Croftville Road Cottages-Cottage Chronicles-Lake Superior Diary 2014

Cottage Chronicles
Lake Superior Diary 2014

December 2014

Dec 31: It warmed up today into the teens. Not a lot of sun but what a difference in the temperature from the past few days. As long as you stayed out of the brutal wind it was quite pleasant outdoors. The winds really generated some huge waves that left a sheet of frozen spray on our stair landing on the beach. We had 5-6ft waves from the SSW breaking with gusto onto our rocks. Those waves have unusually maintained themselves all day long. I guess 2014 wants to go out with a roar.

Dec 30: It is too cold to work outdoors today so I watched the sun rise through the rising steam off the lake into the clouds blanketing Superior. Everywhere else except over the lake is clear blue frigid skies. We woke up to 9 below and it doesn't look like we will see zero today. Temperatures certainly feel like winter but down on the shore we still have no snow cover.

Dec 29: It was 8 below this morning and climbed to 6 above for the high. The good news is that we had sun and clear skies all day except directly over the lake. Lake Superior was calm with a blue textured surface. I watched an ore freighter pass by within a half mile from shore. It was sitting high in the water and must have been heading towards Silver Bay, Two Harbors, or Duluth to load.

Dec 28: Clear blue skies everywhere today except directly over the lake. Lake Superior is calm with a textured blue surface with dark navy shadows. Temperatures really dropped overnight to single digits. They say it will be even colder tonight.

Dec 27: Another day of overcast skies but this time temperatures hovered just below freezing. They say much colder temperatures are on the way for next week but doesn't look like any significant snow in the week ahead.

Dec 26: We had a clear sky for awhile this morning. A hike up Pincushion Mountain revealed a sky so clear that Isle Royal and the Susie Islands could clearly be seen. By afternoon lightly overcast skies returned with temperatures right around freezing. Lake Superior was gray and relatively calm.

Dec 25: Merry Christmas. We woke up to a dusting of snow on the ground. I don't know if that qualifies for a white Christmas or not, but considering that it is 37 degrees I would have to say not. I think this is the first non-white Christmas we have had here since 2002 when we were looking at the property between Christmas and New Years and there was no snow along the lake. Today we have 2-3ft greenish gray waves from the SSW.

Dec 24: We had sun for almost an hour today. It has been many days since that has happened. But no sooner did we feel the sun on our face before we saw the black clouds to the south making their way towards us. Most of the day was heavily overcast in the 40's with occasional drizzle. Waves on Lake Superior were 2ft from the SE.

Dec 23: The rain continues with temperatures hovering in the upper 30's and lower 40's. Lake Superior has 3ft waves from the SE. Ther are 3 distinct horizontal bands in the lake. There is the brown band close to shore due to all the runoff from the past several days. Then there is the aqua green transluscent band just past the runoff. Finally there is the grayish blue band starting at about a quarter mile out going to the horizon.

Dec 22: We had 3-4ft waves coming in straight from the SSE today in Croftville. The heavy drizzle continued all day long and we never did see the horizon. Temperatures stayed in the upper 30's. All the recent snow has now once again mostly melted away. Maybe we are looking at a green Christmas.

Dec 21: I returned to the big lake today after being in southern Minnesota for 3 days. It was so foggy that I didn't even get a glimpse of the lake until we were down at the waterfront in Duluth. Snow followed us up the shore until Silver Bay, then the wet snow changed to a cold rain. The temperature was a constant 33 degrees all along Highway 61. Here in Croftville we had 2-3ft gray waves coming straight in from the SSE.

Dec 20: Once again I am away from Lake Superior today. I woke up during the night and looked out the window at my brother's to see house and yard lights from a neighboring farm. My first thought was that was an unusually lit ore freighter before I realized I wasn't at home.

Dec 19: No report from Lake Superior today since I was in Rochester and Owatonna today. I sure miss the sounds of the Lake.

Dec 18: We have clear blue skies in Croftville for the first time in many days. There is some perpetual clouds over Superior that we always have when it is cold overnight. It was the first time I could see the moon crescent at night for quite some time. Lake Superior is a light blue with black shadows and 1ft waves from the SE. We had a low of 10 but the sun has quickly jumped us up into the upper 20's.

Dec 17: The snow quite this morning and the sun made it presence occasionally. Lake Superior had 2-3ft blue gray waves from the south. We saw 4 ore freighters pass by today and 2 others through the snow during the night. Two of the freighters were less than a half mile off the shore. What a treat to see them so close.

Dec 16: The rain changed to snow last night and we woke up to 3" of new snow under a sheet of ice. Temperatures stayed in the low 20's today and the snow continued all day long sometimes heavy. All together we picked up another 3" during the day. Last night I watched 3 freighters go by lit up. One was particularly close to the shore judging by how fast the ship crossed our field of vision. Today we fought strong winds off the gray lake.

Dec 15: Rain, fog, and drizzle all day long today with a high of 42 and a low of 40 overnight. Lake Superior was mostly calm and a dreary gray that blended into the gray sky. Most of our snow washed away today. Even the cross country ski team was seen running on Croftville Road today for lack of snow.

Dec 14: And yet another day of all day fog. This time, however, there was drizzle to go with it. Temperatures hovered between 36 and 42. Lake Superior was a dark gray with 2ft waves that melded seamlessly into a gray sky.

Dec 13: It was foggy all day again today. Temps started above freezing overnight and climbed into the low 40's. Lake Superior was an indistinct gray with 1-2ft waves.

Dec 12: We have fog today over the lake and the land. Temperatures climbed to 34 and stayed there. Lake Superior is overcast and gray with 2ft gray waves from the south.

Dec 11: It was a beautiful sunrise over the lake. Lake Superior was surprisingly still for this time of year here in Croftville. After the multicolored sunrise the lake settled into a textured sky blue with navy shadows. High temperatures were right around freezing.

Dec 10: Today in Croftville we had an overcast sky with a bluish gray lake and 1-2ft waves. The high temperature was 28. I watched an ore freighter all lit up pass by about a half mile out in the early morning hours.

Dec 9: It was much colder today with a high in the low 20's and lows in the single digits. Lake Superior was a transluscent blue against the clear blue skies.

Dec 8: We woke up with about 4" of wet snow this morning. A rain/snow mix continued until noon. In the afternoon the precipitation quit and the temperatures rose into the low 40's. The still air was a pleasant change from battling strong winds yesterday. However, Lake Superior was still exhibiting 4-5ft waves from the south.

Dec 7: There were huge 5ft transluscent aqua waves from the SSW all day today. The sun in the morning turned into a snowstorm in the late afternoon. The gale winds blew the snow horizontal for several hours into the night.

Dec 6: It was a clear sunrise this morning out over the lake as we approach the winter solstice. The long distance the light has to travel through the atmosphere makes the sunrise redder than usual. Lake Superior is calm and a light blue with navy shadows on the rippled surface.

Dec 5: We had a respite from the cold today. Temperatures unexpectantly jumped to 40 with clear sunny skies. Waves are still from the SSW but are subsiding to only 1ft. It is nice to finally have a break in the cold that beagn a whole month ago.

Dec 4: Temps were in the teens and 20's. We had 3-4ft waves from the SSW on a blue gray Lake Superior. With some cloud cover over the lake, we had the most amazing palette of colors for the sunrise. Once again ore freighters can be seen moving past Croftville.

Dec 3: We watched a saltie pass by Croftville this afternoon. It was a beautiful ship sitting much higher out of the water than the ore freighters. We saw a couple ore freighters, too. Shipping is really busy on the lake right now and the storms and winds mean they all take the more northernly route by us. Lake Superior was an amazing blue with 4ft waves from the SSW. Temperatures in our part ranged from single digits this morning to a high of about 24 before dropping back into the teens.

Dec 2: It is still cold but warmed up to 20 today which would feel like a heat wave if it was not for the intensive winds. Lake Superior is a darker gray than the overcast skies. The 2-3ft waves are coming from the SSW. I have seen 3 ore freighters passing by today which probably means there were more. One was very clode to shore, less than a quarter mile. They seem bigger than life when they are that close.

Dec 1: December came in with ridiculously low temperatures. We had a low this morning of 8 below and a high of 8 above along the lake of all places. Lake Superior had the characteristic curls of steam rising in a helix above the gray surface. Although skies above the land were mostly clear, the lake had an everpresent cloud over it.

November 2014

Nov 30: The day started at 22 degrees and steadily dropped through the day down to 12. We had clear skies and a bright blue lake with 6 inch waves from the SE. We could see some partly cloudy skies to the south over the lake.

Nov 29: We got back to the Lake Superior after dark. Skies were overcast so the lake was dark and pretty quiet.

Nov 28: We were once again in SE Minnesota enjoying time with family. No call from guests so everything is OK at Croftville Road Cottages.

Nov 27: We were in SE Minnesota today to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. The word from the folk in Grand Marais was the cold temps are continuing.

Nov 26: Lake Superior is a textured gray today with a lighter band near the horizon. Skies are overcast with light snow falling. Temperatures dropped into the teens overnight and rebounded into the 20's this morning.

Nov 25: Croftville has partly sunny skies, temperatures climbing into the 20's, and no wind finally. Lake Superior is a greenish blue with 1-2ft waves from the south. An ore freighter passed by unusually close to shore. Maybe they just cannot believe that the winds from the last few days has finally subsided.

Nov 24: It rained during the night and switched over to freezing rain about 4:30am. By daylight it had switched to snow and strong steady winds with occasional gusts that can knock you off your feet. Temperatures were 40 at 4am this morning and then quickly dropped into the low 20's where they have stayed all day. Snowfall continued all day but was light with only a couple inches of accumulation, I think. It is hard to tell with the wind blowing so hard.

Nov 23: What a great sight to be back home along Lake Superior this evening. However, we only got glimpses of the lake with the heavy fog that followed us up most of the North Shore from Duluth.

Nov 22: We were out of town for a funeral today and did not see the lake. I was told we had our first thaw in over 2 weeks.

Nov 21: The winds really picked up last night and as a result we have 3-4ft waves from the south this morning. Lake Superior is silver with aqua shadows. Overnight it got to 8 degrees next to the warm lake and is warming up nicely to 30 today in spite of the nasty winds.

Nov 20: It was the coldest day of the season so far here in Croftville. We only had a high of 11 and combined with the strong winds that picked up in the afternoon it was bitter cold. Lake Superior was gray against a gray sky with 1-2ft waves from the south. I noticed 2 ore freighters passing by.

Nov 19: The news from Croftville: cold and windy with 2ft waves from the SSE. Will this string of cold temperatures ever subside?

Nov 18: We had partly sunny to overcast skies today in Croftville. The lake was a silver gray with navy blue shadows. Winds were not as strong today and we had 1ft waves from the SSE against a highly textured surface. Several ore freighters have passed by close enough to see the spray as the bow breaks through the waves. Nothing new temperature-wise with an abnormally low high of 19 around noon.

Nov 17: Yikes! A high of 17. A low in the single digits right here alongside our big relatively warm body of water. And then there is the gale force wind. Lake Superior is gray with large whitecaps visible far out from the shore.

Nov 16: It was good to return to Lake Superior late this evening. We rarely enter Duluth from the south via Thompson Hill when it is dark. The lights of Duluth and their reflection off the water in the harbor was spectacular. It was cold everywhere in Minnesota today. It never got above the teens anywhere even along Lake Superior. This is a highly unusual sustained cold spell for November. It has been 10 days since we had any above freezing temperatures and forecasts show still another week of even colder temperatures.

Nov 15: We are leaving for a day to say goodbye to a dieing parent in SE Minnesota. It is hard to leave our beloved Lake Superior for such a meloncholly reason. He has lived a long life which we will celebrate, but that doesn't change how much he will be missed. It was the coldest night of the year last night dropping into the low teens even beside this big warm body of water. This morning the lake is blue with 2ft waves coming straight in from the SSE. Skies are clear except directly over the lake where there is some cloud cover or overcast.

Nov 14: Temperatures actually made it to 30 today. We had plenty of sun and a steel blue lake against an intense sky blue sky. Big waves with whitecaps were commonplace. Up next to the shore we had 2ft waves but further out you could tell they were much, much larger.

Nov 13: There were so many ships passing by today that I lost count. I saw at least 4 and maybe as many as 6. With November storms most of the freighters now choose the safer northern route across the big lake. It was cold today with a high of 24 with snow flurries.

Nov 12: Lake Superior was gray and surprisingly calm with 1ft smooth waves. The sky overhead looked like snow and for a brief time this morning it came down heavy. Temperatures stayed in the 20's all day. Teresa saw several ore freighters pass by. The one might have been a saltie since it was sitting so high.

Nov 11: Lake Superior has 3ft waves from the SE that seem to have an unusually long period. The sky and the lake were a uniform gray. Snow flurries fell occasionally and the temperature never got above 28.

Nov 10: It was cold and snowy this afternoon. This morning we had dark gray skies against a dark gray lake. Superior had 2-3ft waves from the south.

