David Seaton, Hungry Jack Outfitters, successfully removed a fishing line wrapped around this loon’s beak before releasing it back into Hungry Jack Lake on Sunday. Photo by Jerry Johnson.
Late last week, residents on Hungry Jack Lake noticed a loon swimming in shallow water near their cabins with a fishing line wrapped around its beak. They took a boat out to try to catch the loon, but it had disappeared.
A few days later, Dave and Nancy Seaton, who live on the lake and run Hungry Jack Outfitters, got a call from their neighbor, Jerry Johnson.
“That loon with the fishing line wrapped around its beak is swimming in front of our place in shallow water,” Jerry said. “Do you want to come over and see if you can help it?”
When Dave and Nancy arrived, they were surprised to see that the loon was still there. They watched it for a while and saw that it could still eat small fish but with obvious difficulty. So Dave maneuvered the boat close to the bird and Nancy tried to net it, but no luck. The loon swam away and dived, and they thought, game over.
But not long afterward, they noticed the loon had popped up in shallow water along the shore again, this time backed against a log, essentially making its escape impossible. So Dave and Nancy moved in, net at the ready.
It was so easy to catch, Nancy said. “It was like it was saying, ‘I need help’ so it put itself in a situation where it could be.”
After she netted the bird, Nancy lowered the loon into the boat and held it while Dave gently worked to remove the fishing line. That was tricky because the monofilament was tightly wrapped around its beak, but he finally managed to free it.
Then he picked up the bird, stepped into the shallow water, examined it again to ensure everything else was OK, and released it.
As soon as it was in the water, the loon swam a short distance, making quiet cooing noises, Nancy said. It also started preening itself over and over again. At one point, it let out a louder call, reared up and spread its wings, and then settled back to swim away into the lake.
Happiness all around. Neighbors, after all, help neighbors.
Jeri Persons will be the instructor for the glass project at Joy and Company on Thursday.
These fused glass spinners/suncatchers are easy to make and are perfect for windows or the garden. The class will be held from 2-4 pm at the shop. The cost is $20. Drop-ins welcome. For reservations or groups, email jperson2@boreal.org .
Joy and Company will also hold Art Night on Thursday from 3:30-5 pm. This will be White Box Art Night and participants will be given a box with art supplies to create something beautiful. Free and open to all, with a suggested $5 donation.
Thursday is also the day for the Grand Marais Farmer’s Market, which is held in the parking lot of the Cook County Community Center from 4:30-6 pm on Thursdays through the growing season.
The Grand Marais Farmer’s Market is from 4:30-6 pm in the parking lot of the Community Center.
Look for a wide variety of locally grown produce, baked goods, fresh flowers, and more.
Trivia Night will be held at Up Yonder on Thursday from 6-8 pm.
Historic Cook County Trivia Night will be held at Up Yonder on Thursday.
The event is free and features questions about Cook County history as well as a great selection of others. The public is invited.
Friday is the start of WTIP’s Radio Waves Music Festival at Sweetheart’s Bluff at the Grand Marais Recreation Park, with lots of great music scheduled under the Big Tent through Sunday.
The Radio Waves Music Festival is Sept 6-8.
The festival opens on Friday with Portage, a classic country band, at 4 pm. Other bands to play on Friday include The Fish Heads, Eli Bentley, Rich Mattson and Northstars, and Saltydog.
More than 20 bands, including regional and local musicians, make up The Playlist of this popular fall community music event. There are lots of new acts as well as old favorites, including the Carpenter Ants from West Virginia. They will play on Saturday night and back up John Ellison for a Gospel session on Sunday morning. Click here to see the complete schedule. A variety of food trucks will be on-site over the weekend, too.
Tickets are $20 per day and $50 for the entire weekend. Kids and teens 17 and under are free. Daily tickets are available at the gate on each day. The public is invited to enjoy a great weekend of music and a celebration of community on the North Shore.
Friday is also the beginning of the Grand Marais Plein Air Competition, which concludes with an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post on Friday, Sept. 13. In between, the plein-air artists from throughout the region will be painting the beauty of Cook County.
