"Fish on ... grab the landing net!", those were the words coming out of our mouths last night.  Dear Hubby and and I took the boat out and did a little fishing on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage.  What a beautiful evening.  We weren't the only ones either that had the same idea.  There were a lot of boats out and from the looks of it we weren't the only ones that were on to the fish.  Fresh walleye for supper! 

Of course, I forgot to take my camera along with me last night; so I don't have any fish pics to show; but I do have some flower pictures. (Just for you JD: because I know how much you love them and know how much you love it when I talk gardening. lol)

the mountain ash tree is budding out:



the bloodroots are blooming:






so are the wood violets:



and my miniature irises:



  

Why do you wash your windows? Am I the only one that has to wash off bear slobber??

Look at my glass door!  It's full of bear snot!  And Slim wonders why I'm always locking the door.  I swear... one of these days the little buggers are going to be in the house. 



and the squirrels aren't much better at staying away either ~





This black squirrel is huge.  It looks like a cat when it jumps up on the chair to look into the living room window. 

......

Well... I suppose I better get going and get some of my gardening done while the weather is cooperating.  I have an asparagus bed planted that hasn't been yielding like I would like it to.  I've neglected it and the weeds are taking over and I need to remedy that.  I'm going to redo the whole bed.  I'm digging out all the asparagus and weeds ... moving the asparagus  to another bed and replacing the existing bed with hollyhocks.  Problem is.... I don't have another place made up yet for the asparagus. 

Oh to be a child again and have so much energy!

Here's a picture of Brooke, Veronica, Bailey and Amanda having fun on the  trampoline.

I haven't been on it yet with them.... but when I do they'll see why it's so important to have safety netting. LOL.  I just hope it's high enough!

One morning, the husband returns the boat to their lakeside cottage
after
several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not
familiar
with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a
short
distance, anchors, puts her feet up, and begins to read her book. The
peace
and solitude are magnificent. Along comes a Fish and Game Warden in
his
boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am.
What
are you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't that obvious?")

You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading."

Yes, but I see you have all the equipment. For all I know you could
start at
any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up."

"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault," says
the
woman.

"But I haven't even touched you," says the Game Warden.

"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could
start
at any moment."

"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.


MORAL:
Never argue with a woman who reads.
It's likely she can also think.

I had the bear back again last night on my deck.  These pictures are the actual thing... there was no zooming in on them or anything like that... they are just on the other side of the window pane. There were two different bears this time.  One of them was a little smaller and had a big white patch on it's chest.  These aren't the best of pictures for clarity... but I wasn't about to open the window or door to take them.  I just held the camera up to the glass and started clicking.  These are the only pictures out of about 40 that turned out at all.






Tonight all the bird feeders are coming down.  I don't want anything out there to encourage the bear to keep on coming back up on my deck.  The birds will have to fend for themselves for awhile.  There are plenty of plant buds and insects out now .  The birds will be okay.  They won't starve.  I will go back to feeding them in the winter months when the bear are hibernating and I don't have to worry about them breaking my feeders and eating all the birdseed out of them. 

The shelves are full ...




The minnow tanks are stocked ~

WE ARE READY for the opener of the Wisconsin 2008-2009 FISHING SEASON !! Come on in Saturday for the freshest, liveliest bait available in the area.  Our bait catches fish or it will die trying!

~~~~~~

Spring has finally sprung in northern Wisconsin.  Unlike the southern states and even southern Wisconsin the winter months really like to linger on here sometimes.  In a matter of a week the snow has FINALLY melted off and the lawns are starting to green up.  The flower beds are ready to burst into new life.



I personally am thrilled!!!  I like the winter months but not when they want to stick around  into the month of April let alone May! 

Sadly, I do have to let you fishermen know ... some of the bigger bodies of water STILL  have ice on them! But that too can change in a day depending on Mother Nature.  No matter what, the water is cold so please please please use caution while boating to avoid accidents and the chance of hypothermia.  Also, be cautious of under water ice on lakes that LOOK like they are all open.  Please have a safe fishing season.

~~~~~

This morning I  planted up some of my hypertufa pots that I made.



I am so happy with the way they turned out.  I definitely will be making  more of them. 

Wisconsin Northern Region: from April 24 http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/news/or/

Hayward DNR Service Center area

The ice was expected to go out from Lake Hayward this week, and DNR fisheries crews were planning to set out nets for a fishery survey as soon as it opens. This is always one of the first lakes in the county to experience ice-out, and others follow seven to 10 days later. DNR records show ice usually goes out between March 23 and April 16, with an average ice-off of around April 7. The big, natural lakes in the area are still pretty locked in. Even the small lakes and ponds have ice. Barring more rain, warm, and wind some of the big lakes like Lac Court Oreilles, Round, and Grindstone may still have ice opening weekend of fishing season. The ice is getting quite black with the edges out about 20 feet on many of the smaller lakes. This is looking like our latest ice-out in lat least the last 12 to15 years, which usually translates to active male walleyes in the shallows and great fishing. Walleye have started showing up in the rivers and creeks on many of the waters in Sawyer County.