Nov 9: We saw several freighters passing by today. Temperatures ranged from 20-32 degrees. We had light snow for much of the day, too light for accumulation but it was pretty coming down. Lake Superior was gray with 2-3ft waves from the south.

Nov 8: It only got to freezing today. The wind was blowing off the hill onto the lake which kept things cold. We had sun, snow, and clouds onn and off throught the day. Lake Superior switched back and forth from blues and grays. The waves close to shore were being subdued by the wind buffeting the surface but further out you could see signs of large waves.

Nov 7: The temperature was 40 this morning and stayed 40 all day long. The wind picked up late in the morning and began building waves out on Superior. By late afternoon we had 4ft waves from the south with gale force winds also from the south. It misted on and off during the morning but by 2:00 a steady rain had begun. If you love storms on Lake Superior this is the time to be here.

Nov 6: We had some some, some partly cloudy skies, some overcast skies, and some light rain today. Consequently, Lake Superior had too many faces to mention them all as the changed constantly through the day. Temperatures hovered in the 30's and low 40's but the breeze this afternoon made it feel much colder.

Nov 5: We had some light rain today and showers last night. Once again we have overcast skies with temperatures in the 30's and 40's and Lake Superior is gray.

Nov 4: There was rain overnight,temps were in the 30's and 40's, and Lake Superior was gray and overcast. We saw 2 ore freighters passing by today.

Nov 3: It was actually warm this morning with an overnight low of 42 here on Lake Superior. The winds picked up this afternoon, the lake grayed over, and temperatures beagn to drop. We had 1-2ft dark gray waves from the south. A light rain began after sunset.

Nov 2: Lake Superior was a stark blue with 1-2ft waves from the south. Temperatures were mild with a low of 38 and a high near 50. We had partly cloudy skies with plenty of sun.

Nov 1: November began with an overnight low of 20 which is the coldest night of the fall so far. It is time to put away water hoses, remove the frozen plants, and put summer furniture away. Lake Superior had a blue textured surface today against a clear blue sky.

October 2014

Oct 31: It was the coldest day of the fall today. It was 27 overnight and never got past 35 degrees today in spite of lots of sun and no wind. Lake Superior was a calm crisp deep blue. The snow from the previous night disappeared by late afternoon except along the north side of the buildings.

Oct 30: The first snow arrived today. The day started with sunshine and 42 degrees. As the day progressed, the sun turned to overcast, overcast turned to rain, and after dark the rain turned to snow. We ended up with about an inch of accumulation. It was a calm day both on Superior and with the wind. The lake continued to change hue as the weather overhead changed.

Oct 29: It was an overcast day on Lake Superior with temperatures in the 40's. The lake was gray with 1ft waves from the SE.

Oct 28: We traveled down the shore to Duluth today. It is amazing to see just how the landscape has changed so rapidly from fall to early winter in the last week. The skies are dark and overcast and the rain that is coming down looks like it could easily change to snow in a heartbeat. The hills are now bare of leaves and green. Even the evergreens have changed their hue to the very dark green of winter.

Oct 27: The 1ft waves on Superior are still coming from the SW today. We have partly cloudy skies and high temperatures in the upper 40's.

Oct 26: The winds are still here but the powerful gusts from yesterday are now gone. Lake Superior has 2ft steel blue waves coming at the very unusual and oblique angle of the WSW almost parallel with the shoreline. Skies are clear and temperatures started in the 40's but quicly rose into the 50's.

Oct 25: It is a beautiful warm fall day along Lake Superior. We have a steel blue lake except where the reflecting sun is an array of blinding white and silver. There are powerful gusts of wind off the lake that are tossing anything not tied down about effortlessly. The morning sun is warming the air quickly and will get us into the 60's this afternoon.

Oct 24: A heavy fog rolled in last night and stayed until noon today. It was so heavy I thought for sure it had rained overnight. When the fog finally burned off, we had clear blue skies and the temperatures rose into the upper 50's. Lake Superior has a rippled surface with sky blue highlights and navy shadows.

Oct 23: There was rain overnight and rain this morning. Although the rain ended by midday, a mist continued the rest of the day. Temperautres were in the 40's and maybe made it to 50. Lake Superior had a rippled gray surface but no discernable wave direction.

Oct 22: Strong winds off the lake made today cold in spite of the partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 50's. Lake Superior once again has light blue highlights and dark green shadows on its 1-2ft waves from the SE.

Oct 21: It is a pretty late fall day. The leaves on the birch and aspen are now mostly down. Temperatures have warmed into the 50's but started around 30 this morning. Skies are partly cloudy and Lake Superior has light blue highlights with dark green shadows on the 1ft waves from the SE.

Oct 20: Croftville has partly cloudy skies with a brisk wind off the lake. Temperatures are around 50 but feel much colder in the wind. Lake Superior is mostly calm with just a mrumuring as the small waves brush against the rocks. The lake is a dark blue except near the shore where you can see the reds and blacks od the rocks beneath the clear surface.

Oct 19: We came over the hill entering Duluth about 2pm today and saw Lake Superior for the first time in 2 days. Instinctly, I let out a sigh as I thought welcome home. We could see ore freighters being loaded in the harbor. Temperatures near the lake dropped from the 60's to around 50 as we came down the hill to the lake.

Oct 18: We were away from Lake Superior today enjoying the oak trees in full color down by LaCrosse. I forgot how much I love falls in SE Minnesota but I also realized how quickly I feel out of place without lake. It was hard to sleep without hearing its call, everything is so quiet without it.

Oct 17: The rain began as a mist but developed slowly into a steady soaking rain. The clouds were so dark they were almost black. Lake Superior had spots of sun you could see shining on its surface amidst the dark gray waves. Temperatures hovered in the 40's and low 50's.

Oct 16: We were told we would have one more day of indian summer but Lake Superior had a different plan. The day started with a heavy frost. The sun started warming things up quickly but temperatures stalled in the 40's when a breeze started blowing off the lake. Lake Superior was fairly calm with 1ft shiny gray waves. Later in the afternoon things beagn to cool off even more when fog rolled in off the lake.

Oct 15: It was a beautiful fall day along Lake Superior with temperatures reaching into the 60's. The bright blue lake with 1-2ft waves spakled in the sun.

Oct 14: Warmer temperatures made it feel like indian summer here in Croftville. We had clear skies, a bright sun, lots of color, and 1-2ft waves on Lake Superior.

Oct 13: Cold, overcast, and drizzle describes Croftville today. Although temperatures did manage to find the 50's it felt much colder. Lake Superior was quiet and a placid gray.

Oct 12: And once again another perfect fall day. Clear blue skies, a bright blue lake with 2ft waves, and a light breeze. It did get a little warmer today into the 60's.

Oct 11: It is another perfect fall day along Lake Superior. Clear blue skies, a bright blue lake with 2ft waves, and a light breeze. We woke with a frost but temperatures rebounded quickly into the 50's.

Oct 10: Temperatures made it back into the 50's today in Croftville. With lots of sun and much less wind, it was a beautiful fall day along Lake Superior and the perfect time to enjoy a campfire.

Oct 9: Croftville had strong winds from the north, cold temperatures in the 40's, and partly sunny skies. The winds churned up the waves on a turbulent Lake Superior to 4ft and the noise was thunderous.

Oct 8: We woke up to the lunar eclipse in the west, strong winds off the lake, and the heaviest frost I have seen on top of our construction site. It was so thick it almost had to be shoveled but sweeping sufficed. Temperatures never made it to 50. Lake Superior had 3ft waves from the SW.

Oct 7: Croftville and Lake Superior had strong winds, a mixture of rain and sleet, and cold temperatures that started the day around 50 and then decreased in temperature through the day. Lake Superior had 3ft waves from the SSW.

Oct 6: The wind was blowing hard from the west. Lake Superior was deafening with the 3-4ft waves breaking from the unusual direction of the SW. We had sun at times but most of the day had ominous looking clouds that looked like they could break into rain or snow at any moment. Temperatures started in the 30's and creeped their way to 50.

Oct 5: The sun was out but it was cold with a high just making it to 50 today. Lake Superior was a steel blue with whitecaps and plenty of noise. The winds were strong with a feeling of late fall. I Hope they don't blow off too much of our beautiful fall foliage.

Oct 4: It misted all day long here in Croftville. We had gray overcast skies over a gray lake with 1ft waves from the south. Temperatures hovered around 50.

Oct 3: We didn't get any snow but there was snow to the southwest of us. The clouds were unmistakable as snow clouds that we haven't seen since May. It wass exciting to see but I am not ready for snow yet. Lake Superior had a strong wind off of it and temperatures were in the 40's and 50's.

Oct 2: We had a day of partly sun and a high in the 60's. There is no question now that Croftville is in peak colors right now. Lake Superior is now becoming consistently louder as fall is now in full stride.

Oct 1: October begins with rain, overcast skies, and a blue gray Lake Superior. The rain began in the early afternoon and continued until about 10pm with an inch or more total here by the lake. I woke up to 51 degrees and throughout the day it stayed right there with 49 degrees by late afternoon. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves from the SE.

September 2014

Sept 30: September ends with beautiful fall colors, a crisp cold wind off the lake, and a high in the high 50's. Lake Superior had 2-3 foot blue waves with navy shadows breaking in a roar on the shore. Some of the aspen trees leaves have begun to fall off near the shore turning brown quickly after just turning gold a few days ago.

Sept 29: The rain started late last night after large storm clouds rolled in just before sunset. It rained all night long. This morning we can see the rain as it has moved over the lake and on to northern Wisconsin. We are back to clear blue skies here but Lake Superior is a dull bluish gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE. Temperatures are still in the low 40's at 9am and I am hoping we will get into the 50's this afternoon.

Sept 28: It was a picture perfect fall day in Croftville. Clear blue skies, a morning low of 50 and an afternoon high of 65. The deciduous trees are nearing full fall colors and there was a pleasant breeze in the air. Lake Superior was a deep sky blue with 2ft waves from the south and some whitecaps could be seen further out on the lake.

Sept 27: Throughout the day today the waves on Lake Superior have been building. We started with a still smooth as glass lake this morning. By noon we could begin to here the lake as the small 6" waves began to rustle on the rocks. By evening the waves were at 1-2ft from the south and making quite a racket as we sat with friends by our fire. It was hot today with temperatures in the 70's.

Sept 26: Clear blue skies, highs in the 70's, and a clear calm Superior were our conditions at Croftville Road Cottages today. Every tree and bush are showing some sign of color change now but we are still a ways from peak color yet. It was fun to see the stones and boulders beneath the surface.

Sept 25: The lake was calm and quiet here in Croftville today. We had some sun and some overcast skies. The light overcast over the lake blended the light blue lake with the slightly lighter blue horizon line so you could almost not distinguish between the two. Temperatures stayed in the low 60's even though there were predictions for it to rise into the 70's.

Sept 24: Clouds came rolling back today along the North Shore. There were a few sprinlkes at times but it looked and felt like it could rain at any moment even though it didn't. Without the sun, the mid 60's temperatures felt much cooler. The trees have really made some dramatic changes in the last day. It is looking more and more like fall all the time.

Sept 23: Lake Superior is clear blue with 2ft waves and a mostly sunny sky. The high temperature was in the 60's. We can smell wood fires which is appropriate for the first official day of fall.

Sept 22: Gitche Gumi has silver blue 2-3ft waves from the SSW with dark green shadows. The day has clear blue skies, plenty of wind, and a high temperature of 65.

Sept 21: Lake Superior is a deep sky blue with 2-3ft waves and whitecaps from the SSW. Haven't seen waves from this direction for quite some time. It usually means a change in weather, maybe we will be done with the rain for awhile. It is windy with partly sunny skies and temperatures getting up close to 70.

Sept 20: Lake Superior was a dark purplish blue today with 2ft waves from the south. It was surprisingly warm today with temperatures roght around 70 all day long. This was in spite of limited sun and plenty of storm clouds passing by. We finally did get rain late tonight. I am not sure when it happened but the gold and reds are really becoming apparent on the trees. I bet that the maples a little inland are really becoming full of fall colors.

Sept 19: It misted this morning, rained lightly this afternoon, and then dumped 2" of rain in about a half hour in the late afternoon. Lake Superior was loud enough that we couldn't be sure if it was the lake or the thunder. The lake had gray 2-3ft rolling waves. Temperatures were in the 50's.

Sept 18: It was cold and windy in Croftville today. Lake Superior was a dark blue with whitecaps. Temperatures didn't make it out of the 50's.

Sept 17: What an unusual day along Lake Superior. It was cold in the 50's and has already dropped into the 40's by sunset. It misted lightly all day long without interuption. It never accumulated enough to get anything thoroughly wet, but it never stopped. Most of the day also had a brisk wind off the lake. Lake Superior had 3ft gray waves that were relentless.

Sept 16: It was windy and partly sunny today. Lake Superior was loud with 3-4 blue gray smooth waves that broke with a crash at the shore. The day actually started warmer than usual in the low 60's but cooled into the 50's as the day progressed.

