Mountain Girls in the Makingfeatured

I received a booking request from Bella for a “Girls Weekend” in the Artist’s Cabin with her two friends. I explained that they would need to bring a cot/sleeping bag for the third person as well as pay a $15 per night extra person fee. That worked for Bella. All standard.

The weekend was anything but.

It was a crisp COLD Friday afternoon with sunny skies and a few inches of snow on the ground. I saw the sedan drive by our cabin and hustled outside to try to stop them before they ventured up the mountain road to the cabin. By the time I got to them, their car wheels were spinning and they couldn’t go any further. I walked around to the driver’s side and saw Maddie with her hands over her face laughing. Vanessa was in the passenger side shaking her head and laughing so hard

that there were tears in her eyes. I immediately fell in love with these girls.

After introductions and more laughing, they all got out of the car including Bella. They sort of reminded me of Charlie’s Angels with each having their own amazing style. We hiked over to the little cabin and I gave them an orientation. Afterwards, I made sure they had my number and told them to text me if they needed anything. But BEFORE dark because I didn’t walk through the woods in the dark due to the mountain lion in the area.

A little before dark, I got a text. They decided that they wanted to purchase firewood so I met them at the woodpile and loaded them up. I went over to my deck to get several pieces of really dry wood to get their campfire started. I grabbed a fool proof, high capacity fire starter stick in case they couldn’t get it going. When I left them for the evening, I had visions of them sitting around their campfire, drinks and smores in hand, laughing and enjoying the mountain evening.

In the morning, I got a text. “Hey! We ran out of matches and were wondering if you had anymore?” I could have sworn that there were several boxes of matches over there, but I walked more over. When I arrived, I saw several logs in the fireplace (unburned) with three pine needles and a tiny stick. The rest of the wood was sitting nearby.

I gave them the matches and asked how their night was. We chatted for awhile about the woods, my experiences with a Sasquatch, and our neighborhood buck, Jasper. The girls were all full of joy and happiness and fun. It didn’t seem like they had much mountain experience, but they were having fun enjoying the woods and their time together. I asked them if they needed anything. They conferred together and decided that they did not.

Just as it was getting dark I got a text, “Hey, so sorry to bother you again but we ran out of toilet paper. 🙁 Also is there anyway you could help us start the fire? We are having troubles starting it. If not, it’s totally fine. :)” I smiled. The scene at the fireplace all made sense.

I went over to help them start their fire. We got it going and it was warm and cheery. A perfect mountain evening. They told me that they couldn’t get it lit at all last night (even with the heavy duty fire starter) and that they sat outside together in the dark enjoying the evening. Until they heard something growl in the woods (except for Bella who they left sitting alone in the dark while they ran into the little cabin). Once Bella realized what was happening, she ran into the cabin too. When they got inside, it dawned on them that they left their pan from dinner sitting out on the grill. It had meat scraps in it so they knew they had to go back out to retrieve it. Now, I might not have all the details correct here, but I believe that Vanessa stood at the door with a cooking knife in hand while Bella ran out and got the pan.

At some point, the snow and ice fell off the roof onto the back deck and Vanessa brandished the knife again certain that some large creature was on the back deck ready to kill them.

After we all stopped laughing, I left to get home before total darkness.

About 45 minutes later, when it WAS completely dark, I received a text. “So sorry we totally forgot that we are out of water. Can we come meet you for water?” I told them that I would fill a couple of jugs and meet them by the wood pile. (My dog, Gus, doesn’t like anyone at the cabin but us.)

I filled the jugs and met them. “Ummmm, do you have any extra trash bags?” I busted out laughing. Walked back to my cabin and brought a wad of trash bags for them. “Do you need anything else? ”

“No. We’re good.”

I walked back to my cabin and they disappeared through the woods to theirs.

The next morning, my beautiful child, Sammie, and I walked over to say goodbye. Sammie brought them Halloween treats. Maddie was having breakfast in a chair outside. Popcorn and hot chocolate. Perfect.

We got the report out and they had a lovely evening with no growling beasts in the woods. No knives required.

I gave them each a hug and was so thankful for the happiness and joy that they brought to our little place.

I didn’t see them drive away but was sad when I looked over towards the little cabin and saw that their car was gone.

Gus and I walked over to make sure that the door was locked and to pick up the trash bag. Inside was this note:

“Decided that we would write you a physical note too!!!

We seriously had the most amazing time, from our first encounter of trying to make it up the hill we knew you would be a blast to be friends with + an amazing host! Thank you for teaching us how to use an outdoor stove + how to start a fire! We feel like pros now!

We feel a little bit braver now that we survived our lion attack and know the proper steps to get a Sasquatch to fall in love with us.

Thank you so much for being such an amazing host! Send us pictures from your trip to Brazil [to visit Sammie’s love]!

Bella, Vanessa and Maddie

P.S. Happy Halloweenie!!

They had left a pile of some of Sammie’s favorite sour candy treats – how did they know!??

They also left me with a full heart and many lovely memories. I will always remember them and their weekend here.

Mountain Girls have love and joy. They make things work. They figure out how to have an amazing life. I have never met better Mountain Girls than Bella, Vanessa and Maddie. Even if they are a little clueless. 🙂 Love and blessings.

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