The bear cage has been moved out - he didn;t come back. A mother bear and 2 cubs were also sited so they feared that if the mother or the cubs were trapped it could be more dangerous than just letting them roam. We didn't actually see the cubs and mom.
But last nite we saw a horned owl and her nest - what fun.
The berries are plumped up now that it's rained. So they have something else to eat. That's a good thing !!
The mosquitoes have also plumped up - on my blood I think. But that comes with the rain.
Friday, June 26, 2009
June 2009
We're back at Fr Hennepin after a weekend at Grand Marais with our WIT club. What a beautiful setting with an automatic air conditioner - Lake Superior. We had fun playing cards - won a little money playing Texas Hold em.
Next week when we leave here we're heading to Itasca State Park with some of the family. Then back to Carefree CC - we're excited to head back there for the rest of the summer until fall.
I don't think we'll ever go into a public bathroom without thinking about how disrespectful some people can be when using rest rooms. Yikes - this cleaning crew deserves a medal. I don't think they could possibly pay them enough. Now that the park is full almost daily it's even worse. And the kids play near the bathrooms and stuff the toilets full of paper and grass.
We're having fun and it's already the last weekend of June 2009. Time flies -
Next week when we leave here we're heading to Itasca State Park with some of the family. Then back to Carefree CC - we're excited to head back there for the rest of the summer until fall.
I don't think we'll ever go into a public bathroom without thinking about how disrespectful some people can be when using rest rooms. Yikes - this cleaning crew deserves a medal. I don't think they could possibly pay them enough. Now that the park is full almost daily it's even worse. And the kids play near the bathrooms and stuff the toilets full of paper and grass.
We're having fun and it's already the last weekend of June 2009. Time flies -
Life in June 2009
The McKenzie's are beginning to think about our next stop at Itasca State Park for the 4th of July. It will be good to be at Itasca but we're also looking forward to getting back to our lot at Carefree CC. The month of June at Fr Hennepin has gone much faster than we anticipated. We've gotten into a routine and met some very nice local folks. I don't think I will ever go into another public bathroom without thinking of these bathrooms. These employees who clean these bathrooms are saints - believe me. The things people do are just atrocious. And now that the campgrounds are full almost every day the activity is increasing as well as the bathroom usage.
We spent a weekend at Grand Marais during this month. Grand Marais is so quaint and has a natural air conditioner - Lake Superior.
Friday, June 12, 2009
More Bear News
The bear came back today - same path. Only this time he went into the woods and caught a fawn and killed it and ate it. He sat right there within view and chewed that poor little 3 week old fawn into shreds. All that was left was 4 little legs.
'So they called the CO's back again and they came with a trap to catch it so they can get it out of here.
They hung donuts and sweet frosting in the trap. The tenter had to relocate so they could put the trap near the scene of where it killed the fawn. The albino momma deer was running around like crazy they said - I didn't see her. Denis got some pictures.
So this has been quite an event here in the park. We shall see when we get up in the AM if the bear has been caught. We shall see !!
'So they called the CO's back again and they came with a trap to catch it so they can get it out of here.
They hung donuts and sweet frosting in the trap. The tenter had to relocate so they could put the trap near the scene of where it killed the fawn. The albino momma deer was running around like crazy they said - I didn't see her. Denis got some pictures.
So this has been quite an event here in the park. We shall see when we get up in the AM if the bear has been caught. We shall see !!
Bear excitement in the Park
We had a bear come into the park on Thursday. It was in the other campground and then wandered into a vacant site here near the lake. It then went down to the water and then back up here walking down the road as if there was nothing going on. It was about 4 feet tall on all 4 paws. They figured it weighed about 150 lbs. We called the Conservation Officer for Mille Lacs and they came however most assumed it just got lost and was gone for good. I guess since the berries aren't ripe yet they don't have any food.
The CO's made light of it and joked that he was looking for a picanic basket!
So we thought nothing of it and went about our business. But we did visit each site and notify them to make sure they put all their food in their vehicles and not to leave their dogs out.
