Black's Cliff Birch Bark Blog

Excerpt: The Northwoods is slowly waking up to spring. The snow is still deep in the woods, but not as deep as it was. Hopefully with warmer temps today and later in the week we start to see some brown ground. Of course tomorrow we have temps below freezing and possibilities of snow a few times this week The maple... Read more

Excerpt: If I still liked snow I could show you beautiful snow pics of the snow that came down last night. Heavy and thick on the trees. I could show you those pics, and if it was November, December, January or even February, I would, but it is March. It is not just March it is the end of March..... Read more

Excerpt: Cliff at his post this morning. I have put the list together of all the guesses that have come in. There were more May guesses than ever before. If it goes that long 2 years in a row that would be amazing to see. Last year they were ice fishing for the fishing opener in May and the year... Read more

Excerpt: What a end to the evening last night. I was headed to the dumpster after dinner to drop off recycling items and I heard a crash in the trees and screeching. I saw a very large bundle drop from the top of the oak trees by the volleyball court. At first I thought it was raccoons fighting and falling... Read more

Excerpt: With the slow spring the guys have been busy inside the cabins again. Carpeting has been the name of the game. Bayview, Wildflower and the queen room in Birchwood all have gotten new carpet, and it is starting to pile up. Restawhile is next on the list as long as the snow is on the ground Wildflower getting some... Read more

Excerpt: Turning on Restawhile today Mack walked in with me and wanted to go out the porch door. I was not sure why he wanted to go out the porch door but I let him out. He seemed confused as to where he was to go once I let him out. Snow everywhere and no easy way seen through the... Read more

Excerpt: We have been gone this week on a couple of small spring break trips and Gail and Char came up to keep an eye on the resort and Mack. Gail and Char learned a few things this week about being up in March 1. Dan's Fudge closes 2. Blink Bonnies has no wait for a table on a Wednesday... Read more

Excerpt: I had some really neat pictures shared with me from Nichole and Stephen in Birchwood. They spent the week enjoying returning to the woods and the area after not being in the Northwoods in a long time. Nichole caught some awesome pictures of the deer going out onto the lake. Craig's two cabins The Chateau and Blackwood are in... Read more

Excerpt: You could feel the warmth coming from the sun today. Melting is definitely taking place. The canoe is starting to peek out of its winter cave Cliff at his post this morning. Remember to get your guesses in by the 20th as to when he will sink Feeling the warmth Still just a piece of metal sticking up through... Read more

Excerpt: I have spotted some warmer weather for a couple of days Sunday and Monday. It is time to tap some trees. This is the latest we have ever held off to tap trees. It has simply been to cold to justify plowing through waist deep snow to tap some trees. The trees will not run until the temps go... Read more

Excerpt: We have delayed starting Ice Out 2014 for a week due to the just plain cold temps. It did not seem fair to drag Cliff out of the basement at - 20. Cliff was more than happy to hang in the basement another week. But the time has come. Time to head to the lake for the big plunge... Read more

Excerpt: I found this little treasure on Ebay last week. This post card is one of the oldest I have found from my grandparents. From the post mark was mailed in 1947. They bought the resort in 1946 so I believe this is one of the first postcards of Black's Cliff. We did not have it in our archives. Someone... Read more

Excerpt: I had these pictures shared with me by Taylor Nyarangi. Taylor and her friends drove all the way from Milwaukee last weekend to see the Ice Caves along Lake Superior. I know I have shared a few groups of these pictures, but they are all so amazing. The ice caves are still open and should be good to see... Read more

Excerpt: Plowing out after the big snow we got the truck stuck. How to get the truck out of a snowbank? Grab the handy dandy come a long (spelling is for you Paul). Even an F 250 has trouble at times. The propane truck was in the driveway. We could wait no longer for a fill. Propane prices are still... Read more

Excerpt: With all the snow we have received it is time to shovel a few more roofs. Eagles Nest was on the list today. The first challenge was to trudge through waist deep snow to get to the cabin. We do not keep it plowed out in the winter so it was a slow trudge through the snow with shovels... Read more

Excerpt: We hosted the Lawrence X Country ski team this weekend. It was a weekend full of food, skiing, saunas and lots of laughs with this group. My son Jake and his girlfriend Michelle are part of the group and they shared their amazing weekend in pictures. Thanks to them for sharing This is the reason they ventured to the... Read more

Excerpt: I wandered down to the lake imagining 6 - 12 more inches of snow..... Troy has nicely kept the beach steps clear of snow and getting down to the lake the thought of going off his shoveled paths into feet of snow was not happening. Even for a nice picture of fog on the lake. These pics were all... Read more

Excerpt: Our summer pic from yester year... This boat is still out in our shed waiting for someone bored to do something with it. One of the spring tasks we no longer do is tar the old wood boats. Craig and Dave would do this every spring to the fleet. Thankfully steel and fiberglass boats do not need this. I... Read more

Excerpt: Does anything really change.... This picture is from the 50's... but it could have been taken this last summer as well This has always been one of my favorite pics I took a few years ago. People have changed but the fun and memories remain the same Nope it does not change much just the faces and the swim... Read more

Excerpt: When you are 14 and you want to earn some money for something and you live at a resort there is always something to do. Grant is our chief kindling splitter and the pile was just about empty as was his wallet Such technique Learned over generations Another pile that is empty is our wood pile next to the... Read more