Black's Cliff Birch Bark Blog

Excerpt: The last few days we have been dreaming of summer and green of spring Instead we have been dealing with few days of dreary weather What do you down when frustrated by snow... rent a chipper and clean up brush around the resort. Keeps you warm outside Troy retreated to the office area with his varnish brush working on... Read more

Excerpt: Another 4 or so inches of snow arrived last night on top of the large amounts we already had. Now I love winter do not get me wrong.... but I have had enough.... it is pretty but..... time for spring I went down to the lake in my Columbia high topped boots to find out how Cliff was doing... Read more

Excerpt: No end to winter in sight = time to get some inside projects done When the guys get let loose on cabins scenes like this happen. Kitchens migrate into bathrooms Cook while you clean? Time for some touch up stain and varnish in Bayview How is that for spiffy cupboards Murry? Just for fun I think we should play... Read more

Excerpt: Mack would like to report the snow is great for running in. There are an additional 2 - 4 inches coming in tomorrow.... Mack may love it but I am starting to wish for spring even with the 2 spring trips we have made in the last week. 2 spring trips, a cleaned basement and a cleaned attic... yep... Read more

Excerpt: When will Cliff wake up from hibernation and sink into Lower Kaubashine? Well here are the 2013 entries. I am not going to publish times there are not more than 2 people on any day, so if Cliff sinks on a day 2 have picked then we will just split the pot between them. The pot this year is... Read more

Excerpt: We have had busy last week and a half that has involved a lot of things. Two of them being two craft fairs with the sock machines. So if you have noticed a lack of blog entries that is the reason. We also had the Wisconsin Department of Tourism at the resort filming some commercials for next year for... Read more

Excerpt: Troy yelled at me to grab the camera for a rare sighting of 2 Pileated Woodpecks dancing around a tree together. These pictures were all taken through our dinning room window as I knew if I stepped outside they would fly off You never realize how big these woodpeckers are til they land on your suet feeder. They are... Read more

Excerpt: Katie and her family came over to the resort to take a snowshoe out to our bog on our back 40 acres. They had a mission of snowshoeing and lunch One thing they learned quickly is even with snowshoes, crossing a bog you sink and they quickly learned to walk the edge of the bog not through the center... Read more

Excerpt: This slow sluggish spring has been good for one thing "Sapping." The maple trees have been slowly waking up and dripping. The snow and rain the last 2 days has not slowed things down. This morning we got over 2 buckets of sap from 35 or so trees. Some are not producing any yet and some trees are in... Read more

Excerpt: When the Haas group comes good times are never far away. They always come with interesting outside games This years I was hearing chants and Owwww's and Ahhhhh's over life sized outdoor Jenga Competition was fierce One of the guys made the game out of left over 2 by 4's Using the hammer to tap out the middle It... Read more

Excerpt: Today is March 1st and that means one thing..... Cliff has come out of the basement for Ice Out 2013. Out of the closet... out of the basement there is a joke in there somewhere but it is not coming to me Cliff has taken up his post about 100 feet from shore of Lower Kaubashine. Guess what day... Read more

Excerpt: The snow is getting deep. I think this will be the max for the snow depth this winter. 1 John Deer Gator + 2 teenagers + 2 sleds +1 golden retriever = fun around the driveway With the snow piling up outside Steve got the planer out and got started hanging the office windows Hours of watching "This Old... Read more

Excerpt: Although we still feel buried in snow and there is plenty around to play in for the next couple of weeks, you can definitely feel spring around the corner. Icicles have started popping up everywhere. The birds have to be careful how they approach our suet feeder While it has been warmer out, the work in the office building... Read more

Excerpt: Winter means.... logs covered in snow and..... Time to cut and split wood. Tools of the trade a maul and car tire The winter side of the woodshed is getting a little thin. 2 1/2 piles left The pile for summer is just about there Question is can you see what is different about the wood we are now... Read more

Excerpt: Do you think you have what it takes to run a resort? Do you have the ability to face down a 150 lb Saint Bernard who's owners are at the hospital after a snowmobile accident and the dog needs to pee? Do you have the ability to be a dog whisperer to coax 150lbs of reluctant and slightly growling... Read more

Excerpt: Drop the temp 10 degrees for whatever you are thinking it looks like outside. Wind and snow whipping across the lake I made it to the top of the steps and found this face looking at me. He was clueless as to why in the world I would walk down to the cold lake I walked right past him... Read more

Excerpt: Day off school for teacher inservice + new snow = time to go skiing Time to go skiing + figuring out how to get the skies back on after a year = tangle of legs and a few foul words. Skis on + awesome trails = eventually happy parents Down the trail we go Fresh legs and the beginning... Read more

Excerpt: Yesterday was pretty misty snow in the trees, today real snow that mounted up and had to be plowed Bayview in the snow Hillside loaded with snow Stairwell by Wildflower Wildflower Summer seems a long way off in this pic Since I took pics yesterday at the lake I thought it would be interesting to compare today with the... Read more

Excerpt: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmnorthwoods Enjoy this video taken by a photographer in Boulder Junction of the wild albino deer in the area. Boulder Junction is 15 minutes from the resort and a beautiful place to visit in the Northwoods... Read more

Excerpt: I had a local artist Greg Peck make my new office table top. I gave Greg the specifications for size and he came up with this amazing piece that we will connect to a bottom. I have several of Greg's tables in the resort. Red Pine and Kaubashine have coffee tables he made and Shamrock has a beautiful corner... Read more