Saturday, August 11, 2007

A Walk In The Woods

It's a beautiful day . . . okay, hot and sticky, but still the kind of bright and sunny day that we'll be wishing for in six months. So I finally did what I've been meaning to do, take a walk in the woods and photograph some of the places I'm hoping to introduce to you during our party in September.

First, Meadow Valley. Our neighbor, Sybil Winter, has owned this property since sometime in the 1970's, and has been slowly rehabilitating it from farm field to woodland. In the process she has added fire lanes and done some tree trimming, so what we have is a woodland with wide open paths, pretty in any season but largely wheelchair accessible. And at the very back of the property is a little open air chapel, looking out over the river. Sybil has very kindly agreed to let us use her chapel for our renewal ceremony, and I can't think of a more perfect venue.





The Meadow Valley chapel is about 1/4 mile walk though the woods, and (since I don't imagine we'll be back there more than 15 minutes) I was planning for us to simply stand in the clearing. But if for medical or other reasons you don't think you can make the walk there and back again, or if you need to sit while we're back there, please let me know and I'll make the necessary arrangements. Otherwise, enjoy the stroll. The path is clear and even, but I still wouldn't recommend high heels. Personally, I will probably be in sandals.






Next, Pine Ridge Campground. As you can see, Pine Ridge is within an easy crawl of our house, and although it's a private Lutheran campground they are willing to accept reservations from party guests. It's a beautiful facility, and I can't believe I never really looked it over before! They appear to have a few cabins with power and other amenities, but they also have plenty of camping spaces and pull through camper spots. For reservations or questions, you can contact the caretakers directly: Eric or Cindy can be reached at 920-528-8307.








That's it for now. I'm scratching a brand new mosquito bite on my left ankle. Did I mention that each guest will receive a souvenir bug bracelet?