Indholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2022 i Country

EVERY CHRISTMAS my three sisters (Donna, Barb, Sandy) and I meet at the Herrick House & Mulberry Cafe in Clare, Michigan, the center of the state. After savoring a delicious homecooked meal followed by slices of pie (the buttermilk pie is a local favorite), we spend more than an hour looking at the one-of-a-kind gifts on two levels within the converted home. It’s well worth our time and a perfect location to come together and celebrate.…

CRESTED BUTTE, CO Just outside the Victorian homes and antique streetlights of quaint Crested Butte lie more than 30 miles of nicely groomed trails through woodlands and meadows. Get your trail pass at the Crested Butte Nordic Center. cbnordic.org BETHEL, ME Ski 34 miles through wooded glens, along rivers and over mountains to experience the ultimate New England ski retreat. Stop at family-run Carter’s XC Ski Center for affordable trail passes, lessons or rentals. cartersxcski.com WINTHROP, WA Touted as the largest cross-country trail system in America, Methow Trails invites you to ski four areas of well-groomed terrain through picturesque landscapes with incredible views, all connected by the Methow Community Trail. methowtrails.org…

Her own fortitude and an abundance of support from friends and strangers kept her going as she and her canine companion, Diggins, conquered everything from frigid temperatures and raging winds to fatigue, pain, ice and knee-deep snow to complete the “thousand-miler” trek. “The temps are finally up!” Emily posted at one point on her Instagram account. “The cold weather was a rough go for a bit. My lungs protested every single day, but I couldn’t not hike! “I still have all of my fingers and toes, but some are turning fun colors.” With updates like that, plus regional and national news coverage along the way, the 28-year-old Ford, from Duluth, Minnesota, saw her Instagram account grow from a couple of hundred followers at the start of her hike to more…

Order Up! Voted the Best Breakfast in the Adirondacks by Adirondack Life magazine, Walt’s Diner in Old Forge serves up enormous pancakes and giant omelets. You can always count on a great meal, friendly staff and homemade pie. waltsdiner.com Adirondack Art The rich heritage of art in the Adirondacks is celebrated at the View Center for Arts and Culture, which hosts exhibitions, workshops, performances and events. Take classes in pottery, basket-making, jewelry/metal working and glass. The annual Quilts Unlimited exhibition held in the fall is a favorite. Snow Play The views from atop McCauley Mountain are breathtaking any time of the year. When the powder falls, there are 21 ski trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. It’s the perfect place for winter fun. mccauleyny.com Movie House Magic Opened…

THE MOVING LYRICS of “The Old Rugged Cross” have rung out from churches across the country for decades. The hymn, penned by Rev. George Bennard, was first sung publicly at a 1913 revival in a small Methodist church in Pokagon, Michigan. The structure, originally built in 1862 as a hops barn and converted to a church in 1876, was sold to a farmer who, in 1915, converted it back to a livestock barn. Subsequent years brought about disrepair and vacancy until Molly and Robert Shaffer bought the barn in 1998. They formed The Old Rugged Cross Foundation and raised more than $1 million for the building’s restoration, which was completed in 2019. Now the church serves as a museum dedicated to preserving this treasured hymn’s history, and the sanctuary hosts…

COLORADO Georgetown looks a lot like a Christmas postcard. Combine snow, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, horse-drawn wagon rides, a procession of caroling children and around 25 merchants selling handmade goods, and you have the makings for one seriously charming holiday event. georgetown-colorado.org PENNSYLVANIA Known as Christmas City, Bethlehem hosts a traditional European Christkindlmarkt that features about 150 craftspeople, along with authentic ornaments and collectibles from Germany. Visits with St. Nick, live music, and a station to write and send letters to the North Pole keep faces smiling. But perhaps niftiest of all is the Hot Glass Experience, when visitors have a chance to make their own Bethlehem star. DiscoverLehigh Valley.com GEORGIA If you really want to feel like you’ve taken a step back in time, head to Helen.…

