Today In Eagle HarborJune 7, 2010 We are having wonderful summer weather for the Copper Country. Cool in the mornings and nights with warm sunny days! Absolutely beautiful! The cool weather feels like air conditioning and is keeping the bugs at a minimum. My garden is growing well and I just planted the warm weather veggies last weekend. I looked yesterday and they are already sprouting. Construction has not yet begun on M26 but my plants and bushes are doing well in their containers. I just transplanted some that were in bags to containers and moved them to a different site so the lawns could be mowed. Neil is busy working on his new DVD, Keweenaw Summer. The sky's have been clear blue and makes for wonderful photos. We will let you know by newsletter when it is completed. Our photos shoots of you home or property are still available by contacting us at nharri@northpines.net or by calling us at 906-289-4876, Of course you can do that though our site too. I have been making quilts all winter and will be selling them all summer! Fabric is fun! Coffee break is over and summer is here to stay~
May 21, 2010 Summer has arrived in the Copper Country! I'm not kidding. Lilacs are blooming in Houghton/Hancock and will be blooming here in a few days. They predict 80* for the rest of the week and it may even hit 90*. I can remember a summer like that back in 1980! It has been hot and dry this month. The dragonflies are out early, gobbling up the black flies, but, bring your bug repellent to be safe. Or you can order some from my Avon connection at our site. Construction remains at a minimum for now and is not much of a problem except if you want to exit using the Eagle Harbor road, formally known as the "cut off " road. The old pipe keeps breaking and disrupting their plans. Have a case of water on hand though as those pipes they are replacing are old! Photos and cards are available in almost any picture perfect moment that you would like to remember of the Copper Country as we cant put them all online. Sometimes it may take us a while to find them but we do our best or shoot another for you. Email contact at nharri@northpines.net or sharri@northpines.net or 906-289-4876 and leave a message as I will be in the garden or at the lake! May 13, 2010 Guess where I have been! Out in the garden for 6 weeks! The weather here has been great, anywhere from 45* to 70*, ever since I made the last entry. Even at night the weather has been considerably warm for this time of the year. Well, my fruit trees and bushes are in, my cold weather veggies are coming up. Now with the new water lines my front garden is no more, along with other visual changes in the harbor. It will be interesting to see how the look of the harbor changes with the construction, but, its only just begun. Neil has another new camera, better than the last. I can hardly wait to see what else he does with it. For now, everything is still the 9 DVD's of the Copper Country. If you want a photo shoot of you property be sure to contact us. We have a few lined up for now...we haven't forgotten you. April 1, 2010 Are we just April fools, or do we still need mittens?? It has been a beautiful warm week with temperatures in the 60's yesterday even here at the lake! It is supposed to hit 70* today! I have my garden all ready to plant now. I have made it larger to accommodate my fruit trees and berry bushes. I weeded a side garden patch that hasn't been weeded in years! Oh my, what a job. I replaced the bare spots with sand and hopefully it won't be too hard to weed next time! Snowball bushes anyone? I've dug out about 20 new plants from the mother plant. I didn't realize that they sent out suckers just like lilacs. If you live nearby and would like one just email us or call and arrange to pick one (or two) up. Neil is learning how to narrate and change his DVD's. I can't wait to see the finished products! I have been quilting all winter, making lots of beauties that just need bindings finished. That will be this week as it is supposed to rain. Breakfast is almost ready now. March 11, 2010 Winter is over for the most part, here in Eagle Harbor. It has been a week of warm weather, 40*-50*, with rain last night. This sleepy little town is beginning to come to life as we who stay here all winter begin again to spend time outdoors. As for me, my garden is my first choice! I have cleaned up the winter debris that is left from plowing snow and carting wood for the fireplace. We have walked our favorite path along the lake, watching our dog nuzzle her head in the snow and frisk around in delight. Now the real work begins as I need to dig up weeds and prepare my gardens for spring. I plan to enlarge my vegetable garden as it was such a success last year. We still have another case of tomatoes that I canned. I ordered a few fruit trees and blueberry bushes for my yard, now that I found an area that is more protective of the winter winds. Neil has been busy at MTU learning how to change his photos to video with narration. Let's see what he comes up with from that. I just put online some more aerial photos of the area and a magnificent long look at Manganese falls, from the ground of course. Our Spring photo special has begun again with a CD of your home, cottage or property. Look at the site for details or contact us at nharri@northpines.net
