Birds, classic cars and beautiful skies

This is the weekend that the North Shore’s beautiful summer weather kicks in, to everyone’s delight. Summer weather on the shores of Lake Superior mean temps in the mid-to high-60s, inland in the low 70s.  Great weather for hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking  … and soon — blueberries!

Meanwhile, the second weekend in June brings the Annual Classic Car Show to Grand Marais, with lots of great restored cars for people to look at. The show happens on Wisconsin Street  where the cars are parked with owners nearby so everyone has a chance to ask questions and admire their work. There’s a chance to vote for your favorite car, too, and there’s live music in Harbor Park.  The Parade of Cars starts at 2 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Grand Marais Chamber of Commerce.

The Cook County Farm & Craft Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Senior Center Parking lot this Saturday, too, with lots of arts and crafts, baked goods, plants and more.

And the Cook County Historical Society will start summer hours starting June 12. The hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday.

The Chik-Wauk Nature Center is open for the season now, with wonderful exhibits about the Gunflint Trail, a gift shop and a great selection of nature trails to explore. There’s a Walk-Talk every Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Grand Portage National Monument holds a Ranger Walk & Talk several times a day. Topics range from the history of the area as well as Ojibwe and Grand Portage heritage. There’s lots to see, too, including the activities at the The Depot as well as the exhibits at the Heritage Center. Free.

And the Cross River Heritage Center is open for the season with a special fiber art exhibit by Nancy Hansen, Mary Brislance and Mary Jane Huggins. The annual Schroeder Area Historical Society’s annual meeting is on Saturday starting at 5 p.m. followed by the Lumberjack Dinner. (Suggested donation: $5.)  The event includes an entertaining presentation by the U. S. Forest Service and toe-tapping music by Joyce Krueger.  All invited.

Also, in Heritage Center news, the Lundie/Vacation Home Tour will be July 14 this year. The tour features Lundie cabins as well as Lake Superior vacation homes designed by  author and architect Dale Mulfinger.  Mulfinger will also be at the Cross River Heritage Center for a talk on cabins and signing of his books “The Cabin,” “Cabinolgy” and “The Architecture of Edwin Lundie.” For tickets and more information, click here.

Closer to Grand Marais, Molly Hoffman will give a birding workshop this weekend for beginning to experienced birders entitled “Birds of the North Shore” at the 4-H Log Building Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each day begins with a session in the “classroom” followed by field trips. Participants can choose to attend for all three days or days of their choice. The fee is $15 per session. To register and for more information, call Cook County Community Education at 387-2000 or click here.

And Cascade Lodge, Restuarant & Pub  celebrates its 85th anniversary this weekend with special music. Bump & Barbara Jean will play on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and Jim McGowan plays on Saturday night. All invited.

In other art news, Minnesota poet Cary Waterman will be

reading from her newest book, “Book of Fire” at Drury Lane Books on Saturday at 5 p.m. The public is invited.

Sivertson Gallery’s comment for this week is “Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry.” The gallery has Swarovski crystal and German silver pendants, earrings and multi-strand chains by two Israel artists, a new line of textured jewelry crafted from leather including earrings, bracelets and cuffs, lots of designer rings made with precious and semi-precious stones as well as their popular sterling silver ring collection. And there’s a new jewelry artist exhibiting at the gallery — Tia Salmela makes acrylic as well as felted pieces.

Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen is now open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays with a great selection of local and regional art. Bronze sculptor and co-owner Tom Christiansen  is putting the final touches on the bronze statues he has created for the new law enforcement center in Duluth. He said he plans to have the project completed in about three weeks and will hold a celebration party before the pieces are transported to Duluth and installed. Stay tuned.

The Blue Moose Gallery has an artist-in-residence this summer. Painter Pat Beaubien has one of the cabins behind the gallery and visits frequently, often painting on-site. Her watercolors, which include landscapes, rocks and flowers, are available at the gallery, both framed and unframed.