Grand Marais Plein Air Week is Sept. 6-13, with an exhibition opening at the Johnson Heritage Post on Sept. 13.
The event is sponsored by the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and features classes, workshops, and special events for the participants throughout the week. The Quick Paint is held next week on Thursday afternoon at Artist’s Point, where participants start and complete a plein air painting in an hour. The public is invited to watch.
The opening reception and award ceremony is held at the Johnson Heritage Post from 5-7 pm Friday, Sept. 13. Stay tuned.
Saturday is a busy day in Grand Marais.
First up is the Cook County Market, which is held in the parking lot of The Hub from 10 am to 2 pm.
Gina Adams is one of the artists exhibiting at the Cook County Market.
The market features a selection of work from local artists and artisans including paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, rock art, leatherwork, wood sculptures, and more. Open to all.
Watercolor painter Margie Helstrom has opened an exhibit of her work at the Grand Marais Art Colony‘s Gallery Store.
“Beau,” watercolor by Margie Helstrom. She is exhibiting her work in the Gallery Store. The opening reception is from 1-3 pm Saturday.
For Margie Helstrom, painting is exercising her spiritual self and that is defined as a place to play, experiment, and take risks. Her inspiration comes from light, shadows, natural arrangement, patterns of nature, and her interpretation of interior and exterior experiences. Viewers are drawn to her work by her masterful use of color, strong composition, and whimsical perspectives of her subject matter.
Meet Helstrom at the Opening Reception, which will be held from 1-3 pm on Saturday at Studio 21.
Drury Lane Books will hold an Author Talk with Marcie Rendon from 6-7:30 pm on Saturday.
Author Marcie Rendon will give an Author Talk at Drury Lane Books on Saturday.
Rendon, White Earth Ojibwe, was included on Oprah Winfrey’s 2020 list of 31 Native American authors to read. She has written numerous works of fiction and non-fiction, including the Cash Blackbear mystery series, the third volume of which, “Sinister Graves,” was a 2023 Minnesota Book Award finalist. In 2020, she received Minnesota’s McKnight Distinguished Artist Award, and in 2017, with poet Diego Vazquez, she received the Loft Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship for their work with incarcerated women in the county jail system.
At the Author Talk, she will read from her collection of poetry, “Anishinaabe Songs for the New Millenium,” and discuss her newest mystery novel, “Where They Last Saw Her.” A book signing and good conversation to follow. The public is invited.
Other ongoing events on Saturday in Grand Marais include:
The Harbor History Walking Tour is held on Saturdays at 1 pm. Meet at the Historical Museum on Broadway. Free.
On Monday, North Shore Health will hold a Local Artists Reception from 4-6 pm in the lobby of the hospital. The facility is currently exhibiting a selection of photographs and paintings in the corridors.
A reception for local artists exhibiting at North Shore Health will be held on Monday from 4-6 pm.
The artists exhibiting in the show are Tanya Beyer, Carol Morgen, Wilder Woodshop (Rebecca Barrett), Joyce Leddy, Ladonna Tornabene, Michele Flynn, and Lisa Vogelsang.
The public is invited.
On Tuesday, potter Maggie Anderson and other members of the North Shore Artists League will give a presentation at the White Bear Lake Art Center starting at 7 pm. The Artists League is currently exhibiting member’s work at the facility.
Naked raku jar by Maggie Anderson. She will be one of the presenters at the White Bear Lake Art Center on Tuesday.
The public is invited. The exhibit is entitled “Fire, Earth, Air and Water,” and will continue through Oct. 18.
Exhibits:
This is the last weekend to see Northwoods Quilt Art, an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post featuring work by artist Beret Borson Nelson. The show features quilts depicting favorite landscapes, flora, and fauna on the North Shore.
The Hjordis, quilt, by Beret Borson Nelson is on view at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sept. 8.
At the Duluth Art Institute, a new exhibit by sculptors Gary and MaryAnn Carlson has opened. Entitled “Our Journey of Synthesis: composing objects found and fashioned,” the artists fashion together unlikely objects that build a story—sometimes mysterious, sometimes humorous, always provoking the viewer to see the beauty in ordinary objects.