Sept 15: Lake Superior had sunny to partly cloudy skies overhead today. There were 3-4ft waves from the SE with a steel blue surface and whitecaps. Temperatures were in the 50's.

Sept 14: It rained last night pretty hard. Today it was mostly overcast, cold, and windy. Temperatures made it into the mid 50's.

Sept 13: It feels like fall in the air. Lake Superior has 2-3ft waves and is a silver blue in the partly sunny sky. Leaves are starting to have hints of reds and golds. Temperatures started in the 40's and got close to 60.

Sept 12: It was the coldest day in Grand Marais probably since May. Our high just made it into the 50's. Lake Superior had 1-2ft waves from the SE and was a silver blue. Overcast and stormy skies passed over periodically but produced only a heavy mist. We saw a hummingbird in the feeder at Cottage 3, it must be close to the time for those guys to leave.

Sept 11: Lake Superior really roared last night and kept some of us up. It is much calmer this morning with 2ft silver blue waves from the SE. We have partly cloudy skies and temperatures dropped in the 40's along the shore last night but got down to freezing up the Gunflint Trail. Looks like a high in the mid 50's today which is 10-15 degrees below what we have been having.

Sept 10: We had heavy rains and gale-like winds along Lake Superior today. Waves were 5ft in height from the ESE with large whitecaps at times. We saw our first ore freighter passing by for the fall season yesterday. Generally, the freighters take the more southernly route across the lake except when they expect poor weather and then they take a route that passes by us. I expect we will begin to see ships more regularly from now on now that the lake has become more turbulent.

Sept 9: What a change in the weather. Temperature-wise it was still in the 50's and 60's but the sun left early this morning and we have overcast gray skies. There should be heavy rains tonight and tomorrow but nothing has showed up yet this evening. Lake Superior has 3ft greenish gray waves from the SE.

Sept 8: Lake Superior was a stark blue with large loud 3-4ft waves from the SE against a light blue sunny sky. Overall it was a cool day in the 50's and 60's although if you got out of the wind but stayed in the sun it felt warmer. The whitecaps out on the lake were spectacular.

Sept 7: As we approach the full moon later this week the night skies are becoming brighter and brighter. Tonight it was almost like walking in the daylight except for the greatly enhanced shadows. The moonlight off the lake was almost blinding.

Sept 6: It was another beautiful breezy day in Croftville. Lake Superior was a steel blue against the sunny blue skies. Temperautres stayed mostly in the 60's.

Sept 5: It was a sunny, breezy, 60 degree day here in Croftville. Lake Superior was a crisp blue with 2ft smooth waves. The hummingbirds were feeding heavily in the feeders hanging from the cottages.

Sept 4: Somehow it didn't rain overnight but it more than made up for that this morning here in Croftville. We had heavy rains for a couple hours and then the rain lingered for a couple more hours after that. Surprisingly, the sun made a brief presence this afternoon before stormy overcast skies returned. Lake Superior is loud and gray with 3ft waves from the ESE.

Sept 3: The dragonflies were everywhere today. I love to watch them flitting about with their distinctive motion and sound. Except for the rain showers overnight and during the morning, it was a beautiful fall day. Lake Superior was a stark blue with 2ft waves from the SE. Temps were in the 60's but it almost felt hot when the sun came out and warmed the moistur in the air.

Sept 2: We had a partly sunny day with large white clouds and sometimes stormclouds passing by. We did get a 10 minute deluge and then the sun came back again. I bet we got a quarter inch of rain in those 10 minutes. Lake Superior was a depp blue with 3ft waves and some whitecaps from the south. Temperatures stayed in the 60's.

Sept 1: September begins with rain, overcast skies, and a grayish green Lake Superior. It rained heavy overnight and the lightning and thunder put on quite the show. Waves picked up overnight, too. We have 2-3ft roller waves from the south. It actually warmed up overnight with morning temperatures in the high 60's. We are hoping for this large storm area to move to the east leaving us with a sunny afternoon.

August 2014

Aug 31: The day started with a heavy dew that is familiar in the fall. We had mostly blue skies and a blue Lake Superior with 1-2ft waves until late afternoon when storm clouds showed up. Rain began around 6pm and continued on and off to dark. Temperatures hovered in the 60's all day.

Aug 30: We have a lightly overcast sky today. Lake Superior is calm and a light blue gray. The horizon is clear which may mean the weather is nice in northern Wisconsin but it doesn't seem to be coming our way. Temperatures are in the 60's today.

Aug 29: It began raining at 9am and was still raining when the sun went down. The rain was heavy at times but was a heavy drizzle most of the day. Lake Superior was a light gray with 1ft waves. The horizon sometimes looked like it might clear up. Temperatures started in the 50's and didn't get past the low 60's.

Aug 28: Clear blue skies, a warm sun, a comfortable breeze, and 1-2ft grayish blue smooth waves from the south describe the day on Croftville Road.

Aug 27: It was a beautiful windy day along Lake Superior in Croftville. We had sunny blue skies as the backdrop for a deep blue lake with a textured surface. Surprisingly, in spite of the wind, the lake was waveless and quiet. Temperatures were on the chillier side starting in the low 50's and getting into the mid 60's.

Aug 26: Temperatures were in the upper 60's today and maybe hit 70. Lake Superior had 4ft roller waves from the SSW which were quite noisy when they broke. The lake was a greenish gray with partly sunny skies.

Aug 25: We returned today from taking our son to college. I was told we had a horendous rainstorm last night and jugding by the amount of water in our construction site I believe it. It was very windy today and had the distinct feeling of fall in the air in spite of the temps in the upper 70's and low 80's. Lake Superior was a deep azure blue with lots of whitecaps to be seen away from shore. I would say the waves were 2-3ft from the SE.

Aug 24: We left early this morning to take Joey to Saint Olaf to begin college. The lake was gray and the sky overcast. There were places along highway 61 that we could see it had rain overnight. Our detour for road construction took us into dense fog near Finland. As we watched Superior we could see the fog roll in and out from the shore.

Aug 23: This is the same story for the fourth day. The overcast skies remain. Temperatures stayed in the 60's overnight. Lake Superior is gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE. And it looks like it could rain almost any minute but it hasn't for 4 days now.

Aug 22: The overcast skies remain. The air is humid by North Shore standards. But, we still have not had any rain since Tuesday in spite of constant signs for it. Lake Superior is gray with 1-2ft waves from the SE. There is a dark thin line at the horizon. Temperatures stayed in the 60's overnight.

Aug 21: I thought for sure we would get rain last night, I thought for sure we would get rain today. We didn't get either, hooray. There was lots of fog, there was much overcast skies. However, for about 10 minutes the fog burned off and we had sunshine then the fog drifted back in. Lake Superior, or at least what we could see of it, was gray with 2ft waves from the SE. We watched a boat bob around in the waves about a quarter mile out. Jugding by the way it was being tossed about I suspect the waves were larger away from shore.

Aug 20: It is a beautiful sunrise with sun finding slits to break through the overcast skies. Superior is a silver gray and calm with a slightly textured surface. The horizon is dark and I suspect there is rain falling in Michigan's UP. It stayed warm overnight staying in the mid 60's.

Aug 19: We had light rain all day until about 3pm. After that, skies were overcast and at times it looked like it would rain again. Lake Superior is a light silvery gray with 1ft waves generating a gentle sound of braking waves. It is unusual that the lake is lighter than the horizon.

Aug 18: We woke up to rain and the rain stuck around on and off all day. Temps are in the 60's. Lake Superior was gray with 2ft waves.

Aug 17: Lake Superior is deep blue today with silver highlights, dark green shadows, and 2ft waves from the SE. Dark clouds this morning suggested rain was imminent but it never materialized. By late morning we had partly cloudy skies.

Aug 16: Lake Superior is deep cobalt blue today bright whitecaps from the 2-3ft waves. It was sunny day that at times was interupted with overcast skies.

Aug 15: The lake got its voice back today. 6" to 1ft waves let Superior use its vocal chords. We had a strong breeze and sun all day long making it a great day to be outside. Temps started in the upper 40's but ended in the 70's.

Aug 14: Again, I heard the lake breaking against the shore last night but once again when I got up this morning I found a calm Lake Superior with a deep blue textured surface. I am starting to think I am dreaming. I watched 2 otters swimming and playing near the shore this morning. We have clear blue skies, a heavy fall-like dew, and an ovenight low of 50.

Aug 13: We had rain again late last night even though there was no rain forecast at all. While I was laying in bed I heard what as of late has been an unfamiliar sound, the sound of the waves breaking on shore. However, getting up this morning Lake Superior is once again placid but with a textured surface generated from the cool breeze. We are in the 50's this morning, the skies are clear, and it should be a beautiful day along the Croftville Road.

Aug 12: It was cool overnight with the temperatures in the 40's this morning. Skies were clear blue all day with a warm breeze in the air. We ended up with a high near 80. Lake Superior was calm once again with a light blue textured surface. There are some horizontal bands of completely still water out away from the shore. Late in the afternoon some dark clouds began to move in from the north.

Aug 11: Wow, there was rain, thunder, and lightning all night long and it was still raining this morning. Rain lingered in a spotty way into the afternoon before blue skies finally prevailed. Lake Superior was mostly calm with a blue and silver textured surface against a foggy horizon. Temperatures were in the 60's and low 70's.

Aug 10: It was a warm sunny day in Croftville. Temps made it into the upper 70's. Lake Superior was a pale silver blue glass surface. Once again there were lots of small crafts out on the big water.

Aug 9: We were inland today and didn't return to Superior until sunset. The lake was so still and it surprises you that a body of water that large can be so flat and silent. Inland the temperatures were in the 80's but once we were back along the lake we fell into the 60's.

Aug 8: It was hot by Lake Superior standards today with a high in the upper 70's. Lake Superior was still a still light blue. There were lots of small craft out on the lake all day long. There was also lots of sun. Who except someone who lives on Lake Superior would call the upper 70's hot?

Aug 7: We had a warm sunny day along Lake Superior here in Croftville. The lake was still and dotted with small boats this morning enjoying the calm pale blue surface. In the direction of the rising sun sun the reflection off the lake was blinding. We had a high in the low 70's.

Aug 6: I traveled to Duluth today and enoyed the beauty of the North Shore all the way down and back. There is lots of road construction and the heavy rain ovenight made conditions on the construction muddy. Lake Superior itself had only small 6" waves and was a deep blue. Temperatures started in the 60's and maybe just made it to 70 by late afternoon.

Aug 5: We had a mixture of skies today including fog, overcast, partly cloudy, amd blue skies at times. By late in the day we could see the heavy thunderstorms forming to the north and coming our way. Lake Superior was calm and pale blue. Temperatures were in the 50's and 60's today.

Aug 4: There was plenty of sun on Croftville Road today. The blue skies were reflected off the mostly calm lake surface. We had a high temperature in the low 70's.

Aug 3: We have temperatures in the 70's. A calm Lake Superior has a light haze over it that makes the horizon just barely visible. Skies have alternated with a light overcast to blue skies with light clouds passing by. Once again the lake has many small boats out enjoying the calm surface.

Aug 2: It was a picture perfect day in Croftville and perfect weather for the Fishermen's Picnic. Temperatures were in the 70's, clear blue skies, and a cool breeze in the air. Lake Superior was a light blue glass. With the still water and Fishermen's Picnic in Grand Marais there were lots of small boats dotting the lake. The light fog covering the lake made the boats look like they were floating in the air above the surface.

Aug 1: August begins with good cool weather just like we have had all summer with a high temperature today in the low 60's. Skyward we had a little of everything including clouds, overcast, fog, and sun. The only thing we didn't get was rain. Hooray! Lake Superior is a calm pale blue against a white foggy horizon.

July 2014

July 31: It feels warm today with temperatures already well in the 70's by 11:00am. We have clear blue skies with a white horizon and a calm shiny silver blue lake. We are hoping for our first day since since July 24th without rain. I am crossing my fingers.

July 30: Croftville was cold along the lake today. Temperatures were in the 50's and low 60's. Lake Superior was calm and light blue except when it was raining. Then the thunderheads passing by pelted us with rain and turned the lake gray.

July 29: Rain is the story in Croftville today. We had a heavy thunderstorm just before noon and then a really big thunderstorm passed through just before 5pm. In between it was nice enough for people to be out and about in order to get caught in these storms that seemed to pop out of nowhere.

July 28: We had a big burst of rain and thunder this afternoon. It is warm, a bit humid, and the mosquitoes are out in full force. Lake Superior is spectacular with the fog creating mirages out near the horizon. July 27: It was a cool day along Lake Superior with scattered rain showers throughout the day. The lake was calm and gray.

July 26: It was a georgeous day along Lake Superior. There was lots of sun, blue skies, and a calm blue lake. We sat outside enjoying a fire, family, and friends until a thunderstorm came from the SW and forced us inside.

