The River Calls

Fall?

2011-08-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

It seems that the older I get, the faster the seasons change. Here in the woods, the leaves on the popple trees have started to turn a dark green color, a sure sign of things to come. In the big timber camps, a few men have been hired to build roads into the stands of big pines. Later in the year they'll be iced with the water wagons.
Other men will be fixing up the bunk houses and cook shack. It takes a pile of firewood to keep a camp this size warm so many cords of wood need to be cut.
It won't be long now until the cutting begins and won't stop until spring breakup. Six days a week and a day off for the Sky Pilot.
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day too for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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December 7, 1941

2011-08-16T15:23:00.001-05:00

   On December 7, 1941, the timber industry came to a near screeching halt with the attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into a real shooting war. It was known far and wide that lumberjacks were a patriotic lot and the first to enlist in the US military.
   The timber companies were able to stay in business, but just barely. Contracts with the US War Department kept some of them running. Others survived by partnering up with their previous competitors.
   Timber was needed more than ever for the war effort. There were barracks and railroads to be built and there was a great need for timber, a lot of it. Things that the logging camps did by man and horsepower changed to gas and steam powered machines.
   The lumberjacks didn't win the war single-handed, but they made a great effort that nobody will ever forget.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Sky Pilot

2011-08-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

In the logging camps in early Minnesota, there was a traveling group of preachers who visited the logging camps each Sunday. Some were very good preachers and some, not so much. The good Sky Pilots collected a living wage from the offering plate. The bad ones preached to empty rooms.

One of the best Sky Pilots in this area was Herb Peters. There weren't many lumberjacks that hadn't herd him preach salvation and some took the Fire and Brimstone to heart.

The Sky Pilots were responsible for the small turnout on paydays at the local watering holes. Some of the Ladies of the Night were forced to move, on all because of Sky Pilot, Herb Peters.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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The Fair

2011-08-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

As the population of the new state of Minnesota started to grow, people decided to start a yearly get together where folks could show off their home projects. It started out that it was just animals but then progressed to home made goods. Then it expanded from a single fair at the capital to yearly gatherings called county fairs.
Soon there were folks showing off their quilts and pies. Judging was done by elected judges, each a professional in their own field.
Children soon wanted to be part of the new fairs and formed an organization called 4H. The kids worked long and hard on their projects and entered them in the County Fair. If they won there, they went on to the State Fair.
State Fairs became quite important in agriculture. If a prize bull won first place, he would be busy for quite some time.
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Garden Treasure

2011-08-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

   Up on the Bigfork River, gardens were made to help the families get through the hard times of winter. Seed was put in the ground in hopes of bringing forth full grown vegetables. But every so often, a hungry gardener would sneak a little taste. Creamed peas and potatoes. The potatoes had to be no bigger than a quarter. For those who've never tried this, here is my own personal recipe.
   First you rob the growing potato hills of about two and half pounds of small nugget potatoes. Then you shell enough peas to make a quart. The last thing is to milk old Buttercup of about three fourths of a gallon of fresh milk. Now you're nearly ready.
   Put the potatoes on to cook. Then put on the peas to cook. Then as the vegetables are cooked you rinse them and set them aside. Put the milk on to heat and bring it to a near boil. As it's warming, mix 3 level tablespoons of corn starch with 4 tablespoons of cold water.
   As the milk gets hot enough, pour in a little of the cornstarch mixture a little at a time while stirring the milk. Then salt and pepper to taste. Dump in the peas and potatoes and stir. A pinch of sugar brings it all together.
   You've just prepared the finest food known to man.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Grayback races...

2011-08-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

In the timber camps, entertainment was rather rare so the lumberjacks had to provide their own. Sometimes it got a little wild in those bunkhouses. Most times it was pretty interesting.
When a new jack came into the bunkhouse, it was open season.
One of the men would draw a circle on the floor and then some of the others would join in. There would be a snuff can in the center of the circle and each man would pretend to pick a gray back (lice) off their neck and put it in the can. Then the betting would commence.
After some spirited banter, someone would tip over the can and pretend to watch as the gray backs headed for the edge of the circle. Eventually they would draw the new guy into the betting and take some of his money.
It was all done in fun, but there were a lot of lice in those bunkhouses. "Oh how they itches, those sons a bitches"
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Fruit Canning Season

2011-08-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

In my book "The River Calls" I talk about how preserving foods was such an important part of early life on the Bigfork River. Local fruits, vegetables and meat was all canned in glass jars. But with the arrival of a General Store, lugs of fresh fruit became available at a reasonable price.
Most folks back then hadn't even seen a fresh peach or a pear. So now with the arrival of this fruit, canning it became a problem. There was such a small window of time to can it and if it took too long, the fruit spoiled.
The fruit was peeled and cored and packed in glass jars. Then a mixture of water and sugar was poured into the jars. A lid was placed on the jars and then they all went into a pot of boiling water. That took quite a bit of time for the jars to seal.
The best part was when the jars of fruit were all lined up on the table. Then as they cooled the lids would pop telling the whole house that they were all prepared for the winter.
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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The General Store

2011-08-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

In my book "The River Calls" I talk about the general store on the river. What a wonderful place it was. The shelves were stocked with everything from sardines to sewing machines. It was nothing like today's giant stores, it was much better. You not only got what you wanted, but you bought goods worth their price.

In the 1940's General Stores also carried goods from Sears and Montgomery Ward, making even the most remote stores very good places to shop.

General Stores had a hard time getting through the Great Depression. People needed goods but didn't have any money. Early in the Depression storekeepers learned that they couldn't give credit and stay in business. Times were pretty hard for them. Women with hungry children were turned away. In the end, almost all stores that granted credit went out of business.

My book "River of Seasons" is for sale on Amazon.com as well as peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated often.

I invite you to visit "A River of Seasons" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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River Fishing

2011-08-06T17:08:00.000-05:00

Over the years I've heard that the fishing isn't too good on the Bigfork. That tale has been passed around for several years now. In my ornery sort of way, I love hearing it. It just means more fish for me. But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

As I paddled the Bigfork near Wirt, Mn I noticed that the usual hot spots just weren't producing much. Then I remembered what an old friend told me. He said that when it's hot and still, the big Walleyes go into the shallow water looking for small baitfish. Well, that just doesn't make much sense because as the water warms, the oxygen levels drop off.

I paddled for a couple hours and as I got close to the right spot, I started paying close attention to the real shallow areas. I tossed a minnow into an open spot and right away caught a nice three pounder, a real dandy destined for the supper table.

