Carlin Lake, beautiful and clear, is a medium-sized lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. This blog's purpose is to enhance communication among lake residents and other neighbors and friends of the lake.
The blog is sponsored by William Draves and maintained by Carmen Farwell. Please click at the end of any post to comment, or contact Carmen at johncarmf@gmail.com.
We hope you come back and click in here often!
The new January snow that snowmobilers and skiers are waiting for seems to keep falling south of us. With no cloud cover last night, our thermometer dropped to almost 20 below zero this morning.
But these cold and clear nights should bring one advantage: that we will be able to see one of the biggest full moons of 2019. This full moon is called a blood moon, because it may look slightly red, and a super moon, because it will appear so bright.
Even more, though, on Sunday night the 20th, if we stay awake long enough, we can observe a total lunar eclipse. John Bates says the moon won't totally disappear, but will be 10,000 times dimmer than usual, revealing many stars that the full moon usually washes out.
The eclipse begins about 9:30 pm, reaches total eclipse at 10:41 and lasts for an hour or so. I probably won't stay awake to see it, so if you do, please let us know what you think.
Congratulations to Duanne Swift!
The article below describes recognition for him for all his work as a citizen science monitor. The article and photo are from the website of the Snapshot Wisconsin program, which uses data from trail cameras to conduct state-wide monitoring.
(Please note that the photo is not of Duanne, but was captured on his trail camera!)
OK, seriously again. The program describes itself:
The goals of the project are to provide efficient data that helps DNR make decisions about wildlife management and to increase public engagement in natural resources throught hands-on learning. As Snapshot Wisconsin expands, volunteer-collected data will be used to develop new methods to monitor deer populations and assess the statewide distribution of carnivores.
Clam Lake Area Bull Elk
January’s Volunteer of the Month goes to Duanne from Vilas County! Duanne is a long-time citizen scientist who has participated in a variety of projects including wolf tracking, lake monitoring, Snapshot Wisconsin and more. As a 50+ year bow hunting veteran, he immediately fell in love with monitoring what was going on in the natural world when he wasn't there.
Duanne has spent more than two years monitoring trail cameras in the Clam Lake elk reintroduction area, though his first experience camera trapping came when his son gifted him a trail camera over 20 years ago. When asked about his favorite part of participating in Snapshot Wisconsin, Duanne responded, “probably just another excuse to get out in the woods” - we couldn’t agree more! Here, you’ll see a photo of the first elk that Duanne caught on one of his Snapshot Wisconsin cameras, which is quite an impressive bull!
Thank you, Duanne! Thank you to all our trail camera hosts and Zooniverse volunteers for helping us discover our wildlife together.
We are thankful, Duanne, for all the useful environmental work you do!
Hostess Pauline counted twenty-three party-ers enjoying the fun and food at our annual New Year's Eve party on Monday night. The group was a little smaller than it has been other years, and we missed many of you "regulars."
But as usual, the food was delicious and plentiful, and we enjoyed this winter get-together. Thanks very much to Bob and Pauline for their warm and cheerful hospitality!
New neighbor Bret Jenkins and son Jace joined us, as did Kayla Chancellor and her fiancee Kyle. Marty and Aliza had jetted in from Cancun, to arrive just in time for the party.
I think most of you know, but here you see Bob and Pauline, then Jim, Marty, and Danny. Then, Jeanne, Joyce and Clara; Jim and Barbie; Mike and Chuck.
It was a fun evening, and, we all hope, a great start to a happy, contented, and healthy 2019.
In John Bates' column this week, he tells us that it won't be until January 7th that we will be able to see our sunrises start moving earlier. So, for the whole next week, we will be stuck at 7:40 am before we can see the sun rise.
On December 30th, one day before our annual New Year's Eve party, our days begin to grow longer-----by one whole minute each day.
This all means on New Year's Day, out of that 24-hour period, only 36% will be daylight.
A person I was told about this week traditionally threw a party on the winter solstice, saying it was his favorite day of the year---because then he knew every single day was going to get brighter and longer.
Here are the New Year's blessings John Bates offers:
"The world is holy. We are holy. All life is holy. Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whisperings of grasses, the shimmering of leaves."
And I will add, delivered with softly falling snow and with winter winds through the trees----and with friends gathering along a beautiful lakeshore.
Wishing the best in 2019 for all of us and our dear ones!
1) Year's end is the time to pay your annual dues for the Carlin Lake Association. If you haven't taken care of this already, you have a couple of options: you can bring your check for $25, made out to CLA, to Treasurer Barbara LaPean at the holiday party on New Year's Eve, or you can mail it to her at PO Box 114, Presque Isle WI.
2) A second responsibility, for those of you who use the boat landing, is the $25 fee for annual use and upkeep of the Carlin boat landing. Again, two options: bring your check, made out to CLLG, along to Jim Stocker on New Year's Eve, or mail it to PO Box 88 in Presque Isle.
Please note that these checks go to two different locations and should not be combined.
3) And on a more festive note, when your plans get settled, please RSVP to Bob and Pauline Rider if you are able to attend the annual holiday gathering at their home on December 31st beginning at 5:00 pm. Call 715-686-2620 to let them know how many people to expect and what you intend to bring.
Whether with friends or alone, with family or waiting for them to arrive, on the road or at home, we experience Christmas with memories of the past, gratitude for the present, and hope and confidence in the future.
In a helpful sermon years some ago, Pastor Chips told us to keep our hearts open for joy at Christmas, and that joy would find us.
My wish for each of us is that joy finds us wherever we are or whatever circumstances we are in.
"You don't have to be an angel, to sing harmony;
You don't have to be a child, to love the mystery.
You don't have to be a wise man on bended knee.
The heart of each Christmas is in you and me!"
Maybe you already read this in the local newspaper, but I was surprised to learn that the PI Town Board had voted last week to convert the town's recycling to single stream collection.
The start-up date is announced as August 1st, 2019, since lots of work must take place before everything is ready for the change-over.
I admit I contribute nothing to bringing our trash to the transfer station, so I can't pretend this change will make a big difference to me. But, for John and everyone else in town who separates and carries different bags and containers, this change to permit combined recyclables will be greeted enthusiastically.
Even in December, you can find fun things to do in Presque Isle.
1) This Wednesday evening at 6:30, Steve Kromholtz from Hiawatha Lake will present a program at the library on "The Grizzly Bears of Alaska." This event is free, of course, and accompanied by Christmas cookies supplied by Friends of the Library.
2) On Friday night the 14th, the annual town Christmas, "Sleigh Rides and S'mores on a Winter's Night" will be held at the Pipke Park Hut from 6:00 to 9:00. There will be bonfires and sleigh rides, hot dogs and hot chocolate, a chance to make and take ornaments, and lots more activities. It sounds like it will be fun even for those of us with no kids to bring along.
3) Saturday night, December 15th, is Denim and Dessert's annual Christmas gift to the Northwoods. The group is performing a reader's theater presentation of "It's a Wonderful LIfe" as a radio play, with sound effects manufactured right on stage. The evening is complete with carols and cookies, and as usual, promises to bring plenty of laughs. You will recognize most of the performers, including our good friend and neighbor Mary Watkins.
4) Next week on December 19th, the monthly third-Wednesday movie at the library will be the PG-13 "The Man Who Invented Christmas." Along with free popcorn and soda, this film should help us get into the holiday spirit.