Ottertail Country

Ottertail Country
Ottertail South

February 7, 2011

Winter events.


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I was expecting a contribution covering the new snowshoe event, the Phillips Flurry. While I wait for that, I thought I would apply this stop-gap measure. Above is a photo of niece Angela doing the Phillips Flurry race! You can check out Snowshoe Magazine for all the details on the event.






Niece Kristi was the event coordinator for the Flurry. You may remember some of her guest posts on here about here mini-triathlon and USSSA snowshoe races. Her husband, Adam, was the official photographer. The above trophy is an interesting item. The stainless sheetmetal design was accomplished by none other than our friend Ivan! That, coupled with the birch wood prepared by Todd Zumach, made a choice remembrance of the race.





Another local winter event is the American Birkebeiner, held near Hayward, Wi. Anyone we know going to ski this event this year???????

Here is the place for Birkie info.

""Today, the historic event of the rescue of Haakon Haakonsson is honoured in Norway by three annual sporting events, a run, a mountain bike race and a cross-country ski race, Birkebeinerrennet. Common for the bike and ski events is the requirement of carrying a backpack weighing 3.5 kg as a remembrance of the child the Birkebeiners had to carry on their journey. The bike and ski events start in Rena and all three events finish at Lillehammer. There are also sister cross-country ski races held in Hayward, Wisconsin (USA), the American Birkebeiner, in Edmonton (Canada) and in Falls Creek (Australia). ""

Some history of the Birkebeiner can be found here.





Here is a section of wall in the a-frame. I love the treatment of the barn wood, and would a barn wood wall be complete without a little roof sticking out over it?





Peggy and Hailee did a little decorating during the holidays.





The only bad part of putting in a masonry heater is the fact that this unique fireplace will have to go. Not an easy choice, but I think that is what will happen......





I know, the woodpile looks about the same now as it did last fall. I tried a new approach this year and started using wood on the west side of the pile.





A closer look at the south end shows a definite gap in that pile.





The usual chain of events was as follows: use up one row of wood at a time, fight the covers that were always collapsing as I removed a row, repeat til spring arrives. This year I used wood off three rows at a time and propped up the cover as I went. The covers are old machinery flatbelts and they get quite stiff up there with ice and snow frozen to them. This allows them to be semi-self supporting. A couple of boards, some old boat oars and we have a roof!!





Soon I'll have to deal with that roof mess as I come to the end of that outer row.... looks like fun.




And speaking of winter events, did you catch the warblers that sang at the Super Bowl???? The first one could not hit any note, so she started a little higher on almost every one and then slipped down to the correct spot. And then, and then.... Christina did a job on the national anthem, outdone only by Maya Rudolph. I've posted this before, but it still kills me.....




That's it for now, I gotta go, Carlo

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Carlo, thanks a bunch for watching the firt half of the game with us last evening. It was a hoot! And ol' Christina, like Maya, gave yet another new meaning to a scared mangled bannner, or something like that, whatever it was.......Doh!!!
"Have Happy day!"

s.d.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Cuz...
Great pictures...I looked up those masonry heaters...sound and look efficient. Some are really sharp looking, too.
I am still reeling over that horrid national anthem, too. One note in the ballad becomes ten...ugh.
Keep all of us posted on Ottertail South!
Thanks.... Barb

yram said...

Litzy is doing the birkie!

Carlo said...

I was wondering about that, I know she is subscribed to this. Maybe she will give a comment and let us know about it. I didn't know she was into skiing.....

I gotta go, Carlo

Anonymous said...

Angie did great at the Flurry!!! More details about the race will follow......I promise!!

Kristi

Unknown said...

I am skiing the Birkie! Though, as of late, I am thinking of dropping down to the Korte as I have just not been able to dedicate the time to training that I wanted to. Up to 12 miles though, so the Korte @ 14 miles should be very achievable. Though I may not be fast! Thanks to Mimi, I have skis & I'm just figuring out the magic of waxing.

Anyway, I have to figure out how to post on here from my iphone so I can do it more frequently.

Oh, and I just had a thought...would Carlo & Peg mind a couple of pre-Birkie houseguests? There is no lodging available up there at this late date (I guess I should have thought of it much sooner...)

Anonymous said...

We would love to have any participants/friends/whatever Litzy.
I imagine that lodging would be both tough to find and outrageously priced for an event like this. We will have plenty of room, with both places now, you know.. :) Please bring Rose and Bryn up too, if you can. :) looking forward to seeing you. Hugs. ps

Unknown said...

Oh, thanks so much Peg!!!!!

It would just be Tyler and I and my friend who's skiing with me, Alison, and her husband.

I will try my best to bring R&B! I would love to have their support, plus it's the weekend after Rose's birthday, so it'd be perfet timing! We can celebrate the birth of my best friend (who also happens to be your lovely child!). :) :)

Thanks & I'll keep in touch the next couple weeks. I would be thinking Friday evening for arrival if it is truly okay...

xoxo,

Litzy

Unknown said...

Oh, and I am very excited to see the new Ottertail, btw!

yram said...

Toni Bruner is a beer brewer and Toni, Dean, Jenny and I are hoping that on the weekend of July 16th we can have a camp out between the big house and the new ottertail and taste some brews. her blonde ale should be ready for tasting around then. let me know if that works for you and we can plan a shindig.
M