As I reached down to lift it into the canoe, I got quite a surprise. The fish that should have been warm to the touch was cold, really cold. These fish had found a natural spring that emptied into the river. The cold water held a lot more oxygen and a lot more minnows. The secret will never be told, well maybe just to a few close friends.

My book "River of Seasons" is for sale on Amazon.com as well as peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated often.

I invite you to visit "A River of Seasons" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Old Time Radio

2011-08-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

   As I write in the book "The River Calls" life was quite a bit different back then. Even the lowly radio was in its infancy. But oh what an infant!
   News was mostly passed on from one person to the next and even the General Store became a news source. Newspapers rarely made it to the far north of Minnesota and when they did, they were old news.
   With the advent of a family radio, news came in "As it happens". Gabrial Heater, Walter Cronkite, and Edward R. Morrow gave us a clear look into what was happening around the world.
   But there was a lighter side as well. I new of many farmers who would time their lunch so they could hear old "Ma Perkins" on her soap opera. and in the evening Fibber McGee and Molly would entertain for a full half hour. On Saturdays, there were westerns with Broderick Crawford as Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.
   Radio changed the frontier north of Minnesota but it took a long while to get there.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Caribou

2011-08-03T11:43:00.000-05:00

   In the book "The River Calls" I write about the caribou herds that once occupied parts of Northern Minnesota. Even as far back as the first lumberjacks, their camp hunters brought in large caribou for the dinner table.
   The Woodland Caribou were creatures of the heavily wooded parts of Canada and Minnesota. The cold weather of these places wasn't much of a problem for the caribou. They had a heavy coat of fine underhair and a deep layer of outer guard hairs.
   The wolf population didn't make much of a dent in their numbers. One kick of their powerful legs would send a wolf flying and if he got back up, he had little taste for caribou.
   As the hunters of caribou lie in wait, they could hear the loud clicking of their tendons covering the knee joints.
   For the early settlers to kill a caribou meant that there would be meat on the table for several months.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Pickle Plants

2011-08-01T14:15:00.000-05:00

   Up on the Bigfork River, gardens are doing some serious growing this time of year. In the book "The River Calls" Wil and Ma put up large quantities of garden produce each summer. But Wil always reserved a quantity of pickle plants for himself. The lowly cucumber was his favorite. He'd take care of this chore all by himself.
   Off to the garden early on a hot summer morning with a large bowl in his hand. He'd look for cukes that had gotten a bit too big for pickles and put them in his bowl. When it was full, he'd wash them off in the river and head for the cabin. He'd slice them up nice and thin and then cover them with his own concoction of sugar, hot peppers, water, salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar. Then he'd set them in a cool place for a few hours.
   By dinner time, his cukes were ready to eat. Sure! He burped up a storm but it was really worth it. Now don't that sound like a treat?
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Corn

2011-07-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

All along the Bigfork River at this time of year, the corn is setting on ears and the local coon population is putting a pot of water on the stove in preparation for the big feed. It's always amazed me how you can look at a garden full of almost ripe corn in just the same way a raccoon does. Who wants to eat corn that isn't quite ripe, not even coons.
So we plot and plan on how we can beat the coons to the corn. Aside from staying awake all night sitting in the garden with a shotgun, there's just not much we can do. Sometimes we'd just like them to take what they want if they'd just save us a little.
At this time of year on a hot day, you can stand in a corn field and actually hear it growing. It makes a kind of rustling sound and farmers say it sounds like "Money". I guess it does.
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Farm Families

2011-07-24T08:25:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I had the rare pleasure of attending a family reunion in southern Minnesota. By the time I returned home, I had been hugged, squeezed, kissed by a sweet older lady and even adopted into a family of truly fine folks.

Most of this grand group originated in Minnesota’s farming areas and spent many hours playing in the hay mow. What can be more fun than that!

Some of that bunch migrated out west where the sky seems a lot bigger. One gentleman said that his new combine doesn’t even need a driver. You just sit in the cab and read the newspaper.

In case I made it all sound a bit too easy, consider these things. A hail storm can take you from riches to rags in an hour. A good rain can make you a half a million dollars. The stock market can be pretty tough on farmers.

So thank you to those fine folks the Habbens and Williams. I had more fun than a man my age is entitled to.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Neighborhood Bully

2011-07-21T07:56:00.000-05:00

   Well, the neighborhood bully paid a visit to our little place in the woods last night. The bird feeder is in a shambles and the fence around the chickens looks a little worse for wear. Bears do whatever they want, whenever they want.
   WWBD. Yes that's the main question. What would a bear do. If you were a bear strolling through the woods and you smelled a big juicy cheeseburger, you'd do whatever you could to get it. That's the way bears are about bird feeders. There are no limits on them.
   After having this one uprooted so many times, I just gave up. I put a big ball of concrete on the bottom so that when they tip it over, I can just go outside and stand it up again. The important part is to wait until the bear leaves.   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Rice Buyers

2011-07-19T12:46:00.000-05:00

In the book "The River Calls" Wil tells of his experiences with wild rice. Most of the families on the Bigfork River harvested wild rice. The extra was sold at the General Store to rice buyers.

Most of buyers were tight with their money and never gave a fair price. The local indian families put rocks and sand in their rice to pump up the weight. Sometimes they put snapping turtles in the sacks.

The buyers got used to such tactics and started taking samples from the sacks. If it crunched when he bit into it, he refused to buy it.

Good Reading,
Ron

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The Hot Season

2011-07-17T17:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it's here at last, the time of year that you just can't escape, hot and humid. Out in the barn, the critters are suffering like we are. We make sure they have fresh air and plenty of cool water.

The deer too have a hard time. They pant trying to cool down and some stand in the lakes to cool off.

The chickens take dust baths and hide in the shade. Some stand in the river, cooling their feet.

The hogs are really susceptible to heat, but most will find a good mud hole to pass the day.

Not so in the house. The little woman turns into a mighty warrior and will bite your head off for no good reason. Must be the heat. But for you, all you can do is go find a cool spot near the water and hide. She'll cool off sooner or later. Maybe...

