Checking out the Beaver Dam

 

A couple weeks ago I went to my Dad's cabin and we went with Lucy, Trina and Chris, walking along the backwaters to check out a giant beaver dam.  It was getting towards the end of the sunlight, and was really beautiful out!  Here are some pictures I took- some very busy beavers out there!
Snow on the dam

yep, they have been busy chomping away!!
Trina, writing her name int he snow, on the river ice.

Heading back to the cabin.  We then enjoyed some hot buttered rums by the fire outside, and had a reeeeally good meal of "crockpot lasagna" and salad....and many different kinds of cheesecake for desert- I was stuffed!  Just thinking about that lasagna makes me hungry again though!

Amnican Falls

The first week in January, I had yet another doctor's appointment in Duluth.  Up and back in one day, for a half hour appointment, if that!  But, good news- I got a new "flipper" that I can actually eat with- so my "soft food diet" ended MUCH earlier than expected!  Christopher, who made the trip with me, helped me celebrate as we headed to Grizzlies where I got a pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed some chewable food!!  We then headed back to Winona, but stopped at Amnican falls along the way for a little hike.  It is really beautiful there- and we found this amazing "Ice Monster" as seen in the first picture here!....as far as we can tell, just made from water splashing up into the same spot over, and over again, and freezing.  He was about 4-5 feet tall, and our greatest find of the day- though we enjoyed the whole hike =)

Christmas Break!

Well, with things uploading so slow....I haven't been all that motivated to get my pictures on here- but I will try to put at least a few on now.  Christmas break was great!  Not a lot of resting- I went to Winona for Christmas Eve, Dad's cabin Christmas Day, and then spent the weekend down in Missouri, visiting Katie, Matt, Aidan and Alaina.  I was then back in Winona for one day, and even came back to La Crosse for a couple hours with Christopher to drop off presents and grab some clean clothes, then we headed out to my land where we hiked around.  The next day I was off again- this time with Mom up to Duluth for a doctors appointment (check-up after my surgery), and then from there we headed up the Gunflint Trail to the cabin!  We stopped at Gooseberry on the way up, and then snowshoed to the cabin, carrying our stuff on a sled that we pulled behind us.  We started a cribbage tournament (which lasted 2 days and I ended up winning) and on New Years Eve Day we went snowshoeing out to Bill and Sandy's cabin- it was sunny and beautiful out that day and we had a lot of fun! Hiking back we hit a bit of slush, and my shoes iced up really bad, making travel not as easy (next time I am bringing a knife to chip it off) but otherwise it was a perfect day!  After finishing our cribbage tournament we played Scrabble (which I also won) =)....drank a little wine and headed to bed to get up early and watch the sunrise (which we were up in PLENTY of time for as the clock had not been set from daylight savings!).  New Years Day dawned pretty cold, with the thermometer reading -10, with a little bit of wind, but it felt good getting out and snowshoeing back to the car. We stopped at a few spots on the way back to take pictures of the fog rising on the lake (Superior) and the ice, and then headed to Eu Claire to celebrate Christmas with Michael, Randine,  Maryanne and Mike, and Alex and baby Isaac.  I then skipped the New Years party that night with friends to opt for a weekend at home....where I had not really been in a week and a half!  Heather came to La Crosse and we did a bit of sledding, which was a lot of fun! So....I have pictures of all these things, but probably won't get much uploaded.  I am putting more on Facebook if you are interested! =)

Happy Winter Solstice!

Things have been busy!  We are in our last few days before winter break, and we are trying to finish up a lot of projects...today we made gift-bags for the presents we are making tomorrow- decorating them with sponge paint, and put our names on some ornaments to take home.  Last week we made our own ornaments, and there is still plenty of glitter around the room to prove it! Today I managed to get outside pictures of all the kids to use for their presents we are making tomorrow- making frames around them, and putting magnets on them to stick on the fridge. I will post some pictures later....the upload is just really slow and I am tired =)  My kids sure are cute though!  2 more days of school and then I get a little break.  I stayed a couple hours late today trying to get things ready, finished some Christmas shopping, then went for my first ski of the year (cross country).  It felt WONDERFUL! I love getting out skiing, even in the dark.
I had my last surgery last week- where I got my implants.  I am really glad to be done with the going under!  Just one more step and I will be finished!  Though, I do have to wait 4 months until then, and I am on a soft food diet until then....mashed potatoes, yogurt, etc....I have found 13 things I can eat- any suggestions are more than welcome!  I am sure this will get really old!  But, it is better than the liquid diets I have been on this year!  Just hard to go to a Christmas party and see everyone eating wonderful looking food and only be able to eat one thing and just have to look at it....at least I got a bunch of great goodies last week at the White Elephant party- I ate plenty then, and I ate a bunch of fudge out of my fridge last week in preparation for a dreary diet this Christmas. =) My swelling is down a lot though, and I am feeling a lot better today- and finally getting some energy back....though my kids are taking it right away again- ha ha!

More paddling pictures

 

 

 

Last weekend I took my last kayaking trip of the year. I was a little nervous I wouldn't be able to get out, as more ice had formed than I had originally thought, and one of the places I thought about launching was locked in with ice, but one of the campsites at Merrick was ice free by the shore, so a friend and I put in there.  It was a little chilly, but it was a lot of fun- we saw a muskrat, eagles, and lots of evidence of beavers in the area- they have been really busy since August when I last paddled there!

Paddling up onto the ice a little bit =) 

a muskrat busy eating

I saw a lot of interesting ice formations

busy beavers..... this is just one spot we noticed

Having trouble uploading more pictures, so will have to upload more later!

Leonid Meteor Shower

My legs actually feel worn out today! I stayed at work until 7:30 tonight for our potluck/ Thanksgiving program- and then I hiked up the bluff- on the Hixon trails, to go view the Leonid meteor shower. I found a nice lookout there and lay back on the big flat rock enjoying the stars and listening to music for awhile. It took me awhile to realize that the meteors were lower in the sky, and I was better off sitting up to watch them- but laying on the rock for awhile was really peaceful and relaxing. I have been trying to find a better balance between work and play lately, and I have to say, I have been MUCH happier!! I have been getting out and seeing more of my friends, getting more fresh air, and have just generally been enjoying my life more. The last couple months I have felt like a lump on a log- working late, and then coming home and working on more stuff until I had no more energy left- then maybe going out and trying to do something, but being too worn out to even really enjoy myself..... I have decided I would rather be worn out later at night and try to work on things then. After work now I am trying to get outside and do some of the things that just make me happy- and the difference is really noticable in my whole day. Now if I can just figure out which direction I want to go with my life- I still feel like I am trying to refigure things out after this last year.....for now I think I have decided to just go with the flow and see what comes along- as I am too indecisive about what I want to do anyways, and I think I need some time to just relax and sort some other things out. I have been getting back into reading my books, sorted through most of my things and actually have what feels like a home again, and finally feel settled at my new job- now to finish up my surgeries, sort through things on my land, and enjoy my friends and family again!