• Monday-What'sUP May 10 - 11:31 pm

Nature at it's finest, that's what a walk in the woods this time of year will give you, with the trees in various stages of budding out, depending where in the Keweenaw you travel. These scenes from Brita Haapala give you a sense of the peacefulness in the forest this time of year, especially with the absence of the bugs buzzing around. Of course, if like Brita, you take a youngster or two along, the quiet will be broken, but seeing someplace through the eyes of a child, is like observing it for the first time yourself. Those little eyes and minds always find the most trivial items fascinating. Let's make that an assignment for this week... go somewhere with a child and discover the simple things in life again!

Love these pictures! I will try to take my class
out to spend some time in nature. It's hectic
and hard to take my guys (and all of them are
guys..) anywhere, but in the end, I have always
found it worthwhile. They are keen observers
of nature.

We observed an interesting phenomenon yesterday, up by Lake Bailey on our way back from Copper Harbor. We stopped in at Ed Kisiel's place, next door to one of our Pasty.NET HotSpot's. While we were standing chatting, we were suddenly surrounded by a cloud of black flies. However, Ed observed the fact that none of them were biting! We must have stood there for 10 minutes, covered with hundreds of black flies, and not a single bite. We could only theorize that this freshly hatched crop was either 1) not hungry yet, or 2) had not yet learned how to bite!

For those interested in our visit over the weekend from Detroit reporter Matt Roush, we had perfect conditions Saturday for the switch from wind to solar at our Brockway Mountain broadband relay. Matt's report on the radio is at 8:23 this morning, in southeast Michigan at 950 on the AM dial, or on the web at wwj.com and read the report at the GLITR Tech Tour 2006.

They look as if they're having so much fun. I remember so many days like this in the UP. I don't remember our parents ever coming with us, but my brother and I were always in the woods.

Speaking of kids and nature, my son and his family went fishing yesterday. Well my grandson Ben, who's nearly 4, decided to make one of the scrub worms (wax worms if you prefer) his friend. Well, the poor little thing got petted until his head came off. Ben was unconsolable! Kids, they're so funny. The worm's name was "him". He's too funny! He came out here to show grandma and grandpa his new pet.

Recognized Brita's pictures immediately. Brita, you take such wonderful pictures of your family, with the beautiful UP as a back drop...it's your signature :)

Charlie, Black flies, already? Hope that means that they will leave earlier, than hang around that much longer. Uh oh...that means that deer fly season will be starting here shortly... Indiana's version of the black fly, I reckon.

Usedtobeayooper, What a cute story...a worm named Him...kids are so imaginative.

i can almost smell the air thats been cleaned by all those trees.
and the smell of the pine needle loam on the forest floor, soft
under my feet.

As soon as I saw the picture I knew it was one of Brita's. I'll be waiting to see some photos of the kids with this year's catch of fish from the pond.

Charlie - were those midges (no-see-ums)?
yesterday's Marquette Mining Journal had a front page picture of a huge cloud of them in the south central UP - looked like a column of smoke

Looks like wonderful memories in the making. What lucky kids!

Deb S. How precious! My day is starting with a smile and a giggle. Thanks. Would that everyone would remember our child-like inner self, taking the simple things a little more seriously.

Thanks, Brita, for reminding me of the summer back in the late 40's when I stayed with my uncle Bernie in the company house on the east end of Hubbell. My cousins and I spent hours every day in the woods behind the houses making forts, playing with the little creek,all the wonderful imaginery play.

I've got the Deep Woods already in the camper, just need a left the outback date.

If they truly were no-see-ums, how would one ever know when you can't see them?? ;-)

Hey Brita,

Are those rows of pines on Dad's land? Where is the pond?
-Tim, Mpls

Those black swarming flies are called midges. Those flies swarm like that looking for a mate.
I just read an article in the Marquette newspaper yesterday on the front page. It was a pretty interesting article itself.

Capt. Paul, They may be "no-see-ums", but certainly are "can-feel-ums!"

Thanks for the compliments! Tim, those pines are actually right behind where we're building. The pond is there too. You'll have to walk around back there next time you're up.

Lahelo, so what your saying is that midges are a lot like college students at the Uphill 41 during Quarters....... all swarming looking for a mate?? :P

I hear ya Babyseal, my wife is allergic to them when she gets multiple bites; had to run her into Keweenaw Memorial one Saturday because of it.

Charlie -- The Black Flies haven't "migrated" (I KNOW they hatch) north yet. They are all down here in Oskar!"

Hi Everyone,
I'm wondering if the postings today are done by any true Yoopers or 'used to be Yoopers'. I have yet to hear the correct term in referring to the forest, the woods or the trees. It's 'da bush'. Having been born and raised in the U.P. I wouldn't have known what a forest was. However, I spent endless hours of adventure in 'da bush'.

David, Check my message on May 7

David S., I can proudly say I am a full blooded yooper! Born and raised in the UP, and still live here. I know about all about da bush. Lots of adventures there. As a kid my dad would take us bush-riding in the oldest jalopy we had. What a blast! Still like to ride in da bush to get to camp! Lots of no-see-ums out now.

David, Having lived in troll land for the largest part of my life, I still occaisionally use a Copper Country term. Remember there were two kinds of bush there. One was spelled wrong the other was on the other side of the rail road tracks and you or your kin may have owned it while the spelled wrong one was only rented.

David S.,
Like dlp (Babyseal), above me here, I'm also a full blooded, born and bred, never left (except for vacations), Yooper. I thought about calling the woods, "da bush" in my notes, but thought better of it, since some folks might not have known what I was talking about. Not everyone speaks the Yooper dialect fluently, eh? :->

Capt. Paul, I like your way of thinking lol. That was a great response. LOL ;)....... don't think anyone else could of said it better.

wasn't there a bush beer too :)

I know, I know..it was B-O-S-C-H...say it bush or bosh

hey Dave you speak yooper.

sorry to waylay the picture, because it is a fine representation of da bush...we too, used to spend days out there in the bush...it was a blast...

The beer brought back memories...My dad had a friend called "peasoup" Carlson that drove a Bosch delivery truck. He was driving in the Ontonagon Labor Day parade, and when he got close to where we were standing, the door opened and beers rolled out towards us. It was really funny.

About 20 years or so ago, we would plan on a trip up to the cabin at Eagle River the week before Memorial Day in order to avoid the black flies etc. One year we had to park down the road a bit because of a large snow drift. Another year we were treated to large Superior icebergs floating a couple of hundred yards off shore. Mostly we alway had clear cool weather, beautiful Spring colors, great waterfalls, and no black flies. Just once, on the last day, were we attacked by the hungery hordes.
Here we are on the 8th of May with pictures of kids in da bush (all the native born Yoopers in my family call it the bush), no snow in sight, the boats have been on the Lake for a couple of weeks, and you are talking about black flies! Gobal Warming? Maybe it isn't just our imagination.

Hey cousin Dave, We knew a peasoup too. Wonder if it was the same one.

David, I'm not a full-blooded yooper as I've moved, but you're right, it was always called dabush. We DO have a Yooper dictionary here, though. Got it from DaYoopers tourist trap and museum. It's hilarious! Any of you trolls, Indiana people, etc., you HAVE to get a copy of that. It's great!!!!