Easter has always been a memorable holiday for me. My birthday nears the end of March, so my mother enjoyed hosting an Easter egg hunt as an activity for my childhood birthday parties. It was the same week as our middle school’s spring break, so the neighborhood kids who were not fortunate enough to be in the Bahamas would come to our house looking for eggs. Some years were colder than others, but everyone had a great time.
Iowa typically has nice enough weather by the end of March to warrant outdoor activities and this year was no different. We drove to Des Moines on Friday and it was nice. The grass was green and the trees were full of vibrant leaves. The sunny 70-degree weather was enough to make a person reconsider living in northern Minnesota, for a day at least. It was perfect weather for an egg hunt!
Sophia, like most 16-monthold children, was not about to sit on the Easter Bunny’s lap. The photo opportunity did not arise until Rachelle got between them and provided our terrified child with her beloved nook. Oh well, year one Easter photo is in the book and the egg hunting skills that Sophia developed were priceless. She scoured the lawn in search of those colorful plastic orbs and filled her basket like a seasoned professional. It was fun to watch.
Sophia has six cousins, all girls, who absolutely adore her. The time they spend together playing in the yard is a big deal to us. Living on the Trail, she does not receive enough play time with other children. Rachelle and I teach Sophia new things every day, but she can learn so much more by watching and playing with other kids. Her social skills improve, and she sleeps better at night from being worn out.
Rachelle and I are having another child that is due sometime in early May. Sophia and baby boy (currently unnamed) will be about a year and a half apart. Living so far away, we felt that our kids should be close in age hoping that they will actually play together. The downfall is that we will have two children in diapers for awhile, but we can handle it.
The Gunflint Trail does not have very much traffic on it these days since everyone is used to being closed down in April. Gunflint Lodge and Windigo are the only two places serving food right now.
Saganaga Lake is completely free of ice and the walleye season will be over on the 15th in Minnesota. The weather has been windy and cold, even though the sun is bright and the skies are blue. Lately we have been working outside, but it is not very pleasant. The piercing wind coupled with occasional snow squalls make for a hard day. Heavy jackets are too warm and sweatshirts are too cold.
It is still a little early for sprinkler systems to be started, unless you want to drain them every night. The evening lows have been in the 20s, and that could cause some pipes to break, but I would expect to start testing systems before the end of the month. If all things remain the same, we could be looking at a very dangerous year for forest fires. Hopefully next week I can write about rain!
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218-388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at www.Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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