Good Reading,
Ron

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Dynamite

2011-07-16T06:32:00.000-05:00

   In one of the chapters of "The River Calls" we talk about using dynamite to remove tree stumps from the area a new home was being built.
   Wil was asked to help with the dynamite, but only after the owner had already tried his hand at it. THey were successful in removing the stump, but ruined the roof on a nearby cabin.
   Powder men were in demand in logging camps. Good ones were paid quite handsomely and bad ones never made it back for supper.
   A new explosive called nitroglycerine was pretty unstable and was the end of the road for many good powder men. Just a slight twitch of the hand would set it off.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Wil Morgan

2011-07-13T08:07:00.000-05:00

   In my book "The River Calls" I write about duck hunting on the Bigfork River and how it was such an important part of getting food put up for winter. Wil tells of a rather colorful trip made in late fall.
   Some of the best times I've had on the Bigfork were hunting trips. On one of these trips, I invited an old friend to go along. We had a great time, but there just weren't any ducks around. Not a shot was fired.
   The next Monday morning at work, I ran into my partner again. He started talking about his hunting trip. He said that they had a great hunt and got a lot of ducks. He had forgotten that it was me he was with and his bragging got him in trouble again. He was one who stretched the truth until even he couldn't recognize it. We had a lot of good hunts, but not nearly as good as the ones in his imagination.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Burning Leaves

2011-07-11T16:15:00.001-05:00

   Do you remember when you were a kid, burning piles of leaves. The smell carried for miles and put a smile on everyones face. We'd always make huge piles of leaves and jump and play in them, 'til they were pretty worn out.
   Then we'd rake it all up again and some kindly adult would set it on fire. Those were great days indeed.
   Today if you live in a town, smoke from a leaf pile will get you a fire truck, maybe a fire extinguisher, a rescue truck and about four police officers. Then you probably will have to do community service or maybe reform school.
   When I think of all the fun we had riding in the back of a pickup truck, i wonder how we survived. And we never even heard of a seat belt. Now you have to ride in a car seat until after you graduate from High School.
   How did we live through it!
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Tuxedo?

2011-07-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

On the Bigfork River, many hunters take really big bucks each year during deer season. Once in a while you'll see a non-typical buck that comes close to a world record.

Sometimes when you stop into the local watering hole after a days hunt, you hear stories that make you perk up. Here's one from my old hunting partner Windy.

Well, I was sitting in my stand about 6 this morning and all of a sudden I heard brush crack. I knew something was coming in so I got my gun ready. There was a lot of snow coming down so it was hard to see. Then I saw a spot of deer hide. By then I was really shaking.

The snow eased up a bit and I saw a guy in a tuxedo standing there looking at me. It was pretty cold so I put my mittens back on. I kept watching that guy but couldn't get a clear picture of what it was. Then it dawned on me. It was a deer that was half albino.

By then everyone in the bar was laughing. Windy was a pretty good liar and everyone thought he was at it again. Windy left the bar with his head hanging low. The whole place was laughing. The next day, Windy stopped in again and said that he saw that deer again. Then the laughing started all over again. This time Windy walked out the front door and when he came back in, he was dragging the tuxedo deer.

Windy had redeemed himself, at least for a few days.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Charlie

2011-07-07T07:37:00.000-05:00

   One of the most common of Minnesota's game birds is the Ruffed Grouse. One such critter walked out of the woods last year and adopted me. He follows me around as I do my chores and then as I sit watching the last rays of sun disappear in the evening, he stops in again.
   He's gotten a bit fiesty lately and wants to do battle with my shoe. He struts right up to it and starts clucking, a sure sign he's ready. Then if I move my foot, he hops up in the air and comes down smartly with a strong peck to my toe. Over and over he goes into contortions that would make Bruce Lee ask for lessons. A high speed camera shows his moves.
   I've been around a while and seen a lot of nature, but never have I seen such a thing.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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The Fourth of July

2011-07-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

   So here we are, the Fourth of July, another birthday for our amazing country. All around us we hear of what a horrible country we are. But if that were true, why are so many people from around the world trying to become citizens. We are a great country. Don't ever forget that.
   The reason we are a great country is because of our people. We are a diverse nation of many colors, creeds and languages. But if those complainers think this is such a bad place, I invite them to leave. Just go somewhere else you will be more comfortable.
   But for today, fly your flag and be proud of our country. Happy Birthday America!
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Friends and Family

2011-07-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

   In "The River Calls" I write about the importance of friends and family. I remember reading one time that no man can stand alone very long. We all need an arm to lean on at one time or other. So when that time comes, and it always does, you better have some friends around. Wil Morgan was called on to build everything from barns to cabins to canoes.
   If your neighbor didn't come a runnin when called, he was never asked again. And on the other side of the coin, if he needed help, nobody came to his aid. He eventually left the river because he betrayed the trust of his friends.
   Life back then was tough even under the most ideal of conditions. You had to have friends and be friends.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Summer Kitchen

2011-06-30T08:54:00.000-05:00

   When the heat of summer became unbearable, the cookstove was moved out to the porch where it was a bit cooler. Everyone used to have a summer kitchen. The lady of the house was given a break from the high indoor temperature for about the three hottest months of the summer.
   I remember how the food was put on the counter and we just helped ourselves and went out to a shady spot to eat.
   It wasn't just the everyday cooking that was the problem but the job of canning went on whenever there were things to be preserved. Meat, fruits and vegetables needed to be put up whenever they were available. The inside of the house was unbearably hot most of the summer.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Good Reading,
Ron

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Hot Minnesota Summer

2011-06-29T15:11:00.000-05:00

Here it is at last. That one day that we can truly say "It's Summer!" Here in Northern Minnesota, we don't get this kind of weather very often. If I remember right, the last time we had summer, I was a child, of about 35 years of age.

Fall, winter and spring eat up most of the year. We get the occasional day where we can sit on the river bank and fish without our minnow bucket freezing solid. But they are indeed rare.

The weather here can change quite rapidly too. I remember once that I was sitting in my boat fishing and the lake froze right in front of me. There must have been over two inches of ice, not nearly enough to walk on.

After two days without food, I tried walking to shore on the ice. I got just a few feet from the boat and the ice cracked and down I went. Yup, I drowned under the ice, right in the middle of summer. Honest!

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
Good Reading,
Ron

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The River Comes Alive

2011-06-28T08:44:00.000-05:00

The rivers of Northern Minnesota during the summer are slow and low, just perfect for a slow paddling trip. But in the last week, they have turned into raging rivers, splashing and churning. With all the rain we have gotten, the rivers are full and have spilled out of their banks.

In Itasca County, several roads were wiped right off the map and now as the waters recede, there is no trace of where a road once was. Water has a way of erasing things.

A few years back there was a favorite lake that always provided good duck hunting. I hunted there for years. Then one rainy day, the river bank gave away and the lake disappeared. Completely gone in just a few minutes. Now you can walk across where the lake once was without getting your feet wet.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
Good Reading,
Ron

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Honey Bees

2011-06-27T07:12:00.000-05:00

   Up here in Northern Minnesota we are experiencing a modern day disaster that is quite possibly of our own making. The honey bees are nearly gone. They have disappeared from the area and without their services, pollination won't be as vigorous as before they died.
   Professional beekeepers have reported many hives completely devoid of living bees. When the hives are opened, there is no queen or workers and barely any honey. The effect of this disaster will be noticed in the stores when honey and fruit prices rise because of their scarcity.
   Many studies are under way but early tests point to the wide use of cell phones. This is indeed a disaster of our own making and may just be the tip of the iceberg.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

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The Rapids

2011-06-25T07:58:00.002-05:00

One of the prettiest places described in "The River Calls" was the rapids below the General Store. Sometimes it barely made a sound, but in the spring, it made a terrible noise as if someone had awakened a sleeping ogre. The boulders were huge and in the spring these giants would actually be rolled down stream.

