout tore back off and was now in danger of getting off. Over my back, I could hear Hehner, camera on his shoulder, starting to breathe a bit more audibly.

He was a keen angler and new the big brookie would be key to the show. I carried on, carefully playing the fish in, but also feeling anxious. The trout was once again near the Pro V and this time Senior hooped it like the old pro he is. We were genuinely jubilant and Hehner’s breathing returned to normal. The rest of the shoot was a breeze.

and successful, and the Lindner media outing was done as part of a promotion for Superior Country tourism. It was also a bit of a full circle moment, as James and Dan are the sons of Ron Lindner, one of the people I used to watch on television back in the 80s on In-Fisherman. The one-day shoot went well and we managed to catch some of those giant lakers that eluded Dad and I a few years earlier.

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That young man sitting in front of the tube 40 years ago could never have imagined the TV fishing adventures that were in store for him.

This past summer, I did two shoots, one with Mike Miller, of Angler and Hunter television, and another with brothers Dan and James Lindner, of Lindner media. Both shoots were fun

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DNR seeks comments on Grand Marais area lake and stream management plans GRAND MARAIS— People interested in the strategies the Minnesota DNR uses for managing fisheries in Grand Marais-area lakes and streams are encouraged to submit comments on management plans scheduled for review this winter. This annual review process includes several waters located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).

Comments on fish management for lakes and streams in the Grand Marais area will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 24.

Management plans identify specific fish-

eries management activities planned for a lake or stream over the next five to 20 years, including any proposed stocking or special regulations.

cial when it comes to determining how those public waters should be managed. Feedback from the public is an important consideration in determining management success.

“The management plans are great resources for anglers and anybody else interested in our lakes and streams,” said Steve Persons, Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor.

“They document where we’ve been, where we’d like to go, and how we hope to get there.”

The DNR will review plans this winter for the following Grand Marais-area lakes and streams:

LAKES

Comments and suggestions from people who care about waters in this area are cru-

Stream trout stocking and management strategies will be reviewed for Leo, Loft, Musquash, Pierz, Ram and Talus lakes.

Trout management will continue in all six lakes, but species, sizes and numbers stocked will be reviewed. Pierz and Ram Lakes are inside the BWCAW. Plans for Brule, Dick, Elbow, Poplar, Sunfish and Ward lakes will be reviewed. In those lakes the status and needs of walleye, northern pike, panfish or smallmouth bass fisheries will be of most concern. A regulation change may be considered to improve the walleye fishery on Poplar Lake.

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STREAMS

Plans for Bluff Creek and the Stump River will be reviewed. Bluff Creek supports a wild brook trout population, about which we know little. We are considering removing the Stump River from the list of designated trout streams because it no longer appears capable of supporting brook trout.

For more information, to request copies of current plans, or to discuss the plans, call or email Steve Persons at 218-387-6022 or steve.persons@state.mn.us.

This comment period will extend through Dec. 24; however, comments, suggestions and other feedback on the management of these and all other streams and lakes in the area are welcomed at any time and will be considered when those plans are next due for review.

Plans for several lightly-used BWCAW lakes in the area including Banadad, Bower Trout, Cam, Carl, Little John and Rush lakes will be reviewed. Those plans will be revised primarily to incorporate new survey data (if any) and to establish survey schedules for the next few years. Fishing reports from Banadad, Rush and Cam Lakes would be very helpful, since recent attempts to survey those lakes have failed.

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TAIT LAKE

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DECEMBER DECEMBER2021 2021

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WALLEYE: “It’s been known as a pretty decent walleye lake for many years,” said Matthew Weberg, assistant area fisheries

NORTHERN PIKE: Pike are the secondary management species in Tait Lake. “Northern pike have been a little bit variable over time, but for the most part, have stayed at the goal we have for the lake,” Weberg said. He said most of the pike you’ll encounter are in the 20- to 30-inch range, although he noted pike don’t usually exceed 30 inches.

BONUS BLUEGILLS: Tait has a low-density population of bluegills and some small pumpkinseeds. Some of the bluegills are nice, but the pumpkinseeds are usually tiny.

YELLOW PERCH: “Yellow perch provide a really good forage base for pike and walleyes and occasionally we’ll see some larger fish that would be of interest to anglers,” Weberg said. The latest survey found the highest gill net catch ever observed in Tait.

Surveys usually find a few perch topping 10 inches, and occasionally over 12.

SENTINEL LAKE: Tait Lake is a sentinel lake. “The sentinel lake program is basically trying to track long-term changes in the state’s lakes at a little bit higher resolution than we normally would,” Weberg said.

These lakes are sampled more frequently and are also monitored for water temperature, water chemistry and small organisms,

NORTHERN WILDS NORTHERN WILDS

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GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Walleye, northern pike and yellow perch.

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VITALS: Tait Lake is 355 acres with a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake has slightly bog-stained water with 7.5 feet of visibility. The lake is shallow and rocky and has good walleye habitat. Despite the good boat ramp, the lake receives only moderate fishing pressure. The lake has a fair number of cabins and development has been increasing in recent years.

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ACCESS: Anglers can access Tait Lake by driving 10 miles north of Lutsen on County Road 4 (Caribou Trail) and then turning left and traveling 6 miles on Clara Lake Road. Then turn right on Tait Lake Road and follow it to the end. There is a concrete slab ramp on the southeast corner of the lake with parking for about a half-dozen rigs.

manager in Grand Marais. “There’s pretty strong, consistent natural reproduction. Walleyes are small to medium, although there’s certainly opportunities for fish over 20 inches.” Walleyes were first stocked in Tait in 1939 and have been entirely self-sustaining since 1967. Despite Tait’s consistently good walleye population, the most recent DNR survey in 2017 found the lowest number of walleyes ever sampled in the lake, with the lowest average weight ever observed there.

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WHY GO: Tait Lake has a fairly good population of walleyes and northern pike.

It has a good concrete ramp that can accommodate motorboats (although a fair amount of anglers fish the lake via canoe or kayak). Plus, it’s a shallow lake that is relatively easy for anglers to figure out.

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in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Tait was declared a sentinel lake in 2009 and was sampled in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 to establish baseline information. Lake monitoring will now be scaled back to every five years going forward.

View all our Fishing Hole Maps at: northernwilds.com/fishingholemaps

SAWTOOTH RACING DOG BLOG

BY ERIN ALTEMUS

Storms of November About the time we were supposed to be getting our first good snow, a month or more of rain came all at once on November 11. Rain gauges across Cook County reported tallies in the 3-6-inch range. At our place, the rain blew sideways for the entire day, exposing weaknesses we didn’t know we had in our house, toppling our hoophouse and saturating every nook and cranny of the dog yard. I’ve never enjoyed training dogs in the rain, so I took a day off training to accomplish some tasks inside.

The next day, I hooked up the A team, threw the chainsaw in the back of the ATV and braced myself for an adventure.

After a very dry summer and fall, I became used to dry trails. We cross two small creeks on our training runs where I stop and let the dogs have a drink. On this day, the trail was one long creek. Places I never thought would hold water were submerged. Lead dogs Pinto and Itsy plunged ahead through every puddle with glee. But within a half mile, we found ourselves up against a wall of pine needles with no way around.

I pulled out the chainsaw and as it revved to life the lead dogs turned around and started backing away. After checking to make sure the whole team wasn’t going to end up in a big ball, I started cutting at the pine over the trail, a large mess of branches and thick trunk that took the better part of 15 minutes to clear. Meanwhile, the dogs barked and howled, impatient to go. Stevie chewed through her neck line and then her neighbor’s. Peaches broke her harness.

With the tree off the trail, I straightened out the team, untangled dogs, finagled a

harness fix and off we went. Luckily it was the only tree I had to contend with.

On the next part of the run, I found the road to be washed out. Large amounts of rushing water had carved gullies throughout the road bed. The dogs navigated the trenches easily and I followed on the ATV, carefully crossing each furrow with a bump, hoping I wouldn’t get stuck. Then came the water. We had crossed several large puddles already, but in two places, there was standing water, 100 feet long.

The lead dogs didn’t hesitate, pulling the team through. One spot had become a rushing creek, the water reaching up towards the dogs’ bellies. They charged through, getting a cool down and a drink simultaneously. In order to get enough miles, we have to go out and back and we did this twice, going through the watering holes four times.

By the end of this 20-mile run, the dogs were thoroughly soaked. I took the harnesses inside to wash and dry. Temperatures were falling and I checked the weather. Turns out the entire rest of the state was about to be hit by an Alberta clipper, but on a map of the state shaded pink and purple for the different storm warnings, there was nothing over Cook County. By the end of the weekend, we would be the only county with no snow on the ground.

I’m sure I must go through this every November: Long cold rides on the ATV that should be longer because the Beargrease is looming and somehow there is just never enough time in the day to train as much as I would like to train. Rocks freeze and somehow get harder and sharper, if that is

Our run after five inches of rain involved a lot of water. | ERIN ALTEMUS possible for a rock, and this takes a toll on the dogs’ feet. There is that lack of sunlight thing and the waiting game for snow. Yes, if I could skip November and move right on to December, I most likely would.

time to spare and most days I like my life just that way.

