6/1/05 – Contrary to long-standing Minnesota tradition, we experienced a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend at Sawbill, with warm temperatures throughout and only one small rain shower on Saturday. Groups of happy friends and families reported good fishing for walleye, northern pike and lake trout. Crew member Jasmine Hanson helped us celebrate Memorial Day right with a monster platter of hamburgers, hot dogs and brats off the grill, plus the usual potato salad, corn and chili.
Crew member Lida Storch arrived for work a few days ago. She just finished her senior year at the University of Minnesota and will be practicing her Spanish often this summer in preparation for her trip to Spain in the fall. Welcome back!

Jasmine prepares our Memorial Day feast. Meanwhile, Lida works ’round the clock keeping our canoe fleet squeaky clean.

5/29/05 – Clare and Cindy Hansen stole the show last night at Grand Marais’ Sterling Dance 11th Annual Spring Concert. Clare is the last remaining young performer who has participated in the program each of the past 11 years–a tenure culminating last night in a tap solo everyone agreed was the highlight of the evening (not that I’m biased).

Clare and Cindy Hansen, immortalized on silk by local artist Lee Zimmerman, make time for the fans after their performance.

5/28/05 – Sawbill crew members are arriving almost daily now! Pat Nash, who has gained notoriety over the past two summers for his dynamite Maverick Chili (the only “soup” I’ve ever eaten containing over 90 percent meat), busted onto the scene two days ago. Pat just wrapped up his fourth year at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Sonya Hansen returned to Sawbill yesterday after her sophomore year at Grinnell College in Iowa. She got right down to business–immediately taking our golden retrievers Homer and Sunnie for a walk through the campground. Sonya and Pat, welcome to Sawbill.

Price gun in hand, Pat Nash relaxes as he works, works as he relaxes.

Sonya Hansen returned yesterday to two very excited golden retrievers.

5/27/05 – It has been a romantic week at Sawbill. Frank and Mary Alice beamed with pride as their granddaughter Marie Ljosenvoor (leh-YO-shen-vore) and new husband Eric concluded their BWCA honeymoon. Marie and Eric were married in Alexandria on May 20. Congratulations!
Newlywed couple Trinke and James Bishop arrived at Sawbill today after a week-long honeymoon in the BWCA. They were married on Ham Lake a week ago–one year to the day after they got engaged on Gillis Lake. With a makeshift “Just Married” sign scrawled with red lipstick on the back of a precious Sawbill map, they headed happily down the Sawbill Trail, but promised to come again next year.

5/27/05 – Jean Krohn from New Jersey sent these pictures from her canoe trip a couple of weeks ago. A good time was had by all, in spite of daily sleet, snow and high winds.

Jean Krohn admires a nice lake trout she caught from shore on an area lake.

Jean also reported a beaver that swam back and forth in front of the campsite, apparently upset about being interrupted in the cutting of this tree. It is amazing that a beaver can create wood chips as big as any axe.

5/18/05 – Jo Winkler-Bley and Bob Winkler sent this photo of their celebration of Bob’s Friday the 13th birthday on Cherokee Lake.

Check out the wool hat, wool gloves and the angle of the flames on the candles!

5/17/05 – Jasmine Hanson, our second crew member for this season, arrived yesterday and immediately took up her broom for her favorite job: sweeping the porch. We’re so glad to have her back!

Also, congratulations to John Feldman (second from left), who today celebrated thirty years of canoe trips at Sawbill. Hope to see your sixtieth anniversary! -Molly.

Freshly showered and beaming after their trip are Tim Karas, John Feldman, Gary Haeny, Ken Steffke, and Dennis LaCasse.

5/15/05 – This has been a classic Minnesota fishing opener. Friday morning, is was 31.5 degrees, pouring down rain with a 25 mph east wind. The rain was freezing so the canoes were covered with a layer of ice. The white pines turned white in their tops and started to droop as the ice slowly built up. Saturday was rainy, windy and cold all day. A driving snow squall greeted us this morning with the high winds continuing, now from the northwest. I haven’t heard of anyone even attempting to fish, much less catching anything. All this on top of more than 4″ of rain this week has made for a very soggy wilderness. This is good for the fire danger and the emerging plantlife. All the returning parties have been exhilarated but glad to be back to central heat and warm showers. – Bill

Yes, those are snow flakes coming down on the 15th of May.