Well, that groundhog was right! We are supposed to get another foot of snow here in the Copper Country! We had a nice few weeks there with temperatures in the 30's made it like a heat wave! The winter enthusiasts will have fun for a few more weeks. Neil has been out fishing and brought back a splake, and another time brought back some smelt. It sure is nice to have some fresh fish although Peterson's Fish Market on Quincy hill has some great, fresh fish. I have been quilting and planning my summer garden. A few more raspberry, blackberry and blueberry bushes will be a part of this years garden. I also ordered some plum and pears which I really enjoy too. You guessed it! I have been dreaming of spring! A few more days and this month will be over. March is always threatening us with that last "St Patty's Day storm" but I see it as winters last HURRAH, or "Salt on the Snow" a Finnish saying for the seasons last wet snows. People are enjoying Neil's last DVD's, Copper Mining History and Isle Royale Summer. I'm not sure what he has in mind for this year, although Manganese Falls photo in black and white is one of my favorites. Coffee break is over~
I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day along with the Presidents Day that followed so quickly! I can remember in my childhood making paper hats out of newspapers. Amazing how well they came out and we would wear them and play George Washington and his armies. The newspaper came in handy for making hats and kites! The weather here is back to winter again. We had a 2 week reprieve from snow and wind as it all went south. That sure was nice. The official "groundhog" says that we will have 6 more weeks of winter. Although the temperature is in the 20's with the wind and snow it seems cooler. We were actually in a snow drought there for a while and not even up to the average of 118" for this time of the year. February is soon over and on to March. Anything can happen then but in my mind its the start of spring! I have ordered fruit trees and fruit bushes for my garden. Instead of paying shipping costs I opted for a few more blueberry bushes. I hope to expand on my raspberry patch as they have been doing so well. We just had some for dessert with our Valentines dinner and they tasted just like I was out in the yard picking all day! I had great success with my vegetable garden last year. We still have canned and frozen tomatoes and we just finished the last cabbage in our salads. We still have one little potato left. I didn't use it as it looks like a duck! Maybe I will let it sprout and plant it! I got 10 lbs. of huge potatoes last year from planting 3 sprouting potatoes. What fun, I really enjoy gardening. I just bought some Burpee seeds to begin again. I may even expand it a little more since it did so well last year. I have been busy making quilts, mittens, and completing sewing projects by request. Neil just started again with Ice Fishing and brought home a splake. It was yummy. Kaisa enjoyed the scrap tidbits too! The grouse has appeared at the apple tree and has been nibbling buds. It is so grand to see the deer in the harbor returning as it has been years since we have seen the herds that were here in the late 80's. I haven't seen the fox yet but have seen his path to and from the lake. I believe his den is under the ceder trees along the lake as that is the direction of the paths. The deer are still tempted by my silk poinsettias out front. I see they have tried to nibble a few again this year! Well, coffee break is over! Back to work! January 26, 2010Happy New Year to all my readers! I can't believe it has been a month since I've written!Our thaw is over now. We had almost 2 weeks of temperatures in the 30's. We even had 2 days of rain! Our snow in the Harbor was down to almost 6".Well, "the bear rolled over" and as of last night we now have snow again, with temperatures in the single digits. Back to winter again. The water is still open in the Harbor and has turned silver. Makes me think of mercury, shimmering back and forth which in itself is pretty, but, I still prefer the cobalt blue of the winter season. The wildlife is venturing out again, looking for choice morsels to chew. Kaisa our Brittany keeps me informed when they venture into our yard. We can always tell when the grouse come out of their nest from under the evergreens. All of the wildlife like to visit our compost pile as we don't cover it in the winter. Neil shakes off a few more apples from the tree for the deer to feed. I haven't seen "mr. fox", as of yet, although his straight footprints path tells me he has been around. I sure enjoy seeing the variety of birds at the feeder. I have been busy cooking, cleaning and quilting. My goal is to get through my stockpile of fabric by making up one quilt of what I have newly purchased and then one quilt of a plan that I have held on to for years. It seems to be working. One of my friends in my quilting circle told me to make a list. Well it is sure nice to be able to cross off a quilt on the list! Just 2 months until Easter! My favorite time of the year. All is new again as the temperatures rise and I get to see some of my favorite relatives and friends. Of course I get to begin again in my garden which is my favorite warm weather pastime. I was tempted to pull a few weeds yesterday as the rain melted the snow on my vegetable garden. But, now, back to winter for it's last hurrah for the winter. Coffee break is over now. Back to work!