Park Falls DNR Service Center area

Warm weather is expected to continue this week, with cooling toward the weekend. Walleye spawning runs should begin in some locations that are free from ice and where the water is warming. Most area lakes are still ice covered except in areas of runoff and near inlet and outlet streams. Frogs are awakening in ephemeral wetlands and the sounds of the wood, chorus and spring peepers are evident. Tick season has arrived, so be sure to do a tick check after venturing into the woods or fields as wood and deer ticks have been reported on people and pets.. The number and variety of birds visiting area bird feeders continues to increase as the migrants find their way back to their summer range. The risk of forest fires will begin to increase since the snow cover has finally melted. Please be sure to check if burning permits are being issued in your area before considering burning brush piles. Canoe and kayak enthusiasts are beginning to visit the Flambeau River and area waterways. Caution is advised when venturing out on the water in the spring when air temperatures are warm but the water is slowly warming and temperatures remain cold. Hypothermia can be a real danger if a person is exposed to the water without proper gear. Always wear a personal flotation device while enjoying paddle sports on the water and be sure to inform others of your trip plans and return time. Inspect your boat before placing it in the water this spring. Be sure the registration is up to date and all safety equipment is on board so you’re ready in the event of an emergency.

Upper Chippewa Basin fisheries report (Price, Rusk, Sawyer Taylor and inland Ashland and Iron counties) – The ice fishing season has basically ended in the Upper Chippewa Basin as ice conditions have deteriorated to the point that no ice travel is recommended. Water levels have increased on the lakes and some open-water moats have developed along the west and north shores. But nearly all lakes still have significant ice cover and there are just a few small spring ponds that have opened. Ice out is still about week away on most lakes and it's still questionable whether the larger lakes will be ice free by the start of fishing season on May 3. Prospective opening-day anglers may have to play it by ear as cold weather may further delay ice out. Redhorse and sucker fishing has started on local rivers and streams but high water levels have hampered success. Worms and processed bait have been producing a few fish but water levels need to drop a bit for the catches to increase.

Flambeau River State Forest - There very few patches of snow left, mostly in ditches. ATV trails are closed till May 15. Lake of the Pines Campground is open, and Connors Lake Campground will open on Thursday before Memorial Weekend. There is still ice on area lakes. The north and south forks of the Flambeau River are both at spring highs. Whitewater canoeing/kayaking should be good on the south fork for two to three weeks; as always use caution. Maple tree tapping is winding down. Pussy willows are budding and wild leeks are coming up. The bear ticks are out and slate color juncos are invading the bird feeders. Salamanders are breeding and the spring peeper and chorus frogs have made an appearance. Snowshoe rabbits are starting to turn colors. Feels and looks like spring! Many forest roads are closed until the frost is out and conditions are dry. The Flambeau Forest will be the site of the "Timber Wolf Adventure Race" April 26; see this UW-Stevens Point link for more details: [http://www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/adventureracing/].

Woodruff DNR Service Center area

Upper Wisconsin Basin fisheries report (Oneida, Vilas, Lincoln, Langlade, Forest and Florence counties) - The majority of lakes in the area are still locked in ice. There were vehicles driving on the Willow Flowage as of April 19, but warmer weather in recent days will make only foot travel possible in the short term. Some die-hard panfish anglers out yet were getting in some last days of ice fishing. A few lakes are beginning to break up in the Tomahawk and Antigo area but it will be at least another week until ice-out on Woodruff area lakes and those farther north. We should expect most lakes to be ice free for the fishing opener May 3, but large deep lakes such as Trout Lake and Lake Tomahawk may still have areas of ice - depending on weather conditions between now and then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will post updates on the fishing reports as they are posted or you can check them out on the DNR website listed above.

People have been calling and asking about the lake conditions and if the ice is all out.  This is the best information that I can give you.  The rivers are open but many of the lakes are still frozen over.  Will they be open for the walleye opener fishing season??? Now you'll just have to have a little chat with THE BIG GUY over that.  Say you're prayers and they just might be.   I may be a servant of the Lord; but I cannot make the ice melt.

Amazing! 

I knew it was just a matter of time and the bear would be on my deck.  In fact, just yesterday my brother Eric and I were talking about me taking down the last of the suet feeder before the bear showed up. 

I was laying in bed around midnight when the dogs started up with a terrible racket.  I knew right away that there was a bear just by the way the dogs were barking.  They have a very recognizable bark for different occasions.  They have their ~ a customer's here for the bait shop bark, their ~ squirrel bark, their ~ a bears in the area bark, their ~ a bear's in the yard and you better look now bark, also their racoon bark, the wolf bark and the give me some water or food bark.... you just have to know them and you know most of the time what the bark is about.  Well last night it was the bear is in the yard bark and you better get up now to check it out. 

I got up and came out into my living room.  Then I noticed the motion detection light out by the bait shop came on.  There he was ... the bear was standing on his hind feet stretching up and sniffing the light!  Then it got down on all fours and started walking towards the house.  It was coming right for the small deck by the front steps.  I opened up the door and gave a little hollar at him to get off of there.  He just looked at me with that "yeah... I'm really scared of you lady look".   Then he just sauntered off over to the end of the house onto the south deck.  I opened the door there and gave another little hollar at him but he had his mind made up that I could hollar at him all I wanted, just like the dogs could bark all they wanted ... he was on a mission and we weren't stopping him.  He headed straight for the suet on the feeder.  He took his jolly old time eating a little bit of it right there then he snagged the rest off in his jaws and off the deck he went. 

  It was exciting.  In fact.... my goofy heart decided a little nitro would feel pretty good at the moment.  I couldn't believe it!!   All is well now.  I'm okay.  I'm not going to kick the bucket over seeing a bear!!

Oh the joys of living in the sticks.