My COVID Chronicles - Our little shack
Hey there, it’s me again. Just checking in after a few days at the cabin. A quick visual below. It’s nothing fancy but we still pinch ourselves and we love it all the same. As you can see it’s not the kind of cabin with a guest house, 6 bedrooms, and a dishwasher. There is no running water in the winter, and no furnace. We do love going out there and roughing it. It’s so tranquil and beautiful, especially in the winter.
It is our first year of cabin ownership. Hence the lack of seasonal winter photos.
The fireplace keeps us toasty warm. Oh and did you know there is such thing as a toilet seat that snaps onto a 5 gallon pail?
Yup there is. It’s quite comfortable. And there are bags special made for what you do when you sit on that old 5 gallon pail, strategically placed in our bathroom.
It’s our little shack on the lake.
We stayed there for as many days as we could muster with no shower, limited water, grocery supplies, and a shit pail.
Sorry for the visual.
I’m still having waves of crushing anxiety combined with dooms day scenario’s ripping through my brain. I have an involuntary eye twitch that has just returned. Mostly I just worry about the financial impact of all this.
I’m really trying to subdue this foreboding trepidation with something other than weed and wine.
Just kidding.. I also do yoga and I love to get outdoors, but somedays the need to self medicate is just too strong ;)
But out here, you could almost forget about that world wide pandemic spreading across our planet. Isolating was a whole lot easier. Especially the way we smelled. Just kidding we don’t smell. Well, maybe a bit.
Jasmine
Jasmine looks up at her mama
This sweet old girl had a photo session with her family the other day. But we all know who the star of the show really was. She probably doesn’t have many more Christmas’s left and so we made sure she got some special treatment.
I am a animal lover, and this old girl had my heart.
Such a beauty
Happi'Ness
Our little slice of HappiNess
It’s true, this place could be a metaphor for happiness. Depending on your level or need, for urbanism.. This may or may not, be your cup of Starbucks. But for myself and bae ( I’ve always wanted to say that ) it is pretty damn soul filling in all its’ snowy winter wonderland, back to nature splendour.
For me this, Ness Creek mini mid winter get away, was just what the doctor ordered. Metaphorically speaking. Frigid temperatures and all.
Our little cabin was perfect and had everything we needed, aside from a bathroom and running water. If you’re into that kind of thing. I mean, whatever.
Not to worry there are flushing toilets and hot showers in another building just a hop skip and a jump away. Maybe two hops, but not far I promise.
There was plenty of cosy heat provided by some electric heaters and a fresh water jug in our kitchenette. I absolutely loved the wall wisdom, hand written with marker or pencil, on the walls and ceiling throughout the cabin.
A few steps away there was a community cabin called Ness Quarters with a washer/dryer and a fully equipped kitchen for communal use.
I brought a slow cooker, why is this something I needed to share? Well, let me tell you - In times of limited kitchen facilities, this or an insta pot can be your one- stop -pot life saving Swiss Army knife. It also helps fill the gap with no BBQ’ing option because in -30, those little tin grills just can’t keep up.
Had mother nature been a little less manic we would have Barbecued for sure. Brad and I really do love our camping( please refer back to bae reference). So this was a perfect little getaway.
One of my favourite little spots amongst all the cozy cabins and Boreal Forest was the warm and comfy straw bale house. Resident care taker Perry kept the wood burning stove going through out the day and past my bedtime, which isn’t saying much. .
It was glorious and oh so warm. Pretty sure I just got a shiver there. This sweet little straw bale house comes equipped with a kettle, fridge, couches, vintage record player, and an arsenal of vinyl for your groovy listening pleasure. When one talks of vinyl records groovy is perfectly acceptable verbiage.
There is also a flat screen TV. But given where we were, and the purpose of our little get away, it just seemed wrong to engage. I think it would have killed that “remote cabin in the woods vibe” Besides we can watch tv at home right?
Wifi is available but I think it works best in Ness Quarters. We didn’t have much of a signal in our cabin, but the cell service was great.
Cross country ski’s and snowshoe rentals are available, and there are plenty of groomed trails for the light of heart, and hard core outdoorsman. Pick and choose your level of pain my friends.
I really wanted to snowshoe but given the temperatures I was talked out of it. Ok fine, not much persuasion was needed.. so we went on a small hike instead. Which I decided was probably harder than the frickin snow shoeing, being the snow was up to my damn knees, (hence the sole purpose of snow shoes) my ski pants were 2 sizes to big, and I felt like I was hiking in a space suit. It was ridiculous, and I need to burn them, never to be worn again. I shall banish them forever.
But all that aside we were submersed in the tranquility of a Northern forest with towering pines, and plenty of fresh air, I was at one with nature - and calories were burned.
The view from our cabin
Sometimes I forget just what Winter in the Sask can offer. I loved our little hike, caught up on some writing, read a book, and played some Scrabble. Perhaps snow shoeing or cross country skiing next time. Without the Ski pants.
We came, we saw, we kicked its’ ass - Sorry, I couldn’t resist. No ass was kicked, but if anyone remembers what movie that is from let me know in the comments below.
Our Ness Creek cabin was perfect and I really can’t wait to go back.
Side note for the “non” Saskatchewan readers - Numerous functions and annual music festivals are held out at Ness Creek in the summer months, when the air is not so Arctic. I hear it can be pretty busy. The beauty would remain the same, but I’m thinking the quality of mid winter tranquility could be affected. Regardless, I’ve never been in the summer months, so don’t take my word for it. I highly recommend arranging your own little adventure to this cool little gem, in Northern Saskatchewan.
Some buildings throughout Ness Creek camp
Thanks for the the love Ness Creek ♡
Frosty nose hair smiles-
xo
TD