I told Mr. Tootlepedal over in Scotland, where it seems to be unseasonably green and springlike, that I had winter to spare and would be happy to share. He said photographic evidence would be welcome. This post is for him. Also for all you Summer People who are in Florida. I know how you are.
Neighbors Bruce (the Weatherman) and Andi arrived at their cottage on the bluff just in time to enjoy a real Up North winter. This is how their driveway looked.
My driveway does not look like that, on account of mine is not so far back in the woods. My stairs and my deck, though, were beginning to attract mountain climbers. Neighbor Judy took measures.
It is a wonderful thing to have good neighbors, especially young and hardy ones. (Judy does not have orange hair. I took that picture through the window, and I’m pretty sure the orange blob is the reflection of the little camera.) Judy and Paul have even more dogs than I do, and are regulars at Mickey’s Beach. They decided we would all get lonesome over the winter, so they had people over for dinner. I brought Carol Park’s famous scalloped pineapple. I am a bad influence on the young. I digress.
Of course, it continues to snow. Up at the (re)construction site at M-88 and US-31, it was piled high and deep on Saturday. More about this next time, when you will learn possibly more than you want to know about repurposing 19th century buildings for 21st century uses.
Torch Lake Views 
Lauren Finn
January 24, 2016
So nice to see you pop into my inbox! Always glad to read your posts.
Gerry
January 24, 2016
Hello Lauren! How nice to see you. I went over to see what you’ve been up to and was greeted with an explosion of COLOR on your home page that went a long way toward cheering up a grey afternoon. I love it all–so why do I find myself most drawn to “too much information”? More puzzlements. My life is full of them.
Martha J
January 24, 2016
Wait – “Carol Parks famous scalloped pineapple”? Sounds interesting. Care to share it? There is nothing to do with all this snow so I might as well cook.
Gerry
January 24, 2016
Heh heh. This is how we make converts to the evils of classic American comfort foods. One sneaky little internet link at a time. (I put a link in the post above, but I see that is obscure in this blog design. Maybe I can fix that.) Here is a link to the original post (the recipe is in the comments section because people asked for it back then, too): https://torchlakeviews.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/getting-a-good-start/
And here is a link to another post where a healthier option is discussed (I brought the healthier option to Judy and Paul’s dinner): https://torchlakeviews.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/pineapple-poetry-and-grampas-log/
It’s winter. Have fun.
shoreacres
January 24, 2016
I see technological innovation has come to snow shovels, too. I presume that’s an ergonomically designed shovel. She seems to be wielding it quite nicely. I missed the recipe in the earlier post, but I didn’t go into the comments. I’m going to look. I love pineapple.
Every time I see such snow, I think to myself, “They can’t just stay inside for four months.” Then I remember: snow tires; chains; long johns, road salt, boots, gloves. I grew up with it, and never gave it one thought. With a little capital investment and some support staff, I probably could cope again, myself.
Gerry
January 24, 2016
I love that shovel. It saved my back. It’s not much good with really icy mess, though. In that case the scraper and the coal shovel work better. I can’t even lift an old-fashioned heavy metal snow shovel anymore. Sigh.
You left some things off the list of required items. Down coat, wool socks, glove liners, YakTrax, hat, wooden mallet for knocking snow crud out of the wheel wells, long snowbrush with ice scraper on the other end, flashlight . . . oh dear. Pineapple casserole helps too.
You will love the pineapple casserole.
dawnkinster
January 25, 2016
Pineapple….yum…will have to go look. Though husband and I are trying to eat better and something tells me this might not be calorie free.
Gerry
January 25, 2016
Not quite. It is great comfort food, but best eaten once a year or so.
WOL
January 25, 2016
On behalf of my thin TX blood, I’m saying better y’all than us. Nobody here knows how to cope with snow, never mind drive in it. An inch on the roads and it’s Demolition Derby Day. I’m snug in the warm and downloading music over the interwebs. You stay safe and warm, too.
Gerry
January 25, 2016
I lived in the Washington, D.C. area in the early 1960s – talk about people unclear on the concept of snow! I cannot imagine how they’ve managed to deal with Snowmonster Jonah, but they have my deepest sympathy. So do Texans confronted with snow.
Martha
January 25, 2016
That sign about 2019…love it.
We are set for freezing rain and maybe 4 inches of snow. So here we go again with a recipe for more cement snow. This has been an ugly, useless winter!
Re Shoreacres comment about staying in for 4 months- Yes, some people really do stay indoors for 4 months, but generally with the cooperation of some of those lovely northwoods neighbors you mention.
Good neighbors are the cornerstone of civilization. Stay comfy and warm!
Gerry
January 25, 2016
I liked the sign, too. I’m sorry you’re having ugly winter. I imagine it will come visit us when it’s done making Wisconsin miserable. That’s OK. We are intrepid. We will eat ourselves into a coma.
Cheri Sell
January 25, 2016
Good to see you back on your blog. I was thinking about your YakTrax when I was slipping on my way to the mail box. Instead I gave up and decided to crawl back to the door so I wouldn’t fall.
Gerry
January 25, 2016
Oh Cheri! I’m glad you resorted to the crawl. I believe we could turn it into a dance craze for ladies of a certain age who are determined to cope with Weather Adversity. My morning adventure involved two dogs anxious to go out, a couple of leashes flying here and there, and 22 steps unexpectedly iced up. I resorted to the “sit down and bump gently down the steps like a two-year old” dance, while cussing the dogs soundly.
Meredith Grider
January 25, 2016
This looks like fun…who are you?
Gerry
January 25, 2016
It is fun. I’m Gerry Sell, writer, historian, proprietor of the Writing Studio and Bait Shop, person allegedly in charge of Miss Sadie and the Cowboy. Your turn!
Martha J
January 28, 2016
So I asked for your pineapple casserole recipe and ended up linking to your April 2010 blog about Grandpas log. I actually forgot all about the pineapple casserole and became engrossed in the story of the log (I was not a follower of your blog in 2010). What a fascinating story and I loved your theory of how it came to Antrim County. I love the history of families – kind of like a living novel, only better because it is not fiction. Thank you for writing such interesting stories. They are true gems!! By the way, I still plan to try the casserole – not sure which one yet. Maybe I should step on the scale first and then decide.
Gerry
January 28, 2016
I’m so glad you liked that story, and that you got there by following rabbit trails. I spend a lot of time wandering about that way myself. Very instructive.
I recommend that you try the “healthy” version of the pineapple casserole. That will give you wiggle room for having a second helping.
P.j. grath
February 2, 2016
Gerry is BACK — YEA!!!!!!!!!! I just signed up to get notices by e-mail. I love being connected again. Missed you for so long!
Gerry
February 2, 2016
Thank you PJ. Getting together with you and Dawn and Babs at Oryana was downright inspirational. Also fun.
uphilldowndale
February 4, 2016
WoooHoooo I’ve got some catching up to do, Gerry is here 🙂
Gerry
February 4, 2016
WoooHoooo Mrs. Uhdd is here!