Very interesting. This is the first time we have seen a live bear in the wild.
The CO's made light of it and joked that he was looking for a picanic basket!
So we thought nothing of it and went about our business. But we did visit each site and notify them to make sure they put all their food in their vehicles and not to leave their dogs out.
Very interesting. This is the first time we have seen a live bear in the wild.
Fun at the Park
We celebrated a 91st birthday in the park. Doris Carlson asked her family to take her camping to celebrate her birthday. So her 3 sons and daughter and families camped in the park with her and catered to her all week and had a bday party for her. What fun !
I hope I can live long enough to camp in my 90's. She stayed by herself in her trailer and they had a baby monitor for her in case she needed them. She and her husband had camped here at Fr Hennepin for over 50 years.
What a delightful family.
I hope I can live long enough to camp in my 90's. She stayed by herself in her trailer and they had a baby monitor for her in case she needed them. She and her husband had camped here at Fr Hennepin for over 50 years.
What a delightful family.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday June 6, 2009
It's rained from mid-afternoon until early evening. We stocked up on wood tonite assuming there will be a run on it for the AM. There are several no shows and some folks have gone home, especially those in tents with kids. Can't say I blame them.
It's cold on top of it. 40 this AM and 50 today - we can see our breath. Very unseasonably cool - what a spring. We saw the albino deer again tonight but not her fawn.
Sunday is our busiest day as we make sure camp sites are ready for the next group and pick up tags.
It's cold on top of it. 40 this AM and 50 today - we can see our breath. Very unseasonably cool - what a spring. We saw the albino deer again tonight but not her fawn.
Sunday is our busiest day as we make sure camp sites are ready for the next group and pick up tags.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Hello,
I thought I should update this with stories from our summer adventures.
We are camp hosting at Fr. Hennepin State Park on Mille Lacs Lake in Isle MN for the month of June. Aside from Itasca State Park it is our favorite park. Our jobs are mostly to sell wood - we also go get it and stack it at our site and to make sure all the bathrooms are stocked with toilet tissue. We also get wood for our camp fires. When trees are cut down the wood is used for the camp hosts - which is very nice. We use a golf cart to bring it to our site.
We don't get to keep the cart at our site. The former park manager has retired and the Kathio State Park manager takes care of both parks. He has different rules. So we go down to the maintenance building and pick up the cart and do our thing. We check bathrooms at the beach, group camp, boat landing, campgrounds and picnic grounds. Some are pit toilets. Thankfully we don't have to clean the bathrooms or the fish cleaning shack - they have a cleaning crew. We also pick up the tags that campers leave on the post and pick up any garbage they leave at their site and report if their firepits need cleaning out.
Aside from the cleaning crew there is only 1 full time maintenance, grass mower in the park. It's a shame as the limited budget is really limiting what can be done.
More tomorrow........Sharon
I thought I should update this with stories from our summer adventures.
We are camp hosting at Fr. Hennepin State Park on Mille Lacs Lake in Isle MN for the month of June. Aside from Itasca State Park it is our favorite park. Our jobs are mostly to sell wood - we also go get it and stack it at our site and to make sure all the bathrooms are stocked with toilet tissue. We also get wood for our camp fires. When trees are cut down the wood is used for the camp hosts - which is very nice. We use a golf cart to bring it to our site.
We don't get to keep the cart at our site. The former park manager has retired and the Kathio State Park manager takes care of both parks. He has different rules. So we go down to the maintenance building and pick up the cart and do our thing. We check bathrooms at the beach, group camp, boat landing, campgrounds and picnic grounds. Some are pit toilets. Thankfully we don't have to clean the bathrooms or the fish cleaning shack - they have a cleaning crew. We also pick up the tags that campers leave on the post and pick up any garbage they leave at their site and report if their firepits need cleaning out.
Aside from the cleaning crew there is only 1 full time maintenance, grass mower in the park. It's a shame as the limited budget is really limiting what can be done.
More tomorrow........Sharon
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