I’m watching great whitecaps and crashing waves this morning, reluctant to begin my transition home. I’ve a sense of sorrow to leave such an amazing place and also excitement to be returning home.

This weekend I gifted myself play time as reward for my the last few months of writing efforts. A friend, Kathy, joined me from the Cities. I think our most inspiring adventure was a day on the Gunflint Trail, a still pristine and unspoiled fragment of the Midwest. We were gifted with 40 miles of pine forest, capped with hoar frost and new snow. We kept stopping just to take it in.

Just a piece which doesn’t do justice to the whole.

Our “destination” was the Gunflint Lodge where we lunched on walleye overlooking the frozen lake.

We hiked a white-laden, pine-embracing path in stillness…

….to Lonely Lake shrouded in snow mist

More wonders lined our path. Our one regret: the dog sled rides were fully booked for the day.

We topped off our weekend Sunday at Bluefin Resort where we watched the nail-biting playoff between the Packers and Seahawks, neither one of us having seen a football game in years! Being originally from WI, I was disappointed when the Packers lost in the final moments of an overtime.

In addition to nature’s profound impact on me, I am deeply grateful for the warmth and delightful, unexpected gifts of the people I’ve met while here. I will hold these memories and visions close for my lifetime. Next posting from Bali!!

Thanks so much for joining me.

Sharon