Cabin Camping 2011

We went on our annual cabin camping trip with our friends, the Larsens, in the middle of September. It was a wonderful trip--some definite highlights and firsts! Of course we heard the song of the loons on the lake, which has become a favorite when we go on these trips. We also saw a flock of migrating cranes--Courtney and Jessica helped identify the flock by their distinct calls.

The best thing about this trip was that we got to see the Northern Lights for the first time. They were beautiful and awe inspiring. Here is someone else's photo of the beauties:

 While we were enjoying the lake, I heard a loud and distinct sound in the serenity of our beautiful surroundings--I half expected to look up and see a fisherman using a horn of some sort. I was thrilled when instead I saw this--a pair of trumpeter swans in flight, trumpeting! It was beautiful!

Our men went ahead of us to begin taking gear over to the cabin. This year the cabin was accessible only by boat--so we rented a canoe to haul our gear and ourselves back and forth across the lake. (In years past, we have had the option of hiking or using the canoe--but this year we only had access by lake.)

This pile of dirt provided lots of entertainment for two little boys waiting for the boat.

We hadn't even reached the cabin yet, and the fun in the dirt had begun with climbing and sliding.

David and Daddy arrive dry at the cabin--with the last of our gear in tow.

Later on they went for a leisurely ride in the canoe together. It was truly little boy paradise.

David was a hard one to keep seated while we were in the canoe. He of course wanted to lean over the side to touch the water, stand up and wave his arms, sit on the seat instead of the bottom of the canoe--everything a curious toddler could want to do in that canoe. Luckily, he learned the lesson of a tippy canoe when we were on dry ground instead of in the middle of the lake.

On the return trip, we were much better balanced in our weight distribution with all three of us and our gear. We are learning some of the strategies of a canoe to make it a little smoother of a ride.

Just as we were about to climb in the car to head home, we turned around to see David trying to sneak back to the cabin in the canoe.

We finally coaxed David to come home with us, but he really wanted to go back to the cabin!

Every time we have another experience like this one, I wonder if this will be David's first memory.