For now, we keep plugging away at the wood stash and trying to complete other projects that the inevitable snow will keep us from doing. Most days there is little

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Gidaanikeshkaagonaanig Gidaanikoobijiganinaan Following the Ancestor’s Steps

Ma’iimgan wiikomaad iniyen owiijima’iinganan (Calling the Pack)

By Sam Zimmerman I have seen a number of wolves and coyotes lately. This past month, I was heading up to Two Harbors when I saw what I thought was a waawaashkeshi (deer) walking parallel down Highway 61. As I slowed down, I realized it wasn’t a deer but looked like an animosh (dog).

When I was no more than niso (three) car lengths away, I realized it was a ma’iingan (timberwolf). It slowly trotted off the road and climbed up the median standing in the morning giizi (sun). This experience reminded me of last biboon (winter) when I was home in Gichi-onigamiing (Grand Portage) and I could hear the ma’iinganag (wolves) howling in the distance. It had a note of pleading and was so beautiful to hear the pack answer. With it being the holiday season for many, don’t forget to check in and call your own wolf pack.

Follow my studio on Facebook and Instagram @CraneSuperior or if you have ideas for a North Shore painting, cranesuperiorstudio@gmail.com.

Do your Christmas shopping locally and conveniently this year!

Artisans and businesses will be setting up mini stores throughout the lodge to make shopping easy!

Door Prizes!

– give us a call to reserve a pet-friendly room. o o We are PET-FRIENDLY 655 Arthur Street W., Thunder Bay, Ontario

Thurs. Dec. 2, 2021 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm AmericInn, Silver Bay

Ask Askabout aboutour our Northern Northern Shore Shore Rate Rate–-Breakfast and airport shuttle Rate Rate Code Code Wherever Life Takes You. Best Western Is There.® “NORT” “NORT” Each Best Western branded hotel is independently owned and operated

807-577-4241 or 800-265-3253

Come enjoy this great event. PLAN AHEAD – BRING CASH OR CHECKS!

Call 218-226-4300 for more info or visit the AmericInn of Silver Bay on Facebook!

Give Them (and Yourself) Canoe Country All Year Long!

• 9”x12” Wall Calendar • Extraordinary photos with locations identified • Moon phases • Hunting and fishing dates • Permit information • Emergency contacts • Camping tips • Natural history info • Donations to youth BWCA trip scholarships $13.95 www.

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Give the perfect book!

Grandmother’s Pigeon

Our booksellers can help

By Louise Erdrich Illustrations by Jim LaMarche

We take special orders

University of Minnesota Press, 2021, $17.95

Grandmother was a mysterious and magical woman. She could heal with a touch (or with a cup of her very bitter tea), and scare off a vicious dog with simply a look. But when she hitches a ride to Greenland on a passing porpoise, her family is surprised and concerned.

The mystery deepens when the family finds a collection of birds’ nests and a clutch of eggs hatching in Grandmother’s room. Out pop three passenger pigeons, a species of bird thought to be long extinct. Told through the words of a child, Grandmother’s Pigeon mixes science, history, and magic alongside beautiful artwork. It’s a fun and magical read for all ages, with a surprising plot twist at the end.—Breana Johnson

Open Mon-Sat 10-5 12 E. Wisconsin St., Grand Marais 218-387-3370 www.drurylanebooks.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS - MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY NEW YEAR - FELIZ NAVIDAD - HAPPY HANUKKAH

... there is still time to put a little sparkle in your holidays.

What We Hunger For

Refugee and Immigrant Stories about Food and Family Edited by Sun Yung Shin Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2021, $18.95

Food can be a unifier and a healer, bringing people together across generations and cultures. Sharing a meal often leads to sharing stories and deepening our understanding of each other and our respective histories and practices, both global and local. In What We Hunger For, 14 writers from refugee and immigrant families write about their complicated, emotional, comical, difficult, joyful and ongoing relationships to food, cooking and eating. Travel near and far with these gifted writers as they share their amazing stories.—Breana Johnson

Land of 10,000 Plates

Stories and Recipes from Minnesota

By Patrice M. Johnson Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2020, $24.95

Land of 10,000 Plates contains more than 100 recipes that brings the taste of Minnesota to readers’ homes. Author Patrice M. Johnson highlights food rituals from her own life and explores Minnesota fare far and wide, collecting recipes from family members and friends as they gather to celebrate community and the foodways that define the northland.

Organized by the seasons, recipes include tater tot hotdish, walleye macaroni and cheese, bread pudding, Spam lefse pizza, apple cider donut muffins, wild rice chicken potpie, orange-maple vinaigrette, rhubarb pudding, Jello-O salad, and more.

—Breana Johnson

Many thanks from the Jeweler of the North Shore – In Downtown Lutsen 5339 W Hwy 61, Ste 101 – 218-370-9648 – www.jewelerofthenorthshore.com JOYEUX NOEL - GLEDILEG JOL - WESOLYCH SWIAT - GOD JUL! - FROHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN - GLEDELIG JUL!

Glide on Frosty Trails this Winter!

Over 70 km of Ski Trails

Betsy Bowen Studio’s

Holiday Art Underground 2021

November 26 - December 31

218-388-2203 www.Golden-Eagle.com Fabulous fresh art from dozens of makers: fiber, glass, woodcuts, cards, books, paintings, pottery, tiles, and wooden ware.

Gunflint Pines Year-Round Cabins Ski/Snowshoe Rentals Ice Fishing Gift Shop & Grocery Pizza & Ice Cream Open to the Public

December Studio Hours:

11-5 Tuesday through Saturday.

Betsy Bowen Studio

301 First Avenue West Grand Marais ª 218-387-1992

218.388.4454 www.gunflintpines.com 217 South Gunflint Lake Grand Marais, MN 55604

woodcut.com for the webstore @betsybowen for Instagram and Facebook

NORTHERN WILDS

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NORTHERN SKY DECEMBER 2021 By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH

After a long stint as an evening “star,” Venus plunges into the sunset as it begins its next trip between Earth and the sun. It’s a short trip, though; in less than a month, Venus reappears in the morning sky.

Jupiter remains a beacon in the southwest, while dimmer Saturn shimmers to its lower right. But over the next couple of months they, too, will tumble over the horizon. Next year they will join Venus— and Mars—as morning planets.

The Great Square of Pegasus and the constellation Andromeda ride high in the south at nightfall. Andromeda is basically the line of stars extending from the Great Square’s northeast corner. If you follow that line to the second star and take a 90-degree right turn, you’ll see first a fainter star and then a fuzzy patch of light. This is the Andromeda Galaxy, the Milky Way’s closest large neighbor. A star chart and binoculars will help.

In the east and southeast, the bright winter stars are making their annual grand entrance into the evening sky. You’ll know

the whole assembly has appeared when you see Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, below hourglass-shaped Orion.

In the morning sky, Mars has begun a slow climb above the southeastern horizon. On the 31st, the Red Planet appears to the lower left of a thin waning moon.

Almost directly below the moon glimmers Antares, the giant red star whose name means “rival of Mars.”

December’s full moon rises a half hour before sunset on the 18th. Although it traces a high arc across the night sky, it will be near its maximum distance from Earth and so appear smaller than most full moons.

Winter arrives with the solstice at 9:59 a.m. on the 21st, when the sun reaches a point over the Tropic of Capricorn.

The University of Minnesota’s public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth and Twin Cities campuses have been curtailed due to the pandemic. For more information and viewing schedules, visit: d.umn.edu/planet.

Business & Service Directory Services

Restaurant Custom tile work for commercial, residential & new construction

• College

Prep Support • Training & Development • Lifelong Learning Opportunities.

• Student

218.387.3411 GetHelp@myCCHE.org 300 West 3rd Street, Grand Marais, MN www.mycche.org

Call today for free and confidential support 24/7 218-387-1262

hope4u@boreal.org www.violencepreventioncenter.org

auroratileworks@gmail.com @auroratileworks Aurora Tile Works LLC AuroraTileWorksLLC

Burgers Salads Pizza

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DRINK BAR: • Freshly ground coffee • F’Reals • Slushies • 16 flavors of pop Grand Marais, MN

Eat-in or Take-out • 218-387-1915 • 401 E. Hwy 61, Grand Marais

Retail Full-service Jewelry Store: design, repair, engagements

Tax Services Silver Bay

Two Harbors

30 Shopping Center PO Box 68 526 7th Street PO Box A Silver Bay, MN 55614 Two Harbors, MN 55616 218-226-4383 218-834-3600

Attorneys for the North Shore

Claire S Smith

• Woolly Dry Goods • Irish Sweaters • Local Art • Handmade Knives

• Pajar • Crown Cap • AlpNRock • Gifts

In Downtown Lutsen - 5339 W Hwy 61, Ste 101 218-370-9648 • www.jewelerofthenorthshore.com

Financial Advisor

Smith Law

Open 7 days a week in downtown Grand Marais

www.buckshardware.net

Mon - Fri: 7 am - 5 pm Sat: 8 am - 2 pm

edwardjones.com

1413 E. Hwy 61, Grand Marais 218-387-1771  Toll-free 1-877-387-1771

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DELIVERY

Advertise in the Northern Wilds Directory.

