The sound of the highway whirred in our ears as we whizzed by the fields of home which slowly turned into skyscrapers and the familiarity of my hometown suburbia. The skyscrapers and familiarity melted away as lakes appeared and trees grew tall. The rows of corn became rows of houses and the rows of houses became rows of pines. The car came around the bend in the gravel road, canopied by trees; in front of our eyes, a little cabin in the woods appeared and all uncertainties and worries subsided. 

The rain held off for 3 days, giving us permission to walk on footpaths beneath the trees and run our hands through the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi. We hiked the North Country, swarmed by mosquitoes, in the wrong direction for 4 miles. Eventually we realized our mistake and turned around; the woods are kind and forgiving. The puppies earned their titles as trail dogs; their little paw pads trekked over fallen trees and trodden dirt for miles. Their tongues hung out, in love with the trail. The thick fur on their bodies collected a hundred ticks. “Tell me your secrets,” I whispered to Millie, wondering where the pests were hiding. Jacob picked them off her legs and I tried my best to overcome my fears and help. 

We played board games for hours and sat around the fire with two good friends. We cooked and shared meals. We laughed and talked about life. Memories were made and trips were planned. A husky and a german shepherd became best of friends. They played for hours on end, chewing bones together, sharing their water dishes and taking naps by each other. The puppies woke each other up in the mornings and followed each other around the little cabin in the woods. 

The woods swayed beneath rain, saying goodbye to us as the little cabin in the woods became smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. Millie slept the entire car ride, a sign we did something right. The lakes swallowed up and the trees shrunk. The skyscrapers rose and fell and we returned to the fields of home. We went North, and we can’t wait to be back.

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Check out some photos from up North here!