mel jacobson on thu 3 dec 09
hay creek is the lowest point of an ancient glacier. we have tall hills
on either side of us. so, that sandstone cliffs that border the creek
are like a mini grand canyon. or, it looks like the japanese made a
tiny replica of a national park. there is a small island back away.
it has a tiny pine tree growing on it. about ten feet square.
bob holman has such a great line...he is a thinker.
`why is it that everyone talks about erosion as a
bad, awful thing? what made the grand canyon? erosion.
what has made every national wonder? erosion and nature
plowing along for eons. that is what nature does..hot, cold,
rain, no rain...we have lived here for a few hundred years, but
hay creek is about a million years in the making. nature knows
what it is doing, people are like ants, they come, they go.`
back in the late 1800's there are pix of logs being sent down
the hay river. it was about 50 feet across, about 18 feet
deep. in the tiny town of reeve, wisc. (two miles from us.) it was
estimated that about
4,000 people lived there...working wood, logging etc.
i purchased the farm for 10,000 dollars. it was a bankrupt dairy farm.
i got about 30 acres, a house, barn, and milk house. well and septic.
mr. engebretson was 94 years old when he died, he was born in that
house. on the deed there are three names. united states of america, 1889,
alfred engebretson, deeded to his son, olaf, then mel jacobson.
that is a tiny abstract deed. the farm was next door to us, we just
brought it all together with bob's land, and my land. i bought it
cash. almost a hundred
acres now. about a mile of the river is on our property. we built a new h=
ouse
for my daughter. she and dave work the land, care for it, love their
`cabin` house. we also built a 70x30 bunk house and fabric studio.
the bunk house sleeps 14 women, with kitchen and two bathrooms. it makes
our summer camp private, safe and a delight for women. the women over
55 stay in chris' new house...as it should be. men in the north end, gals
in the south end.
the studio has 4x8 tables lined against the walls, with a sewing machine
on each table. (garage sales and gifts.)
i have encouraged the family of the former owners to picnic, use
and enjoy the property. it is a big family of engebretson's. this
generous offer holds us in high regard in the community. we will never
be `local`, but they do like us, admire our work, and enjoy fishing
the river, and having a picnic now and then. it keeps them connected
to their history...and then they feel a part of what we are doing to
make the place better, and save the history. we have planted thousands
of trees, white pine, norway pine and have cleared many oaks and let
the forest become as it wants. the oak trees were huge, but every one
we cut down had a rotten core. already dead/dying. the local arborist
for barron county marked the trees for us..
bob holman and his lady friend live at the place full time. bob is a wonder=
ful
artist. chris and dave spend almost every weekend and holiday at the
farm. my house gets used now and then, and a great deal in the summer.
i turn off everything at the end of deer hunting...and close down most of
the property for the winter. the small critters take over, then we shooo
them out in the spring.
big story this year. a local hunter shot a black bear..over 600 lbs.
it ran, and a local farmer rammed it with his combine and killed it finally=
.
both wanted the bear. the dnr took it, and it looks like it is a state
record. this was five miles from our farm. over 600 lbs. my god, has
it been living under my house? nature is sure on the move. we have
wolves, bear, deer and just once in awhile a moose...and we are only
89 miles from minnetonka, in the city. we have had two sitings of big
cats, cougar. we know they are around. and every now and then we get
the night yip, yip of coyotes. the bauld eagles are becoming a menace.
just too many of them :) , and the kestrels are a delight. i do love the
sight of a big white headed eagle, sitting on a dead dear. man, can
they eat a lot of deer meat.
dannon has had a cougar on her property in indiana. now that is a bit
scarrrrry. one sort of gets the yppps when on those 6 a.m. walks in the
woods.
we are blessed with our farm, and enjoy sharing the place with many.
our `hay creek camp` has been a great time for all, and the learning
is amazing. men and women, equal, no age, no gender, just potters and arti=
sts,
willing to be adults. clear thinking, egos must be left out of camp.
adult shared learning.
it works.
mel
and, the best news: no cell phone bars. nothing. you have to take
the four wheeler up on top of the hill and go a mile back, and, you might
get a signal. just like david, rhonda at `clear lake phone` takes great ca=
re
of us. one land line. and dial up modem on my comp...hey, sometimes get
54 mbs.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
Dannon Rhudy on thu 3 dec 09
> big story this year. a local hunter shot a black bear..over 600 lbs.
>
> dannon has had a cougar on her property in indiana. now that is a bit
> scarrrrry. one sort of gets the yppps when on those 6 a.m. walks in the
> woods.
>
True enough; a cougar has been spotted now and then for a
long time, here. There was a black female and cubs here one
year; my nephew came upon the cubs when he was too
young to realize the danger. Fortunately, mama was not
home. I've not seen a cougar this year, but hear one now
and then. Nothing like that sound. Puts a chill on the spine. Whew!!
And this is not all that far out in the country, anymore.
But it is ideal for cougar, coyote - they can live anywhere,
of course- and all kinds of small game, foxes, racoon, etc.