Prices begin at $48 a month. 12,000 circ.

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PLLC Scott Smith, Attorney at Law 61, P.O. Box 66 1710 West Highway 1710 West Highway 61, P.O. Box 66 Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604 Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604 Telephone: 218-387-9800 www.arrowheadlegal.com ∙ 218-387-9800 scott@arrowheadlegal.com

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• Bait • Tackle • Groceries • CBD products • Red Box

Strange Tales The Boeing Connection to the Northern Wilds By Elle AndraWarner

The Boeing Company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial aircraft, with a net worth of more than $150 billion (2021). It was founded on July 15, 1916 in Seattle, Washington by William Edward Boeing as Pacific Aero Products Company, renamed a year later to Boeing Airplane Company.

So, what’s the Boeing connection to the Northern Wilds?

Well, back in the 1880s, it was William’s father, Wilhelm Boeing who was in the national spotlight when he claimed to own part of the Duluth Canal and tried to stop ships from entering.

Born in 1846 in Hohenlimburg, Germany, Wilhelm immigrated to the U.S. in 1868, arriving broke. He anglicized his name to Boeing, settled in Detroit, worked for lumberman Karl Ortmann, and married the boss’s daughter Marie Ortmann.

They had two children: William (founder of Boeing) and Caroline.

Not long after marrying, Wilhelm started buying timberland around Lake Superior (including 7,500 acres around today’s town of Chisholm) and securing mineral rights on his properties on Minnesota’s Mesabi Range (his Boeing Mine in the Mesabi Range was located north of Hibbing in what is now the Hull-Rust mine pit). He became a wealthy man with his holdings in land, timber and mining rights.

Meanwhile, he continued to live in Detroit, having built a stately mansion there. When he died of influenza in 1890 at age 42, his estate was worth $2 million (2021 value of $60.7 million).

His land purchases included 14 lots on Minnesota Point. When the Duluth Ship Canal was created, the canal had been built through his property leaving his land on both sides of the canal. In 1888, he began actions to get his land back. Rumours swirled that he planned to charge ships a toll. However, Wilhelm told the Superior Times (October 19, 1889) that “his intention was to establish his right to the fourteen lots in the canal.” The end goal was for the City of Duluth to buy his canal property, which he valued at $100,000 (2021 value of $2.9 million). In the fall of 1889, Wilhelm set about to enforce his ownership.

On September 27, 1889, Wilhelm signed a warning notice that appeared in Duluth newspapers. It was also distributed to shipping companies and to vessels at the Sault

An 1890s view of Duluth from Fifth Street to the canal (before aerial bridge). | UMD KATHRYN A. MARTIN LIBRARY Ste Marie locks headed to Duluth. It read: You are hereby notified that on and after the 15th day of October 1889, the right of passage through the canal connecting the waters of Lake Superior and the Bay of Duluth will be denied by me to all boat and vessel owners.

A rope will be stretched across said canal upon my property, which lies in and upon either side of the said canal, and the owner or master of any boat or vessel breaking the same will be promptly proceeded against in the courts.

September 27, 1889 WILHELM BOEING. With no offer forthcoming from the city to purchase his land, Wilhelm apparently telegraphed his Duluth lawyer Marshall H. Alworth on October 14, 1889 and gave the order, “String the Rope.” Alworth hired Ferryman Charles Winters and assistants Frank Jacobs and James Jones to do the

A portrait of Wilhelm Boeing. | DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Wilhelm Boeing’s mansion in Detroit was designed by Henry T. Brush. It was built in 1881 and demolished around 1910. | DIGITAL ARCHIVE NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

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work. Shortly after midnight on October 15, the men attached a half-inch rope to the canal’s piling on one side, stretched it across the canal by ferry and secured it to the piling on the other side. However, the work was for naught as the police arrived and cut the rope.

A few hours later, the men again stretched the rope across the canal. About 7:30 a.m. the propeller vessel Winslow entered the canal, the captain ignored the Boeing warning and the Winslow steamed through, breaking the rope. Again, the men strung the rope across the canal. A short while later, the tug Spirit—towing two scows—was “brought to a standstill by the rope” until someone from the tug cut the line and Spirit continued on with its tow.

Boeing’s men didn’t give up. According to the St. Paul Daily Globe (October 16, 1889), the men “succeeded in spiking a long piece of chain to the side of the canal timbers and announced their determination of attaching a rope to the end of the chain in such a manner as to prevent its being cut from the side of the canal.” That didn’t work out too well as, supposedly, they didn’t attach the rope to the chain.

Putting an end to the shenanigans, a special unit of police were posted to the canal about 9:30 a.m. with orders from the Duluth Chief of Police to arrest anyone who tried to put a rope across the Duluth Canal.

St. Paul Daily Globe also reported that “The general belief is that Mr. Boeing has valid title to the lots and that he will force the City of Duluth to pay the full claim for the valuable property taken without his consent and used for a long term of years.”

When Wilhelm Boeing died the following year in May, the Duluth Canal matter remained unresolved and there is no record of any payment made to him or his estate. And his 14 lots? According to reports, they are now either part of the canal, its piers or Canal Park.

Happy Holidays!

The Duluth canal taken between 1890 and 1910. | LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

South of the Border

The Genuine.

The Original.

Breakfast Served All Day

HEAD DOOR OVER

C · a · f · e

Lunch • Homemade Soups

We’re Open Before the Fish Bite!

Overhead Door Company of Duluth

Phone 218-722-2884 www.ohdnorthernmn.com

11

Located at the stop light in Grand Marais

North Shore Community Radio

TOF TE , MN

24 hour service

Open 5 am - 2 pm Everyday!

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Local radio created by your friends and neighbors on the North Shore.

• Full basement with one finished 9’x14’ office and large storage space

90.7 FM Grand Marais 90.1 FM Grand Portage 89.1 FM Gunflint Trail

wtip.org 40

DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Sponsored by

Mark D. Consulting, LLC Serving Businesses and Residential Customers.

218-663-7149 Mark@MarkDConsulting.com

CALL TOM AT (507) 254-2373 TO LEARN MORE

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Full views. A fraction of the price.

Bluefin Bay Condos & Townhomes

Own a piece of Minnesota’s Favorite Resort

All units are currently sold. To be notified when something comes available, email eric@bluefinbay.com.

Eric Frost

Sales Agent, Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts

New townhomes, total coastal luxury right on the shore of Lake Superior. 3,000 s/f, 3BR, 3BA. Quarter-share ownership w/ flexibility for personal use & rental income. Excellent family retreat or investment property.

Prices from $174K-$215K, includes furnishings.

Let Eric, exclusive sales agent for Bluefin Bay Family of Resorts, provide the details about each property and guide you through the process. Contact him today to learn more.

218-663-6886 | eric@bluefinbay.com

NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

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Talk to Terry!

Terry R. Backlund Broker/Owner Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Email: Terry@BacklundRealty.com

Frank Lehto Real Estate Agent Phone: 218-387-4955 Email: Frank@BacklundRealty.com

Lori A. Backlund Real Estate Agent 109 TOM OVERLOOK TRAIL TOM LAKE , HOVLAND, MN

X28 W 2ND ST GRAND MARAIS, MN

237 CAMP 20 RD HOVLAND, MN

Saleng Pendi

7 W WISCONSIN ST GRAND MARAIS, MN

New Listing

100’ x 120’ residential lot in town.

MLS# 6099385 Price: $45,000

Bedroom 1 Bath 2 Car Garage Huge workshop 48 Amazing Acres with over 5K trails.

MLS# 6099807 Price: $490,000

3700+ sq. ft. Commercial building on mainstreet. Exposure to high volume pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

MLS# 6100518 Price: $499,900

17.81 EAST COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

6.88 EAST COYOTE RIDGE GRAND MARAIS, MN

X5 CTY RD 7 GRAND MARAIS, MN

X20 CTY RD 60 GRAND MARAIS, MN

17.81 Acres. Rolling parcel with seasonal creeks. Private and close to town. MLS# 6097455 Price: $99,900

6.88 Acres. Lake Superior view.

Driveway in. Power at the road. Close to town. MLS# 6097459 Price: $89,900

5.9 acres close to town.

Ready for your dreams.

