April is here and we are busily preparing Pinehurst Inn for the busy spring-summer-fall season in Bayfield. Paint brushes, cleaning supplies, new towel orders and more all for the enjoyment of our guests coming to play in Bayfield and the Apostle Islands.
And for those of us who reside in Bayfield year round, there are a number of other sure signs of spring:
- The sound and sight of the Madeline Island Ferry crashing through the ice on their trips between Bayfield and Madeline Island.
- The UPS trucks go from the standard size up to mega long as they make larger deliveries in anticipation of busier days.
- Big Water Cafe & Coffee Roasters is open 7 days a week! But Maggies takes a week or two to close for cleaning.
- The black bears visit our yards, porches and other places as they come out of hibernation.
- The ongoing announcements about the upcoming Big Top Chautauqua schedule for the coming summer.
- The return of familiar seasonal business owners who’ve been in warmer climates over the long winter months – many with grimaces as the feel the “cool” spring breezes coming off the lake!
Whatever the sign, we are excited to see a bit more activity and anticipation of the spring.
What is your favorite sign of spring?
What does that mean for those of us who live on the mainland? Plenty. Many of you may have hiked through Big Bay State Park during the beautiful Summer or Fall months, but have you seen it while snow and ice covered? The State Park is a whole different world at this time of year. The quiet and peace will take your breath away. Since the mainland ice caves are not accessible this year, take advantage of the views from the rocks and cliffs of this location. Chances are you’ll even see some open water from this side of the island! Imagine that… you drove across this same lake just a few miles to the west. It truly is a magical place.
Well, the sever weather alerts started as early as yesterday afternoon for up to 18″ of snow through the day and into the evening tonight. It has started out slowly, but the northeast winds have started to kick in and the temps are dropping. Does this sound miserable or what?
