We raised the yurt! May 19, 2012

How amazing to raise a yurt–from carrying materials up the hill, to putting up the walls, the sides, the roof and eventually the windows! Starting with a picture of the party after the yurt raising was done!

Here are pictures of the earliest stages–skylight being carried up the hill by Leah and Elizabeth, and then the walls–the kana–going up the hill. Another photographer took over at this point, so I’ll put in the rest of the building pix later.

Leah and Elizabeth carry up the skylight!

The yurt wall (kana) goes up the hill

It’s a doggy dog world!

Sophie on the border trail

When I was first teaching composition at the University of MN, I came across an odd phrase in a student paper–this, she said is a “doggy dog world.”  Hmmmm…..and then I realized she’d misheard the phrase “dog eat dog” world as “doggy dog world.”  I prefer a doggy dog world, myself. 

Sophie (5 months old now) and Lucy who is next to her love to go hiking in this doggy dog world.  Every day we find a new place to explore….this looks up into Canada….along the way we saw many wolf tracks!
 
 
The mail run dogsled race last week

But another aspect of the doggy dog world we live in is the working dog–watching the teams just before a race is so wild–the dogs are so excited that they yelp and jump and bark and jump some more.  And then the great moment when they get to run, and off they go yelping (now joyfully) as they fly across the frozen surface of the lake.

Even Sophie is a working dog….she loves to come with me to the Care Center and cuddle up with some of the older folks….fuzzy therapy…..
 
So remember….it is a doggy dog world…enjoy your dog as you enjoy the world!

February 15, 2012 Yurt on the Move!

Our yurt/hermitage

I don’t know when you were last invited to a Yurt moving party….it’s been awhile for me.  But now you are.

WindCradle is buying a beautiful yurt which is not up on the hill overlooking Mother Superior, but we need to move it onto our property.  Thus the yurt moving party–May 18-20.

inside the yurt

We hope this yurt will become a wonderful new space of peace for those seeking rest–that’s why we’re calling it a yurt/hermitage.
If you’d like to help us move the yurt, we’d be thankful….we’ll put people up free that weekend and feed them….

A Paddler is Born!

March 17, 2012

On February 28th, little Tucker Bernard entered the world at nine pounds.  He’s got big shoulders–(ask my daughter!!!)–so I’m sure he’s going to be a fine paddler.  And when he gets bigger, maybe he’ll go ahead and carry the canoe too.

As I have pondered his arrival, I ralize that I wish for him to be completely and totally who he is–to know himself to be fully and unconditionally loved.  That’s what we all need in order to thrive…..