Lake Vermilion Real Estate

Public Service Announcement.

August 1st (tomorrow) is the day when numerous new laws take effect in the good ol’ State of Minnesota.

There are several related to game and fish regulations. So… for all you law-abiding citizens out there here’s a summary of selected new laws to abide by.

Water Displacement Forty.

A few days ago the passing of native Minnesotan, John Barry, was noted in the news.

John is credited with making WD-40 into one of the most widely used products in the average American household.

Surely, you know about WD-40!

Although it was originally developed for the “space program”, the versatile WD-40 is reported to have 2000 plus uses. (In fact, WD-40 has it’s own fan club with 100,000+ members.) Comments to this NY Times story reveal other interesting uses.

The fine folks who produce WD-40 would like everyone to know that WD-40 does not cure arthritis. Also, Lake Vermilion fishermen who use the lubricant to enhance their fishing success (and I know one or two that do) should know the product does not contain fish oil and it is not recommended as a fish attractant.

So… go ahead and lubricate that reel but watch that overspray on your minnow!

We ♥ Where Fish Live!

There’s a time-worn saying that says “Politics and __________ don’t mix.”

Fill in the blank with anything that occurs to you and the completed phrase would probably be appropriate.

Within our governmental system the time-tested method to promote your cause is to organize your group into a greater common voice. Well… in Minnesota, those who love fishing (a.k.a. angling) have decided to do just that with the formation of “Anglers for Habitat”.

The group’s new mission statement is:

For additional information, including how to become involved, please click this link.

Big Birds.

If you know my Missus then you know my Missus would tell you that I’m a pretty attentive driver.

Pretty. Attentive. Driver.

Attentive, that is, to everything except what may be on the road directly ahead.

Well, luckily, she wasn’t with me when, while traveling one of the numerous quality county roads in the Lake Vermilion area, I had a “What the heck is that?” type of observation.

So… what do you think? What kind of birds are those?

I checked WhatBird.com and I stumped their pretty-darn-cool process-of-elimination bird identifier. Are these 3 feet tall, long-legged, field foragers native creatures or has some local resident packed them here from some land down under?

If anyone has a guess please reply via the comment link below. (You can reply anonymously.)

Thanks much!

Update.

The consensus tells us these are Sandhill Cranes!

The ol’ Peterson’s Field Guide illustrates a Sandhill Crane that, color-wise, does not match those in the photo. The reference photos I viewed showed a Sandhill Crane that looked like this. They, apparently, can also make themselves look like this. And here’s how:

“They frequently preen with vegetation and mud that is stained with iron oxide resulting in a reddish brown color rather than their natural gray.”

Thanks much for the input!

(Another) Activity Update.

It’s already been a month since my last comments on the condition of the local real estate market.

Here’s the mid-July update.

Through today the 2009 market continues to see activity at nearly two times the 2008 rate! (That’s the same statement I used a month ago.) Compared to 2005 (the most active year of the last five years) we are just one sale behind that highly active year.

As mentioned before, the real test is what happens from now until the end of the calendar year. But so far, so good!

(FYI, this data reflects road access Lake Vermilion cabin and home sales only. Feel free to request additional information.)

Footnote.

To date in 2009 the average reduction in selling price from the most recent asking price was approximately 15% (the total range was from 3% to 44%). The average reduction in selling price from the original asking price was approximately 26% (the total range was from 7% to 55%).

A Fish A Fish E Ah Nado.

If you like fish like I like fish then you may appreciate ichthyology, the study of fish.

Did you know there are more species of fish on this planet than the combined total of all other vertebrates; mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds? Fishbase.com contains all things fish including a list all 31,200 fish species.

Alert reader Nathaniel sends a link that may have interest for anyone who would consider themselves a casual ichthyologist. The target of the link reveals a new television program that looks like it mixes the sensational with stories of our finned friends.

The new show is called “Hooked” and it’s on the National Geographic Channel.

Thanks, Than!

And Summer Ain’t Bad Either.

MPR reader Bob offers the following comment to this Minnesota Public Radio “Newscut” story:

“One of THE best places in the world to almost believe there are no humans anywhere is on Lake Vermilion in February standing in the middle of the lake and hearing nothing but the wind.

Pure bliss.”

An Al Fresco Fourth.

It’s the Fourth of July. Already.

The holiday weekend weather looks great so go out and enjoy the out-of-doors.

I would suggest a picnic but I don’t think we do picnics anymore. Do we? Wikipedia describes a picnic as “a pleasure excursion in which a meal is eaten outdoors”. It’s an activity also known as “al fresco dining”. (I suppose you could, theoretically, “al fresco” any activity. I believe fireworks would be regarded as an exclusive al fresco activity.)

If you do plan a picnic make sure you chose a place free from insects. Insects and picnics are traditionally regarded as synonymous. Especially the insect known as the Ant. There is recent disturbing news about the Ant. You may find it hard to believe but the Ant has taken over the world. It’s true. And the Ant is not a creature to be taken lightly. They’re transformer-esque bodies appear to have the capacity to convert a picnic into al fresco carnage. It’s true.

So… get out and enjoy the Fourth. Maybe a boat ride would be nice.

P.S. The current edition of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer has a nice slideshow of picnic days past.