Below these giants would be an area of calm water where the big walleyes would hang out waiting for someone to ring the dinner bell. If you could cast your bait in these small places, you would almost always catch a fish...... almost always.

The rivers of Minnesota are always beautiful, but if you get a chance to see the Bigfork River in the spring, you will most certainly love it.

   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

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Ark Ark Ark

2011-06-24T08:26:00.000-05:00

   Just when I thought I'd start loading up the new Ark I've built, the sun comes out bright and spectacular as usual. Now what am I going to do with a 300 cubit ark, not to mention the pair of skunks I rounded up. Life's hard for us old guys.
   Here in Minnesota, we live in extreme conditions. It's either extremely nice or extremely nasty. We never seem to get the average days. I've seen days that were so spectacular, you couldn't describe it on paper. I've also seen wind and snow so intense, that all you can do is hunker down in the barn with the critters.
   But as for today, it's pretty darned nice.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

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Log Cabin

2011-06-20T08:19:00.001-05:00

   Most of us have seen the modern log homes, but they're a far cry from what the early settlers had for homes. Today's homes are works of art with all the logs fitting together well. The cabin used by the settlers was little more than a pile of logs stacked one upon the other. The cracks between the logs was filled with mud mixed with dried grasses. When dried is shrank and cracked and another load of this mixture was added.
   An extremely good carpenter built a beautiful log home in this area. He built a good roof and a large fireplace. The cabin even had wooden floors. Then the winds of winter came and his new house was tested. The caulking cracked and the chill winds tried to take all of his heat. During January, the only warm spot was right in front of the fire. Anything a few feet away from the fire, froze solid including his drinking water. The warmest he got his cabin in winter was 38 degrees. He only lived in this cabin for a short time, 27 years.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

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coons coons and more coons

2011-06-18T08:47:00.001-05:00

   In the book "The River Calls" old Wil spent a lot of time doing battles with the critters that live along the Bigfork River. Of all the animals, the raccoon was the hardest to control. He came in during the darkest nights and did a terrible amount of damage. Coons seem to favor corn, but will eat nearly anything.
   I've seen them eat a chicken in the same way you would eat a candy bar. They tip over the garbage and empty the bird feeders too.
   So what do you do to protect yourself from these varmints? Well, the first and most obvious is to build a canal around your property and fill it with alligators. If that doesn't work, buy a pit bull and train him to hate coons. Just remember to tell the mailman about the new dog.
   The next thing is to buy an electric fence. Now don't buy one of those little wimpy ones, buy one that will knock over an elephant. No messin' around here, it's time to get serious.
   Now, if that doesn't work, let me know and I'll give you my secret plan known as "X-492", guaranteed to keep your gardens safe.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Livestock

2011-06-17T07:08:00.002-05:00

In the book "The River Calls" our main character Wil always had to tend his stock. Most places on the Bigfork River back then had at least one cow and the cow of choice was the Holstein.

This cow produced a lot of milk, cream, buttermilk and even ice cream when ice was available.

Not that many years ago, the family farm nearly disappeared. Farmers that had large herds of milk cows went out of business or tried other forms of farming. But today things have changed some. On my travels through Northern Minnesota I see that farmers are getting back into the milk business.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Imagine......

2011-06-16T08:18:00.000-05:00

As a kid, my world was a pretty small place. My house, the school, scouts and church was all I knew. School taught me that the world was indeed round and not just a small flat spot as it appeared to me.

My first clue to the magnitude of this place came one day when I was given an old tube type radio. Television wasn't available in Northern Minnesota yet.

On a warm summer evening, I plugged in the old radio and the size and scope of my world changed dramatically. As I slowly rotated the dial, stations from across the United States and Canada came to life in the brilliant technicolor of my imagination. There was Big John and Sparky, Andy Divine, The Shadow, Amos and Andy and the list went on and on.

I doubt that I slept that night. The next evening, I listened to world news from Canada and learned that wars were going on across the entire world in one form or other. I learned about a place called Korea and that scared me some.

Today so very many years later, I still prefer radio. The pictures are so much better.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Bigfork River

2011-06-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

The Bigfork River is a large part of of my book "The River Calls". This is no accident. This river is the lifeblood of the entire area and has been since the beginning of time.

In the spring it runs wild and free, splashing and churning with several rapids that not even the best canoeists would attempt. The excitement runs high for its entire course of many miles. The snowmelt makes this great river a sight to behold.

But summer is a different story. Its mood changes to a gentle flow suitable to a sightseeing day of paddling.

Fall sees the river reflecting the colors of autumn. Red and gold leaves float downstream until they become waterlogged and sink to the bottom. The leaves provide a source of nourishment to the river.

Winter is a time of quiet very cold days. But beneath the surface, schools of large fish still hunt for their dinner. Life and death battles go on without a break. Muskrats, otter and beaver are active under the ice.

What you see on the surface belies the furious activity beneath the ice. Each time you see a small patch of open water, you're likely to see an eagle sitting on a branch close by, waiting for something edible to make a mistake.

In "The River Calls" we see life and death battles everywhere. That's what life is all about. Old guys like this author have seen a life filled with battles, some big some not so big, but we must have won them all or we wouldn't still be writing.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Fresh bread....

2011-06-14T07:14:00.000-05:00

Have you ever walked into your house just when the fresh bread is about to be taken from the oven? It's a true feast for the senses.

In the book "The River Calls", Ma makes bread every other day. Not only that, she makes it in a wood fired cook stove. Now that takes some talent. There is no temperature control on that kind of stove except for the draft.

One of old Wil's favorite things in life is fried eggs, fresh side pork, heavily peppered and bread, right out of the oven. Now how can life get any better than that!

Here at our place, we have a grain mill where we grind our own wheat into flour. It takes a while, but the results are nothing less than heavenly.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Timber Doodle

2011-06-13T08:39:00.000-05:00

Last evening I got a chance to see up close, one of the most secretive birds in North America, the Timber Doodle or American Woodcock. What a beauty. I've see them many times, but not this close. He has a very long bill to dig for worms and a short heavy body.

