Greetings from Bearskin Lodge,
It's summer. People are
swimming. Turn the corner by the beach, and smell the sweet odor
of sunscreen. Guests in floppy hats and sunglasses are stretched
out in lounge chairs on their docks, reading summer mysteries or
watching their kids cast for fish. Every night around supper
time, smoke from the barbecue grills wafts through the air.
People buy big bags of ice. It is definitely nothing like winter
at Bearskin Lodge.
As we write this, there are still a
few openings left for the rest of the summer.
If
planning far into the future was too complicated for your family
schedule
(which is how it always was for us) there are still a few options open
at Bearskin. Due to a few unexpected cancellations, there are
some primetime one week openings left in cabins that have been booked
up during those time slots for years, even decades. We've also
opened up a few more spots for briefer stays of 3 or more days.
If shorter openings weren't available when you called previously, try
again now as we've made a few more available.
We've reinitiated the old Bearskin institution of the family picnic.
Meet
by the beach on Monday night at 6 PM for grilled brats, beans and
potato salad. The big hit of the season has been Crystal's
fabulous fruit salad -- it is undoubtedly the finest fruit salad ever
created.
You can relax at Bearskin, of course, but this year
there are also many more options available for those of you who enjoy
an active lifestyle. Get the list of activities when you check in at
the front desk -- there's something suitable for almost everyone.
Our naturalist program is in full swing. This year's naturalist,
Maudie Johnson, has created a program with nature activities for both
children and adults. Many of our longtime classic children's crafts are
still being offered, but there are also many opportunities to take
hikes, go on short trips or learn about nature with Maudie.
Are you a runner? Bring your gear. We have a morning trail run
with our Columbia University runners at least two mornings a
week. Know some campfire songs on your guitar? Bring
it along and you can play a few chords along with Quinn at the
Wednesday night bonfire. Have you been wanting to learn to
kayak? Bearskin is renting kayaks now, including a couple tandem
kayaks; but if you just want to give kayaking a try, Grady is teaching
a
free intro to kayaking class a few times each week.
And if those activities don't suit your needs, we have an even better
idea for you: eat pie. Yes, pies are back. Delicious, fresh
pies, baked in Bearskin's kitchen. Order by the slice and enjoy
your tasty treat out on our porch or buy an entire pie to take back to
your cabin. We're starting small, so pies won't be available
everyday yet. Ask at the front desk when you check in so you
don't miss the pie days. Coming next: malted milk Fridays.
Fishing has been very good so far this year. Andy, our new guide,
is giving fishing talks on Tuesday night at 5 PM. Learn about the
secret hotspots on the lake and find out which lures and bait are
hauling in the big ones. Or arrange to have Andy take you out on the
lake for a guided trip and get a little help finding those trophy-sized
fish.
As always, pictures of daily activities are regularly posted at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearskinlodge
Plus, don't forget to check the Bearskin Blog at
http://bearskin.wordpress.com/
to keep up with the latest Bearskin news.
Hope to see you sometime this summer,
The
McCloughan Family &
The
Bearskin Staff
A note to
long-time Bearskin guests:
Many of you knew that Dee,
the amazing woman of multiple talents who was
the face at the front desk and the voice on the phone at Bearskin Lodge
for years, has been ill with pancreatic cancer. On
Sunday, June 22nd, Dee passed away. Dee fought a
formidable
battle against a cancer which had, in her own words, a “grim prognosis.”
She described the treatment
as “brutal,” but she was blessed to have great faith and a devoted,
loving family. Dee spent her last weeks at Solvay
Hospice House, a beautiful and comfortable respite tucked in the woods
in a quiet niche above Duluth. Her family was at
her side when she passed away.
We posted a blog
with memories of Dee at http://bearskin.wordpress.com
We invite you to add to those stories.
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