July 25: The lake is calm. We can hear the conversations of the people talking a quarter mile out from the shore and the smooth light blue surface. Highs are just short of 70. We had some rain showers, some sun, but mostly we have had big white puffy clouds moving through a background of blue skies.

July 24: We had a beautiful day in Croftville. Lake Superior was a bright blue that was about a shade brighter than the deep blue sky. Gitche Gumi was still and silent. There were clear skies after the fog burned off and plenty of sun. Temperatures were pleasant with a low of 45 and a high of 70.

July 23: We woke up with lots of fog. Lake Superior is once again silent and still except for some swooshing sounds as the water brushes against the rocks. It was warm with a high somewhere around 70. The fog eventually receded but continued to provide amazing mirages out near the horizon. It looked giant white mesas across the crisp blue lake. The sky eventually filled with large cumulus puff balls that looked extra white against the deep blue sky.

July 22: An impressive thunderstorm with heavy rain hit about 3am with the last remnants passing through at 9am. It was quite a light show for those who could not sleep through it. This morning the fog lifted early but the skies remain overcast. Lake Superior's horizon has a dark blue band. The rest of the lake is a purplish blue with 6" waves from the SE. Sun over the lake reflects off the small wave crests. It feel like it will be a hot and humid day by Lake Superior standards.

July 21: The day along Lake Superior started with fog covering the lake. You could see clear skies directly overhead. Gradually, the fog burned off and we had a surprisingly warm day in Croftville where the high made it to 80. However, temperatures see-sawed many times as the breeze changed directions on and off the lake. Lake Superior had 1-2ft blusih gray waves once the fog left.

July 20: Lake Superior had 2ft gray roller waves today. It is fun to hear the lake again for a second day after several days of calm. Skies were overcast with the sun finding its way through at times. Lingering cool temps by the lake kept the high in the 60's even though highs were reported to be in the mid 80's up the trail.

July 19: Lake Superior has a voice for the first time after several days of calm. Gray smooth roller waves grew to 3ft today. Skies were lightly overcast with periods of sun. At times the skies threatened rain but that never came to pass.

July 18: Sunny and still cool describes Croftvillle today. Highs climbed into the upper 60's. Lake Superior was calm and a pale blue gray. The horizon is fuzzy but lighter than the lake. Any breeze is nonexistent.

July 17: It is still cool in the shade but it feels warm and pleasant in the Croftville sun. Temperatures started in the 40's and made it into the upper 60's today. It was a mostly clear day with a calm pale blue lake. There were white mirages near the horizon and the water was calm enough that you could see the rocks on the lake bottom for quite a ways out.

July 16: Croftville had a beautiful partly cloudy day with plenty of sun and big fluffy cumulus clouds. Temperatures rose into the low 60's and still felt chilly in the shade. Lake Superior had a blue textured surface but no real waves. There were some mirages at the horizon.

July 15: The rain quit overnight and it was a partly sunny day here in Croftville. Temperatures stayed on the cool side only reaching the low 60's. Lake Superior was blue and mostly calm.

July 14: It rained during the night, it was raining when I got up, it was still raining even when the sun came out, and it is raining now as I prepare for bed. At times it rained hard, at times it just drizzled, and sometimes it was little more than a mist, but it never completely stopped. Temperatures were in the low 40's this morning and barely made it into the 50's today. Lake Superior was mostly gray with a textured surface.

July 13: It was a fairly nice Sunday with some sun. Temperatures started in the 40's and ended in the 60's here along the lake. Lake Superior developed 2-3ft waves by the end of the day from the strong winds during the day. Rain found us in the evening.

July 12: It was a sunny day with blue skies and a blue and calm Lake Superior. Temperatures rose to a high in the low 70's here along the lake. My daughter picked enough wild strawberries to put in pancakes. The tiny little berries are amazing bursts of flavor.

July 11: The rain began at 5am this morning and continued onn and off all day. The sky is heavily overcast, the lake is a silver gray, there is quite a bit of fog, and Superior is calm. Temperatures have stayed in the low 50's all day long.

July 10: Lake Superior is calm with a textured surface of light blue with aqua shadows. We had clear skies most of the day and cool temperatures in the 50's in the shade.

July 9: There were lots of fluffy cumulus clouds passing by Croftville today. Lake Superior was blue and surprisingly calm with small waves from the SSW. When the sun was out it was and the breeze was not off the lake it felt warm in the 60's but when you had shade or the breeze switched from the lake temps would plummet into the 50's and even the 40's. I think someone forgot to let the one in charge know it is July.

July 8: It rained in the early morning hours and then misted all morning. Lake Superior was from a medium to light gray depending on the intensity of the overcasty skies. Waves were 6" to 1ft from the SSW once again. The rain has pretty much wiped mout any remaining blossoms on the juneberries but our lilacs are finally infull bloom.

July 7: Lake Superior had 1-2ft grayish blue waves from the SSW. We had plenty of sun which got us into the upper 70's at times. However, when a strong breeze off the lake showed up temperatures would quickly plummet into the low 50's. It is funny to think that the presence and slight change in direction of the wind can oscillate the temps from the upper 70's to the low 50's.

July 6: Rain, lightning and thunder all night. By the time we had dried things out around 2pm it started the cycle all over again. Lake Superior, or at least the 20-30ft you can see, is gray and calm. Temps managed the low 60's and it almost feels muggy. The mosquitoes and flies are out in full force.

July 5: Rain overnight all night, rain in the afternoon, and rain all evening. Boy, did we get a lot of rain. Temperatures by the lake stayed in the low 50's. Lake Superior had too much fog to get a good idea what it was like but it was mostly calm the little bit of it we cold see. When the fog rose briefly it looked like snow covered mountains across the lake.

July 4: It was a great day for a holiday along Lake Superior. The weather was impeccable with sun and a high temp in the low 70's. Rain did manage to find us right before fireworks time in the harbor.

July 3: It was a gorgeous partly cloudy day. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 6" to 1ft waves. However, the word of the day is mosquitoes. Usually, mosquitoes are not too bad along the big cold lake. Today the mosquitoes were out as if we were at a lake up the Gunflint Trail. I guess the recent rains have them out in full force, there were even some out in the sun.

July 2: Lake Superior was calm and light blue today. We had plenty of sun and warm temperatures in the 60's.

July 1: The first day of July was a little windy and threatened us with storm clouds at times. However, overall it was warm and sunny and felt like summer. Lake Superior was stunningly beautiful with the dark blue lake set against a changing horizon line as cloud fronts passed on by. The lake itself has 2ft waves coming straight in from the SSE.

June 2014

June 30: It was a very windy day and churned up 4ft waves on Lake Superior from the SSW. We could feel the spray from the lake all the way up on our construction site. It looked like rain with ominous storm clouds filling the sky many times but in the end we had no precipitation. The strong wind made it feel colder than the 60 degree high would have indicated.

June 29: There was more rain and thunder overnight along Lake Superior. There are times today that it appears the sun wants to come out but the fog cover is just too heavy. Lake Superior has gray 1ft waves from the SE with visibility usually for only 40ft from the shore. The temperatures started in the 60's this morning and have gone down slowly through the day.

June 28: We had some rain and thunder overnight in Croftville. The lupines are now in full bloom. By North Shore standards it is muggy today with high temps in the upper 60's. The sun broke out by mid-morning. There is a bank of fog over the lake. The most I have seen of Lake Superior is from 10 to 100ft as te fog moves in and out from the shore. The little I can see of the lake shows a light blue 1-2ft waves with navy shadows from the SE.

June 27: The Lake Superior sky couldn't decide what it wanted to be today. There were times it was almost black and we were sure we would get wet. There were happy fluffy clouds passing by in the sun at times. Somtimes we had a light overcast skies and other times it was clear and sunny. There is also a mirage out on the horizon that looks like we can see land across the lake. I suspect the mirage may be from a fog bank. Temps would spring into the 60's in the clear skies but quickly jump back down in the 50's when the sun disappeared. Lake Superior itself has 1ft waves from the SE.

June 26: Wow, a second day of sun. That has not been happening very often this month. The sun actually felt warm this afternoon with temps making it into the mid 60's after starting with a low overnight of 41. Lake Superior was mostly calm and quiet today with a sky blue middle band sandwiched by 2 silver blue bands near the shore and horizon. My daughter informed me that our lilac flowers are now budding.

June 25: It was sunny today in Croftville. Lake Superior was a silver blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE. It is still cold but it got close to 60 this afternoon.

June 24: We had heavy rain all morning which turned to heavily overcast skies and wind in the afternoon. It was very cold today with a high of 49. Lake Superior was turbulent and loud with 2-3ft waves.

June 23: It was cold but for the most part sunny today. We had a high in the low 50's. Lake Superior was a deep blue with 1-2ft waves from the SE.

June 22: There was no rain today in Croftville but there was lots of fog. Temperatures started in the 40's and climbed into the 50's. The cool fog was kind of fun and our daughter spent much of the day hiking on the rocks in the fog along the shore.

June 21: The rain, fog, and drizzle continued on through most of the day but conditions dried out in the later afternoon. You couldn't see much of Lake Superior with the fog but its presence was heard.

June 20: The rain began this morning about 5am. It continued strong until about 11am and then was on and off until 3pm. Lake Superior was overcast and gray with 2-3ft waves from the SE. It was a cold day along the lake staying in the low 50's from early this morning all the way to dark.

June 19: The weathermen have been predicting rain all day but somehow our little NE corner of Minnesota missed it all day long. We had a fair amount of sun, cold temperatures in the 50's, and we could see the storms to our southwest. Lake Superior had strong 2-3ft brilliant blue waves from the ESE.

June 18: It is cool, sunny, and windy today in Croftville. Lake Superior has deep sky blue 1-2ft waves with dak bluegreen shadows from the SE. Temps stayed in the low 60's but the breeze off the lake made it feel much colder.

June 17: It was a beautiful summer day in Croftville. Lake Superior was relatively calm with 6" to 1ft waves from the south. We had a sky blue lake with navy shadows and silver highlights. There was lots of sun with temps getting close to 70.

June 16: Today was an amazing day to watch Lake Superior. The sky changed so many times with sun, clouds, fog, and storm fronts. Everytime you would look at the lake it would be different in visibility, bands, colors, and textures. Temperatures started in the low 40's and climbed there way to the low 60's eventually. June 15: It really rained today, maybe a couple inches. Lake Superior has large 4ft smooth waves from the south that break with an ominous crashing sound. You can feel the ground shake when you are standing near the shore. Temperatures stayed in the 50's even when the sun came out in the late afternoon.

June 14: Today was heavily overcast along Lake Superior with waves of rain occuring throughout the day. You could only see a little of Lake Superior before it disappeared into the mist. However, there was no doubt of its presence when the waves broke near the shore. Temperatures started in the 40's and stayed in the 50's today.

June 13: Wow, did the wind blow last night on the lake. Surprisingly, waves had subsided by morning to 1-2ft from the SE. It was a beautiful sinny day by the lake with temperatures in the 50's and 60's. Lake Superior was a silver blue with black shadows.

June 12: It rained hard last night. It is cold and wet today in Croftville. Highs were in the upper 40's. About 5pm the winds started and did it blow off the hill and onto Lake Superior. In little time the lake had built up impressive 4ft waves. Lake Superior was a steel blue with whitecaps everywhere you looked on the lake.

June 11: Cool and sunny describes Croftville today. Clouds hav started to roll in this late afternoon and it looks like rain might not be far off. In the meantime Lake Superior is mostly calm with 3 bands with different shades of blue. The last band almost blends in with the sky and you have to concentrate to make out the horizon line.

June 10: It was warm in the sun and cold everywhere else along Lake Superior. We had sunny skies but in the shade the temps stayed in the 50's. Lake Superior was a pale blue and mostly calm.

June 9: It was colder today with the highs along the lake in the low 60's. Lake Superior was completely calm and pale blue. Sometimes it looked like mist rising from the horizon. Skies were partly cloudy with plenty of bright sun. I noticed that the Juneberries (also called Serviceberries) are now in full blossom.

June 8: It was a beautiful summerlike day in Croftville today. Although I never looked I am sure it must have been in the 70's this afternoon. The sun dried out our construction site from yesterday's rain. The leaves on the trees are really growing and the mosquito's are out for the first time this spring along the lake.

June 7: It started raining during the night and rained steady all morning. It finally stopped about 1pm but the sun was noy able to find its way through the overcast skies. Heavy fog followed the rain later in the day and left Lake Superior invisible even when standing near the shore.

June 6: There was plenty of sun and warmth along the shore today. Lake Superior had only 1ft waves from the SE. The surface was textured with navy shadows and silver highlights. We had a high in the low 70's today and the leaves on the aspens are beginning to fill out.

June 5: It is still mostly sunny today but the temperatures have dropped 10 degrees into the low 60's. Superior is rougher with 1ft waves from the ESE. There is a pale blue (almost white) band a couple miles out on the lake but I have no idea what the source of this is.

