I had the opportunity this week of meeting Frieda Fairbanks, a life long resident of Oak Point where she lived and raised five daughters. Frieda told me a family legend concerning her husband's grandfather, John Ogema. In October of 1898 a battle between the Pillager band of Chippewa and the US Army took place. The troops under the command of Major Wilkinson, took a barge from Walker pulled by a steamer called the Flora headed toward Sugar Point to arrest the local chief Bug-o-nay-ge-shig. The Oak Point Indians including grandfather John Ogema had a group hidden in the woods along the narrows armed with guns in case the troops stopped at Oak Point. The troops didn't stop and no shots were fired . But family lore has it that if any shots had been fired grandfather would have headed home as fast as he could go. Frieda says you have to understand Native American humor to appreciate this story. What is interesting is that her family story is living history of our Oak Point area. I hope to have further talks with Frieda to learn more about our Oak Point area.
We found a local fruit this week called "Wild Crab Apples" that I didn't know even existed in this Oak Point area. We had to ask a local neighbor who spent her youth in the area what these fruits were. Pictured here are some Wild Crab Apples that we took off the Internet. The fruit we found was past peak ripeness but next year maybe we can get enough for some jelly. Apparently there are a number of these bushes or small trees down by the narrows. We are still enjoying our wild grape jelly with homemade English muffin bread.
Fall back is the word for tomorrow when daylight savings time ends on November 1st. My walking buddies and I will be glad to see that happen. We start walking at 7:30 AM every morning weather permitting. These last few days are real dark at 7:30 AM aided by overcast skies. This time of the year we wear blaze orange so that traffic can see us. Our 3 to 4 mile walk usually takes less then 1 1/2 hours , depending on the number of distractions. By distractions I mean how many neighbors stop and talk. If Jimmy Whipple stops he usually shuts off his car and we exchange neighborhood news. This week he wanted to talk about deer hunting.
More stories and talk about the deer opener coming up next Saturday the 7th. The neighborhood hunters are all going to the rifle range sight in their rifles. With the snow yesterday afternoon the deer are starting to move. We saw one this morning cross the road in front of us walkers. With hunting pressure and the upcoming rutting season the deer will be very active at night. That means slowing down with your cars on Oak Point Road. I hit a deer a few years back and it's not a pleasant thing, plus the hassle to get your car fixed.
We ate the last of our Leech Lake Walleyes. With my boat put away and the dock out. I will have to buy my fish now. We baked these fish with a shake and bake recipe and were they good.
We found a local fruit this week called "Wild Crab Apples" that I didn't know even existed in this Oak Point area. We had to ask a local neighbor who spent her youth in the area what these fruits were. Pictured here are some Wild Crab Apples that we took off the Internet. The fruit we found was past peak ripeness but next year maybe we can get enough for some jelly. Apparently there are a number of these bushes or small trees down by the narrows. We are still enjoying our wild grape jelly with homemade English muffin bread.
Fall back is the word for tomorrow when daylight savings time ends on November 1st. My walking buddies and I will be glad to see that happen. We start walking at 7:30 AM every morning weather permitting. These last few days are real dark at 7:30 AM aided by overcast skies. This time of the year we wear blaze orange so that traffic can see us. Our 3 to 4 mile walk usually takes less then 1 1/2 hours , depending on the number of distractions. By distractions I mean how many neighbors stop and talk. If Jimmy Whipple stops he usually shuts off his car and we exchange neighborhood news. This week he wanted to talk about deer hunting.
More stories and talk about the deer opener coming up next Saturday the 7th. The neighborhood hunters are all going to the rifle range sight in their rifles. With the snow yesterday afternoon the deer are starting to move. We saw one this morning cross the road in front of us walkers. With hunting pressure and the upcoming rutting season the deer will be very active at night. That means slowing down with your cars on Oak Point Road. I hit a deer a few years back and it's not a pleasant thing, plus the hassle to get your car fixed.
We ate the last of our Leech Lake Walleyes. With my boat put away and the dock out. I will have to buy my fish now. We baked these fish with a shake and bake recipe and were they good.
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