Bayfield in Bloom

The Bayfield in Bloom spring Festival kicks off with Garden Talk on Wisconsin Public Radio.

http://business.bayfield.org/Events/details/garden-talk-with-larry-mueller

A big treat for gardeners and people that enjoy Public Radio. See your favorite midday radio host in person. I seldom miss the Larry Mueller show as it's entertaining and informative. A great program that is on the radio daily at 11am. Sure helps pass the workday with pleasure.

Sulfide minerals in soil near Mellen Wi.

It was reported today on the news that soil samples near Mellen Wisconsin showed that there were sulfide minerals. These minerals are quite toxic to ground water and streams. So if you dig a open pit mine and disturb the soil you release these minerals. You have to have containment barriers and holding ponds or?? You can't have them seeping into the local rivers and streams
that drain into lake Superior. We came so close to having a open pit mine in Northern Wisconsin. Were these things considered? I have no idea? Was there a environmental plan to prevent this if the Mining Bill passed? I sure hope so! Below is a picture of a stream that has been effected. Imagine that in Northern Wisconsin? Jobs Jobs Jobs was the cry but is it really worth the risk?
Below is a link that shows more information about drainage from a mine. What does all this have to do with Bayfield? Tourism and the crystal clear waters of Lake Superior are key to Bayfield
and all of the region.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_mine_drainage

Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are very active tonight in the North land. You might even be able to see them to the north of Bayfield. We are entering what they call the solar Maximum. The sun runs in cycles of about 11 years and the flares and plasma from the sun that causes the Northern Lights becomes very active. So for the next summer and fall you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on your next visit to Bayfield. You can drive north of Bayfield to Little Sand Bay and have a clear view to the north across Lake Superior from the National Park Service dock. I did just that in the past. What a view with Sand Island in the foreground. There are many interesting things to do when up in the north.

Earth day, Gaylord Nelson and the Apostle Islands.

When you think of Earth Day you think of Gaylord Nelson and the Apostle Islands.

http://www.nelsonearthday.net/nelson/environmental-decade.htm

Traveling with web cams and weather.

We always want to be where we aren’t. Thankfully we have web cams online. You can now check the progress of the Ashland Ore Dock removal, who is parked at the Pier Restaurant in downtown Bayfield and the weather. The weather I find interesting. Bayfield it seems has it’s own micro climate. Of course that isn’t news to the Apple growers or berry growers behind Bayfield on the hill. They know that the climate is greatly effected by the lake and the fact they are located on the side of the hills. The concern lately is the early warm up followed by some chilly nights and even some snow.
You don’t want a too early apple blossom event followed by a freeze. Apples in Bayfield are a huge part of the local economy. The largest festival is Apple Fest of course. And if you don’t have a web cam in your area it’s because nobody wants to be there.

Now it snows?

Just when you thought spring is here to stay it snows. Flowers are up and trees are budding.
Bayfield got a few inches and the totals for the area are as follows:

Wisconsin


•3 inches - Ashland


•2 inches - Oulu


•1.5 inches - Hawthorne


•1 inch - Hayward (8 miles S)


•1 inch - Cornucopia


•0.5 inches - Wentworth

Already into April

Bayview Beach

Trees leafing out

And just like that the spring has arrived early and trees are leafing out. Allergy sufferers well know this if you are bothered by tree pollen. Counts are very high. Certain trees effect different people I've noticed. One day somebody is sneezing while others aren't bothered until later.Different trees releasing pollen at different times of course. Oak tree pollen seems to bother me.Spring never was much of a problem allergy wise but it's worse now that is gets warm so fast and just bursts forth all at once. I'll take the early spring pollen and all. It's fantastic and while Bayfield in Bloom isn't until May the Daffodils are blooming already. Nobody told them that Garden Talk at the Pavilion isn't until May. Wisconsin Public Radio does that program each year in Bayfield in May. The host does own a cabin in Bayfield County. We are gaining daylight very fast now. Soon the beach will be full of people again.

Carnival Cruise Lines is planning 16 stops in Bayfield starting in 2013.

The city dock will need to be updated again and extended. Retailers are thrilled and planning on selling I did Bayfield T-shirts.