June 4: It was warm in the low 70's along Lake Superior today. We had sunny skies, the lake was a deep blue, and the surface was calm. We took a little cruise in the canoe after supper and even with the calm conditions you could still sense the ever so gentle rhythmical rising and falling of the lake. Two beavers let us know they did not want any company with the slapping of their tails.

June 3: You cannot get a more picture perfect day on Lake Superior than today. Highs were in the 70's with clear blue skies. The hummingbirds were going crazy in the feeders and the wild strawberries are finally blossoming. Lake Superior has 6" smooth waves from the SE. As our one guest said, "It doesn't get any better than this."

June 2: The rain, mist, and fog continue once again. Temperatures struggled to get into the upper 40's today. The gray Lake Superior did have 6" to 1ft waves today and it was nice to hear the voice of the lake after it being mute for so many days.

June 1: We welcome June here in the boreal forest. June greeted us with rain continuing overnight and on and off through the day. Temperatures are in the 50's today and Lake Superior is calm and gray when you can catch a glimpse of it through the heavy fog. You could here the fog horn coming from the Grand Marais harbor.

May 2014

May 31: What a difference a day can make. Skies were heavily overcast today with rain and mist throughout the day. Lake Superior remained mostly calm and gray with the lake blending seamlessly into the sky a couple hundred yards out. Our son's graduation reception was today and it turned out well in spite of the weather. We had a large canopy between cottages 1 and 2 and we had all 3 cottages open for guests to go in and warm themselves in the living rooms by the gas stoves.

May 30: It was sunny, highs made it into the 60's, and Lake Superior had 6" waves coming straight in from the SSE. There was a light streak about 80-100ft out in the lake. Our guests speculated that that the waves coming in were interacting with the undertow going out. They observed that the water fowl and the debris in the lake seemed to congregate along this line.

May 29: It was a great night for a fire. Lake Superior was calm and highs today made it to the low 60's. By nightfall we had slipped back into the upper 40's and the fire felt so good. We watched the planets come out one by one but got too tired to watch the stars.

May 28: It was cold overnight and stayed cool along the lake not getting past the low 50's today. We traveled to Duluth today and got to see the sight of the shore in Duluth near the lift bridge covered with ice that drifted in from the lake. In the boreal forest the aspens are starting to turn the light green we are familiar with as a sign of spring. The ferns are popping up their fiddle heads on the forest floor.

May 27: Temperatures went down a notch today with highs in the 50's along Lake Superior. We had a clear blue calm lake. There were 3-4 layers in the lake today with distinctly different colors and textures for each band. One band was a thin white band the drifted from the east to the west about a half mile out. Do I dare think that it may have been ice? We had a highly textured band near the shore and a pale blue glass band further out. The gooseberries are blossoming and the thimbleberries are rapidly coming up out of the ground.

May 26: We had sunny skies with wispy high clouds passing by occasionally in Croftville today. Lake Superior had 6" waves from the SSE with a blue textured surface and silver highlights. It was hot by North Shore standards and may have got close to 80. The birch are now leafing out and the aspen should not be far behind. I noticed the lilacs are budding.

May 25: It was another beautiful day in Croftville along Lake Superior. The lake was calm and a pale sky blue once again. There were many mirages out on the lake to confuse our guests. "No, you cannot see the south shore from here." Temperatures were once again in the 60's. Overnight the balsam aspen began budding.

May 24: Wow. Sun all day. Highs in the 60's. The birch trees are budding. Lake Superior is pale blue glass. As evening came fog developed over the lake and gradually blended the sky with the horizon.

May 23: Lake Superior was calm and a pale sky blue. The sun and the moisture rising off the lake created mirages. 5 Mile Rock appeared to be floating above the lake for example. We had a mostly sunny day and certainly the warmest day we have had along the shore this year. Temps were in the upper 50's and perhaps even the low 60's. However, cold breezes off the lake reminded us where we are.

May 22: It was a beautiful spring day today. We had a decent amount of sun. Lake Superior was blue and calm with a textured surface. There where lots of mirages out near the horizon. Sometimes I could swear I was seeing an ice shelf out there but than 5 minutes later it would be gone. Temps were in the 50's with pockets of heat when the sun would come out and then pockets of cold when the breeze would catch us off the lake.

May 21: The birch are budding, the honeysuckles are budding, but the aspen still do not have buds here in Grand Marais. We traveled to Duluth today for Joey's last track meet. The aspens are now budding in Two Harbors so it shouldn't be much longer before it gets to Grand Marais. There were beautiful skies but those stunning cloud formations also produced pockets of rain showers. It was warm when the sun was out but quickly dropped back into the low 50's as soon as the shade began. Duluth still has a considerable amount of ice near the harbor.

May 20: It rained all night. Then it was fog and mist until 2:30 this afternoon. You could feel when a small gust of wind would break the mist with a belt of cold air off the lake. In many ways it almost felt like a summer day except nothing except the gooseberries have leafed out yet. Temperatures were in the low 50's. Lake Superior could barely be seen through the fog. It had 1ft gray waves from the south.

May 19: Lake Superior is metallic gray today with 1-2ft waves from the SE. Skies are partly overcast. Temperatures have held right under 50 for most of the day.

May 18: Partly overcast skies and light rain changed into partly cloudy skies by lat afternoon here in Croftville. Temperatures were in the 50's. Lake Superior was calm and pale blue. We could hear a chorus of loons out on the lake most of the afternoon.

May 17: The gooseberries have now leafed out. They are usually the first to do so. The elderberries should not be far behind. It was another cold night last night but temps have quickly rebounded into the 40's. Lake Superior has smooth 6" to 1ft waves from the SSE. The skies are partly sunny and the lake is a light sky blue.

May 16: It was cold again today. It got down to 31 overnight and just made it into the low 40's for the day. We had snow flurries coming down in the late morning. Lake Superior is calm today with an almost greenish gray glass appearance. Skies were lightly overcast.

May 15: The cold temperatures continue with a high only in the low 40's. Lake Superior has only 6" smooth waves today I think from the SSE. Skies are partly cloudy and the lake is a striking blue except near the shore where it is a reddish brown. The birds are everywhere and driving our cat crazy with their singing.

May 14: They were predicting rain today but it never happened and we even had sun much of the day. It was cold with temperatures in the 30's and 40's. Lake Superior still had some ice chunks washing up on shore this morning. There is a lot of debris in the water from Devil Track River runoff. The lake has the brown band near the shore and then turns to a greenish blue out to the horizon. Waves are only 1ft from the SE today.

May 13: Wow, another heavy rain last night. You could hear the waves building through the night. In the morning we had 3-4ft waves from the ESE. Skies are partly cloudy and temperatures hovered in the 40's and 50's. Ice began drifting up on shore today. It is quite remarkable to have ice chunks building up on shore in the middle of May.

May 12: A light rain fell all day long in Croftville. Winds were brisk and the waves were 2-3ft with many whitecaps from the ESE. A couple large ice shelves past us by this morning, the one was not more than a quarter mile from shore. Later smaller chunks that looked like mini icebergs floated past. Lake Superior was gray except near the shore where it was distinctly brown from the runoff. Our guests saw the first hummingbirds of the year outside cottage 3 yesterday. Maybe we are going to get spring afterall.

May 11: We woke up to rain but it turned sunny by mid-morning and was a spectacular day with temps in the low 50's. We had Mother's Day breakfast at Nanabijou and while there saw ice chunks (ranging in size from a motorcycle to a small car) drifting in to the shore. Now we can see the ice shelf out near the horizon that is the source of the ice. It is moving towards us, it will be interesting to see if it makes it to the Croftville shore by morning. Lake Superior is a deep sky blue with whitecaps from the SE except near the shore where it has some browns and green tints in it.

May 10: I can't think of the last time we had a totally sunny day here in Croftville. It was sunny when we woke up, there were clear skies all day long, and we plan to watch the sun go down with our first outdoor fire tonight. Lake Superior is a marine blue with silver highlight and green shadows. We have 1ft waves coming sraight from the SSE.

May 9: It was drizzle and overcast all day long until late afternoon when the sun decided to peak out for awhile. Temperatures are in the 40's and 50's. Lake Superior had an unusual amount of tree debris floating in it today. It must be runoff from Devil Track River after the huge thunder storm on Wednesday night.

May 8: There was an amazing thunder/lightning storm last night. I am not sure how much rain we got but it sounded like several inches while listening to it from bed. The entire area was fog today all day long. We could hear the fog horn from the Grand Marais harbor here in Croftville. Temperatures stayed in the low 40's and the rain has wiped out almost all the snow now. We still have small piles on the north side of the cottages and snow down on the rocks.

May 7: There is a storm brewing. We had light rain and overcast skies today but you can sense that something more is on the way. Waves are picking up this afternoon and are now 2-3ft. Temps are once again in the 40's.

May 6: It was another day of overcast skies and a little drizzle here in Croftville. Lake Superior was gray and fairly calm. Lots of birds out on the lake.

May 5: We had overcast skies, temps in the 40's, and a gray Lake Superior with 1-2ft waves today.

May 4: It was a beautiful spring day along Lake Superior. It was mostly sunny, temps in the 40's and 50's, and the birds were going crazy. Lake Superior was a deep blue with silver highlights on the crests of the 1ft waves from the SE.

May 3: Teresa saw 2 loons in some sort of mating ritual on the lake today. I have heard that the reason there are so many of all sorts of birds along the shore right now is that they are waiting for the ice to go out and the snow recede around the inland lakes. Temperatures are in the 40's today and we saw the sun for about 5 minutes this afternoon. Skies are overcast and gray with light rain and drizzle coming down about half the time. Lake Superior is gray and mostly calm.

May 2: You can see the brown band of runoff water along the perimeter of Lake Superior today. Further out is the characteristic metallic gray that you see on overcast days. The lake has 1-2ft waves from the SE. Temperatures are in the 40's and we have intermittent rain showers coming down.

May 1: With the arrival of May in the boreal forest those of us living here hopes that might also mean the end of winter. Most of the snow has now disappeared. The exceptions are down on the shore which still have the large ice ridges built up over the winter. The north sides of buildings also have a lot of snow especially buildings that had to be shoveled out leaving huge piles on either side of the driveways and sidewalks. And of course there is a lot of snow left in heavily wooded areas that have not allowed the sun to get in and do its snow melting magic. Temperatures hovered in the 40's today with overcast skies and a fairly calm and gray Lake Superior. Teresa said she saw at least 4 ore freighters passing by today.

April 2014

Apr 30: Skies over Lake Superior today are overcast leaving the lake a bluish gray except near the shore where it is a brownish gray. Lake Superior has 1-2ft waves from the SE. Skies are light gray and for the first time in several days the wind is light as well. Temperatures have stayed in the low 40's and we have had drizzle and light rain scattered throughout the day.

Apr 29: Strond winds continued throughout the day once again in Croftville. There were many ore freighters and coast guard ships that moved by today. Lake Superior was turbulent also powered by the strong winds. 3-4ft gray waves with whitecaps could be seen all the way out. Temperatures roller coastered from low 30's to high 40's throughout the day. Rain and a snow-rain mix fell depending on the temperature.

Apr 28: No rain like they predicted today. No snow like they predicted today. No cold temps like they predicted today. What we have is wind. Strong wind that knocks you off your feet is you get off balance. It is driving 3-4ft waves with whitecaps from the SE. And it is unrelenting. Temps in Croftville are in the upper 40's and the skies are overcast.

Apr 27: We arrived back in Grand Marais this afternoon after driving through heavy rain and strong winds all day from Northfield. The rain stopped in Cloquet and we found partly overcast skies, strong winds and temperatures in the low 40's here in Croftville. Lake Superior is speckled with whitecaps from the ESE. The waves are 3ft, aqua blue, and loud with an undulating ice slurry near the shore.

Apr 26: We were away from Lake Superior today visiting Saint Olaf College with our son, Joey. It was interesting to walk and drive through the hardwood wooded areas in southern Minnesota. At this time of the year you can pretty much hike through these forests in any direction you want without coming across any severe obstacles. How different our boreal forest is with its rock outcroppings, thickets, and gorges that constantly restrict your way.

Apr 25: We left for Saint Olaf College in Northfield at 6:00am this morning but before that could happen we first had to shovel out 6" of wet sloppy snow to get out of the driveway while it was still coming down hard. Of course Croftville Road wasn't plowed yet but the surprise was that the last 14 miles of Highway 61 wasn't plowed on the west end of the county. By the time we got to Duluth there was only 2" of accumulated snow and not far past that the highways were dry. 350 miles away from Croftville at Saint Olaf we found near 70 degrees and green grass. We heard that Grand Marais ended up with 8-10 inches of the white stuff.

Apr 24: The winter storm did not hit until 2:30pm. And hit is the right word. We had only about 5-10 minutes of mist and light snow before winds picked up and the snow was coming down heavy. It has continued to 10pm with no signs of stopping. Temperatures are hovering around freezing and we now have about 4 inches of very wet sloppy snow on the ground. Only one week left in April and it still looks like winter.

