Rosie the Raccoon NEEDS a Break!

Year 11

Moms … ever need a break from the kids (also you Dads)? Two afternoons ago, before the torrential rains started and as the temperatures mounted … Rosie came out in the afternoon. Now I could claim she was just curious and wanted to watch me BBQ at 6 pm, but I think the combination of at least 4 crazy youngsters, heat and humidity meant she just HAD to get out of her house. The raccoon’s den is in the hollow trunk of a white pine 20 yards from our house.

When I finished cooking, both Rosie and I returned to our homes!

Surgery Delayed

Background, Year 11
My surgery is delayed for about one month … date unknown. Needs to be scheduled.
My urologist just phoned. The operating room at Miller Dwan (part of Essentia St. Mary’s) is not safe for me because of my poor heart ejection ratio. My poor heart function is nothing new, but upon receiving the schedule for tomorrow Miller Dwan will not let me be operated in their operating room for my own safety. My prostate surgery needs to be in St. Mary’s where the operating room has the facilities to better respond if there are complications.
Please note my operation is NOT being delayed because of any concerns caught in the pre-op visits … it was an administrative oversight. My overall risk factor is almost as low as someone who has not had heart problems, but rules are rules.

Mosquito Birding Madness at the Greenwood Creek Bog (and a Lynx)

Year 11

Oh my … watch the video. Bog Country in NE Minnesota = Mosquitoes. I wanted to pull the SIMM card from my trailcam before surgery on Thursday. I was fully prepared with a head net, jacket and wind pants (I always wear shorts, but not today). In the past 8 days my trailcam has photographed a bull moose, two timber wolves and now a Canada Lynx … all near the pond in the Greenwood Creek Bog.

The Bog is accessed via US Forest Service #813. If you have “all wheel” or “4 wheel” drive you may drive the forest road for 6/10 of a mile. Park next to the rock pile (and off the road). From the parking spot it is only a 1/2 mile hike to the bog pond. If you have a “2 wheel” drive can, park out next to Lake County #2 and the bird feeders (6/10 of a mile away).

DO NOT HIKE TO THIS BLOG W/O WATCHING THE VIDEO. MOSQUITOES! (video link for email subscribers)

Here is a TrailCam image of the Canada Lynx. Most of the activity appears to be just before sunset. I will let folks know when the mosquitoes die out a bit.