Today’s archive look-back gives a few ideas of what us Yoopers do when the snow starts flying and the temperatures are dropping. We begin in 2002, with a photo supplied by the Houghton County Historical Society. It shows a lady hard at work in her kitchen, getting ready to bake the pasties she just made. Great way to warm up, not only your belly, but the house as well, with the heat of the oven as they bake.

Another pastime was featured in 2004, with the photo coming from the Zamboni, Co. It depicts a creative device used before Zamboni solved the ice making problem. Looks like it took a team of two, to keep the ice smooth and skate-able for the local hockey games, now in full swing for the season.

And of course the photo from 2012, taken by Mary Schmitt is the favorite pastime of Yooper kids UP here when it snows. That’s Mary’s grandson having fun in the snow on their deck, which I think he may be enjoying a taste of, too. Hope he knows about the yellow snow rule.

Just this past weekend, my cousin and family spent some time at their cabin on Lake Michigan, along US2. No snow there on the ground, just like places here in the Keweenaw, depending on the elevation. Megan Merlo captured the fun her kiddos were having on the shores of Lake Michigan, all bundled against the cold. I wonder if they got their shoes a little wet though...you know how kids and water are?

We’ve enjoyed the cold and the snow in various ways today, some years we have a blanket of white, others we don’t, but we can always count on it coming. Our video today is musical and goes right along with the bottom photo... Terry Moran wrote and sings his song, “Shores of Lake Michigan”.

Every single time I see that first picture I can't
take my eyes off of it. That woman could so
easily be my grandmother. Memories!!

And the black shoes of that style too, Deb! I think everyone who had a grandmother back in those days will always remember those shoes that all grandmothers used to wear!

And everyone's grandmother back in those days had black shoes just like those!

And a print dress, probably made from feed sacks. The feed sacks were patterned for that purpose. Always a dress, no slacks back in those days.

I'm with Deb, that first pic is great! I see my Gram Esther Vuolle baking, and she actually won the Pillsbury Bake Off in NY, way back when!! Mom was no slouch in the kitchen either. I used to get legendary care packages while in the dorm my first year at NMU, the whole floor got a taste!! What great memories....

I think everyone's Grandma wore those shoes and dress. Mine did. This photo of my Grandma is 55 years old.

That Terry Moran video is Great!

My grandma would be pulling out sausage rolls, black pudd'n & bridies (similar to a pasty).

In elementary school days of mine many moons ago a
lot of the teachers dressed as this as well.

Alex "UP-Goldwinger" (Alex):
"… black pudd'n & bridies" …?

Now that one I had to look up:
(Somehow "Four and twenty blackbirds / Baked in a pie" comes to mind. Oops, "bridies", not "birdies"!)

1. (click →) Wikipedia:Black Pudding — Blood sausage¹. Ewww. 😝
2. (click →) Bridie.
3. (click →) The Forfar Bridie.

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Quote:

"Finland, a country where blood still shows up on school cafeteria menus. … Blood pudding? Just like a sheet of delicious chocolate brownies. Instead of butter you use rendered pig's fat, and instead of chocolate, you use blood."

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