A pair of bald eagles nests on a nearby lake; see them
hunting periodically. They, like cougar, have a very
big range. They soar over the long meadow behind the
house, every week or so. Guess they find something now
and then. The most interesting thing since I've been back
in Indiana was to discover that this farm is on the flyway for
Sandhill Cranes. They make an amazing gargly sort of
sound when they are gathering up to migrate south. You can
hear them far more often than see them. When they are
visible, they are just gathered up in a big flock, circling
around on a thermal, with their long legs hanging down. Very
odd to see. In summer, sometimes, they land at the far
end of the long meadow and graze around on whatever.
Had a very late frost this spring, nipped not only the apples
and cherries, but the oaks - not much mast this year, so
not such a plague of deer. A boon.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
gary navarre on thu 3 dec 09
Dannon,=3D0A=3D0A We might have some of those Sandhill Cranes do summer he=
re, =3D
it is a straight shot South from here to where they gather.=3D0A=3D0A Olof =
got =3D
tagged by something a couple weeks ago...=3D0A=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/=
Gind=3D
aUP/family/oww/=3D0A=3D0A... Peter thinks it was a Cougar. One of his dogs =
came=3D
home with it's cheek ripped open and needed a bunch of stiches inside and =
=3D
out. I tend to agree with the vet that if it was a Cougar, Wolf, Bear, or C=
=3D
oyote they would have killed him... but Olof in a bad man and if something =
=3D
doesn't get a real good grip on him, well something is gonna hurt. I've sta=
=3D
rted taking him on night walks not until hunting season is done and all the=
=3D
gut piles are eaten. Then it will be colder and Olof won't stay out as lon=
=3D
g. =3D0AGary Navarre=3D0ANavarre Pottery=3D0ANavarre Enterprises=3D0ANorwa=
y, Michi=3D
gan, USA=3D0Ahttp://www.youtube.com/GindaUP=3D0Ahttp://public.fotki.com/Gin=
daUP=3D
/=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A--- On Thu, 12/3/09, Dannon Rhudy wrote:=
=3D0A=3D0A=3D
> From: Dannon Rhudy =3D0A> Subject: Re: [Clayart] hay cr=
ee=3D
k photo/story=3D0A> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Date: Thursday, Dece=
mber=3D
3, 2009, 1:22 PM=3D0A> > big story this year.=3DA0 a=3D0A> local hunter sh=
ot a b=3D
lack bear..over 600 lbs.=3D0A> >=3D0A> > dannon has had a cougar on her pro=
pert=3D
y in=3D0A> indiana.=3DA0 now that is a bit=3D0A> > scarrrrry. one sort of g=
ets th=3D
e yppps when on those 6=3D0A> a.m. walks in the=3D0A> > woods.=3D0A> >=3D0A=
> =3D0A> T=3D
rue enough; a cougar has been spotted now and then for a=3D0A> long time, h=
er=3D
e.=3DA0 There was a black female and cubs=3D0A> here one=3D0A> year; my nep=
hew ca=3D
me upon the cubs when he was too=3D0A> young to realize the danger.=3DA0 Fo=
rtun=3D
ately, mama was=3D0A> not=3D0A> home.=3DA0 I've not seen a cougar this year=
, but =3D
hear one=3D0A> now=3D0A> and then.=3DA0 Nothing like that sound.=3DA0 Puts =
a chill=3D
=3D0A> on the spine. Whew!!=3D0A> And this is not all that far out in the c=
ount=3D
ry, anymore.=3D0A> But it is ideal for cougar, coyote - they can live=3D0A>=
any=3D
where,=3D0A> of course- and all kinds of small game, foxes, racoon,=3D0A> e=
tc.=3D
=3D0A> A pair of bald eagles nests on a nearby lake; see them=3D0A> hunting=
per=3D
iodically.=3DA0 They, like cougar, have a very=3D0A> big range.=3DA0 They s=
oar ov=3D
er the long meadow behind the=3D0A> house, every week or so.=3DA0 Guess the=
y fi=3D
nd something=3D0A> now=3D0A> and then.=3DA0 The most interesting thing sinc=
e I've=3D
been=3D0A> back=3D0A> in Indiana was to discover that this farm is on the =
flyw=3D
ay=3D0A> for=3D0A> Sandhill Cranes.=3DA0 They make an amazing gargly sort o=
f=3D0A> =3D
sound when they are gathering up to migrate south.=3DA0=3D0A> You can=3D0A>=
hear =3D
them far more often than see them.=3DA0 When they=3D0A> are=3D0A> visible, =
they a=3D
re just gathered up in a big flock,=3D0A> circling=3D0A> around on a therma=
l, w=3D
ith their long legs hanging=3D0A> down.=3DA0 Very=3D0A> odd to see.=3DA0 In=
summer,=3D
sometimes, they land at the=3D0A> far=3D0A> end of the long meadow and gra=
ze a=3D
round on whatever.=3D0A> Had a very late frost this spring, nipped not only=
t=3D
he=3D0A> apples=3D0A> and cherries, but the oaks - not much mast this year,=
so=3D
=3D0A> not such a plague of deer.=3DA0 A boon.=3D0A> =3D0A> regards=3D0A> =
=3D0A> Dannon=3D
Rhudy=3D0A> =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
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