May. Right now I am dreaming in colors of May! And you should too. Come see our crab apple tree in bloom, it’s just amazing.

I won’t ever try to kid you about the depth of my “up north” knowledge, I consider myself quite the newbie actually. But I am like a sponge. I absorb tidbits and they become knowledge, as if I have always known it. And I want to share some bits with you! Here’s what I have on Spring, Up North Wisconsin:

1. SPRING: We are so ready for it! Wisconsin has had some serious winter weather. Come May… We are hungry for mild!

2. The fish are hungry too. Early season fishing is some of the best of the year. I did my best fishing in May and June.

3. The greening of the counrtyside happens before your eyes. It’s really amazing. You can watch the winter browns fade away and the greens pop out as you walk along the trail. Little springlet flowers are there to be found too, if you only look.

4. The sunset impact seems to be even more grand in the spring. Like the world and the atmosphere are bursting anew with the excitement of the promise coming season hints to.

5. The kids are still in school. The kid-friendliest places in the summer are a quiet oasis this time of year, a rich playground for romantics!

6. Rates are very reasonable. You still get all the amenities of summer, but the lake is cold yet, perhaps for most of us still too cold to swim, and the prices reflect this. Great values can be found in May.

7. We have more pet friendly cabin options in May. Choose from #3, 5, 6, and 8. During the high summer season, only cabin 8 is pet friendly.

Head this way and we can have a snow melt party! or wait a little longer and we will have a spring blossom festival! Either way, plan to refresh with us this spring.

Spring! Fill your visions with apple tree blossoms and your nets with fish! Take some time and come watch our snow melt and our spring flowers bloom! Special rates valid for stays of 2 or more nights that depart by May 8th, 2014.

Spring Fever specials come in two sizes:
1.   The “I can only stay two nights” deal good for any cabin and 20% off the already reduced spring price.

2.  The “I can stay longer if you have a good deal special.” This is a 3rd night free special with a fantastic twist….additional nights 1/2 off. With this deal you book and pay the regular rate for the first two nights, we give you the third night free. If you want to stay longer, that’s great, 1/2 off each additional night, limit 27.

Still dreaming about another winter sled trip? We have you covered on that one too, all the way through March!

Give me a call to reserve your dates: 715-479-1040 or Text to: 715-891-9047.

Joy arrives in the smallest of details

I feel like a spring blossom. This is cabin 8 at the front of the property, near Highway 70 and my fabulously blooming Crab Apple tree.

Did you know that the difference between 10 below zero and 25 above zero is less than a 1/2 inch on our window thermometer. Right now that is one of the most important 1/2 inches in my life. I want many of them stacked up in the direction of 83 degrees F.

Such a small detail and it makes my day so much brighter. It helps to that the sun is also shining brightly and the wind wisping instead of screaming. I love that I can see the ground. Not the snow/ice covered ground, but there are a few inches in the parking area that have melted away and blazing brightly for all to see… our orangish crushed granite ground. Yippee.It shouldn’t be long now before spring is upon us and my crabapple tree in full blossum. Dang that is stunning!

I hope the details are in your favor this weekend. But if they aren’t and sitting inside is the prescribe course for getting through some icky weather, why not take a few minutes of yoru random search time and look at the www.Cedaroma.com website. There are a few new things up and if you are looking for immediate new news, go check out our facebook page, www.Facebook.com//Cedaroma.

I for one am ready to see the winter leave our lake front!

Ice Cave Caper! St. Germain to Bayfield, Caves & Madeline Island

I am inside an icicle!

This weekend I took a road trip with my cousin, Goldie, from Madison to the Apostle Island Ice Caves. It was as simple as tagging her in a reply post on the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce Facebook page and a plan was born.

