Up North in Wisconsin

Where the squirrels and the otters play.

Story & photos by Pat Krohlow My spot Up North is on the Peshtigo River and High Falls Flowage. We are 15 miles northwest of Crivitz, Wis. My cabin isn’t as grand as most of those featured in Cabin Living magazine. That said, my cabin life is second to none. For example, I remember the time that we woke up to a sunny, but brisk, zero degree day: As the sun peeked over the tree line, the ice in the river started to melt. The eagles soared over the open water hoping to spot a fish for breakfast. Tracks in the newly fallen snow told me the pheasant and grouse had come out to gravel up on the edge of the road, and two deer had crossed the yard over night. The birds were noisy and hungry. Nuthatches, finches, chickadees, juncos and mourning doves were in continuous flight to and from the birdfeeders. Blue jays and red polls were at nature’s bird feeders – the pines and cedars. A squirrel was waiting patiently, praying the birds would drop a few seeds in the snow for his snack. The otters bobbed up and down in the river, playing otter games as they usually do. As the sun dropped behind the trees, the river began to freeze again, setting up for tomorrow’s show. Life Up North is good.