Up North Treasury

Aaaaaah, summer. Today in Wisconsin, the weather is perfect. The terrible heat and humidity has lifted and we can finally turn off the air conditioners and open our windows. The sky is cloudless blue and the breeze is light. It makes me think of going up north to the cabins. Oh yeah, there's nothing like taking a break from the metro area and crossing the line between deciduous and pine about halfway up the state.

We won't make it up there this year, so in wistfulness, I will share my "Up North" Etsy treasury which evokes many of those rustic, camping at the cabin feelings.  And for those of you who don't know what an Etsy treasury is, it's just a collection or curated list of items for sale on Etsy - not usually items for sale by the treasury maker - that's considered bad form.  It's possible the Etsy folks could choose your treasury for their front page (changed on the hour), but it's never happened to me.  At any given time there are over 20,000 treasuries on Etsy.  Making themed treasuries is fun and can be very addictive.  I've seen treasuries based on colors, places, shapes, ideas - you name it!  People get very creative.

Actually, if you click on an item below, it will take you to the listing page of that item on Etsy. 

'Up Nort' Wisconsin' by RubyLemons

LAKE HOUSE shabby w... ShabtownSigns $14.99	I Changed My Mind V... RomanceWriter $2.50	Pinecone: nature in... HeatherlyDesig... $24.00	Antique Enamelware ... cabinwindows $38.00
Wonderful Vintage I... vintagecreeksi... $75.00	Summer Swim 8"... LizBoston $20.00	Vintage Wild West A... Fynd $15.00	Sage Green Cabin Cr... alorasadorable... $16.50
Vintage Modern Chil... Iheartvintageh... $245.00	wms 9 mens 8 vtg au... oklaragbottomt... $39.99	Rustic Wall Hook TheBentTreeGal... $12.00	8x12 Door County f2images $25.00
Vintage Camping and... FruFruFleaMark... $45.00	Coleman Camping Jug JuliaJan $15.00	Vintage DECO BAKELI... lacreeperie $23.00	Muskie Fishing Lure... MoonPhaseMuski... $28.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

I hope you're having a relaxing summer

and having at least a few

of those "up north" moments.

You Know You're "Up North" when...

"Up North." I grew up hearing that designation as everyone's destination for a summer getaway. Up north to the cottage. Up north to the cabin. Up north to the lake. Everyone always went "up north." And that's just where we've been --  thanks to kind friends who lent us the use of their cabins on the Paint River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Where is "up north?" Well, I suppose it could be anywhere north of where you're standing, but I have always held that "up north" in Wisconsin doesn't begin until about 45 degrees latitude - generally any point parallel with Wausau.

That's when the landscape starts to change from rolling farmlands dotted with cow pastures and red barns to dense forests - some loaded with rows of telephone pole pines planted back in the 30s and 40s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Yep, "up north" is like going to another country... remote, beautiful, and peaceful.

But you don't need a map to know when you're officially up north.  Nosiree. You just need to know a few common sense indicators and landmarks.  Besides the nearest town having only one movie showing, how do you know when you're "up north?" 

You know you're up north when...

tree stumps are carved into decorative lawn features.

You know you're up north when...

old rusted out trucks seem picturesque.

You know you're up north when...

you see 1950s googie-style national forest signs.

You know you're up north when...

the trees look like they dipped their feet in moss.

You know you're up north when...

you see notes like this on the mouse-proof food cabinet.

You know you're up north when...

interior decor gets folksy. 

You know you're up north when...

working a puzzle is a mandatory part of your day.

You know you're up north when...

cabin architecture is whimsical...

and furnishings can become valuable collectibles...

and antiques.

You know you're up north when...

the river calls you daily.

You know you're up north when...

the fam thinks a mine tour and eating pasties

is a cool way to spend a few hours...

 

 ...and an old 8-bit Michael Jackson video game

is more fun than the latest Wii offering.

 You know you're up north when...

waterfalls are spectacular...

and beautiful.

And of course, last of all:  You know you're up north when...

VINTAGE FABRIC curtains are still in everyday use!
(You knew I'd get something about vintage fabric in this post, didn't you?)

Oh for a Road Trip...

Call it cabin fever or winter boredom, but when I was working in iPhoto this morning, I caught sight of some summer vacation pictures and I couldn't help clicking through them and reliving our late August road trip taking Chelsea out to BYU.  

I love a good road trip.  Maybe it harks back to my childhood when we drove from Wisconsin to Texas every year to visit relatives, but I don't mind the hours of watching the road pass under my wheels.

 

On those Texas trips, I remember the peacock chenille bedspreads hanging on the clotheslines outside of souvenir shops in the Ozarks, but now we head west instead of south and that opens up new sights for my travelers eyes.

Crossing the mighty Mississip.

Water towers that look like coffee pots.

The Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.

And the covered with corn

Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.

We counted at least 75 Wall Drug signs.

The incredibly good Badlands.

...and you know if we stopped at the Spam Museum,

we're not gonna pass up Wall Drug!

Mt. Rushmore inspired us all.

The Switchbacking, narrow roads

of the Needles Highway in South Dakota

did nothing for my fear of heights.

The pigtail bridges.

One lane tunnels blasted through

solid granite before 1922.

Beautiful Sylvan Lake.

What a treat to hear Chelsea play
the rickety grand piano in the historic
Sylvan Lake Lodge where we stayed.

Getting stuck in a bison jam.

Feeding carrots to a band of friendly burros in Custer State Park.

oops...

After all the sightseeing along the way, we did finally accomplish our mission of getting Chelsea out to school.  Thanks for taking my little memory lane road trip with me.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get a blanket and turn up the thermostat.