A snow day in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is special, and with the park just a quick skip from my home in Michigan, I bask in its stunning scenery any time I can. After a winter storm, the coated tree branches glint like chandeliers above the trails, and the snow-cloaked dunes dazzle like diamonds. The 71,199 glacier-carved acres encompass a 35-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline (on the mainland), plus forests, rivers, islands, inland lakes and pioneer farms. The park’s sugar-sand beaches, dune vistas and trails beckon summertime tourists, but when the cold weather comes to town, those well-trekked spots become more solitary. In the winter hush, with only the satisfying crunch of snow underfoot, you can’t help but feel as if you’re in a secret world. But…

NESTLED IN THE HILLS of northern Pennsylvania lies Wellsboro, my hometown. Widely known for its quaint Americana charm and reputation as the town that saved Christmas during World War II, Wellsboro will take you back to a simpler time and place. Traditional gaslights line Main Street, highlighting the distinctive look of the town’s historical district. From the diner to our traditional Green, Wellsboro’s Main Street is appealing. Add in some vintage specialties with a sprinkle of first-class arts and entertainment, and my town shines. Summer is delightful and fall is fantastic, but winter is my favorite time of year! That’s when holiday decorations sparkle and the town just glows. Its snowy beauty is unsurpassed. Mix in the winter festivities, and you will find us especially welcoming. Take a look at…

Most people hang up their kayaks when autumn approaches, but I am not most people. I started kayaking at age 28 when I lived in Fargo, North Dakota. I know—who would guess that a person would learn how to kayak while living in the flatlands? A local sporting goods store held kayaking demonstrations on the Red River, and that’s where I learned how to paddle. From that moment on, I was hooked! That was in 1999, and I have been paddling ever since. I have a 12-foot kayak I use on smaller water, such as rivers and creeks, but I use my 17-foot kayak for larger water, mostly on Rainy Lake in Minnesota, where I grew up and now live. Rainy River was right outside my front door, so I…

THRILL-SEEK Sled the colossal Dune Climb. Those who scale its sheer 284-foot-high face with a saucer or inflatable tube in tow will be rewarded with one wild ride. The steep climb up is no joke—it will take your breath away, as will the snow-globe views. BIRD-WATCH Birds that breed in the Arctic or the boreal forests of Canada spend the winter here. The snow-covered dunes and shoreline resemble their tundra homes and are great habitats for snowy owls and snow buntings. MOON-GAZE Seek out one of the park’s frozen inland lakes on a clear night. There is plowed access to the water’s edge at several of the boat launches.…

I LIVE IN WHITEFISH, Montana, amid some of the most beautiful country in the northern Rockies. Snow transforms my backyard into a winter playground, where we hit the slopes with humor (left) and sometimes travel by the “speed of dog sled” (above). North of town, my good friends at Dog Sled Adventures take folks for rides through the forest. I always enjoy seeing the dogs—their howling serenades the season. ALL’S QUIET on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. Christmas decorations shimmer in the early morning light, which casts an inviting glow on the slopes of Big Mountain. This perfect winter sunrise and seasonal setting remind me of the North Pole. THOUGH WINTER is long, we liven things up during the Whitefish Winter Carnival, held the first weekend in February. The parade…

Our Adirondack Mountain winters are cold, snowy and long. Cabin fever and COVID-19 restrictions made last winter seem even longer! I was itching to get outside, get some exercise and do something when I heard that Moose River Farm in Old Forge offers llama trekking. I really had no idea what llama trekking was, but I was intrigued enough to find out more. So my husband, Chris, and I, along with three of our granddaughters (Delaney, Tegan and Paisley), bundled up in snow pants, heavy coats, boots, hats and mittens and set out to investigate on a cold, sunny winter day. Through the snow and into the woods, we headed to Moose River Farm. ANIMAL MEET AND GREET Before we met our llamas and went trekking, we toured the farm…

• Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that fits well.• Bring along a GoPro, cellphone or digital camera to record your adventures.• Technology and water don’t mix. Pack cellphones and GPS equipment in dry bags or waterproof containers.• Don’t remove the adjustable rings on the shafts of kayak paddles. The rings help stop water from running down the shaft onto your lap.• Use kayak skirts (waterresistant covers that slip over your head, cinch around the waist and stretch tightly around the cockpit) to help stop water from entering a sit-in kayak.• Wear comfortable clothing made of wicking fabric.• Always bring water or a water filtration system.• If kayaking in the evening or at night, wear a headlamp so you are visible to boaters and so you can see…