I remember as a kid, walking the forests near dark and hearing a very strange sound called peenting. The woodcock male flies high and then as he descends, he makes a beautiful song intended to impress the ladies. He repeats this over and over until he gets tired. Another of the many sounds of fall in Minnesota.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Hunting Northerns

2011-06-12T07:31:00.002-05:00

Have you ever hunted Northerns? Yes, the word is correct in this case. It really is hunting.

Northern Pike are the equivalent of the Great White shark of the world's oceans. They are extremely crafty fish and successful at stalking other large fish. I have seen them steal a two pound walleye from my line and swim off slowly, just to make sure I'd seen it clearly.

When you hunt the big ones, you use heavy equipment, like large hooks and steel leaders. But even then, your chances of actually landing one are quite small. If you do hook a large one, the chances are good that you will tire out before he does.

In the book "The River Calls", I speak of the way settlers used to try to herd them down a river in winter when the ice was thick. It was't fishing, it was hunting big game.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Retirement

2011-06-11T17:53:00.002-05:00

I've heard that old age creeps up on a fella, kinda like a mountain lion sneaking up on a skunk. It's an amazing surprise for both and once we get there, we kinda wish we'd have never made the trip. But it's too late now pal, we're in this for the duration.

All of my working life I yearned for the coming days of freedom, the time when I could do anything that I wanted to do. I had visions of fishing the cold clear lakes of Minnesota and wandering the wind swept beaches of Oregon. I could see myself sitting by a campfire in the evening, way up in Canada, roasting a moose over the coals or trying to figure out how to clean a fish.

For years I thought it would be nice to see my boss come down with Alzheimer's and I'd be able to call him names and make faces at him. He'd have no clue who I even was. The problem is that the old jerk was still there at my retirement and in reasonably good health. He came up to me and even shook my hand, the old troglodyte.

Now the things that had so irritated me, have passed in a wild array of sunsets. I have no one to complain about any more and it's a hard life. A fella really needs a jerk in his life just to keep things in balance ya know.

The little lady is trying desperately to find something to occupy my time. Bungee jumping is at the top of her list but I think she might be just joking about that. I'm not sure though. I had considered sky diving but every time I get close to calling the airport, I get the hives. One time a century or so ago, I was on an old C-121 Constellation in an ice storm. Some guy handed me a parachute and told me to put it on. I thought about it for a while and figured that it would be better just to crash and burn with the plane.

Today I have thoughts of standing in the door of a plane, trying to overcome my good common sense. My fingers have dented the doorway to the point where the door will never fit again, but I am however, quite determined. The pilot is making his seventh trip over the drop zone and starting to run a little short of fuel. It's not the falling through the air that bothers me, it's the problem of changing my Depends as I fall toward certain destruction.

Then there's the problem of having a bad right foot, a fake left knee and a pair of manufactured hips. When I hit the ground, those parts would be so messed up that I'd probably be walking upright on my elbows. That's a scary thought at my age.

But now I have talked myself into really doing it. I take a deep breath, say four "Hail Mary's", put my hand on the chute release and step off. I feel a hard impact but am afraid to open my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" asks my instructor.

I open my eyes just a little and see that I'm lying on the ground next to the plane, covered in red parachute material. Guess I waited a bit too long.

The days of my retirement are passing at a dizzying rate. I make plans to do this and that and none of them ever get done. One day I decided to go ice fishing. It used to be one of my favorite things. I started to inventory all of the things I'd need for such a trip. First there would be the assortment of fishing lures, a supply of fishing rods, an auger to cut a hole with, a supply of candy bars, cold weather clothes, heavy boots, a large heater with an even larger supply of propane tanks, a first aid kit to remove imbedded hooks, a GPS unit, a compass, heavy mittens, books and magazines in case I get bored, a wind shelter, three cases of beer, three rolls of toilet paper, four boxes of assorted Pop Tarts, my blood sugar meter and testing supplies, one tube of Fixodent, all my prescriptions and of course some sun screen. Then there's the new pickup truck to haul it all in and the snowmobile to get across the lake. As close as I can figure, it would cost me around $48,000 and that doesn't include my new crash helmet. The little woman is recovering nicely from the shock. I promised her not to do any ice fishing until she gets out of the hospital.

Summers have always been great for us retired guys. There's the fishing, the yard work and the gardening, all of which keep me quite busy. By the time May first rolls around, I've already found several good excuses why those things are no fun. And so I continue searching for something to do.

I heard that Geocaching is a great new sport. Someone hides a little container with small trinkets inside and gives out the coordinates where it can be found. When you find it, you open the box, take something out and put something in for the next guy. I just gotta do this.

Down to the local Army Navy Store to purchase the needed items. The GPS is $400.00 and the rest of the items I need come to around……… well, it's a lot. There's the GPS, a couple books, a first aid kit, a compass, appropriate clothes, appropriate boots, a heavy duty cell phone, a diary, a log book, fly spray, a spare tube of Preparation H, software to program the GPS, another new shirt, 3 rolls of toilet paper (notice the pattern?) a signal mirror, and a large pack of signal flares. This time the cost was considerably less, coming in at just under $3500 and this time the little lady took the checkbook and credit cards away from me. Where's her sense of adventure!

I figured that there had to be a secret spot where old guys hung out in the wintertime so I went in search of such a place. After a few days and a couple tanks of gas, I found 'em. They were hiding in the courthouse. The whole place was filled and I was a happy man. I found a place to sit and tried to strike up a conversation with the guy next to me. He didn't seem to want to talk much. Then a guy everyone called "Your Honor" asked me to leave. I never did figure that one out.

Time started to get the best of me one winter. I was sitting in the garage feeding chunks of birch into the barrel stove when I came up with a plan. I'd invite a bunch of old guys I knew over to the secret hideout called "The He-Man Women Hater's Club". Now this had the makings for a pretty good idea. I called 14 guys but didn't tell them what it was about.

Around 11 next morning, they started to shuffle in. I had chairs set out and had even bought some crackers and peanut butter to go with the grape Kool-Aid. Now we were set. I stood up in front of them and told them my grand idea. To my great surprise, they figured it was a pretty good plan. We'd have a secret handshake and a secret sign that no one else would know. Meetings were every day around noon. The whole thing would be a secret sworn to in blood… or something. No women would be allowed. None…. We hadn't decided what we'd do but I was sure it would be a lot of fun. The meeting ended with many kind and generous old codgers patting me on the back and asking where I got the guts to even speak about such things.

By the third day, the membership was dwindling and by the fourth day, I was back to feeding the barrel stove again, all by myself. I couldn't figure it out. That evening I called one of the guys we called Lefty. I dialed the phone and waited.

"Hello."

"Is Lefty there?"