Brilliantly, once we set the dates, she did all the hard word of picking and reserving a hotel. Much to my surprise, on Madeline Island; a half hour drive from the caves and across the lake…. She thought the caves were off Madeline Island and that this was just the right course of action. And while at first it didn’t seem all that logical, our timing fell perfectly into place and I would not have a thing about our trip changed. Perfect!

I thought we would have to leave at the crack of dawn to allow enough time, but a call to the information hot line had both the Iced Cave and the Ice Road closed from the huge storm the day before. Goldie had an inside tip on parking and let me know that arriving in the afternoon was the better plan anywa and maybe by then the caves would be open. So, we slept in on Saturday, not hitting the highway until after 10 am, Bayfield for lunch at a crazy famingoed restaurant (bravo on the vegan pizza!) around 1 and the cave parking lot by 2:30.

TIP #1: Everyone goes early for parking… they are also done early afternoon, wait to go and park at the trail head. Works also if you are going for sunset photo. It is only in the morning that the parking fills up.

Not only did we park at the trail head, we were the in the first position behind the porta-potties and could not have been any closer to the start of the trail. The folks that did not know this added at least an extra 2 miles to their hike.

TIP#2: There are no potties on the ice. DON’T drink fluids for the hours before you go, wait until you are off the ice. A beer at lunch is NOT a good idea.

TIP#3: The 4th porta-potty on both sides is heated.  Kidding… but just by saying that I started a line at the portables for potty #4. That was fun.

We were both wearing red and thought that would make us easy to find if we were to fall through, but once on the ice there was really no fear of that.

The first cliff you come to is very impressive and sets the tone for the rest of the shoreline walk. Here there were dozens of kids climbing on and around the ice and sliding down where possible. It was quite a bit further before we found a go-into cave, and go in we did. belly wiggling our way through. Once in, there was plenty of room to sit-up and enough light through the ice to see the wonder we were surrounded by. Goldie took a narrated video of this section, if she publishes it, I will link to it here.

We walked further on and found more and more curves, cliffs and  iced embankments. Kids were tucked into every nook and cranny. It was great fun.

But… The fun ended when we had to come back. It was a wind-in-your face-like-a-brick-wall return trip. Winds were screaming at us at over 20 mph and we had to walk a mile + back to parking in the soft, unpacked, newly fallen snow. That was hard. Not impossible. But really hard. And my head gear wouldn’t stay on with the winds. But there were folks much worse off on the return than us, the mom with two kids she was pulling in a sled. I wanted to cry for her. And the dogs. Goodness there were a lot of dogs on the trail. They were not a problem in anyway, but I don’t think any of them liked it as much as their owners might have thought them too. It was cold and difficult and they were all on short leashes, not dog fun.

TIP #5: We saw many people with snowshoes and on the soft snow, that was probably a good idea. Cross country skis too. But, I think most of the time the “trail” is hard packed and then the snow shoes would be more hindering. If you have a choice and it has just snowed, wait a day or two or three. It will get hard packed again.

Bravo! We made it! More to follow in another post….

Another Weather Post?

Baby, It’s cold outside!

How boring can you get? Another weather post. Well, that’s what we have here, Remarkable Weather and I am remarking on it.

Today started out beautifully, stunning sunny day and crisp as can be. I layered up and went out too rescue the Dodge Dakota that I ‘parked” in a snow drift last night. The wind was crazily billowing the white stuff all over the place, such that I could hardly see. It also dropped it in all new places that I didn’t expect so turning around put me thigh deep in it and the truck wasn’t coming out so quick last night. Today with all this sunshine should be a different story.

The first time out my cheeks were colder than they have ever been. I think I froze my root canal fluid. I got my shoveling done and turned over the Dakota but did not get it out. When I came back inside Victor was just getting up and wanted to know how cold it was. I didn’t know the number for the cold and thought that was probably the best way to go about the day. Dress in the warmest you have an pray it’s enough.

