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Our family and friends enjoy our modest stuga (the Swedish word for cabin) on a beautiful spring-fed lake in central Minnesota. We do have electricity, but no indoor plumbing. Doing without this convenience gives us a feeling of roughing it and living with nature.

We share our cabin with three generations of family. Everyone gathers together nearly every summer evening for a potluck supper (smorgasbord) on the deck, followed by a boat ride around the lake. We are fortunate to live on a farm just 15 miles from our cabin.

We have our own eagle, which roosts in the tall oak tree. We have ­chipmunks eating crackers from our hands. Many kinds of fish are caught from the dock and fried while still flopping (we don't make lutefisk, however).

Our little one-room cabin provides shelter and much more as we have grown to love the warmth we feel as we gather together as a family at this peaceful, humble lake place.

Fall brings acorns falling, sumac turning red, crickets singing, a notice that winter is coming, and we prepare to close the stuga until spring arrives once again.

Charlie and JoAnn Lindstrom, Litchfield