Another year is passing us by! We want to thank everyone for visiting and purchasing items at our site, while wishing you a great New Year to come. Our year will be starting out with cold and snow. Yesterday was such a sunny day and a real gift for us year round residents. As you travel through the towns you can see the snowmobilers taking the place of the hunters! I see the younger people heading to Mount Bohemia for skiing on our expert hills and the cross country trails ski trails here in town and Calumet are sharing in the winter sports. For me, it's snowshoes. I really enjoy a walk in the woods at any time of the year. It is truly a "winter wonderland". Our Keweenaw Mountain Lodge is now open for the winter fun too! For me I will spend my winter days quilting. I have accumulated fabric from years of "shop hopping" through the U.P. and have fun adventures with my quilting group. I am aiming at completing, at least a "top" a week. That may not happen though as I enjoy cooking and decorating as well. And of course there is always cleaning. I got such a laugh at the title of a book, "throw out 50 things". What a great way to look at cleaning and reorganizing. My quilt fabric has taken over my stained glass workshop room and I really need to get it back! The days are getting longer now for those of you who don't enjoy winter and it's only 3 months until Spring! Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!. The snow is falling here in Eagle Harbor. We are expecting another big storm to hit today and it looks like it has already started. The nissu is baking in the oven right now, the decorations are up, most cards are sent out, and I am remembering what it means to me to be forgiven of my sins with the birth of our Lord. I have been quilting over the last few weeks as the ideas are piling up. I have some new patterns and ideas for wool rugs made in the way that the pioneer women made them. I will have to give it a try. And another cute kitchen hand towel as a gift from a friend. Can't wait to try that one. So many ideas and the time just flies by. But, the quilts will have to come first. I have four lined up for top quilting. Two small and one large and one king size that I have been procrastinating on completing because of the size. It has 101 pieces in it's main block. Whew! I'm glad that one is done! I have been saving odd pieces of fabric for another scrap quilt or 3. I enjoy the way random color and patterns mix in scrap quilts. They seem extra warm when I look at them for some reason. The snow plows are just zooming by and the fireplace is lit giving us a warm glow to our home. I can smell the nissu baking in the oven so I think it is time for me to check up on them! Again Merry Christmas!
Well, are we ever getting a storm. I had to let Kaisa, our Brittany out the front door as there was a 5 foot drift at the back. She never goes out front as we live right on the highway. This was really strange for her. When she went to return she hopped over the drift and huddled at the back door where the snow was only about a foot. I was still unable to open the door. Alas, after calling and coaxing I had to put on my winter gear and encourage her to the front door. The fierce wind is from the east and blows my front door and walk clean! Thank goodness. I think I will spend the day quilting until the storm stops and I can clear the drift at the back door. I started a new kaleidoscope quilt with mostly yellow, blue and pink tulips and butterflies! It is really soft looking with gold outlines along each flower. My winter garden! December 4, 2009 4:00PM Winter is here! Winter is here! I can hardly see across the street! morning: Finally winter has arrived here in Eagle Harbor, but, with only a dusting of snow. Today they are predicting a storm with west winds and a foot of snow at least. I thought it would be on the ground by now, but, we have only a light dust falling. Usually by Christmas we have quite a bit on the ground so there is some "catching up" to be done. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. Now is the time to continue all that great cooking. I am contemplating making a Gingerbread house. I used to make them years ago, let them dry out, wrap it up and save it from year to year. It really lasted a long time, surprisingly until another box fell on it! I am thinking I would like a real tree this year. Not a large one but, a table size. Or maybe just decorating the evergreens in our front yard. Well, enough dreaming. I have complete two beautiful quilts that I just put online. One for Christmas and one Kaleidoscope floral. Today I will be continuing to make Christmas Cards as I have an order to fill and of course more Recycled Mittens as we are almost sold out! South of us got a foot of snow so maybe we will too! Back to work! Check out the desktop sandbox. It brings back sweet summer memories of walking the shores of Lake Superior! November 23, 2009 The weather is unbelievably warm, 49* today, overcast yet warm! (for us anyway!). I have been busy getting products ready for our site. A few more kitchen sets to complete, cradle baskets to make and a beautiful chintz flowered kaleidoscope quilt in the colors of soft yellow and light blue. I almost want to keep it for myself! My days are numbered for completing these items, especially with Thanksgiving coming up this week! I am cooking Turkey of course! Neil will probably go hunting as the season is still open. It gives me more time to get my projects completed. Especially since my thread order arrived today! I found a wonderful site where everything is made in the U.S.A. I almost want to go outside to work in the garden. There are still some last minute things to get done before winter. I see my peonies are ready to be cut down and the seed pods planted. The same with some of the lilies that I have. Of course the raspberries can be cut and tied up too. Maybe I will since the weather is still so mild and I have everything I need for Thanksgiving dinner. Well, a long phone call from a dear friend and my time is over. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! November 4, 2009 We have had threatening clouds, but, no snow, while other parts of the U. P. have had a dusting and slush. Today is overcast but, it has brought us a swan. It doesn't have the markings of a trumpeter so I will have to look it up in my bird book to identify, unless you know what kind it may be. We have been enjoying the tomatoes from my garden. The last dozen are finally ripening in my kitchen along with the last two spaghetti squash. A few little butternut remain. I hope next years garden does just as well. The 10 lbs. of potatoes was sure a surprise. And they were huge! They we planted from just 3 little scruffy things that were growing in my potato bin. I will have to try that again next year. We finally got concord grapes to grow after years of trying. I hope Neil will build a larger trellis to hold them. I have been busy making Christmas Cards from the Phoenix Church winter photo. They really came out nice. Neil is such a great photographer. That is just one of my favorites. The next favorite is the single deer in the snowy woods. I will have to finish the card and put it online. Another project that has taken up my time is the quilt completion. It is wonderful to see the quilts that women have been making and I get to be a part of their work too. The ones that have come across my quilting frame have been just so beautiful. I especially enjoyed the recent Beatrix Potter quilts as all those little animals are just so cute. We picked apples for a pie this past weekend and they were really great. We have quite an abundance of good apples this year. Today's projects will be quilting again. I have a lovely name quilt to get on the frame. I have been working on a quilt for my niece who is getting married in Dec. It is so lovely. She will surely be surprised when she sees it. I began Mitten Monday again with a few to start. I am now working on a kitchen set of towel, dishcloth and cookie cutter. I hope I can complete it soon as the Holiday season is coming up fast. Neil is finished with the "Autumn Special" of your home and we will be changing it to the "Winter Special" soon. I find over the years that 2 weeks before Christmas the snow starts daily and we have such a beautiful white Christmas season. Well, coffee break is over and quilting will begin!