Starlight Blue Duck Arcade, multimedia, by Gary and MaryAnn Carlson, is one of the sculptures on exhibit at the Duluth Art Institute.
The Carlsons live in a St. Croix River Valley log house, surrounded by nature and intermittent technology. Gary earned his BS and MA from the University of Minnesota and instructed photography for over 50 years. MaryAnn earned her BS at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and was a visual art teacher in Minnesota. Since their retirements, Gary and MaryAnn have been full-time sculptors; their award-winning individual and collaborative works have been exhibited throughout the Midwest.
The exhibit continues through Oct. 11, when there will be a closing reception. Stay tuned.
Opportunities:
North Shore Health has put out a call for submissions.
NSH is requesting Submission Proposals & Qualifications for the display of works of art. The art can be original paintings, photography, fiber art, mosaic, sculpture, and mixed media; essentially artwork that can be displayed on walls or atop pedestals. The art will be displayed in the lobby, registration area, hallways, and other public areas of NSH. There are over 300 lineal feet of various spaces available, allowing for multiple pieces to be displayed.
Questions about the display area can be directed to Todd Ford via phone at 218-387-3508 or via email at Todd.Ford@northshorehealthgm.
Great Expectations School will have an open house from 4-6 pm on Sept. 12 for tours of the new building on campus.
Studio Immersion Open Studio with artists at Studio 21 on Friday, Sept. 13. (Composite photograph.)
Studio Immersion is a group of artists who have worked in Founders Hall for over 40 years, initially as a 10-day class with artist Hazel Belvo, and then carrying on after Hazel retired from the Art Colony, as a group residency.
Members of the group are established artists who have shown their work regionally and they welcome the public to drop in and see their current work in progress. Free.
In Duluth, the Duluth Pottery and Tile Gallery and Warrior Princess Letterpress & Design will open an exhibit of work by three print and design artists: Monika Ihrke, Carrie Schaefer, and Jordan Sundberg.
Four of a Kind — Print and Design Show opens at Duluth Pottery and Tile in Lincoln Park on Sept. 13.
This diverse exhibition features a range of techniques, from computer-generated designs to traditional woodcuts, silkscreen, and letterpress prints. Each artist brings their unique perspective and skill to their craft, promising an impressive display of creativity and craftsmanship. The opening reception is from 5-7 pm Sept. 13.
The Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour runs from Sept. 27 through Oct. 6 this year featuring 30 galleries and studios in Cook County.
Birch, woodcut print by Betsy Bowen. She is one of the artists exhibiting during the Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour.
Catfish, papercut, by Ellen Sandbeck.
LoonPaddles by Nan cy Seaton.
Somewhere on Hwy 61, watercolor, by Kim Dayton.
At the Co-op by Mary Beams.
Steel wool on fire by Dennis Chick.
Pushing out the final days of the Minnesota State Fair by Layne Kennedy.
Untitled, acrylic, Elizabeth Kuth.
My latest cover photo by Michael Furtman.
Raku vessel, detail, by Richard Gruchalla and Carrin Rosetti.
Dreamland Polka, oil, by Scott Murphy.
