Ely 2025

The Holly Hour Blog has enough longevity now to have predictability!  July brings the annual Sven Saw Sister trip to Ely, Minnesota.  Our 2025 started on Sunday, July 13 with a return trip of Thursday July 17th.  I can’t say that the trip ended that day because our trips tend to linger with life for a few weeks after.  There are the sharing of photos, the return of whatever items to the proper owner, the little one-liners that still make sense to us and general conversation to debrief after sharing a special experience. 

Cabin #2 at Farm Lake Outpost carries tradition for our dogs too. When we arrive they wait in the car filled with anticipation as we unload the car.  When their turn comes, they check out all the familiar rooms in the cabin and wait once again for the green light to race down to the lakeside.  We are spoiled staying here, more often than not we have the grounds to ourselves.  The dogs can roam without being a disturbance, and we can rest without having dogs tethered to us.   Of course it was Holly who lost her privileges for short while.  I saw it coming but couldn’t run interference quick enough.  A father and young son were walking from their far end cabin towards the beach.  Holly was at our end, the far end with a huge dock separating them from her.  I knew the instant she knew a ‘little boy’ was on the premises, I swear she must have an internal radar scanning for little kids at all times.  Her neck stretched as high as a giraffe, scanning her search over the dock.  She zoned in, confirmed her sighting – and took off racing to the little boy.  The boy did what comes naturally, run the other way towards his dad.  I came in from the side and shouted to both Dad and boy that she is friendly, she wants to play.  I’m sure there was a moment of doubt in both Dad and boy but Holly flashed the wagging tail and did her face plant yoga pose looking up at the boy and all tension was let go.  Holly proceeded to nudge and rub against the boy, still being cautious but now flashing a little grin across his face.   I asked him if he had a dog, “not anymore” he said.  Dad interjected and said his favorite dog is Golden Retriever.  Holly and the boy spend a few more moments, sharing a boy & dog experience.  Then I led Holly away with an apology and a Thank You given on her behalf.  We left, me holding Holly’s collar as extra encouragement while she kept looking back to see if what just happened was real. 

The dogs had a full schedule of lake play, frisbees, car rides, walks, cabin time, eating and sleeping.  Keeping up with us on shopping days or exploring adventures often leads to extra time in the car with stop & go’s and potty breaks at odd places.  They tolerate it.  And know at some point, we will drive down the familiar dirt driveway to the cabin and they will have their turn to play and swim.

When I returned to my house, Kendra was outside of her grandma’s house playing with paper airplances that she had made.  I later learned that she is in a competition and was practicing the launch angle and landing.  I didn’t share with her what my mission was when I threw paper airplanes at her age.   Holly, as tired as she was, played soccer with Kendra while I unloaded and unpacked.  Kendra switched games at one point, something she had second thoughts about later.  She came to me and said ‘something awful happened’.  Me, rather concerned, asked what.  One of her paper airplanes took a wrong turn and landed on the garage roof.   I managed to get it down lassooing it with Holly’s long leash with a dog toy tied to the end of it.  While I was doing that, Kendra tossed more airplanes one of which landed in my yard within Holly’s sight.  She didn’t have chance to tell me something awful happened again.  We both watched as the airplane was ripped to shreads with pieces tossed into the air as a final statement.  Kendra has the wit of her grandma – she looked at me and softly said ‘and there were no survivors aboard.’   I was able to hand her the airplane I rescued as a peace offering for the one that Holly destroyed.   She finished launching airplanes in her grandparents yard while Holly sat as a spectator looking through the fence.  Her aim improved considerably during this practice session! 

Trips to Ely are filled with adventures, that is somewhat expected.  But somehow with Holly, adventures have a way of finding her right in her own backyard.  That is why the Holly Hour may never run out of topic material!