Black's Cliff Birch Bark Blog

Excerpt: Insert music to Clint Eastwood movie here. The music they play as Clint is heading for a shoot out with the guys in the movie Good The Bad and The Ugly. Troy headed down the driveway with his weapon to take on the monster in the septic Only a show down with a reluctant septic could get a crowd... Read more

Excerpt: Who needs air conditioning.... nobody at Black's Cliff... Just grab a boat bailer fill it full of water, place on head.... Cone Heads Black's Cliff Style And pull it off.... best way to stay cool when temps soar to 90... These guys would not trade air conditioning for juicing their heads as they called it If being a cone... Read more

Excerpt: Warm afternoons and cool nights it has been perfect summer weather with a little rain thrown in here and there. Even with the rain we have had over a 10 year period we are still down and it will take a few years of above average rain to make up for the lack the last 10 years Kids have... Read more

Excerpt: The 5 year roofing project has gotten under way. Craig is replacing all the rolled roofing with shingles. Whack Whack Whack goes the peaceful Mr Black. Jake is learning ropes from Grandpa and can't wait to find out the tradition that happens when a roof is completed. 4 generations have worked keeping roofs leak proof. Craig is happy because... Read more

Excerpt: With temps not making it out of the mid 60's for the next 2 days, what has everyone been doing? I hear from just about everyone that the sleeping has been awesome. Even with the cooler temps there have been arguements about who gets the swinging beds and has even caused a few sibblings to settle the arguement by... Read more

Excerpt: Why no posts the last few days... sometimes the camera just does not make it out of the house.... I missed a pic of a huge snapping turtle laying eggs down by the cementary... missed pic of a huge doe along side the road and many other things... but it just did not come together for an entry... Until.... Troy... Read more

Excerpt: Most of the time it is the oldest child who likes sceduals and orgainizes the family. This job in the Wilson family falls to the youngest Judy who takes it to a new level. Secretly however, everyone else enjoys the fact that they do not have to wonder what is for dinner, who is keeping an eye on Grandpa... Read more

Excerpt: How do you take 2 kids like this and keep them busy away from Nintendo DS's, TV and Ipod's. Put a vacation hat like this on them, sunglasses and take them up north and see what happens One firepit, 2 pokers and hours of fun with no technology involved. This is what heading up Nort is all about... Read more

Excerpt: Bryon and I are trying to figure out how to link the Birchbark Blog up to the fan page of Black's Cliff on Facebook. Stay tuned as the computers are humming in Minocqua... Read more

Excerpt: Once in awhile it is time to do some work to the old green boats. Some of the boats date back to the 50's. Some say the green paint is the reason they stay afloat, others say the pounds of extra paint weigh them down. The Lusitania is probably from the 70's as it was at one time a... Read more

Excerpt: Look up Cliff on Facebook as Cliff Black... Read more

Excerpt: The following note is from one of our log books in the cabins. I thought it summed up some of the reasons everyone should spend time away from the chaos of life and more time locked in a cabin with rain and family June 4 - 7th This was our first trip up here from Illinois. I learned many new... Read more

Excerpt: Been a busy few days getting the resort ready no time for pictures or typing. So enjoy these quick pics I took this morning of a quiet morning on Lower Kaubashine Good news, we were not sure if the big pontoon was going to have a motor this summer. Our motor gave out and a new one priced in... Read more

Excerpt: Wendy and Chris headed out for one last pontoon boat ride and the heron sent them this great salute. A fitting end to a great vacation on Lower Kaubashine... Read more

Excerpt: Wendy Klass caught the Blue Heron invading the raft. Since there have been few to no swimmers this week it had no competition a spot on the raft The eagle can swoop all he wants I am not giving up my spot. Maybe a cute female heron will spot me out here and let me fluff her feathers. Think... Read more

Excerpt: I sent my intrepid vacation photographers, Wendy and Chris out on the pontoon boat with their camera. Little did I know the pictures they would capture. They came knocking on my door one hour later saying, you are not going to believe what we saw. All of the pics in this entry were taken with in one hour on... Read more

Excerpt: We have just a few openings left for summer Bear Den 4 bdr home just canceled a prime week July 31st to the 7th this one will probably not last too long so give a call if interested Bear Den is also open July 10 - 17th Red Pine June 26 - 3rd reduced rate for smaller groups Wigwam June... Read more

Excerpt: Jim Kotowicz our 2009 ice out winner came up this week. Cliff and Jim stopped into the Northwoods Wildlife Center to present them with 150 dollars Jim's winnings and the Wildlife Center's portion in the ice out contest to the Wildlife Center. Beth was happy to accept on behalf of Hortense, the 7 bear cubs and all the rest... Read more

Excerpt: Why no blog entries the last 2 days.... easy answer.... The fish are biting! Spend time at the computer or go fishing for crappie.... The mayflies have been thick. The lake was completely still yesterday and they mayflies were landing on the lake to be snapped up by hungry fish. All you could hear was the snap, snap and... Read more

Excerpt: Looking for the silver lining in the weather.... yep we got a dusting last night once everything cooled off and froze up again Problem is we have been reduced to patches of snow Besides recreation problems with skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling this also causes one other problem most do not think of. The snow insulates the ground from the... Read more