There’s No Place like the Cabin on the River

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Guest contribution by Kim from Embracing Momminess

The scent of pine was rich in the air when I woke up that Saturday morning.  Although the air was cool outside, it was fresh.  I heard geese honk in the distance. It was 8:05 and Steve and the kids were still sleeping.  A cup of hot coffee in hand, I sat on the green wicker couch in the sun room and gazed out the window at the river. It felt so good to wake up at the cabin. 

My husband and I bought the cabin on the Au Sable five years ago from his parents who owned it for about 20 years before that.  Steve couldn’t wait to share the Michigan Northwoods experience that his grandparents introduced to him with his own children. 

From the time Steve and his brother and sisters were in grade school, they spent a good amount of their summers in Fairview, exploring the woods on the 80 acres that were home to his grandparents’ cabin.  His grandmother took them blueberry picking and bird watching while his grandfather taught him the finer points of deer hunting.

That morning, curled up on the couch, I felt so blessed.

"Mommy!" My son still in his dinosaur pajamas was standing in the doorway to the sun room that used to be the front door to the cabin as it existed fifty years ago.  "I’m awake! Dad is going to take me fishing."

"He’s going to take you fishing after we have breakfast." I said.

"He’s going to take me fishing now," he said, squishing up his face. He was on the verge of whining.  I knew I had to get food in tummy soon or all bets were off.

"Buddy, we’ll go fishing in a little bit." Steve walked into the room to hand me our little girl. Although she was only 16 months old, she had a mop of dark blond hair that made her look older.  I put my coffee on the table next to the couch, stood up, and took her. As she buried her head in my neck, I noticed the curls in the back were smashed from being slept on. I carried her back into the kitchen to get breakfast ready.

After a meal of blueberry pancakes (my husband’s favorite) and Fairview sausage, Steve and our son were dressed and ready for the river.  They were quite the pair. Steve was in his waders, fishing vest, and orange Detroit Tigers baseball cap. Our son was in his jean shorts, tee shirt and water shoes and carried his Spiderman fishing pole.  The rubber fish at the end of his hook bounced as he galloped across the lawn to the river.  Steve, with his fly rod, was in tow.

Our daughter sat in her highchair and supervised while I cleaned up the kitchen.  We didn’t have a dishwasher in the cabin, but I didn’t mind washing  the dishes by hand since there was a nice big window over the sink allowing me to look out at the river. 

I watched as father and son waded into the river and couldn’t help but smile. There it was; the love of the Au Sable being passed from one generation to the next. Just as my husband wanted.

About the Author:

Kim from Embracing Momminess
Before becoming a mom I was a product manager for a large American glass manufacturer. I loved my job. However, after I had my son, I gave up my professional career to be a stay at home mom. Since then I gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Even though being a mom is the hardest job I’ve ever done, I am embracing momminess and all its joys and challenges.