Virginia Danfelt’s wonderful photography exhibit, “People: A Sense of Place” continues at the Johnson Hertiage Post Gallery. The exhibit includes 61 portraits of long-term residents of Cook County. Viewers are requested to vote on their favorites, too. The Heritage Post is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.

The Grand Marais Art Colony is holding a wide variety of classes this month, including “Fused Glass Jewelry” with Peachie Schmid of Superior, Wis., “Wildlife Study in Oil “ with Stephan Krasemen, “Pop-Up Wildflower Field Guide” with Shawn Sheehy, “Litho Prints Made Easy,” with Matt Kania, “Jewelry Making” with John Franz and “Quick Paint: The 45-Minute Outdoor Sketch” with Todd Voss, to name a few. To learn more, click here.

Another not-to-be missed exhibit opens at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay, Ontario on Friday with a reception from 7:30 p.m. (EST) The exhibit, entitled “Vision Circle: The Art of Roy Thomas” is a retrospective of the

famous painter’s work,  featuring more than 80 works by Thomas ranging from his earliest drawings to large and impressive public commissions. The exhibit continues through Sept. 8. A walking tour will be given at 1 p.m. June 9 and then at 1 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday throughout July and August. The exhibit will travel to other Canadian galleries over the next two years.

And check out the pottery exhibit at the Grand Marais Art Colony this weekend. Entitled “Minnesota Potters: Sharing the Fire,” the exhibit in the mini-gallery at the Art Colony includes works by major Minnesota potters as well as emerging artists.

Two of the potters: Bob Briscoe and his apprentice, Jason Trebs, will give a presentation and workshop at the Art Colony June 22-23. The workshop is on Saturday, June 23. It is free, but pre-registration is recommended. Call 387-2737 for more info.

And last, but not least, Bryan Hansel recently had an article and photographs about Dave and Amy Freeman’s incredible journey across North American published in  Family Camping & Canoeroots magazine. Here’s a layout of the story.

There’s a great selection of live music choices this weekend, too. Here’s the schedule:

Wednesday. June 6

• Brett Berka & Friends, Harbor Light Supper Club & Bar, 7 p.m.
• Eric Frost, Bluefin Grille, Tofte, 9 p.m.

Thursday, June 7

• Timmy Haus, Gunflint Tavern, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 8

• Jim Miller & Michelle Miller,  Harbor Light Supper Club & Bar, 9 p.m.
• Portage, American Legion, Grand Marais, 6 p.m.
• Bump & Barbara Jean, Cascade Lodge Pub, 85th anniversary celebration, 7:30 p.m.
• Michael Monroe, Bluefin Grille, 9 p.m.
• Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, Gunflint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 9

• Billy D (Bill Doucette), Birch Terrace Lounge Deck, 1 p.m.
• Joyce Krueger plays at the Schroeder Area Historical Society Annual Meeting and Lumberjack Dinner at the Cross River Heritage Center, 5 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Devil Track Resort Lounge, 5 p.m.
• Briand Morrison, The Pie Place, Grand Marais, 6 p.m.
• Carnival Meltdown with Jack Nickolay, Maria Nickolay and Jamie Ryan, Harbor Light Supper Club & Bar, 7 p.m.
• Jim McGowan, Cascade Lodge Pub, 85th anniversary celebration, 7:30 p.m.
• Earth, Wind & Todd, American Legion, Grand Marais, 8:30 p.m.
• Trail’s End Band, Gunflint Tavern, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 10

• Billy Johnson, Gunflint Tavern, 6:30 p.m.
• Joe Paulik, Harbor Light, 5 p.m.

Monday, June 11

Joe Paulik, Bluefin Grille, Tofte, 9 p.m.

We received (and found)  a wonderful selection of photographs this week.

Layne Kennedy captured this image of the harbor a little later in the day.

Lots of other photographers caught cool sunset shots this week, too.

Here’s a Bryan Hansel:

And here’s a Don Davison:

This was a week for luna moth sightings. Stephan Hoglund took this gorgeous shot.

Layne Kennedy sent this to us, noting: ” You can always find something …”  This is his photo of a door on an old ski shack on Mineral Center Road.

Have a great weekend!