While many towns are having their first snow, we are having rain with periods of sunshine! The golden birch and aspen are spectacular. This is surely a beautiful fall for us in the harbor.It is great to finally begin an officially cooler season. Fall is my second favorite after Spring. The gardens are up, the green tomatoes have turned red and soon winter will begin. I am now beginning to complete mittens. What a great way to use up those sweaters and wool clothing that I have saved for so long. Lining them with sweatshirt material makes them completely "green" and so toasty warm. I think that along with a quilting project that needs completion will be my target work for this week. Neil's photo of the Phoenix Church in the snow has been a success for Christmas Cards. I hope to get a great photo of the card online today. Kaisa our Brittany has hunting fever. She finds the grouse, "flat rabbits" and "flat squirrels" and brings them back to us. Our woodpile has grown over the last few weeks and now the fireplace is always lit. Deer hunting will be the next event for us in our efforts to prepare for winter. We have so many wonderful recipes for venison that maybe in time I will make a cookbook of all our favorites. My snow stakes have to go in this week too, to protect my young trees from plowing. The suet feeders are full and the sunflower seeds are yet to be put out. I hope in the meantime they enjoy the pumpkin seeds that are being put out today. I haven't seen our usual wildlife this year. Come to think of it, the squirrels and chippies are scarce too. I haven't even seen Mr. Fox who frequents are yard. Hmmm? I wonder where they have gone.
The weather has surely changed from our beautiful September. Now we have the reminder of what is to come in the next few months. Our Winter Wonderland has begun with a tease of a few inches which didn't remain. But, the message is clear. Get ready for Winter. Gathering and canning the garden veggies, bringing in and re-potting the houseplants, stockpiling wood, put all the summer clothes away and replace them with the sweaters. It's always fun to see just "how much" snow falls. If we do get a reprieve from the weather, I have to remember to feed the lawn too! Boy, it would sure be great to get out to the garden one more time and clean out the weeds, and get the snow stakes in so my bushes are marked for plowing. I better do that soon before the ground freezes. I noticed the lilacs that my son in NY gave me are just thriving in the hot, dry, soil that I planted them in. Lets hope they continue to grow. The red colors of autumn have fallen in most places here. Now what remains is the gold of the birch and aspen interwoven with the deep green of the pines. So beautiful to see on your way to Copper Harbor, especially at Lake Bailey. It is surprising to see how few leaves have fallen in spite of the seasonal changes. The orders for Note Cards and Christmas Cards are coming in now. Each night I am loaded down in the corner of the living room producing cards while watching my favorite TV programs. I have a few days now to catch up on Mitten Monday, and Quilt completion orders. I am now making simple labels for quilts too. I like to make a few drawings on the labels, flowers, hearts, bunnies, to replicate the flavor of the front of the quilt. Neil has been taking photos of the color that remains. He will be coming out soon with our Winter Specials and making plans for what is next to come. Back to work, my coffee break is over! September 8, 2009 Labor Day Holiday is passed and the children are back at school. We have such beautiful and warm weather, in the 80's. this really makes up for the cool July. I am now getting squash and pumpkins in my garden along with the abundance of raspberries, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, snow peas, onions and chipmunks. I have to pick quickly before they sample everything. I wish my garden snake would hurry up and catch him before it takes a bite out of everything! Getting ready for winter is our busiest time now. I like to do a lot of canning. I have already made our favorite tomato relish. I will be making ketchup too this year, along with just plain canned tomatoes. You guessed it. I have an over abundance of tomatoes this year. My yellow tomatoes have ripened much faster than the traditional red. I have been enjoying BLTs along with homemade white bread that I make. The next projects will be to empty out our freezer of berries and make some pies. I noticed it is 3/4 full of berries. Our winter supply of venison will be arriving soon along with Neil's special spaghetti sauce and my favorite meatloaf. This year we might make some sausage too. Lots to think about. I think this year I will make some new drapery for the porch and kitchen. I sure wish I had time to start the stained glass projects that I have lined up. But, alas, my "glass" room is full of quilting supplies....More fun to come. Neil has been busy nightly making wood for the winter and planning his hunting season and I am looking forward to the winter snows and the extra time that I will have to continue all my craft ideas. Well, coffee break is over. Time to get busy again. This time I need to "SAVE" these thoughts!