"Say! Just who is this anyway?" a woman asked.

"Just tell him Slugger wants to talk to him." I said.

"Well Slugger, Lefty can't come to the phone right now. I heard about your little club and after we spoke about it for a while, he decided not to come any more."

"Uh. Well… OK." I stammered.

The next day I saw my old pall Lefty down at the barber shop. He had a black eye and a slight limp. All he said was. "Women haters huh? You just about got me killed with that one."

The next day I was back once more, feeding the barrel stove, alone.

Winter was moving along but at a slightly slower pace than what I wanted. The garage floor had been swept so many times, that the concrete was wearing thin. On my drive through town that day I spotted a sign that said "Buttershots $4.00 per liter." I didn't know what a liter was, but I had a darned good idea what Buttershots was. It tasted like butterscotch and was served over ice. I walked in and bought two liters, somewhere around three gallons I think. I stashed my purchase under the spare tire and headed for home. As I pulled into the driveway, I saw the little woman shoveling the sidewalk and I waved politely. I think she waved back.

Once the garage door was down and locked, I threw another log on the fire and then went to retrieve my purchase from the trunk. Yup, just as I left them. I opened one and took a sip. "Whew!" That stuff was strong. I didn't dare go inside for ice though. The little woman would put me to work doing some kind of a demeaning chore. That idea was out. I had to come up with plan "B".

Over on the workbench behind the lawn mower engine was a fairly clean metal cup from about World War One. It would suffice. I went out the back door and scooped up a little of the clean snow that hadn't been peed on yet and then back to the bottle of Buttershots. I poured a little on the snow and went to take a sip. No good. The snow just soaked it all up. I needed more. I tipped up the bottle and kept pouring until I could see it start to turn a yellowish caramel color. I walked back over to the stove and sat down in my most "favoritist" chair. I raised a toast to us retired guys and took a big gulp.

"Doggone!" That stuff was great.

Then with the experience of many years in the garage, I put my stash in a good hiding place. Didn't want the little woman seeing it ya know.

I licked my lips and took another and then another. That stuff was pretty good. By the time I finished that cupful, the room was starting to seem a bit unstable. I lurched over to where the jugs were hidden and did it all over again. I poured a generous amount (somewhere around eight fingers) and put it back into hiding. Now this was a really good way to spend a day. The barrel stove was nice and warm. The radio was playing Paul Harvey and I was in hog heaven.

The next time I went for a refill, I couldn't remember where I had hidden the stuff, so I just went back and sat down by the fire.

I never did hear the end of the Paul Harvey show that day. When I finally came to, the garage was around 15 degrees below zero and my head felt like Lefty's wife had smacked me a good one too. What had started out to be a fun day, kinda fizzled and died and so did I.

Retirement has kinda had its ups and downs but in general, I can pretty much do any darned thing I want to. Of course there are some things that when once tried are better left alone and then there are the things that the little
lady doesn't approve of and the things that ……….. etc.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Fall Hunting

2011-06-11T07:29:00.000-05:00

In my book "The River Calls" I spend a lot of time describing the many hunting trips I have taken. But in reality, hunting was so very important that it meant the difference between survival and death. People on the river put up large quantities of game and tend large gardens. There wasn't any trips to the shopping center.

But speaking of a deeper meaning, hunting is an urge to provide for our families. When you sit down to dinner, and you know that you provided it, your heart beats proudly.

I recall days of late fall, sitting in a canoe, watching the world turn towards winter. No sounds could be heard except for the rustle of wind moving through the now dead reeds and grasses. Then with a loud rush, a flock of Bluebills streak by moving at an unbelievable speed. You don't even get a shot. They leave you wishing you'd seen them earlier so you could have perhaps taken one.

Another interesting thing is that the feet that were so cold a few minutes ago, now are toasty warm. Now you're on high alert for the next flock.

Now, I'm old and sit inside where there's a nice warm fire keeping my feet warm. I long for the days spent hunting, of freezing in an old canoe, of shooting something for the table. But for today, I am heartened by the blue sky and the flocks of geese I see coming by.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Voyageurs

2011-06-10T07:48:00.000-05:00

In "The River Calls" we write about the Indian neighbors living on the banks of the Bigfork River. These people had lived there for centuries. And so when we hear about the white explorers discovering these Native Americans, it leaves a bad taste in their mouthes.

In case no one noticed, they didn't need to be discovered. They knew well who they were and where they were. The white men who were invited to winter in their camps, brought a wide variety of diseases that nearly destroyed these great civilizations.

And so even today, there remains a rift between the whites and the indian cultures. The indians have been given areas called reservations, but they owned this land already and didn't need to be given any land.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Smudge

2011-06-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

Kids being the fun filled critters that they are, love to play outside in the evenings. But in the summer, the skeeters lay in wait for any blood filled animals that venture outside in the evenings.

I remember a long time ago, we didn't have stuff like repellants. We used small smudge fires that smoked the area, chasing the mosquitoes away. Sure, we got a few bites, but all in all, we won the battle and played our hearts out.

We'd build a small fire out of dry wood and then go and gather a large bunch of green grass. Then we'd cover the fire with grass and the clouds of smoke would cover the area. Then as the smoke faded, we'd play our hearts out. Being a kid was pretty nice sometimes.

I invite you to visit "The River Calls" blog site each day for a small look into what life was like a long time ago.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Hmmmmmmm

2011-06-07T07:38:00.000-05:00

Here in Northern Minnesota, we have an abundance of hummingbirds. The other day I watched as five of them were sitting on a rope, looking like clothespins. It's unusual to see them getting along as they chase each other all day. Then last evening I was watching my feeder as four hummers were using the feeder. There were only four spots so as one finished dinner, he'd rotate to the left and then all would move in unison, getting a fresh "flower". Most interesting.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Black Bears

2011-06-06T06:39:00.002-05:00

  Another of the dangers faced by early settlers to Minnesota's great Bigfork River Valley were the numerous black bears that roam the country. They are truly omnivores that will eat anything they can get near their mouth.
  I watched one last night as he tried to figure out how to make a meal out of my 18 pullets. The problem was that the chickens didn't recognize the huge bear as being a threat. In their mind, anything that comes near them is there to either give them food or water.
   By the time that I started yelling at him, he'd already opened a small container of barbecue dipping sauce and didn't really want to leave.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Winter Fishing

2011-06-05T06:56:00.001-05:00

In the book "The River Calls" winter fishing was a regular part of life on the river.
There wasn't any of the modern tools, but still, they brought home the fish. A hole was chopped through the ice and the line was dropped through the hole.