MLS# 6099380 Price: $65,000

19+ Acres for homestead or hunting land MLS# 6078387 Price: $89,900

XXX E 7TH AVE W GRAND MARAIS, MN

5 N BROADWAY GRAND MARAIS MN

XXX SUCKER LAKE RD, BIG SUCKER LAKE, NASHWAUK, MN

X2 W 3RD ST GRAND MARAIS, MN

Sweet Log Cabin with Bunkhouse and Sauna, 191 Ft Lakeshore on 3.31 Acres MLS# 6098700 Price: $299,900

Saleng Pendi

SOLD Sweet lot. 90 x 120 Dead end street.

MLS# 6098146 Price: $59,500

Commercial Building 2578 sq. ft.

Restaurant. Great location.

Possibilities MLS# 6095312 Price: $399,000

15.9 beautiful acres with 840 ft of lakeshore on Big Sucker Lake MLS# 6096525 Price: $139,900

Saleng Pendi

Saleng i d n e P

2 Lots: 50 x 100 and 75 x 100 Wetlands delineated. Ready to go.

MLS# 6100150 Price: $69,900

Phone: 218-387-1501 Cell: 218-370-8977 Terry@BacklundRealty.com 42

DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Call TimberWolff for Happy Holidays from everyone Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!! at TimberWolff Realty!!

Local 663-8777 • Info@TimberWolf fRealty.com Toll free (877) 664-8777 DREAMING OF LAKE SUPERIOR? ON THE WATER, LAKE VIEWS!

E L A S ING D N E P

E L A S ING D N E P

LITTLE RED CABIN ON THE LAKE!

One of the original Gunderson Cabins! There is 356 ft of gorgeous accessible shoreline and a mixture of winding ledge rock formations AND a pebble beach. The cabin sits on the water edge with spectacular Lake Superior views. Wrap around deck is a great place to relax and unwind listening to the waves with access to the West side of the property shoreline. Overall a Quiet and peaceful setting, with unmatched views of the Lake. Located within walking distance from Temperance State Park and only 2 miles away from Tofte and its North Shore Market, Coho Café and Bluefin Bay Resort!

MLS#6100225 $749,900

LAKE SUPERIOR TOWNHOME LUTSEN/TOFTE AREA! Welcome your guests in to this sprawling townhome, fun design and focus on Lake Superior! Big Views from Nearly every room, and enough deck space for everyone to enjoy those cool breezes off Lake Superior! Upper level owner bedroom en suite is spacious! Open kitchen, and dining areas, with a drop down Great Room with wall of windows and fireplace, Amazing Views. One car attached garage too! Stroll to the stairway to the beach just for owners!

LOVE this place for year round living or vacation getaway! Minute’s to Lutsen Mountain Summer and Ski Resort AND Tofte’s Blue Fin Bay Resort!

MLS#6098625 $475,000

LAKE SUPERIOR LAND NEW! LAKE SUPERIOR LAND 250+ FT 3.8 ACRES!!

Wowser of a Lake Superior parcel just 20 minutes to Lutsen Mountains Ski and Summer Resort and just over an hour from Duluth!

Meander the accessible 254 ft of rocky shoreline for agates, sit on the ledgerock for gorgeous Sunset views. This lovely piece of the Big Lake is BUILD READY with driveway to build site in place, electric and fiber are nearby. Enjoy the land as you wish, a quiet getaway small footprint cabin or the year round Lake Superior home you have dreamed of! And to top this all off, enjoy the hiking opportunities offered at Sugarloaf Cove Interpretive Center just a five minute walk from this land!

MLS#6100619 $375,000

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOCALLY CR AFTED TIMBERWOLFF WEBSITE , SEARCH ALL MLS LISTINGS AT TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

43

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777

Happy Holidays from everyone at TimberWolff Realty!!

Info@TimberWolf fRealty.com INLAND LAKESHORE OPPORTUNITIES!

E L A S ING D N E P

LUTSEN TAIT LAKE OASIS— A LINDAL CEDAR HOME!

This Lindal Cedar Home is a Classic, from the large foyer entry leading into the accommodating living room with a wall of windows overlooking the lakeshore and forest to the gas fireplace adding to the ambiance. Overlooking Tait Lake with a babbling creek and over 300ft of shoreline all in the midst of the boreal forest! From the Screen porch, the Spa room and the Main Level Owner’s Suite you won’t want to leave your personal Oasis, and who can blame you! Two car attached garage makes this home perfect for year round living in the Northwoods! With the Crib style year round dock in place you will be ready for all the seasons!

MLS#6095596 $799,900 PRICE REDUCED!

E L A S ING D N E P

PIKE LAKE CABIN, SHARED SHORELINE JUST WEST OF GRAND MARAIS!

Super accessible, shared 282ft of shoreline on Pike Lake! The cabin sits very close to the Lake and offers wonderful Lake Views, or sit on the deck and listen to the loons. Very functional floor plan, all on one level and wood burning fireplace to take away the spring chills.

MLS# 6096148 $249,000 PRICE REDUCED!

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!!

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DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777

Happy Holidays from everyone at TimberWolff Realty!!

Info@TimberWolf fRealty.com HOMES, HOMES, HOMES, READ ALL ABOUT ‘EM!!

E SA L ING D N E P NEW! SIMPLE LIVING IN LUTSEN!

Brand new 2021 home is all set for new owners! Everything is new, gas cook stove, refrigerator, furnace, skirting around home, deck and even the poured concrete pad. You’ll own the home which you can move to wherever you would like or you can keep it where it is! Great location Right in the heart of Lutsen convenient for shopping, dining, post office, banking, groceries, gas and 20 minutes to Grand Marais. Lutsen Mountains, Superior National Golf Course, the Gittci Gammi Bike Trail, and access to the State and Local snowmobile trails right out your back door.

MLS#6100507 $73,000

DOME’CILE

Dreamy Home on the Pike Lake Rd sitting on a highland of maples and boreal forest abutting miles of public land!An inspired dome home flanked by bedroom, kitchen, and sun-room wings to form a functional and inspiring floor-plan. The sun-room, drenched in light, is a place to unwind, contemplate and open the mind as it spills into the heart of the home, the Dome! The paneled and beamed ceilings lift the spirits and the loft is cozy under the upper reaches of the dome. Sprawling, tasteful deck surveys the nearly four acres.

Waterfalls, trout and hiking are 5 minutes back at the Cascade River.

XC ski trailhead and snowmobile trails, 3 minutes away. Getaway in the woods and enjoy the silence.

MLS#6099797 $289,900

D L O S D L O S COUNTRY LIVING IN AN IDEAL SETTING! MLS#6099763 $279,000

RENOVATOR’S DREAM ON THE CARIBOU TRAIL IN LUTSEN! MLS#6099130 $199,900 AS IS AND FIRM AT ASKING PRICE!

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOCALLY CR AFTED TIMBERWOLFF WEBSITE , SEARCH ALL MLS LISTINGS AT TIMBERWOLFFREALTY.COM NORTHERN WILDS

DECEMBER 2021

45

Happy Holidays from everyone at TimberWolff Realty!!

Info@TimberWolf fRealty.com

Call TimberWolff for Your Personal Tour of Homes & Land!!!

Local 663-8777 • Toll free (877) 664-8777

CAMPN’, HUNTN’, FUN GETAWAY LAND, INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! SILVER BAY TO SCHROEDER AREAS NEW! Spectacular views lot near Illgen Falls!

Just a short hike from Illgen Falls and across the street from Tettegouche State Park this lot has beautiful Lake Superior and ridge views from the building site! Mix of pines, birch and maple, with the Superior Hiking Trail (and the Fantasia Overlook) only a quarter-mile away.

Property is part of an association with a shared road, well, and septic already in place. It won’t take much to build your dream cabin here!

MLS#6100288 $95,000

24 acres on Blackwoods Drive, approx. 8 miles up the Cramer Rd from the Cross River in Schroeder! Southern sloping maples, beautiful build sites! Electric, fiber, year round access.

MLS#6094707 $99,900

Seclusion at 8271 Blackwoods Drive!

Over 16 acres of sugar maples, beautiful! Year round access but gives you feeling of remote location. There is plenty of room to build and have the seclusion that you looking for- in fact the project has already begun since the current owners have already installed a driveway. Easily create a comfortable basecamp while building your dream getaway!

MLS#6097285 $79,900 PRICED REDUCED

TOFTE AREA

LUTSEN AREA

South Sloping parcels at LeVeaux Mountain!

Beautiful build sites, one parcel has a wildlife pond and the other views of Lake Superior from the top! Yr Round access, electric and fiber along the road, sensible HOA makes this a gem to build your dream North Shore home! MLS#6089001; MLS#6089003 $67,000 EACH!

Perched on the Foothill of Lutsen Mountains, this five acre parcel has both views of Eagle Mountain as well as Lake Superior!

Beautiful trees complete the package. With a thoughtful Home Owner’s Association in place, you’ll enjoy peace and quiet in the heart of Lutsen!

High ground, rolling terrain, year round access!

Beautiful parcel at Birch Cliff, located between Lutsen and Tofte, you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds! Dine at BlueFin and Ski the day away at Lutsen Mountains from this lovely corner build site with decent Lake Superior views and views of Carlton Peak in the distance. LeVeaux Mountain is to the North, wowser setting!

