Spending a few days up on the Gunflint trail, North of Grand Marais, MN changed my emotional outlook. We did not have all of the comforts of suburban life. We became more a part of nature rather than observers from afar.
White Pine at Sunrise
Off the grid
Changing gears
Beauty exists everywhere
It wasn’t there yesterday.
Subtle
Ice Sculptures formed by wind and water
Sun halo
formed by the ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.
Silence
Only the wind in the pines
The gentle touch of nature
An otter slide at the lake’s edge
Moose tracks across the lake
A trance-like state
Pristine beauty of a frozen lake
An uprooted pine
Land untouched by humans.
The life outside of me
Is also inside of me.
Camp Visitors
Pine Marten
30 seconds of wonder
Gray Jays or “Whiskey Jacks” will eat out of your hand
The “drumming” of the pileated woodpeckers sounded like the playing of a djembe in the woods.
Red Breasted Nuthatch.
Laid claim to the camp.
In the presence of wildness
Early morning ski
Fresh Pine Marten tracks
A wisp of its presence in the air
I drink it in
Time slows down.
Nearby, the marten’s den
A sacred space
Hidden
But invaded by a human
Who must get a photo
To share on Facebook
The beauty and wonder is lost.
Fresh Pine Marten Tracks
Bear claws on a dumpster near the car
Notes:
We stayed at the Tall Pines Yurt that is off the Gunflint trail, 28 miles North of Grand Marais. It is reasonably priced.
Barbara and Ted Young/Boundary Country Trekking / 11 Poplar Creek Drive
Grand Marais MN 55604
218-388-4487
They provided: bunks wood for the heat, water, and outhouse.
email: bct@boundarycountry.com
www.boundarycountry.com
My emotional outlook has changed as well. Thanks for sharing this profound experience with me. I’m grateful.
The photos and poems are beyond inspiring. They entered my heart. Thank you, Larry.