Well, that wasn’t enough for him. He had to know the number. Me I don’t want to know. Sort of like my weight. When it doesn’t feel good, I don’t get on the scale. Oh, well, I look it up. -13. Do you know what that did for my day? Ended it. Totally ended it. I didn’t want to go out another time. I just wanted to curl up with a good book under the covers in the toasty loft. No such luck.

Now that we know the number (-13) we HAVE to fix the cold pipes over in #5. Really? Really? Today? Really? Yes. Really. In a show of solidarity, I bundle up and join him outside again. I go to the bathroom before we leave, I don;t want my pee to freeze in me. Gross, but I have to think of these things……Else? What? Who wants to learn what might otherwise happen. Not me. I pee.

Today we did get the Dakota out, but did not get the cold pipes warmed. We have scheduled that for Wednesday when it should be a balmy 16 ABOVE zero. For now I just laugh and wait until tomorrow when I can be more productive, only -6 predicted. Yes,we can get lots more done tomorrow.

PS: I have been playing around with a special where you pay the temperature. Haven’t figured it out yet, but it intrigues me. Today I would have paid you $13 to stay here? I must remain at the drawing board for this one, I haven’t got it quite nailed down yet.

Specials that REALLY are!

That up north pine look is cozy any season

We run specials at Cedaroma Lodge every time we think of a new one. Sometimes the motivation comes from a guest, like today’s new special: Crab Apples and Crappies. You can click to it, it’s a lovely special!  Varying discounts based on length of stay from 5-20% off our single night rates for the month of May. And you can reserve motors or rent boats for half or more off with a 4 night or longer stay. I know that some of our annual guests are not snow lovers and they are dreaming of a warmer time and the colors of new blossoms. This one’s for them!

We have so many specials, we can’t get them all on the internet without confusing our internet vacationers. One of my favorites is the “Make Me an Offer” special, but I had to take it down today, there are just too many. But, know that if you know about MMAO, I will listen to your pitch, the opportunity isn’t gone, just the marketing of it.

Oh, yes, then we come to our winter offers, neat. I thought we hit a home run with the weather guarantee. Our traveling snow lovers did not. Well, we learned that lesson. You want the weather guarantee WITH discounts. We did it with our standard pricing and discounted to those who didn’t want the weather guarantee. (Weddings & Funerals, Anniveraries & Reunions, Event Travel… they have to come in spite of the weather) Okay, that one won’t get replayed next year.

So, look at the two we are getting business with, the 15% discount and the $33pp mid week package. Good stuff both. We like them and so do our guests. You can see a comparison of the winter specials online, scroll down the page:

On the more unique, specialty side of the special equation is our program for groups in the offseason with rates over 50% discounted. While you can’t go wrong with this one. t/here is only a small number of people for whom this one would appeal. Maybe that’s you?

The 8 day week is another good one. Take your vacation at Memorial and Labor Days and we will GIVE you that 8th day. How cool is that! It is so simple. Book your week, take the extra day on us.

Well that summarizes our current published specials. If you have one you would like to see us run, Pitch Me! Lynn@Cedaroma.com

What’s next

I feel like a spring blossom

Now in Wisconsin 15 months, I have just this year started going to things. Hard to believe, as involved as I was in California how long it has taken me to start jumping back into it. I think it was the shock of the unexpected change. I still needed that year to acclimatize to the concept of the move. Especially important since it was really nowhere in my vision of the future. Well, now that I am convinced that I am here, and Victor too, though I think is relationship to Wisconsin has been much quicker because he got a job outside of the home and actually sees people every day! New fresh faces to interact with.

You remember I did get out to the weekly Bingo this last summer and loved it, but there hasn’t been much since. I have gone to the Vilas County Tourism Commission meetings 3 of the last 4 months and plan to continue that. But while somewhat informative, these meetings are not mentally stimulating. This month, though, I have hit the region hard. Lunch & Learn is a 9 week program every other Wednesday and I went to the first one and found some mind stimulating discussion! Yippee! And plan to attend next week Wednesday also.

