Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Fall Came to Hasty Brook

Two weeks ago the maples turned to flames.

These are the maples up by our campsite. The maples down by the creek were still green.

Art and I were at Hasty Brook yesterday and all of the maples were bare.

We set the alarm for 4 AM yesterday and were on the road headed to Virginia, Minnesota for our 9 AM meeting with the county variance board.
They granted the variance!!
We can build at Hasty Brook. I made it from the board room to the elevator before the tears started. I was giddy with relief. We splurged on Subway sandwiches and drove down to Hasty for lunch. Thankfully we both brought heavier jackets because it was only 44 degrees outside when we got there. Art did some work to winterize the camper while I took off hiking through the woods. It's like a different world when the leaves drop and the grasses and ferns die back. The contours of the land appear. Hills and gullies, moss covered deep in the shadows of the thick woods. Places I can't see in other seasons. The creek was running fast, deep and wide after the last heavy rainfalls. The water running over the old beaver dam was loud enough to hear from a distance. A Hermit Thrush, soon to head south was still busy scratching and turning over leaves. Some of the many Chickadees that were politely mobbing the feeders followed me on my walk, flitting through the branches just over my head. A flash of red, black and white ahead- the maniacal laugh of the Pileated Woodpecker made me laugh too. A little further along I flushed two Ruffed Grouse.
My favorite time of the year at my favorite place in the world.
We'll spend the winter months working on our cabin plans, remembering how fortunate we are to have that place. We'll care for it.
Posted by Picasa

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am just thrilled for you!! No one deserves a great cabin in the woods more than you guys and I know how much you wanted it. And what a place it is, too. Gorgeous photos of your maple trees! How fun it is going to be making your plans for the cabin over the winter. I can visualize a hermit thrush scratching and turning over leaves and smell the smells of the woods. Wonderful!

Heidi said...

Congratulations Lynne and Art!!! I can't wait to see the journey of the cabin physically built! :)

Gorgeous leaves :)

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

So glad things worked out for you.Sounds like the winter will not seemtoo long while you are working on plans and dreaming.Lovely Maple trees.

Anonymous said...

The colors have been long in coming, but have definitely arrived!

Leedra said...

Congratulations!!! I wonder how many times you will rearrange the cabin by springtime.

Leedra said...

Oh, and the maple trees are beautiful there, just think what it will be like when you have a porch to sit on and see those leaves each fall.

MojoMan said...

Mazel tov! I hope you'll share your plans as they develop.

Thanks for taking us on your walk with you. It really made me wish I could get up to the North Country.

Unknown said...

Fall is even more enlivened there because of what follows: cold, ice, and snow. But maybe its the mud zone between the two that's worst of all! Thanks for sharing your leaves (its still summer down here in Florida)

Deb said...

Congratulations Lynne! I envision many drives between Sand Creek and Hasty Brook in the future. :)

Susan Gets Native said...

Y A Y ! ! ! ! !

*imagining all the design, building and enjoying-of-Hasty Brook-posts to come!

Anonymous said...

WOW!!! I am so green with envy!! Lots of work ahead, but also lots of fun and blogs and memories for you and your family. Those pictures are just so breath taking. I also love this time of year. I love pulling on an old worn sweater or an old worn coat and taking a walk on our own property. Congrats!!

Eve said...

I'm so excited for you Lynne! Soon, before you know it, you'll be there all the time and the wonders will just keep coming! There will always be something new each and every day!
Enjoy...there's a lot of work ahead but you will get through it!

Eve said...

OH my new header today is just for you!!!

Jayne said...

Yay!!!! I am so glad it all worked out for you all Lynne! The maples are exquisite! Warm hugs to you!

RuthieJ said...

Congratulations Lynne and Art! I'm so happy for you guys!

Ruth said...

Beautiful colour! Weren't you going to build a bed and breakfast? ;-)
It is always good to have something to look forward to.

NatureWoman said...

Congratulations Lynne!!!! I am sooo happy for you! What beautiful color at a beautiful place.

Marsha said...

Congratulations Lynne! How wonderful the new cabin will be and I look forward to hearing about the plans & progress in the future. With those leaves, autumn must just be spectactular at hasty Brook.

Ps. DH & I are looking for wooded property such as Hasty Brook close to Cloquet/Esko - if you hear of some email me.

barefoot gardener said...

I am so excited for you!

Shelley said...

Lynne- I think the trees were showing off their best colors for you in celebration of your cabin plans being able to move forward!! Congratulations! I want to hear the details on what you have planned for your property!!
(We recently built a log cabin this year - logcabininmichigan.blogspot.com )

barefoot gardener said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NCmountainwoman said...

Congratulations! I can't think of anyone who deserves a cabin in the woods more than you do. Your description of the place is wonderful, as are the pictures.

Carolyn H said...

Lynne: Congratulations! But this was the easy part. Now you'll have to build that cabin!!

Carolyn H.

jalynn01 said...

What great news! Can't wait to see your dreams and plans turn into reality for you!! Busy times ahead.
Your leaves are absolutely beautiful. Ours are coming down now...and rain today will bring more down. What a colorful season fall is.

troutbirder said...

I'm very glad to read your dream is coming to fruition. A cabin in the north woods. The place we all wanted to be when we were young. Now its will be yours.

Mary said...

Congratulations, Linne. A dream is coming true.

Kathie Brown said...

Oh Lynne, congrats! I amazed you made it to the elevator before the floods broke! As for those autumn leaves?... Stunning!

ivars krafts said...

Congratulations on a successful resolution with the local government; it doesn't always work out that way. I'm very happy for you!

Mary C said...

How wonderful for you and Art - congratulations! Prayers have been answered and now the hard work begins, but it will be worth it. Stunning fall foliage, Lynne.

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Won't it be fun to dream this winter, now knowing it will really be a reality come spring!
I couldn't be happier for you.
There's nothing finer than feeling you have a space you can love--and Hasty Brook will be such a place.

Many good wishes for this process you'll now begin!

dguzman said...

Oh Lynn--what a wonderful place, and it's soon to be even better with a cabin! This post made my day.

Kyle said...

Wow, what gorgeous fall photos of the maples, Lynn. And what wonderful news about the building plans! I know y'all must be thrilled. Congrats!

Corey said...

Congrats!

Kathleen said...

Woohoo! You are amazing guardians for Hasty Brook. Congratulations!

Unknown said...

Lynn

I've been following your blog for a little while and just want to say how exciting for you to get the variance for building. Awesome.

Mel said...

Dear Lynne,

It's been so long since I visited you the last time. I'm sooo happy for you and the exciting future ahead!!
Congratulations, I wish I could visit you sometime, it with be so great to BE in Hasty Brook, not just thru your pictures and stories :)

You deserve only the best!

Kisses from this side of the world (Spring should be here any minute!!)

Love,

Mel

Anonymous said...

Great news Lynne. I am happy for you and your family. Bet you are going to have a good time this winter planning, huh?