winter getaway

Our little clan has just returned from five days away in the beautiful north. The timing was perfect for enjoying the winter wonderland -- a little bit of fresh snow almost every day, but never so much wind that we couldn't go out and enjoy it. And just in time, since so much of it will be washed away by tonight.

After years of renting and trying out different brands, we bit the bullet and invested in good snowshoes for the three of us. We enjoyed a different kind of trail for each new day -- packed and well-trodden ones, fresh ones where we were the first on, an Algonquin trail up to a gorgeous waterfall (raging after the January thaw), and my favourite: trailblazing up into a quiet forest glen where a half dozen deer had bedded down and slept the night before.

Maia wasn't too sold on snowshoeing yet, so she spent most of our hikes on Dad's backpack or in a sled that Tim or I would tie around our waist. She delighted in approaching the trees at her height to taste fresh fallen snow right off the branches. You can never introduce the lesson about yellow snow too early...

The last three nights we stayed at the Morgan House B&B in Huntsville -- a rustic stone home surrounded by 80 acres of trails and the loveliest hosts you can imagine. We never got hungry for lunch after Pam's incredible breakfast spreads. Yum! (I need to email her for recipes.) Maia fell in love with this family. Their daughter even babysat Maia the last night we were there so Tim and I could have an evening out with just the two of us. Every morning at breakfast she would come down with a more enthusastic greeting than the one before.

They have a small farm with a few sheep and a couple of horses, a cat, a rabbit, and a dog that Maia renamed "Pete the fox", which made everyone laugh. Maia couldn't get enough of the animals. She even got to ride one of the horses the night we went out. No ordinary B&B experience, that's for sure!

We spent a few afternoons reading in cafes, hours which always feel like pure holiday hours to me. I read so much non-fiction during the rest of the year that I've started to make fiction my vacation reading. I actually made it through two incredible books of historical fiction by Canadian authors: The Birth House by Ami Mckay, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Unfortunately, Tim was feeling ill for the last few days, especially yesterday. But even he would still consider it a gift of a getaway and a much needed rest, especially for him. It's good to be home though. I started to miss cooking and baking in my own kitchen. Made some yummy banana pancakes to start the day off today. (If that sounds good to you, then you've got to try this recipe. Next time, I'm going to add blueberries.)

Okay, now that I sound like a shockingly domestic woman -- reading about midwifery, missing my kitchen and sharing recipes -- it's time to go. I leave you with one more Maia photo for all of you who really only read this blog looking for updates on our spunky and comical toddler.