Travels with Women Friends

By M. Leth-Soerensen
Sun staff writer
In the midst of our busy lives — buzzing traffic, too many visitors and our children’s, partners’ or employers’ needs — we seek the company of other women and escape to a quiet place for the purpose of respite. We wish to have fun, talk well, and long for serene and beautiful landscapes.

I travel with two women friends to my camp in Ontario, Canada. One is a painter, the other a master gardener and knitter; women with an eye for landscape, beauty and good laughter. We leave the highly developed Michigan coastline and travel north on I-75 past simple dwellings of people who often need two jobs to make ends meet. Behind us is Mancelona, and fresh memories of a luscious wedding on the Pine River and a reception in an almost century old, un-remodeled schoolhouse surrounded by only gravel roads, fields and trees.
Within a few hours we pass two stunning and powerful bridges, symbols of human endeavors and powerful engineering. I always enjoy crossing the Canadian border and explaining to the customs officer that I’m going to my camp while showing him my passport. As a Dane this is a reminder of my status: “alien spouse” of an American. When I come back an American officer will look at my green card, though after 22 years, the picture doesn’t look much like me anymore. The thought always crosses my mind that I in my 80s will still show this same picture of a young 20th century immigrant in her mid 20s, and everyone will believe that this is still me.
We travel a rocky and winding rough road past dark pink fireweeds and patches of ripe delicious looking raspberries calling to be picked. When we arrive at the camp we do all the “manly things” like hooking up the refrigerator and building a sauna. We jump in that delicious lake in our birthday suits, one of us hesitantly so, but convinced by the spirit of the moment. There is no one else here but the neighboring beavers, the loon couple, and a mink that lives under the sauna building. All these creatures don’t mind human nakedness. The water is smooth and rich. My biologist daughter calls this water eutrophic. It’s full of life and some would likely find it unappealing given the richness of microbiology, and would rather frequent the chlorine-altered swimming pool. Despite our love for this simplicity we dine on freshly made pesto and honey-roasted ham and drink Greek Retsina wine. The view is stunning from the screened porch on our little cabin. We see three islands in the lake and only one other cottage quite far away. A loon swims up to our dock, and my friend excites in watching this graceful bird so close up. A large bird with a tremendous wingspan swoops down over the lake and we know that we have seen a young eagle.
One of my friends has recently gone through cancer treatment and her body is just growing hair again. She looks beautiful in her colorful scarves, and her slim body entering the water projects life wisdom through hard-learned lessons. I’m enamored by this woman’s ability to paint what she perceives. One of her sketches will adorn the log cabin and remind us of this visit. My other friend knows the flora of the bog around us and points out the surrounding edible plants.
“This place is only ours to steward and share and not to keep” the former owner of this paradise wrote in his welcoming note to us. Our partner wrote a lovely note in the guest book while visiting the privy in the woods the first time we came here, which was possibly significant in their deciding to sell this place to us.
We also started the tradition of a guest book when we purchased this place a year ago. I brought a group of suburban teenage girls here last fall and they contributed loving notes about new experiences and a rarely found camaraderie.
We especially enjoy artists and youthful souls visiting. A young family painted a cabinet that needed restoration, and their daughter Jessie’s fourth birthday was celebrated here. She and her brother’s foot and hand prints adorn this piece of furniture. We carry few worries when we are here, and only submit to nature. We ask everyone to leave footprints that offer any kind of small token or a gift to improve this place for others.
Being with trusted women in an intimate setting such as this is a powerful experience. Revelation and vulnerability is expressed and we feel free to discuss and share what comes to mind. We strategize about the issues we struggle with in our families or with our mates at home, and find listening ears. This intimacy can be challenging and emotions we do not yet master may get the better of us. Unexpected reactions do arise. We talk then and later and exchange emails, phone talks and cards among us.
Having recently joined the ranks of women in their 50s, I wish to stretch my comfort-zone and will seek emotional growth while moving into a phase of my life where the mirror reveals a new era and where new challenges lie ahead. This trip is a helpful steppingstone to ease and celebrate this transition.