Apr 23: Lake Superior is glass this morning. It is a pale blue that matches the pale blue sky at the horizon. There is also a haze near the horizon which makes a seamless transition between the sky and the lake. Here in Croftville we have clear blue skies and sun. It is already 50 at 10am which is much warmer than all day yesterday. Out on the lake we have 2 freighters and 2 small ducks that are keeping us amused.

Apr 22: It was a bit colder today with highs getting into the mid 40's. However, there was plenty of sun to warm you up and the wind didn't pick up until late afternoon. Lake Superior had a deep blue surface with silver highlights on its textured surface but no discernable direction for the waves. I saw a few patches of smooth water which might indicate sheets of melting ice.

Apr 21: It was a beautiful spring afternoon here in Croftville. Blue skies, a blue lake, gentle breeze, and warm sun. There was a little rain this morning and the winds really picked up at sunset but that couldn't take away the joy of being outside on a springlike day.

Apr 20: Happy Easter! It looks and feels like spring outside. The remnants of yesterday's storm should be melted by the end of the day and then we can go back to melting the winter's snow pack. Temps in the 40's and 50's and mostly sunny skies. Lake Superior has a textured light blue surface with navy shadows and silver highlights. There is a thin strip of haze at the horizon.

Apr 19: And winter slaps us in the face once again in Croftville. I am not sure where this came from but it started with 3 inches of wet snow followed by sleet and freezing rain. Eventually we were just left with rain by noon. I decided that with the temperatures in the 40's I am going to not shovel and let it melt.

Apr 18: Lake Superior was a pale blue this morning with only ripples on its surface. You could see a few ice cube slurries in spots. Temperatures were mostly in the 40's today with sun that is making slush out of yesterday's snow. Saw a couple bald eagles fly by, probably to sit in the nearby broken spruce which seems to be a favorite of theirs.

Apr 17: Croftville woke up to 4 inches of wet snow and by noon when I thought it was going to end we had 6 inches. But it is now 3pm and snowing heavy once again. However, the temperature is 42 down by the lake and most of this stuff falling now is melting. Lake Superior has a brown band of water for the first 100ft from shore. It could be from runoff from the melting of snow this week or it could be from the huge waves I could hear last night churning the bed of the lake up. The rest of Lake Superior has a greenish blue tint to it with much smaller 2ft waves from the SE.

Apr 16: There is a winter storm on the way and you can see it approaching from the south. The good news is that it is very slow moving and didn't reach us until 4pm even though it was in Duluth this morning at 8am. Lake Superior had 3ft gray waves from the SE with a healthy amount of whitecaps. The winds were strong all day long off the lake. Skies were overcast and temperatures were in the 20's and 30's. Apr 15: It was another cold day in Croftville. It started in the teens and temperatures fluctuated up and down through the day eventually getting just above freezing in the sun. Lake Superior was calm in the morning but the strong winds finally got the waves going. We had 3ft deep blue waves with whitecaps from the south.

Apr 14: It was cold, mostly sunny, and with occasionally strong gusts of wind in Croftville today. Lake Superior had small waves and ice slurries in places. It is almost like the waves corral up the ice into isolated regions. There are no longer any large chunks of ice visible any more. It was strange having below freezing temperatures after having so many thawing days this past week.

Apr 13: Lake Superior is calm and a grayish blue with no ice visible on it. Temperatures hovered in the 30's and 40's and once in awhile the sun would almost come out. It was a nice day to be outdoors. Only some sunshine could have made it better.

Apr 12: I woke up to strong winds and 2-3ft waves from the SE. All day was overcast, temperatures started in the 40's and dropped into the 30's. We had a little rain. We had a little snow.

Apr 11: Came back today from Brainerd and Minneapolis. I am amazed how "built up" the Brainerd area is. Brainerd is beautiful with its mixture of pines, birch, and oak and its lakes. I can see why it is a popular resort area. But I would be hard pressed to call it a wilderness. Having lived in Grand Marais for over 10 years, I really miss the boreal forest even for a day. On our return, Lake Superior had 2ft waves from the SE. I could see that it had been another warm day here and we lost more of our snow.

Apr 10: No more calm Lake Superior today! We have sky blue 2ft waves with navy shadows from the SSW. Farther out there are many whitecaps and no sign of ice on the lake today. There is a powerful wind blowing off the lake that kept blowing my heavy construction tools right off the floor trusses. Temps are in the 50's and we have clear blue sunny skies.

Apr 9: There was not much sun today in Croftville. However, we woke up to 40 degrees and the 40's is where temperatures stayed for the day. The prediction was for rain tonight but instead we got light sleet and snow during the day. Lake Superior is still completely calm. We have open water as far as we can see with pockets if ice slurries.

Apr 8: Lake Superior is completely still yet again. The ice chunks are still there but fewer. It is a beautiful spring-like day and mostly sunny. Temperatures are in the 40's and almost feel like 50. The tops of the benches around the fire circle for Cottage 2 showed up today with the melting snow.

Apr 7: Temperatures started in the 30's and worked their way into the 40's on a day of light rain. No one was predicting rain but it hung around all day. Lake Superior is a light gray against a light gray horizon. Patches of open water where a little darker and patches of ice chunks were a bit lighter. Lake Superior is completely still and as near as I can tell there is no breeze either. The rain is doing its part in melting the snow.

Apr 6: Lake Superior was completely still all day long. The surface was a combination of open water, chunks, and thin layers of fresh ice holding them together. We had rain most of the morning, overcast skies for the afternoon, and temperatures in the 30's and 40's.

Apr 5: Lake Superior was calm and still today. There was open water, ice chunks, and fresh thin ice tieing it all together here in Croftville. As we traveled to Duluth today we saw more and more ice on the shore and by the time we got to Beaver Bay the ice was packed solid. Returnng home at sunset we saw the first real evidence that the sun has been working on melting our snow pack. The gravel shoulders on Croftville Road were completely visible on the north side of the road.

Apr 4: The winter storm finally hit about 7:00pm last night. By morning there was 4 inches of fresh heavy snow on the ground. By the time it ended about 11am we had 6-7 inches of the stuff. We got lucky, I heard that Duluth had 14". When the storm ended it warmed up into the 30's and 40's and even had partly sunny skies. That fresh snow was backbreaking slush by the time we were finished shoveling out. Lake Superior had bands of churned up ice between bands of open water. The lake was quite turbulent but different bands on the lake seemed to be moving in different directions. Occasionally larger sheets of ice could be seen like floating islands drifting by.

Apr 3: They are predicting a winter storm to hit but it never got to us today. Lake Superior, however, showed all the signs of the impending storm. Strong winds, a violent looking lake with 2-3ft waves. There were also lots of whitecaps that would throw chunks of ice into the air. The lake was an aquamarine blue. Ice of all types was visible. The skies were dark and overcast with temperatures in the 30's but feeling quite a bit colder in that wind.

Apr 2: It was a nice day out with sun and temps reaching the 40's. Lake Superior was calm and broken ice was visible everywhere on the lake. It felt good to feel the sun's warmth working on melting at least some of this snow.

Apr 1: The new month brought us an old and not very welcome guest, snow. There wasn't a lot of snow that came down, maybe only 2 inches. However, the gale winds forced that snow around everywhere in classic southern Minnesota blizzard fashion. What I could see of Lake Superior was an ice slurry and 2ft waves. You could watch the gusts buffet the surface of the lake and momentarily subdue the waves the way your hand can smooth out a wrinkled sheet on your bed. Temperatures started the day around freezing and quickly fell into the teens where they remained.

March 2014

Mar 31: There was a little sun when we woke up but that was gone by 10am. Then the winds picked up, and the waves began moving, breaking, and churning the ice on Lake Superior. Rain began to fall at 2pm and soon changed to freezing rain. It did not freeze overnight and stayed near 40. Those temperatures began to recede by mid afternoon and hover right around freezing.

Mar 30: Lake Superior is once again completely still today. There are no real bands of anything out on the lake. It is just a jumble together soup of ice shelves, open water, broken up ice, and small sheets of ice and snow all the way to the horizon. Temperatures already hit the upper 40's by noon.

Mar 29: Lake Superior was completely still yesterday. We had ice for the first hundred yards followed by open blue water for another half mile or so. After that, it was a solid ice shelf as far as I could see. The weather was mostly sunny and warm with temperatures in the 30's.

Mar 28: We saw another Coast Guard ice breaker go by last night. Today, most of the ice was gone with only about 200ft of stacked ice piled upon itself by the shore. The lake had a very textured surface which I think is caused by all the small pieces of ice in the water. Lake Superior was a deep blue this morning with sunny skies overhead. The sun warmed the temperatures into the 30's and it may have hit the low 40's this afternoon.

Mar 27: Overnight the broken up sheets of ice covered with the fresh falling snow moved into shore. There is ice and snow on the lake as far as I can see. What a difference a night can make. With the falling snow the temperatures stayed near freezing overnight. We have moderate snow coming down and have so far accumulated about 2" by 11:00am.

Mar 26: We watched an ore freighter sit out in front of us with its lights on all night. This morning we watched it turn around. I think it may be stuck in the ice, having mechanical problems, or is waiting for one of those ice breaker led convoys. Sure enough 4 other ships showed up, 3 of them coast guard ice breakers and the other a freighter. The freighter that was sitting here then took off and followed the ice breakers. Lake Superior has open water out as far as we can see. The freighter was out about 8-9 miles. Lake Superior has a brisk wind off of it today. Temperatures started 1 degree below zero this morning but has steadily risen into the low 30's. We had partly overcast skies most of the day and snow began coming down around 4pm.

Mar 25: I wasn't going to look at another below zero morning so I didn't go to the office until 8:30 this morning and by then it was 2 above. We traveled to Duluth for the day and temperatures didn't manage to see the 20's until late in the day. We had mostly clear skies and plenty of sun. There was more ice along the shore than we have in Croftville as we went further southwest to Duluth. The open water on Superior was a deep sky blue.

Mar 24: Well, I didn't sleep in this morning and I should have. The temperature at 7:00am was 1 below here at Croftville Road Cottages. That is really unheard of for this time of year. At least it was a sunny day and the temps rose into the 20's. Lake Superior was completely calm this morning but eventually the wind generated 1-2ft waves from the SSW. Although we had open water pretty much as far as we could see. We could see the sun reflecting off large ice pressure ridges out on the lake. Teresa said she was able to spot one freighter today that was part of the convoy heading across Lake Superior.

Mar 23: Lake Superior is still open water as far as I can see. We have 2ft waves from the south today which has curned up a little ice along the shore into a watery slurry. The day started at zero degrees. It may have been below zero but I slept in and didn't get to the office and the thermometer until 8:30 this morning. Ignorance is bliss, since I didn't see it then it didn't happen. Who would believe below zero readings on March 23rd anyway. There was lots of sun and temperatures managed to get into the mid 20's.

Mar 22: There was a lot of noise last night. When I went outside to check it out I thought it was the wind which was blowing hard. However, when I woke up this morning I saw that it had been much more than the wind. All that was left of the ice near the shore were some scattered chunks and they drifted out from shore by 10am leaving a wdie open clear Lake Superior as far as I can see. Lake Superior has a rippled surface with light sky blue highlights and navy blue shadows against a robin's egg blue horizon. We have clear skies and temprautres rose from the single digits to the 20's.

Mar 21: Temperatures are in the 30's. A winter storm hit at 11:00am. Snow continued through the day and had acculmulated 4" a sticky snow by nightfall when it finally tapered off. I guess it is back to shoveling mode once again. Lake Superior became a uniform white blanket as the snow fell and no open water could be seen. They say they are planning on forming an ore freighter convoy with a coast guard ice breaker to lead the way out of Duluth tomorrow.

Mar 20: There was not very much sun today, but there was a little and when it was out it was beautiful for the vernal equinox. Temps rose in the 30's and 40's and it was a good day to be outdoors. Lake Superior has an open water band about a mile out. Everywhere else we have ice that has been covered by our snow from a couple days ago.

Mar 19: That big winter storm finally glanced us this morning with heavy snow at times but only 1-2" of accumulation. Temperatures started in the 20's but got to the 40's this afternoon. I had to shovel all afternoon but that wasn't too bad. I am still so thankful that the brunt of the storm missed us. Lake Superior is completely white except for a dark blue narrow band of water about a mile out.

Mar 18: The snow they kept predicting didn't seem to get any further north than Duluth. I am so thankful since I really don't care to shovel 6-12" of heavy wet snow. Temperatures stayed in the 20's and 30's. Lake Superior is white as far as the eyes can see except for the baby blue ice shards that are stacked near the shore.

Mar 17: Falling snow is back. We woke to 3" of fluffy stuff this morning and it looks like the snow is to continue through today and tomorrow. Temperatures have moderated into the 20's. Lake Superior is a white blanket snow with blotches of bare ice where the wind has blown they new snow away.