MLS#6099657 $75,000

Easy Build Site in Tofte!

Level five acre parcel with potential for views in the South East corner, or build in the center of the acreage for maximum seclusion! Diverse trees including a nice mix of birch, mountain ash and balsam fir!

MLS#6099658 $64,500

LUTSEN AREA Lutsen Build sites with shared septic and well just waiting for your little cabin ideas! Looking for a site to build without spending an arm and a leg? These sites are it! Well and Septic in place, just Build and Enjoy!

MLS#2309328 $39,000 AND OTHERS, JUST ASK ABOUT MINK RANCH!

MLS#6099659 $89,900

HOVLAND AREA Come and live with the wildlife! 39+ acres of beautiful forest, accessible via seasonal old logging road. Peaceful and Secluded Acreage with Flute River Frontage which attracts abundant wildlife! Borders Judge Magney State Park on the west and access to Superior Hiking Trail on state land.

Create your own oasis in the woods and leave the busy lifestyle behind!

MLS#6096200 $59,900 SALE PENDING

The Wilderness at your fingertips! 92+ acres just off the Tom Lake Road in Hovland. Dream and scheme the getaway cabin, build it out of timber right off the land. Wander all the nooks and crannies to find that ideal getaway.

Make some ski trails or hunker down. Open up a patch for a back-to-thelander’s dream garden or just keep it wild and natural: a place to walk, preserve, hunt, and contemplate the big questions. Unwind a bit here, get in a natural groove. Bring your vision, energy, passion and love!

MLS#6098528 $84,900 PRICED REDUCED

This Nearly 40 acres is a great recreational area for the outdoor enthusiast! Remote and secluded land, perfect for hunting or hiking, wild life viewing or planting trees and camping. Judge Magney State Park is close by – featuring the Devil’s Kettle and scenic hikes. The historic Naniboujou Lodge is also nearby and worth to visit!

MLS#6098693 $69,900

MOUNTAIN R ESORT HOMES

E SA L ING D N E P

RELAX AT CARIBOU HIGHLANDS!

1 bedroom condo with balcony overlooking resort. Relax and unwind while planning each season’s adventures! Relax by the indoor or outdoor pools and soak up the views of Moose Mountain!

MLS# 6098169 $145,000

FIND THOSE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!!

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DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

(218) 387-2131 (800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

Serving Cook County since 1971

ON L AKE SUPE RIOR

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

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2884 W Highway 61

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69XX Highway 61E

XX Tamarack Trail

317 ft. of magnificent ledge-rock Lake Superior shoreline, located minutes west of Grand Marais.

Numerous outcroppings and rock formations that create incredible wave action together with the accompanying sounds of crashing water.

The ultimate private Lake Superior retreat with over 28 wooded acres and 1000 ft. of straightline lakeshore can be yours! This exceptionally unique parcel features stunning shoreline with incredible ledge rock.

Looking for a Lake Superior property to go camping on or to build your dream home?

Make sure to check this lot with 386 ft. of shoreline, 3.83 acres, driveway, cleared area AND Farquhar Creek frontage.

MLS 6095857 $359,900

MLS 6099131 $595,999

MLS TBD $174,900

INLAND LAKE PROPERTIES

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NEW 125 N Pike Lake Road

Quality built 3BR/3BA lake home positioned at the water’s edge. The connection to the lake is unbelievable with views of the water from the majority of rooms. The beach is easy access, perfect for swimming, kayaking or fishing.

MLS 6100454 $539,900

D L SO Road Lake

Have you been wanting a place on the Gunflint Trail to call your own? This is a sweet spot to set up camp and have your own peaceful 48’ stretch of Road Lake shoreline.

MLS 6100082 $39,900

WILSON LAKE

Peaceful, private and serene lot on 4A and 285’ of picturesque Wilson Lake. Building site is situated with beautiful high views of the lake and surrounding forest.

MLS 6098364 $199,900

128 Cedar Trail

Off Grid living at its finest on the north side of beautiful Greenwood Lake!

This 3 bedroom home, on 7.76 acres and 415’ of shoreline, is part of the East Greenwood Lake Sites. Designed to capture the beauty of nature, southern exposure orientation, tastefully decorated and furnished. Accessible shoreline.

MLS 6099742 $449,900

CONDOS Grand Marais Condos UNIT 12

Totally renovated with quality materials and workmanship, this 2BR, 1BA immaculate ground floor condo is move-in ready. The unit is close to all downtown Grand Marais has to offer. Complete the package with a heated underground garage and storage space and enjoy worry free living

G N DI

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MLS 6098687 $289,900

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821 W. 1st Street

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535 Humphrey Circle

3 BR home home built in 1937 with exceptional taste sitting on nearly an acre of mature pine, birch, maple, oak, and mountain ash right in Grand Marais! Renovations were started, but not completed leaving a clear canvas for you to create your own masterpiece.

3BR/2BA split entry home with a nice private yard, garage, and storage shed located right in Grand Marais.

The main bedroom has patio doors leading to a huge deck which is also accessed from the kitchen.

A great spot to call home.

Check it out today.

MLS 6099806 $379,900

MLS 6100077 $374,900

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1397 Gunflint Trail

Have you been dreaming about the perfect home in the woods with complete privacy yet only minutes from all that Grand Marais has to offer. Well, your dreams have just come true. This well built 3BR/1BA home is situated on nearly 10 acres of absolutely gorgeous forest.

MLS 6099459 $294,900

N E P

136 W 9th Street

Country living within the City Limits of Grand Marais!

This 3BR home on an oversized lot will provide peace and quiet, room to explore, and easy access to downtown Grand Marais!

Large deck with a distant Lake Superior view.

MLS 6097748 $299,900

Your Luxury Property Expert

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177 Needham Road

7120 Two Moose Trail

Check out this phenomenal, quintessential Gunflint Trail estate, located on 4+ acres with 560’ of shoreline on Bearskin Lake AND includes frontage on the coveted Hungry Jack Lake. The original cabin consists of 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and was built by Charlie Boostrom and filled with custom made furnishings by local legend, Billy Needham. The cabin oozes charm with the full logs, massive rock fireplace, wood floors, attached porch and is finished off with a large deck, surrounded by beautiful trees.

In 2005, the owner built the Carriage House, complete with 3 garage stalls and a beautiful 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment with a large family room & attractive kitchen.

True solitude can be found on Wilson Lake in this stunning Mulfinger, architecturally designed 4 bedroom, 5 bath home that takes advantage of the many attributes of lake living. This exquisite home is tucked away on a gorgeous 4.5 acre lot filled with trails, gardens, and multiple water access points along the 284.17 feet of user-friendly shoreline. Escape to this peaceful retreat where you can enjoy the great outdoors, explore trails summer and winter, or just enjoy the views….

This is a truly special place!

MLS 6100104 $849,900 REDUCED

MLS 6096401 $879,900

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com 140053 _ NORTH SHORE

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(218) 387-2131

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(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

Merry Christmas from our family to yours

Julie Joynes Carlson, Bob Carter, Rick Austin, Eric Frost, Aimee Luick, Virginia Detrick Palmer, Kelly Holtzman, Kali Blomberg LAND

ING

NEW 20X 7th Ave W. Build your Grand Marais home on this wonderfully private yet centrally located .2 acre lot. Only a short walk to the harbor, it sits at the dead end of 7th Ave W. MLS 6100467 $34,500

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13XX Gunflint Trail 5A wooded parcel with driveway in the Maple Hill community is a perfect location for your home or cabin. Only 5 miles from Grand Marais on County maintained Gunflint Trail.

MLS 6100022 $64,900 1X Wildflower Road Are you looking for a great lot in Lutsen? This lovely 2+ acre parcel features seasonal Lake Superior Views and likely, once some clearing is completed, some very attractive yearround views.

MLS 6099827 $69,900 2X Wildflower Road 2+ acre gently rolling parcel with a mix of nice, healthy trees. Incredible location, near all that Lutsen offers.

MLS 6099945 $74,900

1X Mountain Ash Lane Check out this coveted building site in the heart of Lutsen, which has phenomenal views of Lake Superior!

This lot is south facing, providing excellent views as well as a sunny home site.

MLS 6100019 $99,900

G N I D

PEN

County Rd 6 Lots 2 lots available from 4.78 – 4.92 acres Own your own space in the country and only 10 minutes from Grand Marais and numerous recreational opportunities. Great mix of birch, balsam, pine and spruce.

Check out these great Lots! $57,900 - $59,900 XXX Mountain Trail Nicely wooded 5 acre lot with fabulous views of Lake Superior. Close to Grand Marais, but country privacy--end of the cul-de-sac lot with great height.

MLS 6097785 $124,900 1X Brandon Lane Beautiful lot just outside Grand Marais.

Fall River runs through this property.

Dramatic frontage!