The weather now has turned cooler and there is no longer the crowds at our beautiful beach. The days are getting shorter with the warning that fall is on the way. Soon we will be seeing all the colors of autumn with the trees in all their splendor. My veggie garden is still doing well and the tomatoes are getting huge. I think I finally found the perfect spot for growing vegetables. My flower garden is now fading. I didn't plant any annuals this year and I could have use some for the bare spots. The perennials have long since faded and have gone to seed. My geraniums across the street on the other hand have continued to blossom in spite of not having many of the leaves that geraniums have. The wildlife has not been as visible as in the past. Although with the new flock of geese in our harbor, I'm surprised that people don't know how wonderful a sausage they can be made into. Much better than any other I have tasted. Neil has seen bears this summer in the Phoenix area but, I have yet to see one. We used to see them quite frequently in our yard but, our dog Kaisa keeps them away. They can be quite frightening when you see them up close, bending your Shepard's hook to the ground. Neil has been busy working on a new DVD, "Keweenaw Summer". He has developed some new ideas on making it a special treat for those who love Keweenaw as we do. His latest as of July, "Isle Royale Summer" and "Copper Mining History" are fantastic and in the local shops. If you cant find them be sure to check out our site or give us a call. If you are in the neighborhood you may stop by as we always try to have a supply on hand in our office. Our "Summer Special" is still available if you would like a CD of your home, cottage or business. They also make wonderful note cards or Christmas cards for the special persons in your life. Most of the photos can be enlarged or reduced for note cards. Christmas Card orders are coming in now, so if there is a photo you would like made into a card be sure to contact us and let us know. nharri@northpine.net or by phone at 906-289-4876. You can see a few samples of the cards I make on our site. I have many more to choose from, too numerous to put on the site for viewing. Enjoy the upcoming holiday! Coffee break is over.
It has been a busy summer in spite of the cool weather. My veggie garden is growing and producing fresh veggies for daily dinners. The flower garden is blooming with a few new flowers. The weeks have been just flying by. Neil and I have been out to Keweenaw Point picking bilberries and thimbleberries. So juicy and sweet! Neil has been busy keeping the local shops supplied with our newest DVD's, Isle Royale Summer and Copper Mining History, besides taking photos for our "Summer Special" and "Keweenaw Summer". His new camera is wonderful! He has been practicing with nighttime photos now too, of our Eagle Harbor lighthouse of course. I have been making note cards to accompany the shops and even have Christmas Card orders coming in. The popular ones are Phoenix Church at Christmas and Eagle Harbor Lighthouse at Christmas. I especially like the "Eagle River Deer in the Snow" as I enjoy the abundant wildlife in the Keweenaw. I am still looking for the winter view of the Holy Transfiguration Skete that Neil took a while back for our first Christmas card order. I am looking forward to winter and getting back to making quilts and my new product of recycled mittens from sweaters and sweatshirts. It makes a double thick mitten that keeps my hands toasty warm all winter. They were popular for the few early months of the year when I began making them. Check out the "Mitten Monday" section of our site this Autumn to see what I have made. I have a new supply of sweaters with some really nice flowers, designs and patterns that I am excited to work on. Or, if you are coming by our home this fall, stop in and see what I have made. I tell people "if the front door is open, you are welcome to visit" providing you like dogs of course. Our Brittany, Kaisa is my barking doorbell and personal greeter to all who enter. Well, again coffee break is over, talk again soon. July 26, 2009 We finally got the rain! Everything has been so dry, and need I say cool? We get 1-2 days of 70's and then it quickly turns back to 50's. I am sure glad I planted mostly cool weather veggies. My snow peas just love the cool temperatures. We have been out to our cousins farm and picked almost 46 lbs of strawberries, and we were given pails of homemade strawberry ice cream! wow! What a gift! The bilberries and blueberries are just starting to turn. The thimbleberries are almost ready. Picking time will begin shortly! Everything is late this year because of the cool weather. Gee, I don't ever remember a cool July, August maybe..... The weather hasn't stopped Neil and his photos. We just put out in the shops and online our two latest DVD's. Copper Mining History and Isle Royale Summer. I have been busy making his photo note cards for Fort Wilkins, Copper World and Calumet Floral. My kitchen hand towels and dish cloths are flying off the shelves too. I need to make more time for the quilts that need finishing. This week I made 3 cases of Strawberry jam, 2 cases of Thimbleberry jam, 1 case of Blackberry Jelly, a few jars of Raspberry, Currant and 2 tiny jars of Wild Strawberry. Yum! Now I can have toast all winter and a few gifts too! Coffee break is over now~back to crafts!