Well that just led to me looking for more thinkers to interact with! I went to a class on Tuesday in Rhinelander at Nicolet Tech, time management. Guess what, again stimulating… but all information that has crossed my path before…. AND it still isn’t old. I just need to get back into better time habits. So easy to put things off when there are no real deadlines.

Oh, and then what? Another class on Wednesday night, a business consultation on Thursday and I am enrolling in a 12 week program that starts next Thursday and runs through April. I feel like a budding flower and just needed the calendar to turn over to 2014 to get started. OH, look out Up North, I have woken up! LOL

Well, that’s what I am up to, what about you?

Epiphany or should I say Icepiphany?

This is how it’s done though I recommend a RED jacket if we have to find you under the snow

Nice word. I always kind of wondered if I would have one or not. Today I did.

I was roof raking, again pondering the sanity of it. Not quite getting why I am pulling the snow off the roof that isn’t causing the problem, its the snow above that is melting and refreezing. Then it suddenly hits me like a baseball bat upside the head… Duh. All the snow over the eaves is what turns into the block of ice that the snow above, when melted can’t get around and so heads up the roof, following the path of least resistance, up the shingles and into the house!

Get it? It took me a whole winter to figure this out and many roof shovelings too. Now that I get it, I shall be ever so much more vigilant, though perhaps too late for this year? I hope not!

10 survival tips for the coldest day of your life

Coldest day survival tips

Have you ever known ahead of time that a certain day was going to be the  _______  of your life? Fill in the blank with: worst, longest, happiest….? Well I knew going into today that it was going to be the coldest day of my life, and I have indeed had some very cold days, living in UP NORTH, Wisconsin as I do.

How does one prepare for the coldest day, when even the days leading up to that one date are cold in themselves? Do you just wing a monumental day such as this, Coldest one?

Well, I can tell you I did a little preparation:

1. Check your calendar. If you have an appointment in the “Big City” of say, Wausau, (an hour and a half away) reschedule it! Especially since the roads one travels to get there are not overly busy and if there is a problem, you only have minutes in the elements to handle it before your brain freezes over.

2. Fill your car with gas. This serves two purposes. First, if you have a problem on the road a full tank of gas can keep that heater going a very long time. Ideally, long enough for help to arrive. Secondly, if you are low on gas and there is even a little water in the tank, that water can freeze and cause problems. If your tank is full the problems are greatly reduced.

3. If your husband invites you to go shopping because all the stores will be empty of shoppers, decline.

4. If it has recently snowed, shovel BEFORE the coldest day gets here. If you have a pumphouse or other such that must be clear if there is a problem, shovel it, chip the ice out, clear it. You do not want to have to do this job on the coldest day of your life if you do have to get into the pump house to turn off the water main if you have a pipe burst. And just when do you think they are most likely to do this bursting? Why on the coldest day of the year, of course!

5. Start your car every once in a while. Let it run a bit. Sure you will use a little gas, but you will also know that it can still start when you need it to.

6. Teach your dog where to go potty. Go with him for a few weeks, monitor him closely. Show him pee/poo areas so he has complete confidence that he can handle the task without your guidance on the big day.

7. Things you schedule for certain days can be done earlier, or later. I suggest earlier so you don’t have them nagging on you and you can just enjoy the coldest day o the year knowing the trash is already out or whatever the task is you do on that day of the week, pick up the mail, wash the car, windex the doors, rake the roof… do it all early.

8. Call your mom. It’s probably the coldest day of her life too and she will be worried about you.

9. Stay inside, this is a perfect day to start planning your next holiday… Think warm locations!

10. Take a nap. It seems so naughty other times of the year, but a home stay on the coldest day of the year just screams nap!

Above all else stay warm!

Enjoy, only two more days just like this one! Cold. One more thing to note…. It might look beautiful out there, sunshining and all. But beware…. Hold tight, stay in and warm!

