We’re going all the way back to the birth of the Pasty Cam and the first photo that began this daily feature on February 28, 1998. Alex Voelker was born that day and his Grandfather, Tony Bausano, asked Charlie if he could put his new grandson on the internet, so the rest of the family could see the newborn. Jonathan snapped Alex’s baby shot right away, and Charlie posted this random photo, just like the ones Jonathan had been taking at the Winter Carnival. The day after Alex was born, Jonathan spotted another youngster with a neat little snowmobile, being help by a deputy. Why not keep doing a picture a day?! Thus began the idea for the Pasty Cam and a photo every day since. So Happy Birthday to Alex and the Pasty Cam!

The top photo shows Alex at birth, and now at twenty. The next shot is from 1999 at Alex’s 1st Birthday party with family and friends. Then in 2008, he was 10 and playing hockey for the Clyde Johnson Post. Alex has been a good sport through the years sharing his birthday on the Pasty Cam with us all.

Totally off the birthday subject, the remaining two photos were snapped this past Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. We experienced a dandy snowstorm with up to 50 mph wind gusts for most of Sunday, which drifted the road to our home shut on both ends of the two mile long stretch. We were fine with being stranded, but a few unsuspecting folks ended up stuck, trying to bust through chest high, hard packed snow drifts. We thought for sure school would at least be delayed two hours in the morning, but not with the Houghton County Road Commission crew on the job. By 6:15 a.m., the grader was out there busting through to open our road. It took more than 6 passes to get it open to one lane shown in the bottom photo. Then around noon time, they came back with a snowblower to cut the banks back and widen the road. For perspective on the height of the snowbanks there, that’s a full size F250 pickup in the photo. Kudos to our County road crew for the hard work they put in, even on the weekend when they get called in to keep the main trunk lines open. Thanks guys!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Today is both my Grandma Thomas' and my friend
Karen's birthday! March is a very 'popular' month
for birthdays in our clan!

Wow, I never realized I was such a good look'n kid. And BTW...I look a lot younger in person. Happy B-Day to me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I was worried yesterday that you guys had gone COMPLETELY off the grid. Glad to see you're back.

Those 2018 snow storm pictures showed what I remember from my time there; glad I never had to contend with driving during those times. Winter might be almost around the corner here in northern Illinois with 65 degrees this week and all the snow is gone. We know that can't be said for everyone.

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Hi Deb:)
Welcome home!!! It's nice to see your typing, it looks really good:)

And Happy Birthday, Pasty Cam!! Been following you since our daughter started Tech in 2001. Back then the Pasty Cam was somehow connected to the MTU Cams. On the same page, I think, which is how I found it. Now, two kids graduated from MTU, and I still look forward to the Pasty Cam! Thank you, thank you, Charlie and Company!! :)

Happy Birthday to Pasty and Alex!

And Mary....when those boys are done cleaning up
snow...you can't get a teaspoon of snow off the
road...they could teach snow removal world wide!
They are the BEST!!!

If you really wanna appreciate the snow removal
people UP there, come out here during a storm. We
have huge piles of snow all over main street
because they have no idea how to remove snow. And
there were only 8". It's not like we got 2'!

Happy Birthday, Pasty!

Happy Birthday, Past Cam!