I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July celebration of our freedom. We had a few warm days then and enjoyed the outdoors and the holiday company. Neil was flying over Copper Harbor for the 4th and took some marvelous photos of the fireworks from the air. I am going to try making note cards out of some of them (look for them at Fort Wilkins) and of course Copper World in Calumet. It seems the crowd recognized him in the air and pretended to shoot him down with their potato cannon, what fun! He really got some remarkable photos which will be added to his upcoming DVD of Keweenaw Summer. I'm glad I got my veggie garden in when I did. I planted mostly cool weather crops and they are really loving the cool weather we have. My poppies have finished their blooms now and I am impatiently waiting for something to bloom and take their place. I have a few daylillies blooming, a peony, delphinium, shrub roses and foxglove trying to weather the cool temperatures.. My smoke tree survived the winter and should be blooming any day now. I finally stained our outdoor chairs that had peeled terribly. They look great again now, perched on the platform out front. Neil has been faithfully working on his next 2 DVD's each night, trying to choose the best of hundreds of new photos of Isle Royale and Keweenaw for his new summer versions. Isle Royale Summer will be in the shops this week and Keweenaw Summer will be soon to follow. His Copper Mining History DVD has been a big hit so far. If you can't find it in the local shops, just give us a call. There is still time for Neil to take aerial photos of your home for our Summer Special. Enjoy the sunshine and wonderful breezes today! A whole week of summer! How glorious! Wild Strawberries are ready if you can find a nice patch. I remember when the strawberry patches were so expansive that my mother would make wild strawberry jam in quart sized jars! Of course that would be a whole day of picking with mom. My garden is blooming now with it's third showing of blooms. First the bulb garden which was a mixture of varieties, then the candy-tuft with its white mounds and now the poppies with colors ranging from burnt orange to coral with fringes, to pinks, pale pinks, pink tinted white and finally pure white. Now to just get a purple plant and it will be complete with the color ranges. I never planned to have so many poppies, but, they are so easy to grow and so spectacular in show, that I let them reseed by themselves with the few sprinkling of the pinks by me. A little rain today will be greatly appreciated as I have yet to water out in the front garden. Oh my, I still haven't planted my lettuce or zucchini. I have tomato plants by the dozens as I used 5 loads of soil from my compost pile. I bet most are from a farm in Baraga that gave us an abundance of tomatoes last year. I just began planting the warm weather vegetable seeds so there is some waiting time now. I see the beans are starting to poke through. Enough said about the garden. Neil has been busy taking photos and making his new DVD's. His Copper Mining History came out yesterday. It has spectacular sights of Keweenaw's Copper Ridge. My curiosity peaks when I saw the man made mine entrance hole cut out high in the cliffs along the Ontonagon, Rockland ridge. I enjoyed seeing the extent of the rock-piles still remaining and the overview of each of the towns nearby. As I am not a native of the Copper Country it gives me an enlarged view of the expansive mining that took place years ago. Neil has photographed Isle Royale for his Summer DVD of that unique vacation spot and is busy making that DVD to be out next. In line, after Isle Royale Summer, is Keweenaw Summer which is already photographed. I surely hope everyone is enjoying the glorious weather, sunsets and views as I am. The dragonflies are out now and gobbling up the black flies. If you haven't taken the lake shore tour of Keweenaw, be sure to take a drive and see the great beauty of Keweenaw. June 16, 2009 Summer has finally arrived in Eagle Harbor! We broke weather records of 3 days in a row 50* or below since 1961. That didn't seem to stop the growing season at all. The plants and flowers in my yard are thriving and have continued their sequence of blooms. Now is the beginning of the lilacs blooming. I have purples, reds and pinks in my yard and I spotted a white in my neighbors front yard. The fragrance from all of them is just wonderful. My poppy plants have reseeded all over the front yard. As soon as I can see what colors they are, some will be moved. I am looking forward to my long awaited Patty's Plum Poppy. It has 3 buds on it this year. My new vegetable garden is thriving too. I hope I don't have to do battle with the squirrels for the results!Next will be the touch up painting that needs to be done. A few chairs and doors will get a fresh new look. Neil has been busy with his new camera. The next DVD will be of the copper mines and ghost towns. I have seen parts of it and it is really interesting to see the overview of them from the plane, plus one unidentified mine entrance high in the cliffs out towards Ontonagon. That should be completed and out online and in the shops by this weekend. The next DVD's soon to follow will be of Lighthouse of the U.P., Isle Royale Summer, and relaxation video's of Manganese Falls in Spring and Sunset in Eagle Harbor. Summer