Black's Cliff Birch Bark Blog

Excerpt: Its been a cool week but lots going on. The loons are getting bigger. Happy to still see 2 of them on the lake Deer have been getting bigger as well. So thankful when folks share such nice pictures like these with me to share It started out as a warm week but a front came through with hail... Read more

Excerpt: 4th of July brings around our annual Roy Tungett Memorial Horseshoe Tournament Tom Hixson is our planner now organizing 45 participants into teams and off to Hilltop we go We work on just making it to the pit with the shoes. Amelia has watched the tournament since she was little and now plays in it Our biggest thrills come... Read more

Excerpt: Always a lot of fun on the 4th of July week Lots of family and friends. Too much to do and too little time is the theme of the week but we cram a lot in This year we seated 56 people at the table for the seafood boil a new record The cooks were cooking! Th old fashioned... Read more

Excerpt: When starting off vacation the most important thing is finding a good spot for first dinner with enough room for just a couple of friends. Ottos in Minocqua if the weather is great has the most amazing patio to accommodate a few friends. Much fun and laughs were had around this table Next most important thing is finding your... Read more

Excerpt: This week I Summer has really hit. Most of our spring projects are either done or on the back burner for next spring. I have been slow updating the blog. Sorry for that. Between the late spring and my recovery from my treatments it has been a bit of a challenge. Shaking off winter, my cancer treatment recover, getting... Read more

Excerpt: There has been a lot of fishing going on the last couple of weeks with the spawn drawing the fish into shore Bently was all smiles keeping his grandparents baiting his hook. He has a fish story to write about when school starts in the fall With our late spring our time has been sucked up getting the resort... Read more

Excerpt: It is finally starting to feel a bit more like summer approaching Steve caught this picture of a porcupine up a tree on our trails. Luckily it stayed put We have a bit of winter clean up to do on the trails. Our big snow falls left a lot of debris on the trails Back to work, the resort... Read more

Excerpt: I have not written much about my health journey on the blog but I would like everyone to know we had a celebration Monday as I finished my last radiation treatment. It has been a long 9 months of surgery, 20 weeks of chemo and 30 radiation treatments for breast cancer. May 1st was my liberty day! All done... Read more

Excerpt: Its been an interesting weather week. We go beautiful 70's for 5 days that allowed some of the snow to melt and the ice to start turning colors. Mike Grady joined Troy at the beach for a few days rebuilding out dock tops for our boat docks. Mike is a retired carpenter and now only works when he has... Read more

Excerpt: We are finally seeing some brown ground. We are hoping to get to some raking finally next week Troy has started organizing boards for replacing the tops of our boat docks. Lots of cutting The shoreline is showing signs of ice loosening its grip Not too long these steps will be full of kids running down them to go swimming... Read more

Excerpt: I am told spring is here... not sure I believe it but we did set up our 43 taps around the resort. So far the trees know there is a spring joke as well and have been slow to get flowing. We have one pot on our wood stove slowly peculating away boiling down There is a ridiculous amount... Read more

Excerpt: It is officially spring and we have tapped our 43 trees. Waiting for warmer temps to get the trees flowing this week. We have had some minor runs of a couple of gallons but the weather looks much better starting today for sap running The dogs were intrigued by the Martin family ice fishing last week The snow on... Read more

Excerpt: A few updates.. I do not put much on the blog about my health but wanted everyone to know all is well I finished chemo Feb 3rd and start radiation next week In between the two we took a trip to Tucson to see our middle son Ben and his wife Ali in Tucson. Our youngest son Grant and... Read more

Excerpt: We lost a great guest and friend this week, Dan Christian. After a long battle with cancer, Dan passed on Monday. Dan started coming to the resort with his parents, Wills and Lou Christian. I looked back in our records and I can't find their first year which means its far back. I remember as a child Wills and... Read more

Excerpt: We had 10 inches of wonderful snow blanket the northwoods. It is so pretty in the pines! Steve was quick to get everything plowed out while Troy and I got shoveling duty. I got a new plug in power shovel that is light, kind of a like a small snowblower I can do one handed Folks ask how I... Read more

Excerpt: This picture sums up why I enjoy living up north. We headed out with the family to enjoy a candle light fat tire bike trip through the woods on the zip line trails. The trails were beautiful at night gliding around the turns by candle light. Our local bike club organized the event. Just beautiful and great way to... Read more

Excerpt: So far storm has not been too bad. We got 6 inches of light fluffy snow last night. No winds so far but that is supposed to change tonight Oogie out trying to catch the snow from the snow blower. He thinks its a great new game Best purchase of the year is a Toro electric snow shovel. I... Read more

Excerpt: I have debated sharing my health issue on the Blog. Most of our guests who have visited from early August until now have heard. I am currently 1/2 way through treatment and feel it is time to share so everyone understands as they visit why I may be tired, wearing a mask or sporting a new hair style with... Read more

Excerpt: We got some beautiful sticking snow last night about 10 inches. It made for great pictures around the resort as we shoveled out Oogie was having fun checking out all the thick white stuff outside. We bought a new electric power shovel and he was trying to catch the snow as it flew One of my favorite pictures of... Read more

Excerpt: It has been really starting to look and feel like winter. I heard from an ice fisherman that we have 6 - 8 inches of ice on the lake I wait a bit longer to venture out on the lake. I heard a few walleye's were the reward for early ice fishing on the lake Boats hibernating for winter... Read more