Everything you wanted to know about Shoveling

Red Jacketed Snow Shoveler, but not me.

I am a shoveler. Yes, Yes I am. While Victor is perfectly comfortable blowing snow from the warmth of the cab of his John Deere tractor, I, being the more earthy of the two of us, get a real warming out of buttoning up in my warmest red outer gear and grabbing the closest shovel to toss off a few inches of the white stuff blanketing our porches and walkways. To tread where no tractor dares!

This being my second year as chief shoveler, I have learned a few tricks of the trade I would like to share with you.

1. Don’t shovel into the wind. This is a lesson I should not have had to learn twice.. Okay. Got it? I thought I did too, but this afternoon my shovel full of snow was picked up and blown directly into my down-wind, upward-posed face as I watched my toss hurl back on me. Let me save you the bitter cold shock of making this mistake.

2. It is a good idea to be ambidextrous with your shoveling so as to not bulk up on one side and hobble around like Igor from Frankenstein.

3. Do not walk where you are planning to next shovel. Your weight will make a crushed patch of snow that won’t shovel up. Shovel first, then walk.

4. Sometimes a shovel is not the best tool for shoveling. Sometimes a simple broom and a sweep can get the job done. We have had the lightest airiest snow this season, very conducive to sweeping. Also, if you are looking to power tool the task, if it is light and blowing you can you the leaf blower. This does make the job somewhat more interesting, but definitely not quicker, not really slower either. No edge on timing.

5. Get your homecoming prepared before you leave. Simmer water for tea. Turn the fireplace on. Make it so you are in an position of instantly warming up upon return from the frozen tundra we  know as outside.

6. I can’t really afford the warmest jackets hot of the rack of our local clothing store…. But I can afford the warmest jacket from our local thrift shop and have one that I love to use for my shoveling days. It’s bright red so I won’t get lost in the snow and it has a hood. VERY important. No scarf or layers of scarves will ever replace a good hood. But you can add a scarf to a good hood.

7. Enjoy the free health club benefits of the snow removal ritual. You are working every muscle, especially if you follow tip #2. You can even shovel when you don’t have to if you want to keep the exercise ruse up without anyone the wiser.

8. Do not replace the newly lost calories with sweets and hot drinks like cocoa. Go straight to shots for the quickest warm-up.

That completes about as senseless a post as any. Although these are  good tips, most folks I know aren’t bound to a snow zone quite like we have gotten ourselves into. Laugh with me, Okay? I am really still laughing.

My sister was right

It’s the biggest lakefront cabin with a super view!

But she will never know that I said that. She doesn’t follow my posts, blog, facebook or other, so I am fairly confident that I am safe in saying that.

As sisters go, Annie is pretty cool. Perfectly opposite me. If you have met her you would recognize it immediately. Well, Annie has been telling me to stop sleeping around. Pick a cabin and stay there. Take the big house. Enjoy #7. Manage from #3. Spread out in #5… Live in whichever one I like best, but stop moving around. She said my life will be more balanced when I have a place to call home. blah blah blah.

And she was right. Here I am back in #7 and I just love it. Victor does too.  He won’t admit it, but he does. Even the dog with a dozen names likes it better and is exhausted from all the play space here.

Now, I know this is a public blog, so I don’t want my Cabin #7 guests to worry, your reservations are confirmed and solid. We will move out again when the time comes, tickled to see you all again! But for now, it is soooo much better being here than in our little place up at the front—which is perfect for the summer when we spend all of our time outside… But for now, with this cold, it is lovely being in a full sized house type space… WITH LAUNDRY! Thank you Annie for the encouragement. I plan to continue moving around, as the season requires, but I will always make #7 my Not-Summer home.

Maybe we will build a real home of our own on one of the lots above the resort. That might be fun to actually have a space I don’t move into and out of twice a year. It will be small though, I don’t much like to dust.