families are returning now and the activities are beginning for another season of fun! May 31, 2009 Spring is trying to remain in Eagle Harbor, but, the cool winds from Canada give us a chill. The black flies are not here yet because of the cool weather. The few hot days we have had (60*-70* is hot for Yoopers) the black flies were here. All of the wildlife has returned, including the bird feeder stealing bears. I saw two raccoons heading to town and our local red fox makes my dog Kaisa crazy as it cuts through the yard and down the road. We have an abundance of Grouse this year and they can be seen everywhere. One stood in the middle of the Eagle Harbor road if full display one day. That was a first for me! Neil is now taking photos for the "Summer Special" orders. The trees here are just so beautiful with the spring colors of lime, peach, and rose colored leaf buds. The summer special is an aerial CD of your home, cottage, or business with one matted photo sized at 11" X 14" of our choice. This gives you the opportunity to make screen savers, cards, stationery, etc. the list is endless of your favorite place in the Copper Country. The cost upon completion is $150.00 with $4.95 shipping and MI State tax of 6% if you are a Michigan resident and ordering from Michigan. Call us at 906-289-4876, or email us at our "Contact Us"site giving the email address of nharri@northpines.net . Neil has a new camera with 22 mega-pixels, video and microphone. He has videos of the spring runoff of the waterfalls in our area and they are spectacular. Expect them to be DVD's sometime this summer along with the lighthouses of the U.P. and a geology DVD which includes the copper mines. I have been continuing to test my back gardening and quilting. The flowers don't seem to care that the weather is cool although my garden vegetables seem to be complaining a bit. We were supposed to have a hard freeze last night so I hurried out and bagged my tomatoes and peppers. My houseplants have been outside since we had the 90* day this month and they seem to be doing OK. Lilacs are budding and about to bloom shortly. The deep purple one I planted 2 years ago is going to bloom this year! I have starts from my son's home in NY beginning to leaf. I was afraid with all the snow on top of them they might not make it, but, they are showing signs of leaf buds. I have many different colors of lilacs of the newer varieties available. I especially like the delicate pink Asian variety. I saw a few buds on my poppies too. The coral one was a showstopper last year. I have many young ones sprouting throughout the yard. I am excited to see what color they are. Especially the one that is supposed to be purple. Right now the candy-tuft and bergenia are in full bloom. If you are in the area be sure to come by and see the flowers. Spring has arrived in Eagle Harbor. The crocus are blooming and the hyacinths and daffodils are just beginning to bloom. This is my favorite season of the year! I can finally get out to my favorite hobby, gardening. Its cool enough to get some serious work done without being bothered by bugs. Hardly a breeze today. I put in a vegetable garden in back of our home. I sifted five wheelbarrow loads of compost and put it in the garden yesterday. I've planted all the cool weather vegetables, so now I have to wait and see. This is a new garden so it will probably need a lot of weeding. Our fruit trees died a few years ago and the weeds took over. It is great to see everything turning green. My forsythia bushes are budding and will be blooming pretty soon now. I've been in the garden all morning making a trellis for my snow peas. I'm learning each year how to care for my raspberries. I pruned, tied and staked them up this morning. My wild yellow raspberry is spreading too. All the bushes are beginning to bud. It is so hard to come indoors while the garden is calling me! Neil has been busy with his new camera. I think he said it was 22 megapixels. It has a microphone built in and can take videos too. He has been busy taking movies of the spring waterfalls. They are just spectacular with all the spring runoff. He will be making a video to put on our site for sale. The pictures I saw last night had rainbows in them and in the waterfall you could see the splashes of water looking like crystal. There is still time to order a CD of your home or cottage from our "Spring Special". Neil will starting the photo orders this weekend and continue on through mid-June. There is still time to place an order by calling or emailing us. Check out all the information on our site. I have now completed the Northwoods quilt and I am ready to begin something new. Our Quilting Shop Hop was successful for my quilting buddy and I. We had a fabulous time touring the U.P. and seeing what other quilters have completed. It seems as if this year they are putting together many different print fabrics. That is my style too. I love lots of color and it shows in my quilts. I picked up many patterns for purses and totes so I am anxious to try them. Of course I bought some fabric to make another kaleidoscope quilt too. That is one of my favorite patterns to make. Well, lunch break is over. Time to begin quilting as long as my garden doesn't call me again! Eagle Harbor missed most of the spring snow and they predict 60* by tomorrow. My garden loved all the rain and wet snow that we did get and