Christmas Camping at Ottawa Lake

I like to go camping the weekend before Christmas. This was our third year in a row at Ottawa Lake in Wisconsin.

Our winter camps can be quite cold, but we quickly warm up by hiking around the lake and building a fire. (There is no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing!)

Cubby dog wears her horsey blanket (fleece coat) to help her stay warm. 

At night she burrows into our down layers inside the tent.

Ottawa Lake is beautiful and quiet in the winter time.

I was quite taken with this white tree. It stood out among all the grays and browns. I think it is a paper birch.

This year the leaves are perfectly frozen underneath the clear shallow end of the lake. 

I love this old Jeep. It's been very good to me even though I've been hard on it, and every time we take it on a camping trip I worry that it will be its last time.

Here are five years of Wisconsin State Parks stickers.

This year our campsite was on an overlook over the lake. 

I love these quiet moments I have before the craze of the holidays, spending time with Geoff in the beauty of the outdoors, and talking about the year behind and the year to come.