All that was required was the ability to keep from freezing to death. With temps of nearly -40, good mittens were a necessity. Sometimes they would build a nice fire on the ice, making it a lot more fun.

In the middle of a Minnesota winter, the sun comes up at about eight in the morning and sets at about 4:30. That makes for some long nights. Families were always looking for fun things to do and fishing was at the top of the list.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of "The River Calls" at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.
Good Reading,
Ron

Northern Minnesota's Highways

2011-06-04T06:21:00.000-05:00

Here in the north part of Minnesota, we put great value on our rivers. But when the first white men came to this area, the rivers were used as super highways. Any settlements were built on the banks of our rivers. Even the farmers, cleared land near the rivers.

Rivers were a main artery that ran through this country. Trade goods were hauled up and down the rivers and passenger boats brought travelers here.

Commerce was dependent upon the river system to bring goods to the far north. We had many steamboats coming and going on the rivers.

So when you read "The River Calls", pay attention to how important these rivers were.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Spring Thaw

2011-06-03T07:38:00.000-05:00

   All winter, the lumberjacks cut and stacked the trees on nearby lakes. The problem was that there was nowhere to go with them.
   Then in the springtime, the lakes finally opened up and the logs floated free. The great rafts of logs made their way downstream to the big sawmills. Sometimes they would get hung up in the narrow gorges and then the dynamite crew would go into action.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Pemmican

2011-06-02T06:28:00.000-05:00

   With Minnesota winters being so hard to survive, native american tribes once made an "energy bar" of their own. They beat out all the other companies by several centuries.
   It consisted of animal fat, dried berries, grains and dried meats of many varieties. Now doesn't that sound appealing!
   But when you stop to think of all the things dieticians say we need for our daily healthy eating, there it is in one spot. All of the ingredients were mixed thoroughly and then put in deer hide sacks that held about two pounds.
   You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.
   Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Summer storms,

2011-05-31T06:12:00.000-05:00

Good Morning,
Last night around midnight, one of those beautiful summer storms rolled through this region, a real window shaker with lots of lightning and heavy rain.

Up on the Bigfork River, the water started to rise around midnight and by daylight, it had spilled over its banks flooding bogs and gardens for miles. Made a lot of folks mad but it provided pretty good water for lakes that had been low.

Yesterday a few Anishinaabe people came by our home, to raise awareness for fresh water. Pretty good idea. Pretty good people. Darned long walk.

Today, Little American falls will be splashing and churning with newfound energy. It's quite a sight to see.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T07:05:00.000-05:00

This famous image is of the GI's hoisting the US flag on Iwo Jima during World War 2. An important part of this is the fact that Ira Hayes was one of this group. He fought hard to get to the top of this hill.

Ira Hayes was a Pima indian from the western part of the US. This was truly a man of honor who loved his country. My Hayes was found dead years later in a muddy pool of water having died from the effects of alcohol. Such a sad ending for a good man.

Thank a Vet.
Ron

Raspberries

2011-05-29T08:32:00.000-05:00

One of old Wil Morgan's favorite things was raspberries. Have you ever tasted raspberries with fresh cream? I mean fresh cream, just poured from the ice box. It has to rate up there with the best things on earth.

I remember an old lady we called Aunt Beck. She wasn't my aunt or even the aunt of anyone I knew. She was just plain Aunt Beck. She lived here in northern Minnesota and was at least 200 years old.

Outside her little house was a raspberry patch the size of Manhattan. Well almost. Every morning during berry season, as soon as the dew was off the patch, she'd put on her berry picking apron and grab at least four large pails, and head out the door.

Within a couple hours, she'd be back inside, with a good fire going in the cook stove, and a canner full of boiling water. She'd fill the jars with berries, loosely packed, a scoop of sugar and then fill the jar with water. Then she'd put on the lids and rings and gently set them into the boiling water. After the prescribed time, she'd take them out and set them on the kitchen table. As they cooled, the lids would make a click and she'd know it was done just right. The ones that didn't seal correctly, were given to me along with a pitcher of cream.

I'm not sure, but I think I can still remember how it tasted. My my my! It was wonderful to be eight years old.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Wil Morgan

2011-05-28T07:19:00.000-05:00

Wil Morgan was the key figure in "The River Calls" and he eventually made his way into two later books that will appear here and on Amazon.com.

Wil was a friend of mine. Not much else needs to be said, he was my friend. He told me stories that were absolutely fantastic.

The first time we met, we were talking back and forth on Ham radio. During the conversation, he was in his airplane, flying backwards over Bowstring Lake. We became close friends.

Wil is gone now, but I try to keep his memory alive in my books.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

Summer

2011-05-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we like to show you what the life of the first settlers in Northern Minnesota was like.

I can't help but wonder if the first settlers into northern Minnesota took time to smell the roses. Did they ever have picnics? Did they have family gatherings?

The answer is a loud and echoing "YES".

Some of the old papers I've read say that community picnics were held for nearly any occasion. Each woman on the Bigfork had a recipe that they were famous for. When a couple got married, each family brought food for the whole community. Today we'd call it a pot luck dinner.

Then when it was all done, out came the ice cream churns. Inside went cream, eggs and vanilla. The ingredients went inside the bucket along with the dasher. The lid was put on and ice was packed around the center container. Then salt was put onto the ice to make it extra cold.

Then came the hard part of turning the crank. Sometimes it took over an hour of cranking and the job was shared by many. Just when the ice cream was getting solid, you threw in a couple cups of chopped up strawberries. The crank was turned some more and finally it was declared done. The dasher was removed and the canister was packed in ice and salt for a couple hours.

What finally came out after all this hard work was well worth the wait. Strawberry ice cream. Does life get any better!

Mosquitoes

2011-05-24T11:18:00.001-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we like to show you what the life of the first settlers in Northern Minnesota was like.

It was thought by the first settlers that they had indeed found paradise. The place was unbelievable with everything anyone could ask for.

Then after a year their opinion changed some. The mosquitoes were bigger than full grown vultures and winters froze anyone solid that stood in one place for more than a minute.

It wasn't exactly paradise, but all in all it was the best place there was to raise a family.

Ricing

2011-05-23T07:34:00.000-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we like to show you what the life of the first settlers in Northern Minnesota was like. A large part was gathering enough food to get through the next winter.

Wild rice was used as a staple food that would last all winter if properly processed and stored. It grew in the lakes and rivers and is a tall grass like plant with seed that matures in the fall and is harvested by using a canoe or small narrow boat. It was pulled over the side of the canoe and hit with another stick so that the rice landed inside the boat.

