Easter on an Island

Sandhill cranes at the Madeline Island Marina

With the beautiful Wisconsin weather this spring I was thrilled to open the cabin early this year and travel to Madeline to spend Easter with the family. The first spring trip usually means a lot of cleaning for the mamma (me) but that doesn't shake me one bit.  This opening of the cabin means that summer is just around the corner and our summers on Madeline Island are the highlights in our lives.

It feels very much like a new beginning and especially to have this coincide with the Easter Holiday seemed uniquely special. I was looking forward to every Madeline moment, from reuniting with island friends to cleaning the winter dust off the dishes.  This morning I made my spring list of everything we need to stock the cabin for the upcoming summer (it was long) but even the idea of re-stocking made me slap happy.

Easter's highlight was capturing the sight of two Sandhill cranes at the Marina this morning.  I know its only the first of many lovely mornings where we experience daily beauty in this naturescape.

As we unlocked the cabin door and the smell of closed-up cabin hit us, one of my kids commented "I love that smell."  Two minutes my husband walked in, groceries in hand, and said the exact same thing.  I laughed, not because the smell of the closed up cabin is anything great, but because the familiarity of where we spend our happiest days smells good to all of us.