There was some adventurous weather this week, as a Class One tornado touched ground for about ten miles near Verona.
The twister took down many trees and power lines, but didn’t do much damage to homes as it tore through forest mostly.
Some of that storm hit our local area later that day. In just a few minutes it was responsible for taking down trees and power lines and dumping over an inch of rain.
The Big Moose Road was closed for part of the next day, until hot lines could be taken from the road and put to a new pole.
Lots of trees were left littering the road from Big Moose Lake to Big Moose. This was cleaned up the following day. There were some strong winds in that area for sure.
Many loons were just waiting for this storm to pass before setting up their second nests, having lost their first nests to high water.
A trail camera I had originally positioned eighteen inches above water to monitor a nest, found itself halfway under water; probably didn’t do the camera much good.
Checking four lakes today (June 23), I found three nests, none of which had been there last week.
These birds will be getting off a little later than normal now. They should be sitting on their nests through the big July Fourth weekend.
Many pictures taken last year with trail cameras revealed that the public showed little respect for our loons.
Many times I had pictures of five to six kayaks around a platform nest site. One had a guy using a cell phone not a foot from the nesting loon.
Get a long lens and back off, is what I say; or else get ticketed for disturbing wildlife.
Some of the platforms in the area will have signage posted this summer, warning the public to keep watercraft away from the nesting sites.
When a loon is pushed off a nest site in fright, the eggs could be knocked into the water, where they won’t hatch.
Some flowers that you might see if you are out and about this week are little pink upside down bells (twin flower).
Pink flowers on small shrubs along lake shores and in bogs are “bog laurel” or “sheep laurel.”
Small four petal white flowers could be “wood sorrel,” which has a shamrock-like leaf.
It could also be “bunch berry,” which sits on top of a small four-inch-tall plant.
Karen and I went down to Livonia last Saturday, June 21, to see our Grandson Jacob Bills graduate from high school.
On Friday the seniors have a “fun day.” They travel to amusement parks in the area and just spend the whole day letting go.
When the school buses bring the seniors back later that night, they follow local fire company trucks that escort them, horns and sirens blaring.
The driveway at school is lined with flares for their arrival.
This is followed by a big fireworks display and some tears from parents of the 155 outgoing seniors, who received their diplomas the next day.
My daughter Erin, was among those with tears. Jacob is her last to graduate.
The Commencement Speaker was Mr. Tom Kranz, a retiring first grade teacher who had taught many of these graduates.
Scholarships were awarded earlier in the week to save time at commencement.
Jacob received three scholarship awards, which should help in continuing his education at a local community college.
Erin threw a big party for Jacob in her backyard that afternoon for over one hundred and fifty people.
Over 150 friends and family were at the party to visit with and share stories.
The big pot of pulled pork held out, but the salads got a little thin toward the end.
There was a turkey vulture hovering overhead, but there wasn’t much left, so he didn’t bother coming down.
A successful party is one with no leftovers.
Jacob’s congratulatory cake was shaped like a tennis racquet and balls signifying his accomplishments on the court.
The Fourth of July is almost here… where does the time go!
But that’s another story.
See ya.
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Oh, and by the way… I’m looking for a used Hornbeck canoe.
If you have upgraded or have one lying around that you’re not using, please give me a call at (315) 357-5150. My trips to my loon lakes—some two or three miles in—are getting too much for me and my seventy-pound canoe; or even on a cart.