Hot weekend/Cold North

AH HA!!

I bet you came here wanting all the *JUICY* details of my R&R weekend with my hottie..I mean...hubby!!

Well what I WILL tell you is that we had so much fun, the cabin was cozy and charming with a woodstove (we have 3 at our farmhouse so nothing new but still cozy and romantic), a view of the lake and woods, and the most fabulous radio station on the lower 48 WELY! I kid you not. Where else can you hear old folk tunes one minute, Riders In the Sky show, NPR, 40's show tunes the next, the trapline personal messages, and the DJ speaking Finnish after she speaks in English?

So Saturday (no I am NOT telling you about Friday night no matter if you do the Chinese Water Torture) (but Stacy, Vic didn't even have time to get out of the bag!)(and don't worry, we took care of *that* last year) we got up early with the sun coming up over the frosty lake, had a whopping big breakfast (didn't bring the juicer this year) and took off Nordic skiiing across the lake in minus 30 (MINUS you read that right) degrees. It was beautiful. We had the huge lake to ourselves and skiied about 6 miles. I feel so alive at times like this and so happy that my body can do these things.

After a quick lunch we headed into town to shop and check out the Snow Sculptures. My favorite was one of a sauna (Banya) with two large naked women in it carved by a Russian. (lots of naked women this year for some reason). The details of the logs was amazing carved into the snow.

My hubby bought me some mushing mittens for my belated Christmas present (mushing mitts are very large and warm and go up to your arm to elbow and have two liners in them so when you have to stop and untangle your dogs--which for me and my pups is too often--your hands don't freeze).

We returned to the cabin for supper--bean burritos, avacados, lettuce yum!--then headed back to town for the Mukluk Ball. Many folks wear their mukluks (which hubby and I did--great dancing shoes!) and some of them look like they came right out of the Bush. The band started and you know that awkward first song when everyone WANTS to get out and dance but nobody wants to be the first one?? Well guess who was the first one?? YUP! I learned two years ago that life is too short to wait for others to lead. So out we went (and hubby only dances once a year--mukluk ball after two glasses of wine) and got it going! We danced our hinders off and had a blast!

Sunday we got up early again and went for another ski down a woodsy trail. We found evidence of wolf everywhere but did not see the bugger. We found rib bones scattered, tracks in the snow, urine along the way in about 4 spots along the trail (fresh) and some scat. The area we were in is known for its Timber Wolves. (and bears, but then so is it in my neighborhood). We were in the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota/Canada. It is so incredibly beautiful and it calls me to me strongly.

SpongeBod likes walks on the beaches and this Libra likes walks in the wild bush (and beaches too SB).

We high tailed it out of Ely due to weather and driving home we saw way too many cars in ditches for my comfort. I stuck my head in a book so as to not have to watch the road.

The weekend was wonderful and we already signed up for next year. I highly recommend doing something like this to celebrate life and living...in your own way...but something that is significant for you.

peace, emily the Nordic Nut