Bearskin

Click here for Bearskin Photo album

We just returned from a wonderful week at Bearskin Lodge in northern Minnesota.

It is one of my very favorite places to visit. This year we had the added bonus of going a little later than usual and missing the swarms of mosquitoes that usually attack us, leaving their marks for weeks to come. Of course, the fishermen among us would say the downside to going later is not as many fish, but from my perspective it was perfect! The weather was awesome...the temps were in the low to mid 70s all week, with little humidity. What an nice change from the muggy Indiana weather we have been having this month.


I love Bearskin because life there is slow and simple. There are no crowds to fight. No standing in line. No souvenir stands at every corner, causing whiny ungrateful-sounding children. No phones ringing or email to check. No schedule to keep. There is time to just sit. There are the forest and lake sounds--water, wind in the trees, loons on the lake, and the birds singing. God's handprint is everywhere you look--from the animals to the wildflowers, to the beautiful rainbow over the lake.

There is Snickerdoodle coffee from a neat little shop in Grand Marais, and there are homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches from the lodge. There is time to read aloud to all of the kids each day (this time, it was Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH). The kids are (for the most part) happy all week and fall into bed each night exhausted from their play. They play in the sand, kayak, paddle boat, fish, read, play cards, and do puzzles. There are a few lodge activities to take part in, too. We have instituted (from the time Quinn was little) a "no electronics at Bearskin" policy. No DS games, no movies, no iPod games. There were a couple of times over the course of the week that the kids acted bored, but not as many as you might think. And not once did anyone beg to be allowed to play their video games (of course, the MINUTE we passed the Bearskin sign Saturday when we left, Zane had his DS going!) For the most part they were content to just play at the beach, take a walk, or follow Uncle Brian around to see what cool thing he would show them next :o)
We had the chance to see ships (BIG ones) in Duluth, wade in the water at Gooseberry Falls, and feel the cold water of Lake Superior. We had one rainy day, and decided to go to Grand Marais (if we'd know how hard it would end up raining we might have just stayed at the cabin!) In spite of the rain, we were still able to do all of our favorite Grand Marais things: pizza at Sven and Ole's, fudge from Beth's (WOW...amazing), browsing at the Trading Post, and (the kids' favorite) a trip to Ben Franklin. It was a great week and we can't wait to go back.

Now, to conquer the laundry...