MLS 6095813 $62,000

1X South Shore Drive So many options with this 5+ acre lot! Mature trees in a country setting close to popular Devil Track Lake, the airport, and only minutes to Grand Marais.

MLS 6091923 $45,000

1142 Camp 20 Rd 170+ acres of heavily forested land that has been replanted with many beautiful pine trees, poplar & cedar trees. Features gravel pit and pond and abutting State land.

MLS 6097348 $159,900

1XX Ski Hill Rd Dreamed of a getaway on the North Shore? Over a half acre on Lutsen’s Ski Hill Road with the west side of the property overlooking Superior National Golf Course.

MLS 6099951 $59,900

Jonvick Creek Sites 8 lots available from 1.5 - 4.8 acres In the heart of Lutsen, just off the Caribou Trail. Maples, Pines, and cedars in varied arrangements will make a great back-drop for your home or cabin. Each property adjoins public land making your space seem even more private. $39,900 $49,900

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15X County Rd 6 Easy drive to downtown Grand Marais from this private lot on County Road 6.

Fall River/Rosebush Creek frontage.

MLS 6097095 $64,900

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14XX Camp 20 Rd Terrific 55 acres with an amazing mix of forest. Balsam, spruce, birch, aspen and some maple and white pine. Want room to recreate? This is it.

MLS 6097013 $60,000

101 West Hwy. 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604 info@cbnorthshore.com

92XX Hwy 61 W 40A of healthy forest with Highway 61 frontage is ready for your idyllic place on the North Shore. Attractive tract with a potential Lake Superior view.

MLS 6097501 $149,900

D L O S

(218) 387-2131

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918 Cutoff Rd Beautifully wooded lot with garage and drilled well already completed. Close to town and the Pincushion Ski Area.

What a location for your recreational getaway or year round home!

MLS 6096726 $109,900 14X Bloomquist Mountain Road Ten acres of mature trees including huge White Pines! Easy drive to town, yet secluded on a private road in a country setting.

MLS 6075850 $47,500

D L O S

(800) 732-2131

www.CBNorthShore.com

140053 _ NORTH SHORE

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REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Linda Garrity, Realtor • Cathy Hahn, Assoc. Broker, ABR/GRI. Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor • Sue Nichols, Assoc. Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599 (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES

LAKE SUPERIOR PROPERTIES LAKE LOVER’S PARADISE

SALIENG PE N D

Lake Superior views that will take your breath away. In addition to dramatic cliffs and mature birch that characterize this property, there is ample acreage above the north side of Hwy 61, with a variety of lake view building sites. 510 feet of shoreline with 46+ acres. Shown by appt only, listing agent must be present, buyer must provide lender’s pre-approval letter or proof-of funds to secure appt. MLS#6097546 $450,000

PREMIER LAKE SUPERIOR LOT

SOLD

Spectacular views of the big lake from a slightly elevated build site. Very secluded and private, a one of a kind opportunity with 332 ft of ledge rock shoreline!

Right in the neighborhood of Lutsen Mts., Superior National Golf course, dining and recreation.

MLS#6096904 $299,000 LAKE SUPERIOR – LEVEL LOT, GREAT VIEWS This 1.76 acre

SOLD

lot has 214 feet of rugged rocky shore. Building site close to the water’s edge in mature spruce trees.

South and east views of sun rises and moon rises.

Secluded area adjoining state land. A great home site from which to watch the crashing waves.

MLS#6095526 $199,900

SOLD

BIG BAY – BIG VIEWS

Lake Superior lot with 206 ft of shoreline, deep spruce forest, adjoining state land and outstanding sunrises and sunsets with east view of the lake. Enchanting forest with huge moss-covered boulders.

Build your home or cabin here and enjoy seclusion with the charm and peacefulness of the Hovland area.

MLS#6097037 $199,900

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES MILLION DOLLAR WILDERNESS VIEWS

A fantastic stand-alone luxury home on the edge of the BWCA on remote and scenic McFarland Lake. A full wall of windows brings the stunning scenery into all 3 levels, with 6 bdrms, 4 baths and full lower level kitchen. Custom built home shows quality throughout, including 2 fireplaces, sunroom, large loft, sauna and laundry room. Spend summer evenings on the expansive deck and outdoor spaces, or in the screen house off the patio.

Huge 3-bay floating dock system, detached 2-car garage with workshop and generator room, and a 4-stall garage. Comes fully furnished.

MLS#6097293 $950,000

Serving buyer’s and seller’s needs in Cook and Lake County.

We’d love to help you sell your property, or if you’re buying we would like to make your North Shore dreams come true.

HUGE PINES, PRISTINE VIEWS, GUNFLINT LAKE

This large, densely wooded lot has 171 feet of shoreline on big water Gunflint Lake. Direct BWCA access, huge white pines, classic wilderness boulder shore and vast views of Canada across the lake. Nice building site with easy access to the water. Good year-round road access with power and Broadband at the parcel. Build your dream lake home on this outstanding lake lot. MLS#6099440 $299,900

LARGE, PRIVATE RETREAT – TOM LAKE.

LARGE TWO ISLAND LAKE RETREAT GRAND MARAIS.

This 46+ acre property includes a peninsula with outstanding lake views. Wide creek and tons of wildlife. Privacy assured with over 1600 ft of lake front, plus over 2000 ft of creek. Literally walk to the BWCAW. Charming 4-season, 2 bdrm cabin with large dock and easy lakeshore access. Property can be sub-divided.

MLS#6087574 $845,900 FIELDS, POND AND GARDENS

SALIENG PE N D

3bdr, 2 bath single-level home, excellent condition with updated kitchen, minutes from Grand Marais on blacktop road. Large heated attached garage w/ room for shop space & storage. Swim & fish in the huge 25 ft deep pond. Includes open hay fields, extensive raised-bed gardens, barn & great options for your hobby farm dreams.

Adjoins thousands of acres of federal land.

MLS#6099412 $549,900

GUNFLINT LAKE LOT

Property ready for a house to be built on 16.9 acres. Includes garage with loft, power and high speed internet. Enjoy 677 feet of calm, sandy shoreline on Gunflint Lake. Southern edge of property borders an inlet, occasionally animated by moose, beaver and waterfowl activity. Unique opportunity to establish yourself in a quintessential location in northern Minnesota, and take advantage of its many activities and sights. MLS#6097781 $499,000

TOM LAKE ESCAPE.

This cabin boasts 195 ft of gorgeous shoreline on Tom Lake, manicured lawn, and covered deck space on two sides of the house for relaxing and entertaining! Lake draw water, a mound septic system and generator power.

Additional land and lakeshore available for purchase. Year round access. MLS#6092306 $339,000

This original family cabin is well built and in good shape, tucked into a large private tract on beautiful Tom Lake.

52 acres of pine and cedar with 1287' private shoreline.

Adjoining state land for plenty of room to explore. This is a rare find. MLS#6092390

$299,000 NEW! LOG CABIN – MCFARLAND LAKE

Beautiful cedar log cabin, 2 bdrms, large deck, cathedral ceiling, open floor plan, new stain & roof. Log guest cabin, storage buildings, log sided sauna & new outhouse to County code. Wilderness views from 150 ft of shore, good for swimming, newer dock. Updated off-grid power. Peaceful retreat on 1.47 acres w/ many virgin white cedar & privacy. Access the BWCAW in minutes, on beautiful Pine Lake, or into John Lake & the Royale River.

MLS#6100419 $247,000

SOLD

DEVIL TRACK LAKE – REMOTE CABIN Quality 2-bdrm

cabin, built in 2012, featuring large windows, cathedral ceiling in the great room, loft, and beautiful kitchen. There is a well and a holding tank sewer system. Unique location, at the far end of the South Shore Dr of Devil Track Lake, surrounded by state and USFS lands. 150 ft of lake frontage in a protected and sheltered bay. The 4.78 acre parcel adjoins thousands of acres of remote public lands for exploring. MLS#6096616 $220,000

TOM LAKE LOT WITH DOCK

SALIENG PE N D

Imagine owning over 650 ft of shoreline on a fantastic walleye lake! Driveway is built and the dock is at the shoreline. Slope to the lake is gentle with nice building sites. Electric and Broadband are on Tom Lake Rd or you can use a generator/solar panels. Road association plows the road in the winter. MLS#6097952 $169,900

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 52

DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

INLAND WATER PROPERTIES HOMES & CABINS FRONTAGE REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Linda Garrity, Realtor • Cathy Hahn,RIVER/CREEK Assoc. Broker, ABR/GRI.

Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor • Sue Nichols, Assoc. Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI

Red Pine Realty SOL•D(800) 387-9599

NINEMILE LAKE LOT

2.30 acres with 548' of gorgeous inland lakeshore in one of the most lovely and private areas of Lake County.

Includes a beautiful point of land that naturally offers quiet and peacefulness.

Lot adjoins MN State lands.

