7/16/07 – Today felt like the start of the busy season! Fortunately, the energy among the crew seems to grow as the work does. It’s that contagious summer excitement. And the sun has finally decided to come out after a week of regular showers making lots of happy canoers. Fishing reports coming in have been great. – Caitlin

The daisies are everywhere, including this spot on the trail down to the lake.

The last bit of sunlight glints off the bottom of a resting canoe.

7/13/07 – We received the following email from long-time Sawbill paddler Steve Gedron:
Hello Sawbill. I’ve just completed the 2007 DNR loon counting on area lakes, and here are my totals:
Sawbill lake- – 7 adults, 1 juvenile
Smoke lake- – 2 adults, 1 juvenile
Burnt lake- – 8 adults, 2 juvenile
Flame lake- – 1 adult
Take care,
Steve Gendron
Social Worker/loon counter/wise acre

7/12/07 – I saw the first ripe blueberry of the season today. Most are still a soft green, just testing our patience, but a few have gotten enough sun to sweeten up. In fact, colorful little berries have replaced the flowers of many plants now, much to the delight of humans and animals alike. Look back at my entry from 5/25 to see how far they’ve come. So far I’ve tasted a blueberry and a strawberry, and although they are only half the size of the grocery store mutants most people know their flavor is infinitely superior. – Caitlin

The nasty Black Flies we put up with in May are important pollinators for the blueberry plant. Gotta put up with the bad to enjoy the good!

The Wood Strawberry is the parent of 90% of all cultivated strawberries.

The Dewberry or Dwarf Raspberry looks like a small raspberry plant as its name suggests; however, the berries look better than they taste.

The Bunchberry is a favorite of grouse, chipmunks and Rock Voles. People find the mealy fruit with large stones less appealing.

7/11/07 – Loon chicks have started to hatch in the BWCAW. These tiny chicks leave the shore and their nests behind within 12 to 24 hours of hatching. It is speculated that these loons may not touch land again until they begin to breed in a number of years. During the first few weeks of life baby loons are under constant care from either parent, and are often seen riding on the back of a parent for safety. As with all wildlife close contact with humans can be damaging. Always remember to give loons and their chicks ample space.

A loon family fishes on Grace Lake

John Breslin enjoys the loons from afar

7/10/07 – Former Sawbill crew member and cookkit washing efficianado Alison Behm was married to Patrick Bents, Saturday (7.7.07). The wedding, held in Rosemount, MN, was attended by Sawbill crew members, past and present, near and far. Super-wicked dancing followed the ceremony.

The crew makes its presence known at Alison’s wedding

Alison shows off her new Mrs. Crocs at the reception

Cindy and Lida kiss the bride

Pat Hughes and Pat Nash get their turn to kiss the groom…Pat Bents

7/8/07 – In keeping with Sawbill tradition the whole crew headed down to the shore of Lake Superior last Wednesday to watch the fourth of July fireworks. After some ominous clouds early in the day the night cleared up providing perfect weather for the fireworks show. -Kari

Clare, Tim and Liz enjoy the dazzling show

7/2/07 – Carl Hansen has returned from his school year in Norway! It took him two days to navigate the airline maze from Oslo to Minneapolis, but he made it, in spite of jet lag. After a couple of days off to shake off culture shock, Carl will return to his position on the Sawbill crew. If you speak Norwegian, you can look forward to chatting with Carl when visiting Sawbill this summer. – Bill

Adam, Bill, and Clare Hansen wait for Carl at the Minneapolis airport. “Baerga” is Carl’s baseball nickname.

Carl emerges from arrival area proudly bearing his Norwegian colors.

Happy to be reunited.

6/29/07 – Yesterday evening a few of the Sawbill crew were lucky enough to have our own fly fishing lesson with certified master casting instructor John Breslin. Mr. Breslin is the father of one of our crewmembers, Molly Breslin. This was my first exposure and I must say it’s a beautiful and artistic sport that is a wonder both to watch and to practice. The line arches through the air, whistling, then settles quietly in the water just to be snapped out again, leaving a line of ripples behind. Fly fishing is the oldest kind of angling, dating back about 500 years. Of course our casts were “noodly” at times and it was a very good thing we didn’t have any hooks, but Mr. Breslin’s smooth and perfectly timed movements were a treat to watch.


To top it off, Mr. Breslin just returned from a canoe trip on the Lady Chain lakes with Molly. And the fishing was excellent with pictures to prove it. – Caitlin

Mr. Breslin proves his expertise with a beautiful Small Mouth Bass.

6/28/07 – We are, inexcusably, almost a month late in announcing Pat Nash’s arrival at Sawbill-always a much awaited event. Nash is from Middleton, Wisconsin and a Sawbill crew veteran of five years! Below you can see a then and now shot, documenting the transformation from shy and unblemished Patrick to hardened wilderness man Nash.

Patrick, 2003.

Nash, 2007.
Lee Noble, our newest crewmember, hails from Indiana. Among his many qualities endearing him to us are his wicked crossword puzzle skills, his paddle balancing grace and the fact that he passed up a trip to Hawaii to work at Sawbill. Looks like a keeper. – Caitlin

Lee and Nash hard at work.

6/26/07 – I took a few pictures during a late afternoon paddle around the Kelso loop this week. It turned into a perfect summer evening with a warm breeze to keep the skeeters at bay. The unusual Pitcher Plants, Wild Irises and Bullhead Lilies are everywhere in the marshy areas.

Kelso River.
Pitcher Plants’ nectar entices insects into the pitcher where slippery platelets coat their feet. The downward facing hairs inside the pitcher then prevent any escape attempts so the doomed insect slips into the pool of liquid at the bottom of the pitcher and is dissolved and digested by the plant. Yum. – Caitlin

A shy Pitcher Plant.

The sun goes down over Alton Lake.