5/3/07

Saw a pair of Northern flickers which have a nest in a large cottonwood by the lake (to the right of the lawn if looking toward the lake). Their nest is quite high in a dead part of the tree. Pulled more garlic mustard on the north side of the lake, we think that we've gotten all of it up there for now. Found 20 (half free and common) morels over at Bird Hills Park today but haven't seen any here yet. B.Barnes has been out with a couple of students looking @ the white pine stand on the Northeast ridge. They found a buried 50 gallon drum that was empty and cut had caught a bunch of wood frogs. We freed the frogs and filled the barrel with soil from the soilpit (which we uncovered from back when a homeless man had turned it into his home while M.R. was caretaker). The causeway's still washed out which makes B. mad but supposedly a bigger culvert and larger stone are on the way. We're supposed to have the cabin, barn, and outhouse re-roofed this summer - it looks fine to us but we have the money for it now so it's getting done. D.LF. rocks and really cares about the properties - sure glad we have her!