Mating lions in the Serengeti National Park bicker in front of a dramatic sky by William Fortescue, Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Live Music:
Thursday, September 5:
- Tommy Wotruba, Raven Rock Grill at Skyport Lodge, 6-8 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
Friday, September 6:
- Radio Waves Music Festival, Grand Marais Rec. Park
- Portage, 4-4:50 pm
- Fish Heads, 5-5:50 pm
- Eli Bentley, 6-6:50 pm
- Rich Mattson and Northstars, 7-8:20 pm
- Saltydog, 8:30-10 pm
- Southpaws, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 4-8 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 7-9 pm
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7-10 pm
- Of the Orchard, Up Yonder, 8-11 pm
Saturday, September 7:
- Radio Waves Music Festival, Grand Marais Rec. Park
- North Shore Community Swing Band, 10-11:20 am
- Barbara Jean Meyers & Mike Lewis, 11:30-12:20 pm
- Emma Tweten, 12:30-1:20 pm
- Splints, 1:30-2:40 pm
- Dan Israel & Steve Brantseg, 2:50-3:40 pm
- Clearwater Hot Club, 3:50-5 pm
- Annie Humphrey & Jeremy Ylvisaker, 5:10-6:10 pm
- Keith Secola, 6:20-7:30 pm
- Between Howls, 7:40-8:40 pm
- The Carpenter Ants, 8:50-10 pm
- Zahir Orest, Cook County Saturday Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 – 2 pm
- Kenna Rose, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 2-4 pm
- Adam Moe, Bluefin Bay behind Bluefin Grille campfire on the beach, 6-9 pm
- Of the Orchard, Up Yonder, 8-11 pm
Sunday, September 8:
- Radio Waves Music Festival, Grand Marais Rec. Park
- John Ellison and The Carpenter Ants, 10-11:30 pm
- Cryote, 11:40-12:30 pm
- The Brothers Burn Mountain, 12:40-1:40 pm
- Lojo Russo, 1:50-2:40 pm
- Kenna Rose, 2:50-3:40 pm
- Zulu Link, 3:50–4:50 pm
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Christopher David Hanson, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
- Timmy Haus, Moguls Grille and Tap Room, 5-7 pm
Tuesday, September 10:
- Eric Frost, North Shore Winery, 5-7 pm
- Open Stage, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Wednesday, September 11:
- Joe Paulik, Gunflint Tavern Raven’s Nest, 6-9 pm
- Community Sing-Along, First Congregational Church, 6 pm
Thursday, September 12:
- Pat Eliasen, Raven Rock Grill at Skyport Lodge, 6-8 pm
- Bump Blomberg, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 6-9 pm
- Gordon Thorne, North Shore Winery, 6:30-8:30 pm
Friday, September 13:
- Pat Eliasen, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 5-7 pm
- Emma Tweeten, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7:30-9:30 pm
- Pure honey, Up Yonder, 6-9 pm
Saturday, September 14:
- Frozen Britches: Erik Hahn/Tom Van Cleve, Cook County Saturday Market (Senior Center Parking Lot), 10 – 2 pm
- Boyd “Bump” Blomberg, Birch Terrace Supper Club, 5-8 pm
- Adam Moe, Bluefin Bay behind Bluefin Grille campfire on the beach, 6-9 pm
- Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers, Arrowhead Center for the Arts, 7-9 pm
- Caitlin and the south paws, Gunflint Tavern’s Rooftop Bar, 7-10 pm
- The Evening Stars, Up Yonder, 9-11:59 pm
Sunday, September 15:
- Medicine River, Gunflint Tavern, 3-6 pm
- Harrison Olk, North Shore Winery, 3:30-5:30 pm
Mushroom I by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom II by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom III by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom IV by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom V by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom VI by Kristofer Bowman.
Mushroom VII by Kristofer Bowman.
Potpourri:
New hatchlings by Rachel Seim.
The last of the chanterelles by Lin Salisbury.
When you remember in September that you still had potatoes in the root cellar! by Kent Jones.
Fire painting by Chuck Olsen.
The good ship the Hjordis glides through the fog near Artist’s Point by Layne Kennedy.
Devil Track Lake sunset by Don Davison.
Sky lights and home lights by Thomas Spence.
At Tettegouche by John Krenz.
Kicked up on Aug. 31 real nice, by David Johnson.
On Devil Track Lake at sunset by Lori Backlund.
The very early morning by Kristofer Bowman.
Sunrise on the North Shore by Dennis Chick.
Red Sky Sunrise by David Johnson.
Crescent moon sets over the Sawtooth Mountains by Bryan Hansel.
A Grand Marais summer by John Krenz.
Surprise Aurora by Travis Novitsky.
Fall is coming by Chuck Olsen.
Orange juice by Christian Dalbec.
When the wind picks up by Eric Humphrey.
Summer Clouds by Nancy Dumas.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Thanks to Jeremy Lopez, Yvonne Mills, and Kari Carter who help make this blog possible. Also thank you to Visit Cook County for its outstanding Calendar of Events.
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