The Last Bonfire, a Final Sendoff for Autumn Just Before the First Snowfall of Winter

The Last Of Autumn:

It was a relaxing weekend at the cabin. Darkness comes early, after all this is late fall. We could be surrounded by snow before it’s time to head for home on Sunday. Keeping a close eye on the ditches along the way, we watched as we drove. Expecting either the reflection of eyes in the headlights or the tell tale flash of white as deer turn tail and disappear back into the woods. After an hour’s drive south from Duluth, we arrived at our St. Croix river getaway.

Fumbling with keys in the dark, the gate to the 1,300′ driveway was opened allowing passage. The cabin sits back from the road, situated on a rear 5 acre lot with an easement providing access. Once through, the gate was secured with a chain and lock. Nothing is more unsettling than to have complete strangers drive down the long driveway when your expectations are seclusion and privacy.

With darkness comes cooler temperatures. Once inside, the first order of business was to flip the circuit breakers that energize the water heater and water pump. Second on the agenda was heat.
The thermostats were turned up, but it would be a slow process for electric heat to take the chill off. In the corner of the living room sit’s a propane catalytic heater. In seconds the 18,000 btu heater was spreading a warm glow into the room.

Old newspaper was crumpled up and covered with kindling. The woodstove came to life and will be fed continuously throughout the next two days. In no time the cabin began to feel like home.
Before settling in for the night, corn was loaded into the trough and the bird feeder was filled with sunflower seeds. Confirmation that woodland critters visit during the week is easy, nary an apple or a kernel of corn remain from what was left last weekend.

This weekend big changes are taking place. The last wall in the living room gets it’s coat of primer. The van is stuffed with furniture and there is even a new 32″ flat screen TV. A spool of carpet will help take care of the empty echo that’s been present during the remodeling.

Saturday morning it’s up with the sun and right to work. After a plate of bacon, eggs, and hash browns, the paint brush and roller quickly finish off the last of the primer painting. After some 3 months of working every Saturday, the main portion of the house is all a gleaming white. Color will come, but for this weekend white sure beats the raw sheetrock and unfinished joints we’ve looked at since July.
Brown carpet is unrolled, and the sofa comes in from the van. The new television takes its place on the long dresser that has been the mainstay of our living room furniture for past months.

It was a curb side find, hardly making it to the sidewalk as I was driving by when its previous owners were carrying it out from their porch. They even helped load it into my van, you can’t beat that for service. Eventually it will make its way into the walk-in closet providing storage for cloths. For now it’s been handy as a set of 10 junk drawers holding plumbing fittings, electrical parts, small tools and general construction clutter.

With the inside work completed it was time for what will likely be the last bonfire of the season. A quick walk through the surrounding pines accumulated enough dried branches and twigs to create the warmth and aroma that is the main reason for such an activity.

While we sat in our lawn chairs with our feet propped up on sections of aspen logs, in the kitchen a roasting chicken was baking away in the oven. Stuffed, and turning a golden brown, we even had chilled cranberry sauce to add the festive touch.

We finished off the evening with a meal closely resembling a Thanks Giving feast. No snow this weekend, but this is Northwest Wisconsin. You know it isn’t far off.

Snow Arrives:

Friday comes again. With anticipation of the years first measurable snowfall, we head for the cabin immediately after work. I had everything ready to go for our pending getaway from civilization, so leaving sleet and rain behind us, we once again head south.

The weather cleared as we drove, giving as a feeling that this might not be the first real snow. Early in the season, weather forecasters tend to send up the alarm if a single cloud passes near. Accustomed to false promises, we keep a healthy amount of skepticism in our thoughts. No matter, we’re ready if it does come.

Saturday started out slowly. My first project was to repair the sofa we had cycled out of our city home and designated as the first of our cabin furniture. A hour was spent adding boards to support the sagging upholstery, next came the road test. With a number of pillows, and a heating pad set on medium, I rested my weary bones with no intention of further exerting myself for a good portion of the day. It was time to enjoy cabin life as it was described by those before me.

By late morning a few flakes started to fall, right on schedule as stated by the weather service. Could it be that they really do know what they’re doing? Large fluffy flakes, spaced only inches apart fell straight from the sky, no wind, no blowing or drifting. By early afternoon the intensity increased and the accumulation became most definitely significant. Would this be another 3′ deep mega-storm like back in ’91?

Once it hit the 12″ mark it was time to start clearing the ¼ mile driveway. I installed tire chains on the ATV just hours earlier giving me great confidence when the blade was dropped and I roared off into the mist.
The Polaris Sportsman didn’t let me down. In fact I was exceedingly pleased with how easily and quickly it cleared away this first snowfall. It was an exhilarating experience, shielding my eyes as I forged down the long access road.

Less than an hour and everything was cleared away. The main road was still reduced to a track or two supplied by those living even further away from the state highway. If only the highway department could be as quick and thorough about keeping the main arteries open as I was about keeping Tangent Lodge accessible.

Now back to test driving the sofa, after all we needed to know if it would withstand the likely load of a long winters relaxing. Zzzzzzz, I’ll let you know in the spring.


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