Proximity to hiking and snowmobile trails, ATV trails, other amazing fishing and wilderness lakes nearby. Year-round access. MLS#6098089 $139,900

TWO EXCEPTIONAL TOM LAKE LOTS.

These special properties offer opportunities. One lot is a beautiful forested peninsula with cove, and the other has a nice mix of tree cover and open build sites. Accessible, yet away from it all. Build your dream here!

MLS#6092307 $97,000, MLS#6092308 PENDING PEACEFUL OFF-GRID CABIN

Escape to this quiet & peaceful off-grid cabin on 36+ acres. There is a pond on the property with 3,037' of shoreline. Well thought out cabin features arctic entrance, wood floors, sleeping loft, wood burning stove, propane cooking stove, and comes furnished. Cabin is fully wired to run off of generator power. Snowmobile in during the winter & start a fire in the wood burning stove, read a book and enjoy.

MLS#6099648 $125,000 LARGE HOVLAND ACREAGE

This is a great 136+ property to build a retreat, use for hunting, or preserve through the SFIA program, in which it is currently enrolled.

Seasonal access only. Additional acreage available!

MLS#6099413 $120,900 SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. Two great lots on the south

side of Loon Lake. Fantastic shoreline, beautiful views, many nice trees. Located near the Gunflint Trail on a private road. Driveway in with power on the lot line. MLS#6089604 SOLD,

MLS#6089606 $88,000

HOMES & CABINS BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM BUILT HOME

3 bdrm, 3 bath house on 11.75 acres with county road frontage near Grand Marais. Quality craftsmanship, stone fireplace, custom cabinets and built-ins. Tile, wood and laminate floors with in-floor heat w/ dual heat sources. Master suite w/ walk-in closet and bath. Nice patio area and the feeling of seclusion. Attached 2-car heated garage w/ shop space. Access to SNF on adjoining forestry road. MLS#6098774 $492,000

SOLD

TRI-PLEX WITH LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

SALIENG PE N D

This is such a nice property with several updates, 3 lovely apartments/rentals and a yard that is as beautiful as it is in the listing photos! One 2 bedroom apt., and two 1bedroom apts. and all have separate entrances, separate meters and incredible Lake Superior views. Hop right onto the bike trail or walk to downtown Grand Marais. It truly is a great opportunity!

MLS#6100128 $414,900

GREAT HUNTING LAND

4 BEDROOM HOME IN GRAND MARAIS

Easily accessible via the logging road at Casper's Hill Rd and runs east through the 158 acres. Includes creek front footage, aspen, balsam and spruce stands. Abundant deer sign, and good grouse habitat. East side of property abuts Judge Magney State Park. Property is subject to SFIA land Great location, blocks (218) 387-9599 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com use covenants. MLS#6094370 $199,000 from downtown & harbor.

PO Box 938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604 Kitchen, living room, NEW! LARGE dining room & bath have OFF-GRID all been remodeled.

PARCEL New appliances & This is the large, off mechanicals, newer roof & windows. Large home has 2 bdrms plus the grid property you sitting area & bath upstairs. Rec-room w/ fireplace & bath downstairs. have been dreaming Living room has a fireplace & large windows looking to a seasonal harbor about! Flute Reed River view. Large yard, attached garage, plenty of storage in basement & a trout stream follows storage shed. MLS#6099514 $335,000 the entire Southern boundary for 2,700 CABIN feet. Nature lovers OVERLOOKING will love this 91 acre preserve. Great spot for forest development & tree planting. Hunters dream property. Can you say hunting camp?! Great CARIBOU LAKE building sites facing the Southern sun. Please use an agent to observe Little log cabin that this property. MLS#6100515 $88,000 overlooks Caribou Lake!

The 2.29 acres are densely highlighted by beautiful COYOTE RIDGE LOTS cedars, birch, maples and WITH POWER various evergreens. Includes If you are looking for acreage close 1 bdrm., 1 bathroom, to Grand Marais but with that out of fireplace and a 3-season town feel, look no further. Lot 10 is porch. Make it your permanent residence or visit it when you need to get 6.9 acres with power on site. Enjoy all away from noise and a packed schedule. that the north shore has to offer with MLS#6098534 $249,900 hiking trails, the Gitchi-Gami bike trail, inland lakes and more! Features REMOTE HIDEnearly 1000' of frontage on Lone Pine Creek and seasonal views of Lake Superior. Please schedule your showings with a licensed real estate agent.

A-WAY.

SOLD

SOLD

Charming custom built 2 bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. Screened porch for summer dining.

A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space. Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS#6029349 $244,000

SALIENG PE N D

SALIENG PE N D

S. GUNFLINT LAKE RD CABIN

Great off-grid camping or starter cabin, with access to power. Possible view of Gunflint Lake with selective tree removal. 10+ acre property abuts public land to the south.

Really nice, simple getaway, or a good place to come to after a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters or a long weekend hike. Smaller building has storage space and a composting toilet. Come take a look, and have a seat on the screened porch. MLS#6097930 $169,000

COMMERCIAL FORMER AIR FORCE BASE. Formerly operated as an Air Force Base years ago and now somebody can bring their ideas and creativity to create something special. Endless possibilities w/ the existing structures, the sewer/water already in place, power, internet, sidewalks and streets. It'd be tough to beat the panoramic views, too!

Complete with a beautiful trail system. Some structures potentially salvageable. New roofs on some. MLS#6097816 $800,000 LARGE GRAND MARAIS LOT. Nice 3.60 acre commercial lot with potential for multi family housing subject to city approval. Good location on the west end of Grand Marais just off Hwy 61. Easy access to the bike trail. MLS#6089284 $149,500

PRIME COMMERICAL LOTS - LUTSEN

Highway 61 frontage-road access, two nice forested lots (.95/1.05 acres). Great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Would make a great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. Plus a 1.3 acre commercial lot adjoins to the north and is available, giving potential for a large site.

MLS#6099360, 9361 $97,900 each

MLS#6096717 $73,900 WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.

Two 40 acre lots with easy road access, good building sites, mature trees and open water views of Mons Creek. Has private deeded access to Lost Lake, a short drive away. Lost Lake is a beautiful lake with no public access and wilderness views and wildlife. The walk-in landing provides easy access for a canoe or small boat. Roads are gated for security and privacy and minimum lot size is 20 acres. MLS#6089089, 9090

$69,900 each

DEEP WOODS, MONS CREEK. Nice “40” with good tree

cover and creek frontage, where you could launch your canoe. There's a great building site overlooking Mons Creek from a high point. Good road access, but private and secluded. The property has private deeded access to Lost Lake, which is a short walk away. Wilderness feel. New trail cut into the property so you can see the potential! MLS#6089091

$58,900

PEACEFUL LOTS ON LONE PINE CREEK

Peaceful 6.9 acre lots on a private road with an affordable yearly association fee to cover plowing and road maintenance costs. Both parcels have power available nearby and include 400' – 520' of frontage on Lone Pine Creek. Close to Grand Marais, with nearby access to all the north shore has to offer including, but not limited too biking and hiking trails, inland lakes and more! Please schedule your showing with a licensed real estate agent. MLS#6096709 SOLD, MLS#6096716 $58,900

NEW! NORTH RD LOTS

These 2 lots (12-13 acres) are the perfect rural spot for your cabin or home. County maintained road with broadband internet and electric at the roadside. Nice mixed forest of poplar, evergreen, and birch. YES, there is even 330+ feet of frontage on the Flute Reed River, a local trout stream. Great area for hunting and jumping off spot for fishing adventures.

MLS# 6100473, MLS# 6100474 $53,000 each

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com NORTHERN WILDS

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RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE LAND/BUILDING SITES REALTORS®: Mike Raymond, Broker • Linda Garrity, Realtor • Cathy Hahn, Assoc. Broker, ABR/GRI.

Larry Dean, Realtor • Jake Patten, Realtor • Jess Smith, Realtor • Sue Nichols, Assoc. Broker • Gail J. Englund, GRI

NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS

Red Pine Realty • (800) 387-9599LD

Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track River.

MLS#6031740 $52,900

40 ACRE SOLITUDE

Off grid 40 acre parcel with small pond surrounded by wildflowers, ferns and raspberry bushes. Located in an area with plenty of trails to explore. Near Tom Lake. Seasonal access by 4WD vehicle. Year round access by OHV, snowmobile, cross country ski, snowshoes, dog sled or paratrooping!

MLS#6098405 $49,000 ROLLING TERRAIN & POND

Deep woods and private access to Lost Lake. Good road access and many building site options. Beautiful beaver pond and creek split the 20 acre property. Lost Lake is a tucked-away gem with limited private property and no public access. Good trout fishing and moose sightings. This is a remote retreat property with the added bonus of lake access on a pristine wilderness lake. MLS#6098652 $38,900

500’ ON MONS CREEK.

Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land.