Mar 16: Temperatures sunk back down to 2 below this morning on the lake. For March 16, below zero temperatures down by the lake is quite unusual. I thought the dip to 1 below a few days ago would be the last subzero temps we would see here but once again I am wrong. The sun was out all day and we just managed to get to 30 in the late afternoon. Lake Superior looked still again but we could hear the shifting ice all day long. There was very little open water today with pools of water being created only to swallowed up by ice an hour later.

Mar 15: Beware of the Ides of March! I thought it was going to be a good day with the sun shining and a starting temp of 8 degrees this morning. However, in spite of the sun it would just not get beyond the 20's today and when the sun disappered in the afternoon and the wind picked up, it was outright cold. Lake Superior was once again completely still. We had a half mile of tightly packed ice near the shore the shore that refroze into a solid piece. We had about a half mile of blackish blue open water past that. And we had white shelf ice beyond that to the horizon.

Mar 14: Rain this morning, sleet late this afternoon, probably a little snow tonight. The completely still Lake Superior has 3 bands today. The first band is tightly packed chunks of ice for about a quarter mile. The next band is dark bluish gray band of open water for a half mile. The final band is white shelf ice as far as I can see to the horizon. Last night there were amazing reflections of the moon off the shelf ice (probably pressure ridges) out several miles. The lights were unusually bright and looked like frieghters all lit up out on the lake. I wonder how long it will be before there are real freighters out there? I heard the the ice breakers are working down by the Duluth harbor.

Mar 13: Lake Superior is completely still which isn't surprising considering that the tightly packed floating ice chunks all became interconnected with a new thin coat of ice overnight. The only open water I could see in the morning was a couple small open patches about a half mile out. Later in the day the ice split creating an open band of water about a quarter mile out. The day started cold and windy but the sun came out later and temperatures finally made it out of the teens and briefly into the 40's.

Mar 12: Ouch! It was back to 1 below this morning in Croftville. However, the sun burned off the morning overcast skies and we managed to climb into the 30's in the afternoon. Lake Superior is quite still with a mixture of open water, broken up ice, and shelf ice. As the shelf ice moves in and out from the shore the band of open water changes size. Some of the broken ice is really thick with the chunks taking on that distinctive blue color.

Mar 11: Not quite as warm as yesterday but it still got into the 40's once the sun burned off the overcast skies. Lake Superior was calmer today but was still a brilliant blue. There is virtually no ice attached to the shore but there is plenty piled up in drifts on the beach. Chunks of ice meandered by throughout the day but the big ice shelf is out probably about a mile or more.

Mar 10: What an amazing day. Yesterday was the first time we saw 40 since November and 1 day later we made it to the low 50's. The snow really was melting today but the weather is propbably just setting us up for another fall into winter. Lake Superior was a deep blue against the sunny and clear skies. The shelf ice could be seen about a half mile off shore. Waves were 2ft from the SW and once again really churning up the broken ice nearer to shore. There was a strong current moving that ice to the east.

Mar 9: Temperatures made it into the 40's today with plenty of sun. I am not sure the last time we saw these temperatures but I am guessing early November. Lake Superior was dark blue and we had open water for at least the first mile out today before you could see the ice shelf. We had 2ft waves today from the SW which really churned up the ice. You could watch the ice flow eastward along the shore.

Mar 8: We woke up to ice as far as we could see in Croftville this morning. Temperatures dropped to 4 degrees last night but the partly sunny skies are quickly warming us up. The reflection of the sun off the ice is blinding. Along our beach there is considerable stacked ice from the shelf being pushed into the shore. I am really looking forward to the warmer temperatures that are being predicted.

Mar 7: We had a couple inches of fresh snow last night. Just enough to shovel once again. Lake Superior was still ice as far as you could see. The fresh white snow set off the bluish hue of the stacked ice and pressure ridges on the lake. Temperatures started in the 20's and rose into the upper 30's in spite of overcast skies. By afternoon the ice split a couple hundred yards out and the resulting open water began to widen until dark.

Mar 6: I could see no open water at all today. Ice was visible as far as my eyes could see out to the horizon complete with pressure ridges and snow coverings. Temperatures stayed above zero and ranged from single digits to the upper 20's. There were signs of melting on the roofs, asphalt, and trusses.

Mar 5: It was a beautiful sunny day in Croftville and temperatures managed the 20's by afternoon. Lake Superor overnight was making ice noises and we woke up to open water except for a 100ft shelf of ice next to the shore. There was a considerable amount of ice stacked on the shore which explains the noise during the night. By afternoon I could see a large shelf of ice making its way towards us in the bright blue water. By suppertime it was closing and filling in the open water leaving only pockets here and there. By dark, there was no open water left and the sound of the ice pushing against itself and the shore intensified.

Mar 4: Yesterday afternoon the waves picked up. They broke up and pushed on the shore all but the last 100 feet of ice against the shore. Today the sun was out all day and you could feel its power. There was melting on the asphalt of Croftville Road and the temperatures quickly rose into the 20's where they sat all day. Lake Superior was a deep blue in the open water band that sat between the small ice shelf against the shore and the much larger ice that could be seen out near the horizon.

Mar 3: It was 15 below this morning but the clear blue skies allowed the sun to warm us up quickly into the 20's by 11am. Lake Superior has dark blue open water with small waves from the south. The sun quickly burned off the fog hovering over the open water early from the cold. The is a 150 yard ice shelf with a light dusting of snow on top of it pushed against the shore. It is fun to look and follow the cracks in the shelf and imagine traversing out there and examining each one.

Mar 2: We returned from Minneapolis to Lake Superior this afternoon. Being away for almost 3 days resets my perspective. Driving up along Superior the excitement of driving north returned. I thought about the tremendous sense of awe and anticipation that I always felt on Highway 61 on my way to my vacation. It was still cold with below zero temperatures following us all the way. Somewhere along the shore we finally hit 1 degree above in the afternoon. Lake Superior was solid ice until we got to Knife River. After that we could see open water and a modest ice shelf along the shore.

Mar 1: We are away from Croftville all day today. It was so odd to watch people's reaction when they heard where we were from. They all wanted to hear about our winter, which is strange since everyone seems to have lost their patience with this long season. Maybe it is comforting to hear stories to know that as bad as the winter has been in the twin cities, it can be worse. Or maybe people are just extra empathetic because of their own struggles with this winter. I prefer to believe the latter.

February 2014

Feb 28: As we left Croftville Road Cottages for a weekend at Augsburg College, I could hear the ice crinkling as it was pushing its way up onto the shore. Although it was pitch dark I could see it happening. The temperature actually warmed up overnight and was 1 above. But as we drove down the shore we watched the temperature continue to retreat and by the time we were in Duluth it was 9 below.

Feb 27: What is the point of talking about anything but the temperature on a day like today. It was 19 below zero this morning. In spite of clear skies, all we could manage was 4 above this afternoon before plummeting back below zero by late afternoon. Lake Superior was calm and thin sheets of ice were forming all day on the bluish black surface.

Feb 26: The temperature was 11 below this morning on the lake. The afternoon high was 12. Lake Superior has small 6" waves from the south and open water as far as we can see. Every once in a while a small chunk of floating ice passes by.

Feb 25: Last week I felt like spring was not far away but today it feels like winter with no end in sight. It is cloud with temperautres ranging from 5 below to 15 above. We have a wind that makes your teeth shutter. The skies are gray and overcast with flurries. Lake Superior is calm and gray with a little ice moving around. Spring, are you out there somewhere?

Feb 24: I can see the ice way off in the distance but nothing but open water near the shore. Lake Superior is a grayish dark blue and calm. Skies are partly cloudy and the temperatures ranged from just below zero into the low 20's. Feb 23: Highs in the low 20's, a low in the single digits, and a nasty cold wind off the hill describes our weather in Croftville today. Skies were mostly sunny and Lake Superior was mostly calm and blue with isolated chunks of ice passing by occasionally.

Feb 22: It was colder today with a low near zero and a high just above 20. The big news is watching the ice shelf break off piece by piece and be undertowed out into the open water. By midafternoon the entire ice shelf that spread was a good quarter mile out this morning was entirely gone. The other extraordinary thing about this was there were virtually no waves eating away at it. Chunks just broke off like small floating islands and just headed out to open water.

Feb 21: The snow started at 8pm last night and this morning we woke up to 10 inches of fresh snow and heavy snow still coming down. By the time the heavy snow ended about 10am we had at least 12 inches of snow from this storm. The ice shelf on Lake Superior is still about a quarter mile to open water. The open water then continues for several miles until more ice can be seen further out. The open water is a dark metallic gray against the snow sitting on the ice. Winds began picking up around noon and temperatures slowly began to fall from the 30's we had this morning.

Feb 20: The day started at 25 and soon rose into the 30's. Snow is on the way and all of Minnesota is preparing and bracing for yet another dumping on us. I am just trying to get the rest of the last snow shoveled out of the basement for the inn so it won't be so much work to shovel out the coming 6-12 inches. Skies are clear blue to the north and gray to the south. I guess I know which direction the storm is coming from.

Feb 19: The ice shelf separated during the night leaving an open water 100 yard gap in the ice about a quater mile from shore. This gap widened during the day and a visible current moved ice in the channel to the east. This river was a brilliant blue with just a bit of purple in it against the blazing white snow on the ice. We had full sun for most of the day and temperatures made it into the upper 30's by early afternoon before overcast skies began to cool things off.

Feb 18: It is a beautiful partly sunny day starting at 20 degrees and moving into the upper 30's. I cannot remember the last time it was this warm but my guess is mid November. We have not had a genuine thaw since the snow came down at Thanksgiving. Lake Superior is blazing white with snow covered ice and pressure ridges as far as I can see. There is not a sound coming from the lake. It feels so good to be out in the warmth (even though it is for shoveling.)

Feb 17: Well, we got rid of the cold, it was 15 degrees this morning and made its way to near freezing this afternoon. Now we just need to do something about the snow. It started snowing just before dawn and didn't quit snowing until after dark. That left us with another 6-8" of fresh snow here in Croftville. I shoveled for awhile this afternoon and tomorrow I will spend all day shoveling out once again. My snow blower can no longer throw the snow high enough to get above the piles so it will be all hand shoveling for whatever remains of the winter. Considering that last year we had a blizzard in the first week of May, what remains of winter could be a great deal more than I would like. The ice flows on Lake Superior have packed themselve tight to the shore as far out as I can see. I wouldn't be surprised if the ice stays for awhile. There was no sound of moving ice on the lake today.

Feb 16: Once again I shoveled snow for most of the day. Temperatures dropped back down to below zero overnight, but the sun is higher in the sky now and warms things up consistently now. Afternoon temperatures reached 20 here by the lake. Lake Superior had ice on it for about a half mile out this morning. Ice pressure ridges could be clearly seen with the snow covering the ice. The ice could also be heard as it pushed up on itself. By late afternoon even more ice had moved in. As the moon (just past full) rose through the slightly overcast sky, one could see a penumbra surrounding it.

Feb 16: Once again I shoveled snow for most of the day. Temperatures dropped back down to below zero overnight, but the sun is higher in the sky now and warms things up consistently now. Afternoon temperatures reached 20 here by the lake. Lake Superior had ice on it for about a half mile out this morning. Ice pressure ridges could be clearly seen with the snow covering the ice. The ice could also be heard as it pushed up on itself. By late afternoon even more ice had moved in. As the moon (just past full) rose through the slightly overcast sky, one could see a penumbra surrounding it.

Feb 15: I was looking forward to a restful weekend day after all the shoveling that had to be done. Silly me, the "up to 1" of accumulation" turned into 6" of fresh snow down here along the lake. Lake Superior as far out as I could see was 80% ice today. The ice of course was easy to spot with the fresh snow sitting on top of it. Temperatures made there way into the low teens. Snow has finally tapered off by nightfall, looks like there will be plenty of shoveling tomorrow.

Feb 14: I spent all day shoveling out from the 4" of fresh snow yesterday. Lake Superior is mostly calm with some ice flows moving in and then being pulled out. Temperatures were much colder today staying in the single digits once it warmed up.

Feb 13: Croftville has been deluged with wind, waves, and snow today. The waves continued until they managed to push large broken sheets of ice up near the shore. Once that happened the waves ended. The snow is traveling mostyl horizontal in the wind. Temperatures have been in the 20's since shortly after sunrise.

Feb 12: The waves picked up last night in Croftville. We woke up to find that the waves had pushed loose ice up onto the shore. There was also considerable chunks of ice in the water that gradually were pulled away through the day. The biggest surprise was a pleasant sunny day in the low 20's after getting about an inch of fresh snow last night. One almost dared to think that maybe this nasty run of cold weather might really be over. Lake Superior was a pure blue today with a rippled twinkling surface from the broken ice in it.
Feb 11: There was a clear horizon and only 3 below today. We had a striking red sunrise that rose quickly behind low lying clouds. Lake Superior is a grayish blue and calm with visible ice chunks floating on the surface. Temperatures are expected to get into the 20's today with partly cloudy skies.

