Holland is flat, they said. Biking there will be easy-peasy! Well, um.... They aren't big hills, it's true. But after fighting strong winds for hours -- 25-30 mph, sustained -- they felt big! The conditions were uncommonly rough, our guide said. (If you haven't biked for more than a few minutes into a strong headwind, … Continue reading Biking Holland (Pt. 1)
What comes to mind when someone mentions Holland? Tulips, canals, famous artists? For us, today, it meant sailing. After helping the small crew raise three huge sails, we felt our three-masted schooner rock gently underfoot. Soon we were scooting briskly downwind with a following sea. Texel, here we come! Texel is an island north of … Continue reading Sailing Holland
The word "camp" means different things to different people. Loners or groups? Tent or cabin? As with almost everything, the meaning you attach depends on one's personal experience. And the meaning is changing for me. For now, Camp Many Moons remains cabin-less. In the five years since I spent 50K for this 300-foot waterfront lot, … Continue reading Cabin-Less Camp
No, not in a car. On a snowmobile. Yup, stuck. It happens if you go off-trail into dense woods as the snow turns to mush. It happened to us. It started out fun. Two maneuverable little snowmobiles, heading out from Jeff's camp on a spring-like day with him in the lead. I grew up on … Continue reading Stuck in Snow
If snow-shoeing is walking on snow, cross-country skiing is gliding on it. If you're skilled, it's more like a kick-then-glide. (If you're really skilled, you also use a skating style. I mostly glide.) Nowadays, it's considered the best cardiovascular exercise because it works the entire body. In the past, it was considered a form of … Continue reading Gliding on Snow
The trick to walking on snow is the right footwear. When it's deep, snowshoes are the answer -- at least if you want to get into the woods. And why wouldn't you? Snow-shoeing is great for the body and the mind. My urban friends ask me why I come up here to the frozen north … Continue reading Walking on Snow
Most people like to visit the shore in summer only. I'm one of those oddballs that likes it it in winter, too. There's far less wildlife, true. But the silence! The subtle hues! See what I mean? Photos and captions below. The ice is ever-changing on the shoreline of Camp Many Moons on Lake Superior's … Continue reading Winter at the Shore
If a dead tree wraps around a live one and steals the sunshine, cut it out. If a negative habit (or person) wraps around your core and steals your energy, cut it out too. Life lessons from nature continue at Camp Many Moons on Lake Superior's Huron Bay, five years after I purchased this 300-foot … Continue reading Cutting Out The Deadwood
No, I wasn't ready. Is anyone ready to lose their mother? Yes, she was 101. But, no. I still wasn't ready. That's because, until the day of her sudden collapse on Jan. 23, Lempi (Lee) Wilhelmina Simontaival/Simonson Hanson was animated and sharp-witted and funny...and very much loved. And, because I still had so much to … Continue reading ‘Bye, Mom….
Bare branches. Cold winds. And a resilient Christmas cactus. As I prepare to spend Christmas alone - not unusual for me -- I'm noticing things more. That's the thing about being "on the outside, looking in." (Which is how I often feel, especially at holidays, and I know I'm not alone there.) You notice things … Continue reading Noticing…
For Many Moons 