We left around 2:30 Friday afternoon, and got there around 7:00, after stopping to buy supplies at a grocery store in Cook. Janet and Greg's cabin is on an island in the lake, and it always feels so "far away" when we go.
They built the cabin from the ground up, and they did SUCH an amazing job on it...running water, land line for the phone, composting toilet in the bathroom...very cozy and quaint.
We started the weekend by sitting on the deck watching the sun set. It was GORGEOUS, and was a really relaxing way to "kick things off".
Pat was on "dinner duty" the first night, and is doing the South Beach Diet, so I wasn't sure WHAT we were going to end up with, but she made the MOST amazing feta and sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken breast. It was FABULOUS!!!!
After dinner, we chatted for awhile, went outside to look at the stars, then went to bed.The next day, we got up, I made bacon and cheddar omelettes for breakfast, and we then planned our day. It mainly revolved around hiking the island, taking the paddle boat out for a spin, drawing/painting (Pat), and eating...LOTS of eating.
I prepared a tapas of cheese and crackers, olives, nuts, veggies, and other miscellaneous munchies for lunch, and then steak on the grill with corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and salad for dinner (we ate WELL on this trip!).
Janet and I explored some of the smaller islands around the island the cabin is on in the afternoon.
We took the speed boat out before getting dinner started to go to the landing to get gas for the boat (and a bottle of wine), then explored other parts of the lake before heading back to the island.
One of my FAVORITE parts of the weekend was the pair of bald eagles who were nesting in a pine tree behind the cabin. They were AWESOME to watch flying around the island, and it was SO cool to hear them "chittering" back and forth to each other.
I THINK the third bird we saw flying around was one of their chicks. It didn't have the white head and tail feathers, but still looked like an eagle, so we're ASSUMING that it was one. VERY cool to watch!
After dinner, we sat on the deck to watch the sunset, then got things ready for the bonfire.
We made smores, which were AMAZING...even though the only chocolate we had was a chocolate bacon bar that I'd brought along. LUCKILY it wasn't "bacon-y" at all, and tasted GREAT!
After the bonfire, we headed to the other side of the island to watch the stars again, then went to bed.
Sunday, we had an AMAZING breakfast of coddled eggs, and fried potatoes, then took the kayaks out for a spin around the island. I LOVE the kayaks, and am glad that I didn't realize this earlier in the weekend, or I'd have spent the ENTIRE time in one!
Pat continued to draw and paint. The next couple of pictures are of her "view", and her painting. She is AMAZING!!!
Here are some shots of our kayak trip around the island:
After spending the morning continuing to relax, and explore the island and surround waters, and after further enjoying the eagles flying around the island, we had a picnic outside Janet's parents' "sleeping shed", and then packed up, took a nice ride around the lake, and headed back to the cities.
Here's a picture of the outhouse I used for the weekend. The composting toilet is cool, but it "buzzes" when it's plugged in and sits about four feet off the ground, which, for some reason, FREAKS ME OUT...so I choose to do things the "old fashioned way"!!!
Lake Vermilion is an AMAZING place! If I were to buy a cabin on a lake in Minnesota (and BELIEVE ME...I'm tempted!), it would be there. What a WONDERFUL piece of nature!
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