The waterfront path at my camp is the first thing I cleared after buying the land. It's lined with stumps, every 20 feet or so -- with foreign words on them. You may be stumped by this! Let me explain. Some people are content to look at a pretty scene. I want to feel it. … Continue reading Stumped? I’m Finnish!
Boo and Roscoe are my outdoor companions. They are so fun, and funny. I can't imagine outdoor life without them. Roscoe is a full-blood Siberian Husky who weighs 65 lbs. Boo is an American short-hair of undetermined pedigree who weighs 6 lbs. Both are about 11 years old but still full of energy and curiosity. … Continue reading Pets Need Nature Too
It's 65 feet of wood planks. It sits on the frame of an old house trailer. It rides on wheels so it can roll in or out of the water as needed. On nice days, it's the centerpiece of Camp Many Moons. It plays many roles: a place to read, or visit, or tie up … Continue reading The Dock
I've always been aware of the moon -- its phase, its arc, its pull. Even more so here at Camp Many Moons! I gave this place its name for three reasons. 1. It was the nickname my brother gave me. 2. It suggests a Native American connection. 3. I want the retreat we've developed here … Continue reading (Many) Moons
"Blessed be the tie that binds." So begins an old hymn I learned as a child. It came to mind as I paddled over bits of sunken railroad ties that bind me to the history of Huron Bay. Across the bay from Camp Many Moons, the remains of the Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad … Continue reading Ties That Bind
On the south end of Camp Many Moons, the waterfront is interrupted by a small inlet. The waters of Huron Bay ebb and flow here. The sand does, too. Sand is a remarkable medium, both adaptable and resilient. It shifts as nature or humans require, never losing its elemental nature even as its appearances changes. … Continue reading Shifting Sands
Do you ever have a "foggy head" that isn't caused by illness? You know, that feeling when you can't quite focus. Sometimes it's dense and oppressive, and sometimes wispy and fleeting. This fog bank on Huron Bay was dense but fleeting. That's because Huron Bay is long and narrow, bordered by hills on both sides, … Continue reading Fog Bank
June 17, 2021 - The humble rowboat ... simple, useful, and underrated. We have many types of watercraft at Camp Many Moons, but my go-to is the rowboat. This one is a "Jon boat," supposedly nick-named that by Scandinavian fishermen. Flat-bottomed and square-bowed, it is stable and light-weight. This makes it easy to launch and … Continue reading In Praise of Rowboats
June 4, 2021 - Sometimes you just need to turn off the words -- and the thoughts. A hammock is a great place for that. Mine swings just feet from the shoreline. Sometimes I come here to read and sometimes to think. If I stay here long enough, the words and thoughts stop...and I just … Continue reading Turning Off the Chatter
May 31, 2021 - You know that space between dreams, when you've let go of the old one before the new one has taken shape? It's an uncomfortable place to be. It can be ugly. But it's necessary. Up to now, Camp Many Moons has been a kind of rustic nature get-away -- the first … Continue reading Making Space
For Many Moons 