So long winter.

It may have been one of the longest and coldest winters in a long time; yet i can't say that i mind.  Something about embracing it, that makes it all that much better.

Here is but a snippet of what went down.

O. becoming very proficient on the xc skis by the end of the season.

A few brutal cold outings to ice some fish on the big lake.

 Clear skies and boreal landscapes.

Successful harvest and fun times

 

 American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) visiting our yard the last couple of days.  This and the flowing rivers being proof that spring is finally here.

peace all
e

Long weekend in northern Minnesota.
Always enjoyable.

N. slayin the Pugsley

Lutsen tearing it up.


Into some cool morning pedals cross town and daily doses of fresh tomatoes that just keep coming with the warm daytime sun.

peace all

photo's by eric berglund

Yet another worthy sunrise out on Black Bay in mid September.

You can tell by the look on Lutsen's face, that he was lovin the day.



peace
e

photo's by eric berglund

Another year's gone by here at the fresh aspect and many things have changed. Yet, many things remain the same.
Bringing it.












peace
e

photo's by eric berglund

dog named Lutsen

We call him 'the dude', 'Lutter', 'dude','little brown dog', 'boy'and'Luty', but his name is Lutsen. A boykin spaniel from Greenbrier, Arkansas and at one year he's an intelligent, rambunctious, affectionate, hardcore, spring in every step (unless your prying him from the bed), friendly, outgoing, laze around in the morning and at night kinda dog. Know's how to sit, retrieve, wait, go for a ski, come when called (most of the time), spot birds, chase birds, ride in the canoe, hunt dust in the house, stay, swim, hang out while fishin, entertain himself, entertain us, roll over, shake a paw, ring a bell to go outside, and sit on your lap while you try to read your favorite book, among other things that i might have forgotten. Happy b-day little dude.

The weekend...eat, ski, eat, ski, eat, merriment, dominoes, sleep, repeat.







Some of the best weather yet this winter. Stopped on my way home, just as the sun was setting along the northshore to capture the purple and orange sky over what little open water there is out there on the lake.

photos By: eric berglund

Who said a dog from Arkansas couldn't handle the cold. So much energy the other morning, that Lutsen was practically flying.




Checked out the Banff Mountain Film Festival last night as it swung through town and entertained an audience of 1700 peeps here in T-Bay. Among some pretty decent films laid Red Gold, a feature that i have been wanting to see for a while now, put out by Felt Soul Media. Great cinematography and a wicked story line that brings this serious environmental debauchery to the forefront.

Check it.

flying dog By: eric b.

peace

Sitting here at the Fresh Aspect headquarters content with what has been put together over the last year. And not without several good reasons.

Reasons









More to come friends.

peace
e

photogs By: Eric Berglund (other than the second one of Scotty and i, in which case good compadre Brent Metcalfe must be responsible).

I'm gonna start off this 100'th post with this super catchy track 'Around the Bend' by Danish pop/electronic/funk crew 'The Asteroids Galaxy Tour'. Supposedly this was used in some Apple iTouch commercial..unbeknownst to me of course...i'd say good use of blurppy horns, lasers, thumpy bass, grainy technicolor and organ...and a nice fur hat too.

Bump on the horizon. A couple of weeks ago before the mercury started to drop.

Celebrating Birch: the lore, art and craft of an ancient tree- put out by the North House Folk School down the road in Grand Marais, Minnesota, given to me by my wise and old uncle Erv. This book covers everything from birch biology and ecology to its practical and spiritual aspects in many northern cultures. Along with its step-by-step instructions for several projects it's definitely stoking the creative fires that are pouring through my axe and knives these days...oh, and the bathtub full of birch bark that i had to steam in order make it supple again. Check it, if this sort of craftiness is up your alley.

Lutsen pretty much beat me to getting first tracks yesterday. Shouldn't be long now till we're up to our eyeballs in the white stuff and sliding cross country and down hills.

Big dog- November 15th, 2008.

Little dog- May 15th, 2008.

And to keep things a little on the surfy side...i came across this gem while cruising the ever killer content at Shakas and Singlefins. Good surfing, nice boards and a fun musical selection.

Bing Surfboards and Chris Del MoroIII Present:
The Lovebird Colab Project
A film by J. Smart

Nunchuck attack-spring 2008.
(photo By: Thomas Jordan)



So yeah, keep on keepin on.

peace
e



photos By: eric berglund

A few reasons among many to love fall.









First outright birdy experience for Lutsen. Between thrashing fish and thumping grouse, he was going mental with excitement. Good times.

Shaked and ready to bake in the sun. Roof is on and sheds water like a charm. Solid rain Saturday night, and the shed held up, tight like a drum...well, a drum without a door or windows yet. Otherwise, pretty dam tight. Windows and door to follow, at which point it'll be a quaint little out building.


Little Brown Dog ran hard this weekend and took advantage of the warm temps Saturday afternoon. Solid fella.


Calling for a frosting out there tonight...no big surprise in these parts at this time of year. Nance bustled around the garden this weekend, hacking and chopping and cleaning up the garden before we head off for Sverige. We've been snacking on tomatoes, but as you can see here, there are a bundle that are still green and will have to do their ripening in a box. Now excepting ideas for green tomato recipes.


Anyways, being the first weekend at home in something like four weeks, it was nice to actually get something done around here. No lying though, the rivers did beckon and there may have actually been a bit of a small swell this evening after all. At rate, plenty of time for chrome and glide this fall.
Hope everyone has a great week.

peace
e


photos By: Eric Berglund

Lutsen takes his first strokes in open water on June 1st (11 weeks old).  
Laker release


Seems like ye ole steelhead season has come to an unofficial close....ie the 12, 14 hour missions will cease, although the pictures may not. Perhaps an evening jaunt close to town, but that's about it for steel and obviously some wild brook trout to be pursued. Only a few chromers on the weekend, but a pile of lake trout. Collected some ferns and various other wild plants for the garden on saturday morning.. garden is primed...searching out morels, with minimal luck thus far and digging this season called spring.
peace
e

photo/video clip By: Eric Berglund

The all new dog-blog!! Just kidding...but the little dude is pretty rad. Signs of spring are finally here in full force, including, steelhead, budding plants, birds, bugs, late evening sunlight and no surf.

Here's Nance and Lutsen (9 weeks and 3 days and 8.7lbs)
out for a walk earlier this evening.

Lutsen chilling out..a rare occurrence

Riveside plant life

Rainbow

photos By: Eric Berglund

Dogs and fish, fish and dogs. Brent made it up for a wicked weekend of steelheading and some of the best sucker fishing we have ever gotten into. Chrome, more chrome and a little more chrome....and one 20" whitefish (now smoked to perfection). Mean while, back at the ranch, Nance was gardening up a storm and looking after little piss and vinegar (Lutsen) himself. May long weekend here in north-western Ontario equates foul, messed up weather including snow/hail one minute and 30mph winds and sun the next....and plenty of good times.

pic's By: Eric Berglund (except the shot of e. with a hand full of chrome, in which case Scott Parker can take credit.

peace
e.