| All Saints' Day |
Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other's faults and failures. -- Mother Teresa (circa 1970) |
| November 2nd | With any luck the lake should freeze this month, although history has shown that the chances of that happening are only slightly better than 50-50. |
| November 3rd |
In spring when maple buds are red, We turn our clocks an hour ahead; Which means, each April that arrives, We lose an hour out of our lives. Who cares?!?!?!? Because when autumn birds in flocks Fly south, then back again we turn our clocks, And so regain a lovely thing: That missing hour we lost in spring. -- Phyllis McGinley, circa 1950 (with minor modifications) |
| November 4th | It's amazing how different some things can be from year to year. For example, consider the section of the Mississippi River where it runs along Highway 2 between Grand Rapids and Cohasset. A few years ago there was lots of wild rice AND lots of Muskrat lodges. Last year, due to the high water in the spring, there was NO wild rice there. This year there is again lots of wild rice BUT NO Muskrat lodges. Interesting, eh? Click HERE. |
| November 5th | The old Wilderness Pub, which was 8 or 10 miles north of Grand Rapids on Highway 38, is being remodeled even as we speak, and is due to re-open around the first of the year as the "Cedar Creek Grill". It was open for a few years and then went out of business 3 or 4 years ago. We all hope it does better this time. |
| November 6th | The pontoons are FINALLY nestled into their winter home on the shore.......nearly a month later than normal. Thanks Sarge. |
| November 7th | Nobody is interested in this; it's just here for historical purposes so that come next Spring I'll be able to find out (this time for sure) how much fireplace wood I go through in a winter. This winter's supply is 121 square feet on the face which, at 17 inches deep equals 171 cubic feet or just a tad over 1 1/3 cords.......which does't sound like much. Will it be enough though, and if it is, how much will be left over? Next Spring we'll know (this time for sure). |
| November 8th | The final lake level reading of the year puts it at 1282.44 feet above sea level which is a tad more than 5.5 inches lower than it was when the ice went out in the Spring. That's still the highest it has been since shortly after that, but maybe an inch or so lower than most years at this time. |
| November 9th | LBLR is now ready for snow. The north end is still open and will remain so until late December, but everything else is ready. And, I might add, the final steps were taken just as the snow was falling. Was that "perfect" procrastination or what? |
| November_10th | So long to Deb, Judy, and Sue, who were here this weekend to celebrate Judy's birthday.......Happy Birthday Judy! |
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The monument at Sarge's place is HERE. |
| November 12th |
Hey Stover [my old grade school buddy], did you actually admit that back in the early 1960s, you were the Eddie Haskell of Chesaning Our Lady High School, or did I misunderstand? AND, are we going to get together sometime this winter or what?!?!?! Note added later: Okay Stover, I agree. You were not like Eddie Haskell; he was a two faced jerk and you certainly were not. But you did schmooze with everyone's parents enough so that they all wished their sons would be more like you, or that their daughters would find a boyfriend as nice and thoughtful as that young Stover boy. That was somewhat like Eddie Haskell, was it not? Do you at least agree with that? |
| The Ides | Some of the smaller ponds are now ice covered, most of the south bay of Bass Lake is ice covered, Peterson Bay on LBL is ice covered, and there's even a little ice at this end of the lake. Winter is coming.......resistance is futile! |
| November 14th | On average, the lake should be frozen in a tad less than two weeks. What do you think? Click HERE. |
| November 15th | As per Sarge, Moonshine Lake has been completely frozen for several days already. |
| November 16th | The little ice that was at this end of the lake for the last few days is now completely gone!!!! |
| November 17th | It was warm and rained all night: no ice, no snow, no winter. Sigh....... |
| November 18th | Click HERE. |
| November 19th | Sarge didn't get skunked; he got a deer this evening. Good one Sarge!!!! |
| November 20th | If you've read Some Thoughts About Hunting, you will know that I haven't hunted deer for many many years. In fact the last time I shot a deer was November 19, 1966 (47 years ago yesterday). Sarge's hunting success yesterday (see above) inspired me to "try" hunting again, and after not doing it for so long, I got a spike horn buck. Yes!!!! |
| November 21st | I have been asked how I happen to know the exact date of my previous deer hunt (see above).......and no, it isn't because I have a good memory for dates. It's because I was a junior at Michigan State University at the time, and on that afternoon MSU was playing Notre Dame in what has often been called the football "game of the century". Obviously I was torn between going into the woods to hunt or staying in and listening to the game on the radio. I opted for the former and on that day I got my last deer.......until yesterday of course. To read about the game, click HERE. |
| November 22nd | Last night was the first night of single digit temps; it was 8 degrees as the sun rose this morning. There's lots more ice out there, but still lots more water than ice. The average freeze date is only four days hence, but I doubt we'll make it. |
| November 23rd | President Kennedy was assasinated 50 years ago yesterday. I said this last year at this time, but I'm going to say it again anyway: It is said that everyone in the U.S. remembers exactly what they were doing when they first heard that he was shot. That's true of course, but it only applies to 25% of us. The other 75% of us have since died, were less than 4 years old at the time, or hadn't been born yet. |
| November 24th |
Is there a heat wave coming in? It was a tad below zero at 11:00 last night, but it was 8 above zero at 6:00 this morning. To see a short video from the trail-cam, click HERE. |
| November 25th | The lake froze yesterday. That's two days earlier than the average, eleven days earlier than last year, and the earliest since 2006. Amazing!!! Click HERE to see the stats, and click HERE to see a picture of the ice (which is red). |
| November 26th | Since the lake became totally ice free on May 14th last spring, and since we had "some" ice on the lake begining around November 10th this fall, the lake had ice on it for more than six months this year. |
| November 27th | Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The lake is completely frozen and, as we speak, it's snowing very hard with already 4 inches of fluffy snow on the ground. This is the way Thanksgiving is supposed to be, you know.......over the river and through the woods, to Grandfather's house we go, etc, etc. YES!!!!! Click HERE. |
| Thanksgiving Day |
Speaking of "over the river and through the woods, etc, etc", the kids and grandkids arrived today (at Grandfather's house), but due to their afternoon arrival our traditional TGD feast will be tomorrow. Deb will be arriving tomorrow also. Today we had munchies, a few festive drinks, a fire, and football.......with bangers and mash for supper. Note added later: Here's an update on the bangers and mash: I think ours looks better than the one on Wikipedia. What do you think? Click HERE. Now on to the traditional TGD dinner tomorrow. |
| Black Friday | The Christmas season has begun, and with its beginning comes the end of peace and quiet until Boxing Day, nearly two fortnights hence. Sigh....... |
| November 30th | Last night I was asked if I did any shopping in the early morning hours of Black Friday. Oh my goodness!!! I'm afraid that certain specific, and scarcely to be anticipated, meteorological conditions would have to occur in the infernal regions before I would even consider such a thing.......let alone actually do it. |
