My brother and his wife have 80 acres in northernmost Wisconsin, near Bayfield, next to Lake Superior. I hadn't seen them since they bought the old farm in 2020. Recently, my mom flew in from Alaska and we made our way up there. Above is a picture of the private cabin they had waiting for me. Yes, that is an hula-hoop dreamcatcher and a Buddha statue. The place had heat, electricity, and wifi. The outhouse was 20 feet away. It wasn't just comfortable. It was luxurious.
We arrived at night and socialized for a while. The next day, I woke to find everyone hauling and stacking firewood. I joined in and we did this for several hours, tossing and stacking heavy chunks of oak and maple. My mom said it was like handling parcels at the Post Office where she works. Above is my mom, brother, and sister-in-law standing in front of our handiwork.
To get across the vast property, we rode ATVs. Above is my brother looking back to make sure we were all still behind him. Below is my sister-in-law and I. She managed to wave while I didn't realize a picture was being taken.
There are apple and berry orchards on the farm, as well as chickens that keep getting eaten by weasels, eagles, and possibly coyotes. My brother and his wife aren't farming full time. They both have other jobs and they're also partners in an awesome art gallery in Washburn, WI In his spare moments, my brother studies the sawmill below and the tractor that powers it.
Overall, this was a great trip. We all told stories and got caught up, sitting around a campfire under a sky untouched by light pollution. One of the funnier moments was when we were getting ready to cook some burgers and the grill turned out to be full of cute little mice. Below is a video of my mom and brother making that discovery.
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