Some biologist would probably say it feeds a multitude of birds. Shallow comfort.

My father, may he rest in peace, used to work in Peterson’s lumber camps back in the 30’s. He was sent up to work in the Bear Island cutting, which, as you know, is in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior (you did know that, didn’t you?).

Any way, after a treacherous trip in a small tug out to the Island, they set about the task. But, here is where the lumberjacks stood in the heirarchy: When they first arrived, the first thing constructed was the blacksmith’s shop. Next came the cook shack. Last came the dormitory. So, in the mean time, the men slept in tents. And, the mosquitos were bad. So bad that the men took hammers with them when they bedded down. When a mosquito poked its beak through the canvas they would take the hammer and strike it clinching it over. One night, there were so many mosquitoes thusly attached to the tent, they flew away with it.

This is a true story. My dad told me. What?