Birch Lake

 Some wonderful and gracious friends of mine invited me to their beautiful home on Birch Lake which is halfway up the Gunflint Trail. When I left on Tuesday morning I had a half inch of snow at my house and they had 2 inches of snow at their house. I travel up Highway 61 and took a big left in Grand Marais. I was excited to see a snowshoe hare leap across the road. Halfway up the Gunflint I began to worry. Am I doing the right thing because this looks like a lot of snow. Despite using my heated wires in my back window I cannot see out of it because my back tires kicked up snow that covered the window. I met them at the corner of the Gunflint Trail and the county road that leads to their road. A decision was made that I would not attempt to go up their road but to park instead at the intersection of the county road and their road. They walked back to their car and asked me to follow them. I sincerely regret postponing replacing my tires. I have three nearly bald tires and one good tire due to having a flat going over the George Washington bridge in New York City 12 months ago. I could not move from the spot where I was on the Gunflint Trail. I could not move forward nor backward. My friends noticed I wasn't coming and walked back to give me a couple of pushes and I proceeded to park where they suggested. By the time I left this morning they had 20 inches of snow. With a couple more pushes, some heavy duty shoveling, and a couple cups of salt and sand, I got on my way home again. We had a good time. These friends of mine feed the birds. Chickadees and blue jays and pine grossbeaks (see picture above) get black sun flower seeds. When the Canadian jays come that walnuts are set on the deck railing for them to enjoy. This morning as I lie awake and watching the birds feed from my pillow, I saw the little hand of my friend extended and a black capped chickadee was fed from her hand. I had a wonderful adventure on the Gunflint trail walking through the deep snow, talking with friends, eating together, and enjoying winter (even though this is still fall). I have an appointment in the near future to replace my tires. Although it might have been a smart decision to postpone this visit I am glad I went.