my grass is turning green. I'm glad I got out and pulled weeds and cleaned up the garden (6 wheelbarrow loads) before the rain fed those pesky weeds. My garden bulbs are still poking through the soil and will be ready to bud and bloom shortly. No matter how hard winter tries to hang on, spring is definitely here! Robins are spotted all over town. Neil even got a nice photo of a bear! They are out in full force. Thirty four were spotted one day last week at the national park, east of Marquette. Put your bird feeders away as they are probably very hungry! I suppose I should still be making mittens as south of Eagle Harbor got up to 20 inches of snow this week. But, I am quilting in full force for myself and others right now. I made a stack of kitchen hand towels that you can hang up and use. Note cards will be next as they are a favorite too. I am down to the last part of finishing my Northwoods quilt, attaching the last borders, bindings and label. I am excited to see it all together. Our U.P. wide quilt "Shop Hop" starts next week. I am looking forward to seeing what is new in all the shops. It is a two day adventure that my quilting buddy and I look forward to every year. Neil has been busy ordering the latest new Cannon camera and reading about all the great things that it can do. It even has a video portion to it and is able to have a microphone attachment. He will be able to narrate our DVD's now. I am so looking forward to his latest creations with this new camera. It is still not to late to sign up for our spring special of a CD of your home or cottage. It will feature about 12 aerial views and one matted photo. Check out our site for the details. Coffee break is over now and I am ready to quilt! Happy Easter! My favorite holiday! New life for all of us. For me, it also welcomes spring and gardening time! My crocus are blooming and hyacinths are poking through the soil. And the rhubarb! It is making its way through the soil. I usually have rhubarb in May. Soon we will all be outdoors again. We have had so much sunshine, but the temperatures have been cool. They predict a week of 50* now for this third week of April. My garden, here I come! Just in time, the ice in the harbor froze over, and the deer that had wandered onto an ice flow was able to safely make it off the next day. It had all our harbor regulars concerned as we love the wildlife in the area. The herd of deer ran back and forth all day on M26 as if to say "we are waiting for you, but, don't know how to help". I am still quilting for my friends. I have just finished top quilting the special Northwoods quilt, with an original design of evergreens, cedar trees, bears and even a wolf. It came out really great! Because of the size, I have to finish the side panels separately, and then attach them. One of my quilting students really took off and finished a host of beautiful quilts and now I am the finisher. They are so beautiful, and she did them all on her own! Another graduate of the class! Today I will be working on her "Mary Rose Petite". Coffee break is over~ Have a Happy Blessed Easter! April 2, 2009 Well, I didn't get out to my garden! Another 2 inches or so of that wet heavy spring snow has decorated the ground once again! It's being called the "April Fool Storm". The western UP got quite a bit more. This again hasn't stopped spring from coming. The harbor is now melted of its 14" of ice and the pack ice is gone too. The geese are returning, the grouse are coming out from under the trees, and of course Mr. Fox comes through our yard daily. My dog Kaisa lets everyone know when the deer run past the house. I even have had a few ladybugs on my windows! I have been busy finishing quilts for my friends with my quilting system. I have copied and changed a few more patterns and am very pleased with the results! This of course put a hold on "Mitten Monday", but, I think in light of these new storms that are coming across the country, I will probably make a few more pairs. Easter is just around the corner now. This is my favorite holiday. New life is seen everywhere. A rebirth of our land and community, with the promise of new hope. Everything is rising from the dead of winter snow which gave us a peaceful rest here in the harbor. My crocus are peeking through the snow, telling me that soon I will be returning to my garden to care for all my beautiful flowers. Besides all that chicks and bunnies are my two favorite animals! ha-ha. Get ready, soon it will be spring! March 25, 2009 Monday's ice storm hasn't stopped spring from returning to Eagle Harbor. Everything is melting fast. Soon I will be out in my garden cutting back the dead growth from last season. The harbor ice is broken up and the fishing shacks have become a memory. The harbor fox that we all enjoy viewing, was even out on the ice trying to get the fisherman's catch of a nice size salmon. It's nice to see the neighbors bringing out their bicycles and those out walking their dogs. I have been trying hard to get Kaisa to walk on a leash with me. It's still a tug of war though. She has just a one track mind, hunting, hunting, hunting. She was in a perfect point in our yard this week and Neil didn't believe her. Sure enough with a few steps forward she flushed out 2 partridge from our yard. Evidently they have been nesting under the trees all winter.
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