MLS#6029353 $37,000 BEAUTIFUL REMOTE LAND

SALIENG PE N D

Beautiful, remote parcel near Cloquet Lake. Enjoy a mixture of mature forest, young trees, wildflowers and open space. Parcel surrounded by Forest Service land to the south and the west. Walking access to Cloquet Lake by way of 300' path. Quaint stream runs through the southeast corner of the property. MLS#6099470 $36,000

LAND/BUILDING SITES VIEW THE LAKE & PRIVACY This 40 acre tract is a

SOLD

few miles from Grand Marais on a blacktop county rd with power and broadband available. Fantastic views of Lake Superior, with possible 100+ degree views looking up and down the shore. Mature forest with diverse landscape. Many great building sites with great lake views. Potential for buyer to do a residential subdivision. MLS#6098102 $324,900

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES LOT

15.71 acre parcel just 3 miles east of Grand Marais. Good Lake Superior views from multiple building sites. Resort Commercial zoning. Property has been surveyed and wetlands delineated. Subdivision potential.

Access driveway on west boundary line is in place. Great location!

MLS#6098504 $199,900

SOLD

LOT W/ LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

Beautiful 14+ acreage w/ sweeping views of Lake Superior. Gentle slope up east side for a driveway leading to magnificent ridge top views.

Enjoy entire property for private retreat or look into possibility of dividing into separate lots. Nice mix of evergreen and deciduous trees, open areas for enjoying lake view to the south or valley view to the north. Arrowhead Power line runs through NW corner of parcel. MLS#6098647 $175,000

RIDGE TOP 20 ACRES – LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS

SALIENG PE N D

Jack pines, bedrock outcroppings and expansive lake views highlight this large vacant parcel. Only 16 miles east of Grand Marais, near C.R. Magney State Park, Paradise Beach and Myhr Woods Scientific and Natural Area. Good road access with driveway into the property. Power and Broadband are possible here. A magical mountain-top feel and secluded privacy makes for a great retreat or home site. MLS#6100337 $139,900

SPECTACULAR LAKE VIEW.

GREAT LOCATION – 5 WOODED ACRES Only 10 minutes to Grand Marais, this 5 acre parcel is heavily wooded with Expansive lake views good road access.Power and Broadband at the road. Nice mature forest. A and enchanting forest perfect home site! MLS#6095435 $52,900 (218) make387-9599 up a unique 13 • Fax (218) 387-9598 • info@RedPineRealty.com BEAUTIFUL acrePO parcel.Box Just 15938, 14 S. Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604 HOME SITE – NEAR GRAND MARAIS This 5.61 acre lot has adjoining USFS land, mature trees minutes from Grand Marais, and a short and lots of privacy. Just minutes from town on Maple Hill. Power/ walk to Lake Superior's phone/Broadband at the site. Ready for you to build your country home. shore. Power and MLS#6095429 $51,900 Broadband are available. Shared driveway leads almost to the property DEEPLY WOODED 5 ACRES line. MLS#6090230 $132,000 This nice 5 acre parcel has many good building sites, easy access to power and Broadband. Good road access and only 10 minutes to Grand Marais. A INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL great location for a home or cabin near lakes, trails and wilderness.

PARCEL. 234 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich MLS#6095434 $50,900 variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands. MLS#6029820 $129,000

SO SOLD SOLD

LARGE PARCEL NEAR SHORE.

This heavily wooded 12 acre parcel is within a short walk to the shore of Lake Superior. Great lake affect and plenty of privacy. Rough shared driveway in place. Close to Broadband and power. Older travel trailer included. MLS#6090231 $87,900

LOCATION, RECREATION, FOR VACATION

SOLD

These 33 acres are in a great location for your escape cabin. Close to the BWCAW and within walking distance to Cascade Lake. Year-round road access in a secluded part of Cook County. No power, or Internet - you’ll need satellite for that. But, maybe this is the time and place to leave it behind. MLS#6096618 $79,900

LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE. Two parcels with 40 acres near year round road access and power. An easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Shared easement granted to build driveway into property.

Many great building sites. Great recreational area. Easy access to trails and other lakes. MLS#6095113, 6095114 $60,000 each

Nicely wooded parcel on quiet west end of town. Three full city ALin theEN Sstreet lots facing south with city street, curb and gutter, utilities near by. Short I D G walking distance toP the harbor. $59,900 ENMLS#6093024

GRAND MARAIS VACANT LOT.

GRAND MARAIS LOT – DEEP WOODS

This 2 acre parcel is tucked away at the end of a privately maintained road on the west side of Grand Marais. Private setting with good lake effect from Lake Superior, common area across the street for added privacy, and dense forest with nice building sites. Easy access to the bike trail and a short ride to downtown. Private water and sewer. Power is at the lot.

SALIENG PE N D

BUILDING SITE 10 MINUTES FROM GRAND MARAIS Deep wooded lot with 5.31 acres. Power and Broadband.

Good road access. Easy access to trails and lakes. Great spot to build your home in the woods. MLS#6095432 $49,900

20 ACRES WITH LAKE VIEWS Beautiful 20 acre parcel with lake views!! If it's hunting you want, good luck finding 20 acres that can compete. Property borders reservation land on the north and east sides and Federal land to the south. The land is covered with beautiful trees and wildlife! Currently there is no road to the property, which is factored into the asking price. MLS#6094977 $49,000 GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE.

Just minutes from Grand Marais on black top County Rd 7, a 5+ acre lot with easy access to power and Broadband. Good building sites.

MLS#6094099 $42,900

GREAT LOCATION FOR HOME OR CABIN

Just minutes west of Grand Marais on a black-top county road with power at the site, Broadband nearby.

Five acre parcel with southern exposure. Potential Lake Superior views. Very affordable building site!

MLS#6096700 $42,900

LUTSEN MAPLE LOT

Beautiful 5+ acre wooded lot, covered in Maple forest. In the fall this beauty is ablaze with stunning colors. Caribou Lake Public Access nearby, hiking trails, Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort, Gitche Gumee bike trail and all the things the North Shore has to offer.

MLS#6100024 $59,500 DEEP WOODS HIDE-AWAY IN GRAND MARAIS

Nice, heavily wooded 1.86 acre parcel on private dead-end road on the west end of Grand Marais. Close to bike trail and easy walk to downtown.

Private water and sewer, shared road maintenance, power at site. A very private and secluded location. Enjoy privacy and northwoods seclusion, yet only minutes to the coffee shop. MLS#6100025 $59,500

WOODED SECLUSION IN GRAND MARAIS.

Several great wooded lots on the west side of Grand Marais, a mile from down town. Close to the bike trail with privacy on a dead end road. Septic and wells allowed, power and broadband available. MLS#6087223 &

6087226 PENDING, MLS#6087228 $59,500 WOODS, VIEWS AND PRIVACY Nice lot only 4

miles from Grand Marais on county road. Potential Lake Superior views from a high lot with dense forest.

Great location for your home or cabin. Close to trails and all the recreational opportunities in the area. MLS#6096711 $56,900

HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS Nice 5 acre property close to town on black-top county road. power and phone at the lot.

Broadband available. Dense woods and potential Lake Superior Views.

Close to hiking, bike trails and all the wilderness adventures you desire.

MLS#6096706 $54,900

MLS#6098003 $39,700 TAIT LAKE PINES LOTS

Private & peaceful location in Lutsen, MN with its own hiking trails, outstanding views/settings, maintained roads, year-round accessibility, access to power, a calm and serene overall vibe and deeded lake access to Tait Lake!!

Close to the Superior Hiking Trail, many more inland lakes and trails, Lutsen Ski Resort, Superior National Golf Course and access to food/beverage. 2+ acre lots are priced to sell.

MLS#6098275 $39,250, MLS#6098276 $43,250, MLS#6098277 $42,000 REMOTE PEACE & QUIET Hide away in this beautiful

dense forest, with remote trails and private lake access to Lost Lake, a limited private property lake with no public access, and trout! Twenty acres of rolling topography and nice building sites for your cabin retreat.

MLS#6098653 $36,900 REMOTE WOODED HIDE-A-WAY This 20 acre parcel is

remote and has nice southerly exposure. Deeded access to Lost Lake gives you a place to fish and listen to the loons. It’s a lake with limited private property and no public access. Great area for ATV’s and miles of roads to explore. MLS#6098654 $34,900

FORTY ACRES NEAR FINLAND

Old homestead property in “Cramer” adjoining state land, and very close to Cramer Lake. No road access.

MLS#6095233 $34,900

www.RedPineRealty.com • Locally owned and operated since 1996 • info@RedPineRealty.com 54

DECEMBER 2021

NORTHERN WILDS

CATCHLIGHT

Canada Lynx This young lynx was one of four kittens with their mother. This particular one was very curious, and snuck through the brush up to where I was on the roadside and just sat down. I’m thankful for the poses it gave me. This occurred in the Superior National Forest near a Boundary Waters entry point.

T — homas Spence NORTHERN NORTHERN WILDS WILDS

DECEMBER NOVEMBER 2021 2021

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BLUE RHINO

Propane Exchange $21.99