It took a two person team with one picking and one poling, pushing the canoe along with a long pole.
You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com. The Peace River Books blog is updated each day.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

The Blacksmith

2011-05-22T07:40:00.000-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we like to show you what the life of the lumberjack was like. One of the jobs that kept the timber moving was that of the Blacksmith. Anything that concerned metal, concerned him. He'd keep the horses shod with ice shoes in winter, make and repair axes and pike poles. He would cut and trim the horses hooves and then fit a perfectly made shoe. This was one job that if not done right would make the horse lame in short order.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

The Cook Shack

2011-05-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we like to show you what the life of the lumberjack was like. Those were tough times for anyone and many came to work just to have some food to eat and a warm place to lay their head at night. The camp foreman watched for the slackers and ran them off in a hurry.

Payday was always on Friday evening after dinner. Many of the men headed for town to drink a bit of fire water and play some poker. Most came back the next day broke and hung over, but that was the life they chose.

You can find the EBook Kindle edition of this book at Amazon.com and at www.peaceriverbooks.com.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

Good Reading,
Ron

That's quite a load!

2011-05-20T06:57:00.001-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we'll show you some of what the big timber camps were really like. This load of logs is so large that it makes the team of horses look pretty small. Once the horses got the load moving, you had the problem of keeping it under control. That little tiny man walked along side of the moving load and if it got going a little too fast, he'd throw a little hay on the iced road to slow it down.

If the load got moving a little too fast, the man always had an emergency plan, but the problem was that it ruined the road. He could throw a little gravel down and that stopped the load..... permanently. A new road had to be built and iced with the water wagon.

Glad you stopped into "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to put something new here each day.

The book "The River Calls" can be found at Amazon.com and www.peaceriverbooks.com.

Good Reading,
Ron

The Wanigan

2011-05-19T06:57:00.003-05:00

Here at "The River Calls" we'll try to show some of the things that made the life of the lumberjack at least tolerable for the men. One of these was the Wanigan.

As the huge rafts of logs made their way down river, a sizable crew of men made it all happen. They pushed, poked and prodded the logs all the way to the big mills downstream.

The men needed to be fed too and that was the job of the Wanigan crew. The inside of this floating kitchen was roughly about five paces by two paces. There was a large cook stove, a table and a lot of storage space. On the shelves were sacks of flour, yeast, baking powder, molasses, honey and a large supply of prunes. The men all loved prunes.

When it was time to eat, the cookee (cooks helper) blew the horn and the men came running. They'd come in the back and out the front and then find a comfortable place on the river bank to eat. Nothing fancy, but it got the job done.

Thanks for stopping by "therivercalls". The new Ebook "The River Calls" is available at Amazon.com and peaceriverbooks.com.

See you tomorrow.
Ron

Sit down, shut up and eat.

2011-05-18T06:24:00.000-05:00

In "The River Calls" blog, we'll talk about the life of the lumberjacks here in Northern Minnesota a long time ago. They were a tough lot, but even tougher were the camp cooks. The men came into the cook shack and found a spot to sit. The food was brought to their table in huge bowls and platters. Fresh bread was always on the menu.

The cooks would not tolerate any conversation at the tables. You were expected to eat and leave quietly.

There was always butter on the table too, but it was a little hard to get at. You see, it was in the shape of a ball and frozen solid. So if you tried to get a little butter for your bread, all it did was spin in the bowl.

Stop in when you can. We'll try to bring you a little tidbit of the inside of "therivercalls". My books are available at www.peaceriverbooks.com and amazon.com.

Thanks for stopping. See you tomorrow?
Ron

River Pigs

2011-05-17T05:59:00.000-05:00

In "The River Calls" you'll hear the term River Pig. It has nothing to do with BBQ or picnics. A River Pig was the man who helped guide the large rafts of logs as they floated down Minnesota's rivers. When the raft got stuck, he'd run across the logs with a ten foot pike pole and try to free up whatever was stuck. When that didn't work, he'd bring out the heavy artillery. A case of dynamite usually did the trick.

One of the big dangers of being a River Pig was that the raft of logs was always moving. If a log turned as he stepped on it, he'd either break an ankle or worse, go into the river and under the logs. Very few that went down ever saw daylight again. It was a tough life.

At "therivercalls" blog, we'll give you a fresh look at the book "The River Calls" each morning. Also the blog at www.peaceriverbooks.com will tell you about about all of my books. The Ebook editions can be found at Amazon.com.

Thanks for stopping by and Good Reading.

Ron

Shoepack Pie

2011-05-16T06:20:00.000-05:00

In "The River Calls" you'll find many references to the great foods once served in the logging camps. A good camp cook was essential to keeping a full logging crew. Many tales were told of how a bad meal cooked by a drunk cook could empty a camp over night. Good cooks were paid well, but some had tempers that were legendary.

As camp supplies started to run low a good cook became somewhat more creative. At the evening meal, there was a "sweet" of one kind or other. One was Shoepack pie. It was lemon flavored and not very high but the taste was fantastic lemon. The thing that made it so memorable was the name. A lumberjack started each day with a chunk or two of cardboard in his boots for warmth. At night he'd hang his boots by the woodstove and when morning came, he just added more. When it came time to replace the soggy mess, it had the look of the pie they all loved.

I hope you'll keep checking in at "therivercalls" blog. We'll try to make it worth the trip.

Swingdingles and Snortpoles

2011-05-15T06:40:00.000-05:00

In "The River Calls" you'll read about many unusual people, places and things, but none will be more colorful than their own private language.

Swingdingles: were a small box with sleigh runners. It was about two feet wide, four feet long and about two feet high with a tight fitting lid. It was used to bring the noon meal out to the men along with a big pail of coffee. Some of them had a bell attached to the box so the men could hear it coming.

Snortpoles: were used in the bunkhouse when the logging camps got full of men. The places where the men slept had bunks big enough for two men. The snortpole was placed down the center of the bunk to keep the rollers from disturbing their bunkmate.

In the following days I'll take you deeper into "therivercalls" and tell quite a bit about life in the camps. I think you'll enjoy it.

Good Reading,
Ron

The Beginning

2011-05-14T07:03:00.000-05:00

My first book, "therivercalls" is truly a labor of love. In it I recount many tales told me as a young man by the real woodsmen of Northern Minnesota, the lumberjacks

Lumberjacks were a large part of the community where I was raised. We never saw them all winter because that was when they worked in the timber camps. But in the summer, quite a few of them stayed at area boarding houses.

These were tough no nonsense men who'd fight at the drop of a hat. But there was a gentler side as well. The Sky Pilot would visit them at least once a week.

There weren't many married lumberjacks. Few women wanted to be married to a man who only came home in the summer.

This great Ebook "The River Calls" can be ordered quickly and easily by clicking on Amazon.com .

I wish you good reading.

Ron