I also learned that in the 17th century the Catholic Church ruled that the beaver is a fish for purposes of the dietary law. Thus, in Lent the faithful can eat beaver - also otter, if the truth be known. I am amazed at the things one can learn from Wikipedia.
I decided to walk around Crosby Lake. I have been by the lake on my bicycle many times, but the side that runs along the cliff has only foot paths, and rudimentary ones at that. It's a good size lake, but I set out into new territory. New territory is always a little exciting. I first found this deep crevice cutting into the cliff below Shepard Road. It looks dangerous and alluring.
There is also a previously unknown (to me) cave cut into the cliff. See below.
I only met one person during the wild part of the walk. It was a young woman walking with her Springer Spaniel. As I met her I observed that I hadn't expected to meet anyone on the trail. She responded that she had that same expectation. I then said that it was a pretty area. She said that she agreed and said that I shouldn't tell anyone about it. You are all thus sworn to secrecy.
On Crosby Lake there were more signs of beaver activity. There were some gnawed trees, an elevated beaver pond, and this large beaver lodge in the lake itself.
I have included a google maps reproduction of the area where I spent part of my day. I managed to circumnavigate both Crosby Lake and Upper Lake before I came home for a late lunch, maybe four or five miles.
Lastly. The Highland Villager, our local newsy paper reported some info about the deer hunt in Crosby Farm Park last week. The deer herd was estimated at about 24 members, and 5 of them were taken in the first three days of the hunt. There were 14 bow hunters who joined in the doe-only hunt. The same 14 will be at it again next week in the final three days of the attempt to trim the herd to a more manageable number. They hope to salvage some of the shrubbery in the yards of some Highland Park homeowners.
6 comments:
There were two car/deer accidents on the interstate highways into Grand Rapids on the morning commute just this morning. Morning commutes are called 'the deer dash' around here. It ain't just about shrubbery.
Your first beaver lodge photo had me faked out for a minute -- when I clicked on the photo to enlarge it, the end of one of the logs looked like a beaver to me.
That's a nice long walk. And some very nice photos.
Good stuff. You didn't happen to meet Pigs Eye Parrant, did you?
I remember Pigs Eye. Isn't that a small town in northern Minnesota?
Pig's Eye Parrant was one of the early settlers of St. Paul, and Pig's Eye was the original name of this city. He owned a bar just off Randolph Street near the Mississippi River.
There was no sign of him during my trek around Crosby Lake, although I suspect he may have done some hunting in the area at one time. TT
That' funny. I did not know that.
That cave looks to me like it might be the original site of Pigs Eye's Saloon.
OK, I know it isn't the actual site. Just saying it LOOKS like the original site.
Post a Comment