Hello and welcome to February, the month known for its shortness. Then every four years it tries to catch up to the other months by adding a day.
Have you ever noticed that leap year is always on an election year? As if the election hype doesn’t make the year long enough as it is.
However did you know that there is occasionally a leap second? Yes every so often a second is added to make up for the ever slowing rotation of the earth. The first one was added in 1972 and since then a total of 26 have been added. This means that the Earth has slowed down an additional 26 seconds compared to atomic time since then. However, this does not mean that the days are 26 seconds longer nowadays.
I need to explain my absence from writing lately. In a nut shell my wife, Kim, has been seriously ill. She came close to dying and close to losing her left foot. She got a foot infection that turned out to be necrotising faciitis (flesh eating disease).
She is doing well now thanks to the great care we received in Munson Grayling and Munson Traverse City. She was there for 35 days. She also has an awesome plastic surgeon that has replaced a lot of tissue in her foot. Dr. Kyle Ver Steeg of The Center for Plastic Surgery in Traverse City.
Anyway I have become her 24 hour a day attendant. She was so ill she even needed help to sit up. I have a new found respect for all caregivers now. It can be very tiring. For someone that has dedicated her life to caring for others as a nurse, this has been extremely trying for her.
I am still feeding my birds, though this year not much of a variety is showing up. Blue Jays, Chickadees and Juncos mostly. A couple Hairy and Downy woodpeckers are here also.
With Kim getting so ill it has sure put a crimp in our bird watching. We are glad that we did so much of it this summer.
I have been traveling a LOT from Mio to Traverse City and it is really disappointing to see all of the trash along our highways. I know from my own experience that each of the gas stations along the way have trash cans sitting there just waiting to be filled. Please use them my friends, lets save what is left of the beauty in our world.
Are you interested in building a wooden canoe? Do you know that there are free classes here in our community? Yes, each Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm a group of men and women meet at ‘The AuSable River Center’ in Roscommon. I attended last year and learned a lot. Had a bunch of fun at the same time and met some wonderful new friends. I am planning on going again this year if I can leave my wife to fend for herself. Give them a call at 989-275-4392 or check it out on Facebook.
Deer season was pretty good for some, my brother Timber and brother-in-law Kit both got nice respectable 8 points. I also have seen a few others taken close to home. There have been some nice deer taken but most hunters have said that the numbers seem to be down a bit.
Speaking of hunting, the Luzerne Area Predator Round-Up is February 24 -26. This is the 5th annual hunt and is a statewide contest now. If you are interested call The Luzerne Hardware at 989-826-8050, The Luzerne IGA Express at 989-826-5533 or Bear Paw Cabins at 989-826-3313 for more information.
You can find them on Facebook also, just search for Luzerne Area Predator Round-Up. Lots of prizes and cash and there is a banquet. There is also a one day squirrel hunt for the younger hunters.
Check out the rules, get yourself some hunting buddies and have one great weekend.
There should be plenty of ice to fish on by now but please be respectful of the dangers involved. I have certainly heard of enough ice related problems already this year. No fish is worth dying for.
Have a Happy New Year and help keep our woods and waters clean.
Warren ‘Toad’ Stutesman
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