How can it be that I haven't posted for almost a week? It's been busy here at The Point and there is lots of news to report! But first, I want to let everyone know that the furry visitor of last week was a woodchuck- as identified by two Heaths and long-time Crystal Lake resident and good friend, Ann Mikkelsen! Thanks for all the suggestions about what it might be - here's a link with a great photo that is unmistakably my visitor! http://ed.fnal.gov/entry_exhibits/woodchuck/woodchuck.html

So what have I been up to?? I'll try to summarize . . . here goes!

On Friday afternoon, Pete, Tracy & the kids arrived and late that evening Ann finally rolled in for the long week-end. We had lots of fun and got lots done - Saturday and Sunday were cool but sunny so we could be outside and on or near the lake almost all day. There's nothing better than Memorial Day Week-end at the lake!

On Saturday, Pete and I went to get the golf cart I had planned to give Doug for Christmas last year. We picked a cute green one with a tan canopy - it has two seats and lights for night driving. Since I spent lots of the week-end learning how to drive it and testing its utility, I didn't take any photos but I'll post some soon so all can see. I really want it to have a name - and it should have some connection to Doug's old Green Monster - the truck he had converted into his giant roving tool box that sat in our driveway or the driveway at his jobsite for all the years he worked up here near the lake. We had names for lots of Doug's vehicles and equipment - BobbieJean was the bobcat; and Doug's Puddleboat is the miniature platform fishing boat Doug used to cruise the shoreline of the lake. Submit suggestions for her/his name - I know we'll find the right name if we just open up to all the good suggestions! So far, the suggestions include - The Mini-Green Monster; and the Little Green Truckster. Let us hear your ideas so we can find just the right name.

Pete & Tracy brought up their rototiller & lots of seeds and by 10 a.m. Saturday, Pete had the soil in Doug's garden all turned over. And that's all we needed to mobilize the garden crew - Tracy & Bella helped weed around the edges and in the raised bed; then Ann & I went to a local nursery on our way back from dropping off the trailer we borrowed to haul the golf cart home and got seedling tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant and lots of herbs. It took several shifts to get everything "in" due to rainshowers and tired muscles but by the time Ann left on Monday, the garden was done and we had hauled 5 loads of woodchips from her cabin to the garden using the new workhorse of a golf cart. Check out how it looks -

Of course there was good food on the grill; marshmallows and eventually, smores, by the fire; and much Farkeling and Quiddlering in the evenings. We all had a chance to show our skills (or luck) - Bella was definitely the most enthusiastic "roller"; Steven the best scorekeeper; and Alexandra the best all around player!
We also had a couple of slips into the lake & at least one episode of swimming in underwear - that's what we do at the lake!

On Sunday we had our annual lake association picnic and we drove up the road in our new "ride" without anyone hearing us come. The kids went to the picnic with Ann & I and Pete & Tracy got a break for a change! The good news is that the kids met a new friend - Zev, the grandson of neighbors a few cabins down the lake. Having friends at the lake is a MN phenomenon everyone should experience - it's like a whole new world for all concerned. The bonus for Alex and Steven was that Zev's grandparents have a hot tub so they got an invite to hang out there.

Ann & I had happy hours at her cabin - the first night in the cabin; the second night on the pontoon boat. We felt obligated to find some way to use the Havana Club rum they brought back from Mexico. We could use a little help from our friends though - does anyone have good recipes for daiquiris or mojitos?

We had some great bird and wildlife sightings - I've added them to our list but they are worth a special mention - Indigo Bunting at the feeder; Great Blue Heron; plus the regulars. Bella also spotted the ( or another) woodchuck over in the woodpile near the Clubhouse and there is evidence that one or more of them have made a home for themselves under the porch of the Clubhouse.
Pete and Bella got Doug's Puddleboat running and got in a little fishing - they caught some nice sunnies but let them all go so they can grow bigger. And it goes without saying that the mosquitos made their presence known - so what else is new?




Monday the weather was not so nice - cold, windy, cloudy and misty - so not much to do. So Pete and the gang left about noon;
Ann and I finished hauling woodchips to the garden and she left by 3 p.m. So it was quiet Monday evening and I got into a cleaning binge - shaking rugs, vaccuuming, dusting, and washing windows. On Tuesday, I got laundry started and got the internet service started in the Clubhouse before heading to Brainerd to meet friends Karen & Ellie and Karen's two sisters for lunch. Brainerd is one fo the "big" towns (5,000 people or more) nearby - big enough to have a Target store! I did some shopping and then headed back to finish my cleaning before Pete and Jeanine to arrived today, Wednesday. Where does the time go???

We had tea before I took Pete & Jeanine over to the Clubhouse to "check in" and meet the "soon-to-be-named green golf cart" and then made dinner, after which we had time for a paddle around the lake to see who/what was stirring. As you might expect, the eagles did their Shriner manveurs across the east end of the lake and the beavers were busy at their lodge across the lake - but we did not expect to see a teenaged whitetail wandering out on the point near the public access, a brilliant scarlet tanager in the limbs of a popple tree on the south side of the lake, and a red fox gazing out at us on the eastern shore of the lake. It was definitely a bonus paddle this evening. And as Pete & Jeanine were getting on the golf cart to go back to the Clubhouse, this is what I saw -a>

I look forward to hearing your suggestions for naming the golf cart and also recipes for rum drinks. We need all the help we can get here at The Point!