• Friday-What'sUP February 12 - 12:09 am

An inviting scene indeed, with a canine friend leading the way on a walk into the U.P. wintry woods. Greta Jones captured the sun weaving its way through the branches of the trees, illuminating the path and her golden pal. After a trek through the woods, a nice warm bonfire assembled and lit completes the adventure, adding warmth and of course needed fuel to cook a winter picnic of hot dogs and marshmallows. Hopefully you'll remember to take along some chocolate and graham crackers too. S'mores while hiking in the winter sure sounds pretty yummy to me!

Wish I were there.

I recall making s'mores in the snow at Tourist Park while attending NMU. These pictures bring back great memories! Thanks!

Great pics, Greta!

Good Morning! Great pics! Really need that fire this morning! Hardly any snow here and it's 23 degrees. For some reason, that always makes me feel colder!

I liked this little saying from a recent FWD I got--
"Snowmen Fall From Heaven Unassembled".
Nice, huh?

That first picture shows the true meaning of the phrase "you lucky dog!" I'm wishing I could be there to join in on a fun winter hike. I've enjoyed very nice pictures this week. Thanks.

There is nothing like spending time with your furry friend. Nice photos! Can't wait till campfire season.

White man fire...burn face freeze backside

BREAK OUT THE VOLLWERTH'S HOT DOGS

Hi
I agree with Cindy, great pictures this week. I hope the woods near Cheboygan are like those in this picture next weekend, when we come up to our place for our winter trip (postponed two weekends in a row).

We've never done the campfire bit, but we have done chili on the one-burner Coleman stove, tail-gating at Hartiwck Pines state park after skiing those trails.

MaryAnn,

In Michigan, every season is campfire season...with the best campfires being enjoyed in the snow. :)

White man usually smart enough to turn around and apply heat evenly rather than, the implication above , to build the fire around ones self and wonder how to get more fire wood.
If you got a problem with varmits keep the smithala and wessonen handy.

Yes that is a white man fire...not like those crummy little ones.

And enjoy the Vollwerths. It's better to be the cooker than the cookie.

I am hoping that if I visualize hard enough, I can transport myself from behind my desk, to a log in front of the fire where I am sitting with a stick ready to spear a few hotdogs (vollworth's, of course). I close my eyes and I can hear the fire crackling, feel the cool breeze on my face, and smell the awesome smells of nature. Then, reality hits with the ringing phone. Sigh, 2 hours and 40 minutes left...

My dad once told me of the time ke had to spend the night out in the woods while hunting.
He lit a fire to a tall stump,, Probably 15 or 20ft. high.
He didn't sleep all night wondering which way the thing would fall when it burned through.
He couldn't get close enough.

My two thoughts are:

1. Aren't the doggie's feeties freezing?

2. Do you remember the story by Jack London called (I think) "To Build a Fire"? The poor guy out in the cold of Alaska or Canada tries to light a fire but doesn't succeed before using up his last match. Very harrowing!

If one defines sucess by dying.... he manages to get a small flame and then pulls on the branch above him for a twig to feed the fire and dumps the snow on his nascent flame.

Breakfast in forest!

Goldens are the BEST. I run a long time animal rescue shelter in inner city Detroit, and there is a waiting list for Goldens. They live for love........

Flyin,

And it's no wonder that the number one dog for companion dogs/service dogs are Golden Retrievers because of their dedication and spirit.

My neighbor just got a Golden puppy a few weeks ago....she is precious and the envy of all of us.

That is wonderful that you run an animal rescue shelter. We usually end up with stray dogs, and have taken many a dog in, instead of burdening the overcrowded animal shelter, as we wait to find the owners. We once had a stray dog for almost a month, that we had become very attached to, and were heartbroken when her owners finally claimed her. How do you work with all those animals and not get so attached to them? I would love to volunteer at our local animal shelter, but am afraid I would bring home all the unwanted kritters.

The fire pic reminds me of when my step-dad and I were cutting cedar at Bete Grise one winter. Our fire looked just about like this one, and had melted a hole about as deep. When we took our lunch break, he put the power saw on the edge of the snow to keep warm so it would start easier. The snow had softened, the saw rolled right into the fire as we were eating. We salvaged the saw, but needless to say, we left early that day. It was a big old McCulloch, 35# w/o the bar and chain or oil and fuel. Dem were da days. :>)

For step by step instuctions on how to build one of these white mans fires, go to my guest photo gallery. Don't forget the snowshoes. :> Rowdy - we packed the Smithala and Wessanen, but didn't need it.

I'm sorry, I mean Roudy. Just kidding about the Smithala and Wessanen - LOL!