Deer Park Lodge

Zeta doesn't check the forecast - just the snow.

Not much for change in the great white north of Michigan. We continue to pick up small bits of snow here and there but nothing significant. The weather man tells us we should get blasted today, but so far nothing.  How come a weather person can be so wrong in their forecast but yet the first thing we do the next day is to turn on the weather and see what we should expect? (Go ahead, check)

The snow has held up well to the snowmobile traffic and all expectations are that it will continue for a couple more weeks at the very least.  Now's the time to get a ride in if you plan on doing it. Check out Zeta - she doesn't check the forecast.  But, as you can see, she sure enjoys being outside in the snow.

The birds have been active at the feeders and now a couple of black squirrels are moving in. As you can see it appears that they have figured out how to maximize their visits to the feeder. One dropping seeds for the other. Haven't figured out yet if they take turns.

The grossbeaks are daily visitors now and we have seen as many as six pairs at the feeder.  Also we've been seeing a few Brown Creepers  in the yard. Our neighbor Patty tells us she had six Bald Eagles out in front of her place the other day, feeding on some fish scraps that were left out on the ice.

Do you have a bird feeder in your yard? Check out Project FeederWatch!

The spring and summer calendar is starting to fill up as we have taken several reservations in the past week or two. If you are hoping to spend some time with us this year, you better give us a call so we can fit you in. And don't forget to share the Deer Park Lodge opportunity with friends and family. They may want to come up and check it out - and who knows, they might want it to be theirs!

Enjoy your day and get outside for some fresh air.

Mike and Monica

Nice weather = get outside!

Another wonderful week of weather in Deer Park and the forecast is for much the same for the next 7 days. With the weather being so nice as most of you probably know it is difficult to keep the two of us inside. So we thought we'd pass along a couple of pictures to show you what we do with our free time this time of the year.

I don't hesitate to head out on the ice. I am usually not the type to spend much time in a shack, though. I prefer to sit on my snowmobile and be able to see and hear what is going on around me and the lake. On this particular night two Pileated Woodpeckers were being very vocal, talking with one another. We also had a coyote come out and see what was going on for a couple of minutes. With the weather being so nice, grabbing a buddy and going fishing is good stuff. 

I set two rods, got my Vexilar (fish finder) right next to me, got to have an auger for drilling holes, minnows (in a coffee can) and a cold pop and I am ready. All easily transportable via my snowmobile. This trip we caught six pike and released five of them in addition to a bunch of 5-7 inch Perch.

Plus, on this particular day we had company come out and join us. It's not often the lake conditions allow for two wheeled traffic but as you can see Monica made the best of it. And Zeta is always happy to tag along.

All is well in the north country.  Get outside and enjoy the day.

Mike & Monica

p.s. We're up to 115 on facebook! You can like Deer Park Lodge here.

p.p.s. We're beginning to generate some interest in the Deer Park Lodge and General Store opportunity, but it's not too late to tell your friends.

Watching the moon set and waiting for the "clipper".

Took this picture yesterday morning shortly after 7:00. The moon was just awesome, and coming in the yard in a big way.  Wish we had taken a picture the night before, because we had a nice sunset. It would of been cool to put the two together. We didn't get the colors in the sky that the sunset brings, but waking up to the "moonset" was something special.

The eagles have been around, the pine grosbeaks are active, red squirrels are chasing each other and there's been signs of foxes going through the yard regularly. Sure seems like signs of an early spring are already showing up. 

We still have about a foot of snow on the ground. Somehow this is holding up well to the snowmobile traffic, and those that are here are experiencing nice trails. Thursday night a small clipper system is expected to drop down and stimulate some lake effect snows, but that's about the extent of the snow forecasted for the next several days. Lets hope the wind swings out of the NW so the lake effect machine gets cranked up. We could use more snow. My concern at this point is the lack of run off in the spring to help fill up all the marshes, rivers and ponds. On the upside, sure has been easy on the snow removal efforts - leaves more time for icefishing, which is where I'm headed right now.

Don't forget, you might know someone who knows the next owner of this great place. Share this link with friends and family who like the woods, fishing, hunting, sledding, skiing, agate hunting, blue berry picking, birdwatching, boating, hiking (you get the idea) and might like a to get into a nice life-style business opportunity.

Don't forget to check availabilities and make your plans to come on up - summer is booking fast. And, thanks to the 10 new folks who like Deer Park Lodge on facebook! Nice to break 100.

Cheers,

Mike & Monica

 

Let's break 100

OK - 99 folks like our Facebook page. We knoww way more than 99 folks who like Deer Park Lodge. Who's going to help us hit and break 100? Help us keep in touch with you. Let's do this!

Like Deer Park Lodge on Facebook!

 

Cheers,

Mike & Monica

You can't make this stuff up!

Finally! A Good Snow!

Over a foot of snow fell on the north country last weekend, much to the delight of snowmobilers and skiers. It was one of the first good lake effect snows we have gotten thus far this year. We went skiing through the woods yesterday and we couldn't have asked for much better conditions. [U.P. trail reports]

We talked with several snomobilers on Sunday and everyone had nothing but positive things to say. We are really starting to pile up a bit of snow. Still not to the point where one may feel comfortable riding off-trail very much, but we're getting there. You can see the improvement on the NOHRSC Interactive Snow Information site.

Now, in the "You Can't Make this Stuff Up" category -  Saturday afternoon we are sitting around not doing much, I'm down looking out the front door and out the corner of my eye I catch some movement heading south down the road. I quickly realize that we have a dog team, 14 dogs long, and musher coming down the road at a pretty good clip. Usually an odd occurrence, but we've seen it a couple times before when there's a lot of snow on the road.

Well, instead of going by the house and on down the road, the lead dogs decided to turn right into the yard and up the driveway. I sort of thought they'd follow the drive and head down to the lake. Not so - these dogs had another plan. Straight ahead they came running right next to the house as if across the yard and out to the lake they'd go. NOT!!  When the dogs got to the lakeside of the house, for whatever reason, the two lead dogs decided to jump up three feet and pull all the other dogs up onto our deck. The musher was finally able to get his brake set, just before he too was coming up on the deck.

These aren't the dogs. Who had time to grab a camera. But can you imagine this coming up your deck? Photo by AlaskaDude.

So imagine now we have 11 of the 14 dogs right up on our deck getting more and more tangled up with themselves and all the timbers we have on the deck. What a mess. Luckily, the dogs where very well behaved and the wife of the musher showed up with the dog trailer. One by one we disconnected the dogs and put them in the trailer. Nothing hurt but one mushers ego.

You may ask, "what was Zeta's reaction to this?" She was all excited about friends coming to visit.  Knowing her running around all these dogs was not something we wanted to deal, with we left her in the house. Two minutes later I'm outside and hearing her bark, I look in the house to see where she is, and discover her standing on the top of the dining room table taking this whole craziness in. All during another wonderful day at Deer Park Lodge. Zeta, seen above on her deck, in a calmer moment.

Now that we have good snow (and the dogs are off the deck) check out our calendar. We have several openings throughout the next couple of weeks, and it looks like it could be nice.  We'd love to have you staying with us.