We are spending this winter holiday season at home in East Central Minnesota. An early December snowstorm delivered 14-1/2" of snow and a Monday holiday from school to enjoy it. Around here the roads have to be pretty treacherous for a "snow day" to be called by the school district. When that happens we do a happy dance, make another cup of coffee and enjoy the falling snow through the picture window. Later, it's time to put on snow pants and play in the drifts. Fill the woodstove, put some bread to rise, pour a glass of wine and then we retire to the hearth to enjoy the evening.
One of our holiday traditions is to unpack decorations that have been handed down from Ken's grandparents and parents. We also trim the house with natural objects and cut down a Christmas tree at a local tree farm.
A favorite cozy escape from the winter chill is our sauna. This was the first structure Ken built on our property, originally a tool shed. Since then it has been retrofitted into a chicken coop and a small art studio before its present sauna status. Completely relined in aromatic cedar, you'd never know chickens once roosted here!
We had planned on going cross-country skiing at Wild River State Park, but by 1:00 it had only just made it to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A hike down the river bottoms seemed like a better idea. Behind our home, and down the bluff you come to the north branch of the Sunrise River. We found that it was solid enough to walk on, and in some areas was frozen as clear as glass. We spied some live fish and insects clinging to the bottom side of the ice!
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| Tiny frost clusters resemble miniature icebergs. |
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| A view of the back side of the house from the river trail. |
