Still Eating Biscuits

 
These are the biscuits I made the other day, but I'm still eating them, resisting the urges to eat 6 or 8 at a time. (With some success.)



I missed the picture I wanted to show you. I couldn't get the camera ready fast enough. I had to go to the library first thing this morning because my connection speed is not fast enough to download the proof files for the book. While I was sitting there working, a little boy, maybe 4 years old, came to the counter. (His dad was in the children's room). He handed a book up to the lady and asked to check it out. The counter is higher than he is tall, so he had to lift it over his head. I really wanted the picture of the moment when the librarian handed it back to him. But it all happened too fast. You'll have to imagine it.

In other news: It's all other news. I did the book proofs; I worked on finance records; I did laundry, washed dishes, did a bunch of other stupid things which I can now cross off my list until more stupid things take their place. But, I should be in good shape to leave tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm.

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Shades of Blue

 
The best part of today was an unexpected perk of going to the bank. They had a quilt on display that is being auctioned off to benefit the local school. It is hand pieced by local people, but machine quilted.



Not only is the color palette one of my favorites, but I love that each block is different. The quilt as a whole is named "Starstruck." I tried to look up some of the designs, but my book is very old (it was my grandmother's), and designs have evolved. Several of them are variations on the Lemoyne Star, including the large central star.

Here's a closer look at one motif, and the machine quilting.



P.S. Go figure. I'm not sore at all from yesterday. A tiny bit stiff, but no big deal. The uneven surface was much better than, say, a paved or road surface. On those, you just keep banging the same spots on joints and feet step after step. Still, I'm pleased that the body held up so well.

In other news: I was such a good girl today. I worked on financial accounts, miscellaneous things I needed to do, a couple of longish phone calls, errands, and then bell choir practice. I'm about ready for a meltdown from so much discipline, but I'm going to keep it up for 1 1/2 more days. Then I'm off for a vendor event and visits on the weekend.

See Cars, Quilts and Books

Familiar NCT Section- Endurance Edition

 
Yesterday I stayed home and was good while the weather was gorgeous. Not happening today. I had to go out. Went to the closest section of North Country Trail near me. I've done it so much it's almost boring. However, today had its own challenges.

The sky was BLUE! It was wonderful.



The trail started out being well-walked, but with frozen footprints. Really tough walking. I would slide with every step and then jar my hips or knees as I found footing. However, the previously walked trail ended about two miles in. I had already spent an hour. Usually, I'd be at the next road, my turn-around point, at that time. The snow was about 5 inches deep, soft and unbroken. How badly did I want to go on?

I had passed this broken aspen tree, all torn apart. I'm thinking pileated woodpecker because there was no evidence that any critter with feet on the ground had been at it. The other possible culprit would be a porcupine, but I don't think it would crawl up the log and balance there to tear it apart.



A skunk had been using the trail too. See those patterns of prints- four feet angling off then doing it again?



Nothing special, just some polypore fungus on the ends of logs, but I liked them.



So, I reached the end of any previous human tracks, and I still wasn't at the old logging railroad bed, so I knew I had as much as a mile to go yet to reach 8th St. Wow. But I wanted my six miles. So I went on. Here's a piece of the railbed where it has been bermed. The unbroken snow was easier walking but stressed the calves and the hips. So at least I was making different places hurt! Yes, there are tracks there- mine. I took this picture on the way back.



Made it to the road. It took me 1 hour and 35 minutes, instead of the usual 1 hour.

Talked myself all the way back with milestones:
1. Make it to the rail bed
2. Make it off the rail bed
3. Make it to the skunk tracks
4. Make it to the 2-track crossing (this was the longest stretch with no goals)
5. Make it to the motor trail crossing
6. Make it to the big dog tracks
7. Make it to the turnoff to a small loop you can do (usually very hard to find, but I did find it today)
8. Make it to the spur to the parking
9. Make it to the car.

I also counted all the little ridges. There are 8 of them that you cross in this section. None is really big, but it's nice to have a little topography.

Total time 2 hours, 45 minutes. I think there is a good chance I'll be sore tomorrow. But I got my 6 miles! Homemade tomato soup from the freezer for dinner. Comfort food.

Hike 100 Challenge total for 2020 is at 14 miles.

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI, Timber Creek at US 10 to 8th St and back, 6 miles

In other news: I spent the morning on formatting NCC for ebook. Also chatted with someone about a possible podcast. Stay tuned.

See What a Weather Treat for the last time I hiked this section

Critter Play

 
Just a few pictures of critter evidence from Thursday. Fun. Mostly what I saw was squirrel tracks. Everywhere. But I thought this one was funny, with little red squirrel tracks in a boot print. There were also a lot of big ones, probably fox squirrels, and the gray squirrels in between.



Loved finding nice opossum tracks- see the splayed out thumb?



Found one cast-off deer antler.



When I picked it up, the depression was full of snow fleas!





But the cutest was a member of the sloth hiking team (We will get there when we get there) taking a break, lying down under the snow.



In other news: I wrote my column in the morning, and worked on some filing in the afternoon. Oh, and I made hot biscuits. Just got a hankerin'

See Meet the Snow Flea

Spirit of the Woods Hike - February 2020

 
Today, I led the monthly Spirit of the Woods Chapter hike. We hiked the North Country Trail from Upper Branch Bridge to the north end of Bowman Semi-Primitive Area and back for a total of 4 miles. There were seven of us and Trixie the dog.



This is a short section, but it's one I really like. You start down on the level of the Pere Marquette River.



Then you climb up and walk along above the river for a ways, then veer off and down to cross a small unnamed creek.



I really like this little place. It's one of my favorite walks that isn't too far from my house.



Hike 100 for 2020 is at 8 miles.

In other news: After the hike I ate lunch in Scottville with one of the hikers who teaches Chemistry at Ferris State. We had a lot of fun talking about school and science and stuff like that. I put in some more time trying to nail down the plot of the next kids' mystery. Got another piece of it. Still cogitating.

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI, Upper Branch Bridge to east end of 40th St and back. 4 miles

See Nordhouse Dunes for the last SPW hike I made it to See Wimpy Dog and Porky Paws for a hike with Maggie on this same piece of trail when there was a much simpler bridge