Cool water bubbled and swirled around our tired muscles. Paddling and pushing the canoe through thick beds of wild rice combined with constantly lifting and moving the cedar flails to gently coax the ripe kernels into the canoe is hard work. It makes us appreciate the food we’re gathering. Soaking in a natural jacuzzi overlooking Read More

Tick, tick, tick, tick, the sound of ripe wild rice kernels landing in our canoe signaled we were in a good spot. Amy paddled and pushed the canoe through the thick rice, which was tall enough that about all I could see was the green stalks of rice and the blue sky. We fell into Read More

There is a primal enchantment aroused when you wake to a blanket of mist covering your temporary home on the edge the water deep in the Wilderness. I often find myself fiddling with dials and switches, trying in vane to capture the moment with my camera. Maybe it’s best that the camera can’t capture the Read More

I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning when nature called and decided to crawl out of the tent. The faint glow of the aurora borealis had gotten our hopes up for several nights in a row and I felt the urge to look north. Ribbons of green pulsed across the northern horizon and reflected Read More

“Hey Layne, it’s about to get good.” A blanket of fog hung over the lake and the sun’s first rays would crest the trees any minute. I scrambled to set up my tripod, rub sleep from my eyes and explain to Layne Kennedy what was unfolding just outside his tent. A minute later Layne’s head Read More

A canoe loaded to the gunnels paddled across Nina Moose Lake towards our campsite. The faces of our friends Goose, Jason and Layne became distinguishable and soon we were waving and smiling as they drew closer. They paddled in for an overnight– a brief respite from their busy lives. We lounged on a beach taking Read More

After cleaning the dishes and buttoning up camp for the night we slid our canoe back into Lake Agnes for a short paddle. The sun illuminated the clouds in a beautiful patchwork of color and light. We find joy in simple moments like gathering water, setting up camp, preparing food and paddling out into the Read More

A great blue heron erupted out of the tall grass and floated gracefully across the marsh ahead of our canoe. After a couple more bends down Heritage Creek we greeted the same heron again. Over and over again the bird jumped ahead of us as we made our away to Heritage Lake. A few times Read More

“Some places should be preserved from development or exploitation for they satisfy a human need for solace, belonging and perspective. In the end we turn to nature in a frenzied chaotic world, there to find silence, oneness, wholeness, spiritual release,” – Sigurd Olson

Loon Lake’s glassy surface smoked in the cool morning air. Birds, bugs, humans– all things were still and silent for a moment. The thud of a pine cone hurled from high above and the red squirrel’s shrill chatter broke the calm. Movement and sound swept over us and my mind returned to cooking, writing and Read More