Feb 10: The cold is still here in Croftville this morning. Lake Superior is still with a bluish silver surface that turned seamlessly into a gray mist and then low hanging white clouds that were lit up by the rising sun behind them. I can once again hear the tinkling ice as it touches the shore.

Feb 9: With the wind chill, this was one of the coldest days of the winter. Temperatures ranged from 15 below to 5 above but the strong winds off the hill made it much colder. Lake Superior was calm. Ice sheets could be seen out on the lake and broken ice could be heard tinkling as it brushed up against the shore.

Feb 8: Croftville had snow flurries and overcast skies most of the day. Lake Superior was calm and ice was visible away from the shore a mile or two. Temperatures ranged from zero to 20.

Feb 7: Lake Superior had 2ft waves from the SSW today. The lake was a piercing blue against a beautiful white cloudbank over the lake. It was clear skies everywhere else. Temps started at 8 below and made it into the low teens.

Feb 6: It was a beautiful early morning. We had low white clouds over the lake that were lit up from behind by the sun. The cold start at 10 below had prodigeous amounts of a grat steam rising off the surface of the blue rippled lake. The broken up ice was tinkling on the 1ft waves from the south. Everywhere else we had clear blue skies.

Feb 5: Croftville had clear skies, a blue lake, strong breezes, and temperatures that stubbornly will not get out of the teens.

Feb 4: Temperatures ranged from zero into the teens today. Skies were sometimes clear and sometimes lightly overcast. Lake Superior had a deep blue rippled surface and was free of ice as far as we can see out, but I suspect there is an ice shelf out there that we cannot see being so close to the surface of the lake.

Feb 3: We had an unexpected thaw along the lake this afternoon with temperatures making it to 33 in the bright sun. That is the first (albeit brief) thaw we have had in 2014. Lake Superior was a deep blue with a rippled surface and 1ft waves from the south.

Feb 2: Shoveling was the first order of business on Croftville Road today after getting 2-3 inches of light fluffy snow yesterday. It was a cold day but, sunny. You can now tell that the sun is stronger in the sky and has greater capacity to warm things up. Although the groundhog clearly saw his shadow today even with the proverbial 6 weeks more of winter, we can feel that these bitterly cold days are finally coming to an end.

Feb 1: On what was supposed to be a cold day, we have a surprisingly pleasant winter day waking up to 10 degrees and moving quickly into the 20's with light snow. Lake Superior is a dull gray and calm. Ice sheets can be seen floating out on the lake. There is no horizon line as the gray lake melds into the gray overcast sky.

January 2014

Jan 31: It was cold today starting at 16 below this morning and rising gradually to 10 above by nightfall. The warmer temperatures came when the cloud cover moved in and light snow began. Lake Superior was a beautilful deep blue this morning with small waves on a rippled surface from the SSW. Sunset on the lake was filled with purples, pinks, and reds in the sky and reflecting off the lake.

Jan 30: There were temperatures in the teens, white clouds over the lake, clear blue skies elsewhere, and a calm bright blue Lake Superior today at Croftville Road Cottages.

Jan 29: At only 6 below this morning it almost felt like a heat wave. Temperatures slowly rose throughout the day and managed the low 20's by dark. It was a mostly clear day and the normal dark cloud over Superior managed to lighten up and even let sunlight through. Lake Superior had 3-4ft waves from the south with the spectacular steel blue color that is perhaps my favorite color for the lake set off against the whitcaps and breaking waves.

Jan 28: At 16 below this morning, today is supposed to be the last day of this nasty cold. The dark cloud stood over the lake once again with mist risong into it. The cloud made Lake Superior a dark gray with light gray highlights on its 1-2ft waves from the SSW.

Jan 27: Croftville is back down to 20 below zero this morning with winds that blew hard all night long. Lake Superior has ice froming on it. I can see small sheets, large sheets with snow drifting across them, and broken ice glistening on the lake's rippled surface. The dark cloud has reformed over the lake surface but we have clear blue skies elsewhere. Steam can be seen rising into the cloud. Lake Superior is calm but gusts of wind can be seen running away from the shore.

Jan 26: We had fierce winds today that made the outside not fit for man nor beast. Temperatures ranged from 13 below in the morning to about 4 above in the afternoon down here by the lake but it felt much much colder than that. We had light snow that fell all day long but accumulated less than an inch for the day. Lake Superior and the sky were bright in spite of the snow.

Jan 25: 2-3 inches of snow overnight plus strong winds meant several hours of shoveling this morning. Temperatures hovered down here on the lake in the single digits above and below zero. Superior had 2ft silver blue waves from the SSW.

Jan 24: Lake Superior has 3-4ft waves from the SSW with loud breaking waves and a scattering of whitecaps can be seen. Temperatures have moderated with a morning low of 6 and temperatures rising quickly into the 20's. This is our one day of normal January temperatures before we drop back for another bout of subzero days tomorrow. We have partly cloudy skies that look like snow could fall any minute.

Jan 23: The horrendous winds of yesterday continued through the night and right into today. Morning temperatures started at 18 below and worked its way to single digits by the end of the day. Lake Superior is a dark blue gray refected from the dark purple gray cloud hovering over the lake. Skies elsewhere we mostly clear and blue. Waves picked up after dark and skies became dark adn overcast. The sounds of the breaking waves in the total darkness was eeire.

Jan 22: Today we woke up to 2" of fresh but dense snow. Temperatures dropped back down to 6 below overnight. We also had a visitor overnight. An ice shelf must have drifted into out shore while we slept giving us about 100 yards of ice covered by the fresh snow covering Lake Superior. The rest of the lake is a dark bluish gray with a rippled surface and lots of steam rising off the water. Skies are brightly overcast.

Jan 21: It was 22 below zero this morning on the lake. A dark purplish gray cloud hung low over the surface with heavy mist rising into it. The lake itself was calm and reflected the dark cloud above it. I could see ice forming on the surface. Everywhere except over the lake we had clear blue skies. The bright sun quickly warmed things up and we were at zero by noon. As evening approached a fine snow began to fall and warmed temperatures up even more into the low teens.

Jan 20: The cold temperatures took a little longer than they predicted but they finally got here overnight. We woke up to 6 below. Skies are partly cloudy over the lake and clear everywhere else. This makes for a colorful sunrise with purples, golds, silvers, and blues. Lake Superior is mostly calm with small waves from the SE. The surface is light blue with silver highlights.

Jan 19: Lake Superior is a dark blue gray with 1-2ft rollers from the SSW. Every once in awhile a series of usually 3 larger rollers come in a row that break spectacularly along the shore. The crashing breaks the silence every few minutes. Skies are overcast with occasional flurries and temperatures are in the 20's.They were predicting dropping temperatures this afternoon but it never happened.

Jan 18: With another 2 inches of fresh snow last night, the order of the day in Croftville was shoveling snow and getting our construction site for the inn prepared once again for work. Temperatures were mild, hovering in the teens and 20's. Lake Superior itself had 2ft roller waves from the south with a beautiful cloud filled sky as a backdrop. Once in a while the sun poked through and sunset was a magnificant display of red's oranges, and yellows.

Jan 17: Windy and sunny. Temperatures were between 0-20 for the day but the gusts of wind made it much, much colder. Lake Superior was a dark sky blue and relatively calm. You could watch the gusts of wind travel out on the surface of the lake.

Jan 16: In Croftville it snowed all day long and accumluated perhaps 5-6 new inches since last night. When we woke up this morning the wind from last night had finally subsided but snow was attached to every surface whether it was horizontal or vertical, out in the open or under a porch. The lake was a dark blue gray and calm. By afternoon gusts started to pick up and you could watch the gusts as they propagated out over the surface.

Jan 15: My, how the weather can change through a course of the day on Lake Superior. This morning it was sunny, the lake mostly calm, no wind, and temperatures in the single digits. But at noon the snow clouds overcast the sky, snow began falling, winds began howling, and the calm blue lake started its transformation to a dark gray surface with 4-5ft whitecaps as the temperautres rose into the teens and 20's.

Jan 14: Although it was only 2 above this morning, the day is sunny and temps have risen into the 20's here on the Croftville Road. Lake Superior is mostly calm with a blue and silver rippled surface. The moon is nearly full but the winds and clouds have picked up so I am not sure how visible it will be tonight. Saw just one freighter today, it better hurry with just one day left before the locks close.

Jan 13: We have temperatures in the 30's with overcast skies. Lake Superior is a uniform gray with small roller waves. Skies cleared and the moon came out and lit up the lake and snow. It was so bright that it was almost like daylight with all the reflected light. We saw many freighters today, the last rush before the locks close in Sault Ste. Marie on the 15th.

Jan 12: There is a gray lake with black shadows on a rippled and textured surface. The direction of the 1ft waves is indistinct but my best guess is from the south. Skies are overcast with a light snow/rain/sleet mix. Temperatures are in the 30's.

Jan 11: The wind was less today but we did have snow flurries and overcast skies. Temperatures rose into the low 30's most of the day. The lake had 2-3ft gray rolling waves from the SSW.

Jan 10: Temperatures were in the teens and 20's from the time I got up to the time I went to bed. Lake Superior had 3ft waves from the south this morning and there was a sizable band of maybe 100ft of broken ice sloshing around near the shore. As the day went on, the wave action eventually reabsorbed all the ice. Skies were overcast, the wind was brisk off the lake, and Gitche Gumi was a dark blue gray.

Jan 9: Only 8 below at sunrise this morning, the temperatures are finally getting back to normal and we are hoping to see 20's this afternoon. The sunrise was majestic. It was full of pinks and blues that gradually turned to a warm gold once the sun gained some height in the sky. There is a strong wind from the west that is sailing the rising mist off the lake past us almost as if it were in a wind tunnel. For the first time in a week the dark cloud over Lake Superior has broken away to a pink, blue, and white cloudbank to the east and south. What an awesome sight to wake up to.

Jan 8: And as northern Minnesota finally begins to warm we had only 12 below this morning on the Croftville Road. But the wind coming off the hill fom the north was bracing. The sight of Superior was unusual as the sun rose. Everything was black and white. The lake had black shadows and white highlights on its rippled icy surface. You could watch the wind hit the surface and move away from the shore suppressing the waves. The white mist rising off the surface was pulled by the gusts out into the lake. The sun had punched holes in the cloud over the lake allowing white light through the black cloud. Where the white light hit the broken ice it reflected up into your eyes.

Jan 7: I guess at 18 below this morning we could call this a heat wave. It did get to 1 above briefly this afternoon. Lake Superior was mostly calm with ice forming on its surface. Once again there was plenty of sun except directly over the lake with the rising mist.

Jan 6: It was 26 below this morning but the winds even made it much worse. Lake Superior is mostly still and quite a bit of ice formed overnight. However, as waves began to grow modestly to 2ft rollers from the SSW, the ice began to disppear. Lake Superior was a pleasant blue with mist rising into the white clouds that hang over the lake. We had blue skies and sun everywhere else.

Jan 5: Ouch. 24 below zero here in Croftville this morning. We have clear blue skies everywhere except directly over the lake. The lake has the familiar steam rising into a dark cloud over it. We saw a freighter pass by in the rising mist. One of our guests thought it was a rock formation they had never noticed before. It was eerie tring to decide if you could see the freighter or not within the mist. The lake is light blue with dark navy shadows on a rippled surface with 2ft waves from the SSW.

Jan 4: We had 8-12 inches of fresh snow from yesterday. It was hard to judge because of the strong winds that made drifting seem more like southeasten Minnesota. Temperatures today ranged from 0 to 20 here next to the lake. The entire day was spent shovleing out. Temperatures are to descend rapidly once the sun goes down. Lake Superior had 3ft rollers from the south on a grayish dark blue lake. The large waves from yesterday swallowed up or through onto the shore any and all ice that had formed on the lake.

Jan 3: The temperatures rose into the 20's today and stayed there, but strong winds rose from the SSE off the lake and made it feel as cold or colder than the below zero stuff from the past few days. I woke listening to 2-3ft rollers churning up the ice and its distinctive chinking sound. The light snow turned heavy and the waves built through the day to 5-6ft. We now have 6 new inches of dense drifting snow down here in Croftville.

Jan 2: The cold persists with 18 below this morning, a high of 7, and then quickly plummeting below zero in the late afternoon again. Lake Superior is calm with a variety of patches of small ice sheets, open water, and textured surfaces with broken up ice. The dark cloud over the lake persists but everywhere else it is clear blue skies.

Jan 1: Happy New Year. This will be the year that "The Inn at Croftville Road Cottages" will open. This will be the year that our family moves out of the travel trailer for good and into our new, but still unfinished, living quarters in the inn. We moved out of the old house to begin the expansion process now 3 years ago. This will be the year I am reunited with my piano. Welcome, welcome 2014. It was 21 below last night and climbed into single digits today. The skies are partly cloudy with high wispy clouds. The big lake is calm and a light gray today with broken up ice visible on the textured surface.