Jay Richards

Today was October 15th. The due date for the second half of property taxes. I can't stomach dropping of the checks that equal close to $55,000, yes fifty five thousand, to the Becker County courthouse so Jonell, bless her heart, took care of it. I am all for plowed roads in the winter time, new road surfaces, (and Buddy Tieken is doing a knockout job grading the goat ranch road now after he got the call a few years back) general improvements and most areas the money goes and very thankful of where we live. But when they close Callaway school, I get a little cranky on this subject. To me, the property value decreased when they closed Callaway school. The worst was when our taxes went up 150% in one year. Again, I can agree (unlike a lot of people) to a small percentage increase each year but the 150% jump 5 years back was brutal. We did the lawyer thing and had some savings but with legal fees, it ended up being a wash. Some fellow resorters stepped up to the plate, making case to state legislators and there was some movement in a positive direction so thanks to those folks. So it goes.



Saturday morning Jake and I went out to the Island for some duck hunting before a late breakfast at the lodge. A beautiful morning and quite a few birds flying. The wind was east which is not good for our hunting spot as the ducks can't decoy into the spread. Basically they buzz from the left and right so fast a person can't react in time or they sky bust above. A northwest wind is ideal and a north or westerly works too.


A nice flock of trumpeter swans. Don't shoot these beautiful birds. Awesome just to watch them. Jake and I shot some serious holes in the skies. We were laughing at our pathetic shooting. We had fun anyways. The younger ones weren't too happy that they didn't get to go but Jake and I have never gone alone. This week is MEA so if it isn't too wet, all the boys will go out Thurs am.
Jake blew out a good portion of singletrack on the weekend and the riding has been fun. Good sight lines.
I finally got my easywhip in action. Christmas present two years ago. I priced out the replacement co2 cartridges for it compared to inflator for bike tube inflation and paintball guns and per oz, the easywhip ones are cheaper by like 30 cents. Really cool deal. I can make killer cappucinos now.
Oh, another ghost sighting this past weekend. I was sitting in the office and a guest caught me off guard and says "have you seen the ghost in the Brant cabin?" "ahh, no I say" so the person explains the type of ghost and how it was turning up the thermostat during the weekend. There have been other ghost sightings over the years. I think the Health Center has had two sightings the last four years. Both times the people said they were "friendly ghosts" The only ghosts I have seen were when we lived in Essex, MT at Big Mountain and up on Running Rabbit mountain in Glacier Park (check out the link, great article, we skied the avy chutes figure 1 when safe?!?!) there would be some good ones when we would hike to the top and tele down.

12 hours in the bocat today as Bob and his bulldozer came today to try and knock out a few projects. We jammed it hard, trying to beat the rain and got a lot done but now tonight it started to rain. I hate to say it, but with this wet October, I bet November is dry. I hope I am wrong.