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      Roomier than a typical a-frame cabin, these cabins have knotty pine interiors giving them the feel of a traditional lake cabin, but include extra space on the second level.
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      Our two largest and newest cabins are beautiful, unique, lake cabins, able to accommodate bigger groups or extended family and have a few extra niceties.
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In-House Photographer

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Ryan Ahrendt

I couldn’t be more excited to announce myself as in-house photographer for Half Moon Trail resort guests. I picked up a camera at age 13 and haven’t set it down since. Photography is one of the few things in life I consider a passion. I learned as much as I could about photography online via YouTube and Google in high school, and furthered my education with a degree in graphic design and communications through BSC in Bismarck, ND.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Michaela. I am a born-and-raised resort kid. I spent my summers fishing and swimming with a new batch of friends delivered each week. Now that I am a bit older, my hobbies are really just an extension of the way I grew up. I upgraded from a Barbie pole off the Boot Lake dock to a fly rod, exploring the fishiest waters I can find. If I wind up a little too sunburned and have to spend recreational time inside, you will likely find me with a pencil in hand or sawdust in my hair.

If you are interested in booking a session, I would love to hear from you via my email, kayla.ahrendt@gmail.com. I am booking one or two sessions a week on a first-come-first-serve basis, so if you want to ensure a spot, be sure to contact me ahead of time.  I encourage you to go check out my website http://MichaelaAhrendt.com or my Instagram page, @kayla_ahrendt, to see some of my work!

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Boot Lake Spring Fishing Report

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Michaela Ahrendt

I bring you the spring Boot Lake fishing report, based on my personal outings and careful daily examination of the fish bucket in the cleaning house. Largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie and northern pike are the most frequently seen species in the fish bucket lately, with the walleye bite being even more finicky than usual.

This spring fishing season has been atypical, the weather being unseasonably warm early on and hitting a cold stretch later in May. Mid-depth weed lines are beginning to fill out and seem to be the best place to find northern pike. The crappie bite was good about a week ago, although I haven’t heard any recent reports.

Targeting structures like downed trees with minnows for crappie seemed to be the ticket. Working shallow reed lines and lily pads with a jig and plastics has brought in some good-sized largemouth bass so far this spring. A personal favorite of mine lately on a newly acquired fly rod, sunfish and bluegill have been aggressive in the shallow to mid-depth weed beds.

Posted in Uncategorized

Waiting on the Weather

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Michaela Ahrendt

Let me tell you something crazy. My mom currently has around a thousand plants which she somehow keeps alive and happy. Each day she checks the weather and they get specific care which includes, but is not limited to, keeping them from getting sunburned (plants get sunburned?!), keeping them pruned, starting new plants from cuttings, keeping them healthy with nutrient-rich lake water and or fertilizer, and moving them indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. The truck bed is currently filled with flats of plants that our house will not accommodate and is pulled out of the garage when it is not too hot, cold, or windy for the plants to handle. Although mom’s plants are a passion project for her, she eagerly awaits warm enough weather to move the small army of plants into their permanent outdoor homes.

Posted in Uncategorized

Springtime Syruping

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Michaela Ahrendt

With my boots planted in the spring mud, seated on a five-gallon bucket filled with sap, I can’t help but smile. Mom, Dad, Ryan, Mabel, Mary Kate, and Caroline are perched on nearby buckets (or laps) surrounding the cinder-block structure housing the fire and holding the pans of boiling sap. Unlike smoke, the thick clouds of steam rising off the pans are easy on the eyes and slightly sweet-smelling. 

A day boiling sap is one to be relished. With hours of watching, mixing and skimming sap there is time to laugh and tell stories, or just sit in appreciative silence. Seventy-five gallons of sap are transferred from our bucket seats to the boiling pans over the fire in intervals. As the day wears on the sap deepens to amber and careful watching begins. The turning point from sap to syrup is 219 degrees. The temperature climbs slowly: 215, 216, 217, 218 and finally 219. Dad and Ryan have been standing ready and can now filter the thickening liquid. The only thing left to do after filtering is to transfer it into jars and set it in the pantry. It will be enjoyed throughout the year with the satisfaction that comes from the memories that went into making it.

Posted in Uncategorized

Growing Family!

Posted on January 31, 2018 by Ryan Ahrendt

Our little family grew early on Sunday morning as we welcomed our third daughter, Caroline Michelle!  She is a perfect 7 pounds and cute as can be. We are all very excited that she’s finally here, but her two sisters have been extra googly-eyed for her and have hardly left her side!  She is wonderful, and we are very blessed to have another healthy little munchkin to join the bunch.

Posted in Family Life, Resort Life

Craft Prep

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Ryan Ahrendt

Ryan and Cole spent much of today in the shop getting ready for this year’s craft activity at Half Moon Trail! We plan for around 450 participants, so it’s quite an undertaking, but we really enjoy providing a unique experience for our guests each summer.  Thanks, Cole, for all your wonderful help!

Posted in Uncategorized

Ice Fishing

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

We had a week of cold weather, as did most of you, that made ice on most of the shallow local lakes.  It warmed up a few days ago and melted most of the accumulated snow, along with the very top layer of ice/snow mixture that was on the frozen lakes. I took advantage of a fairly warm day and took Mabel out fishing, along with our resident photographer (Aunty Kayla).  We managed to convince a few small walleyes to bite, and Kayla was able to capture some pretty cool photos with the watery ice acting like a giant mirror (along with being incredibly slippery!).

 

 

 

Posted in Family Life, Nature

Changing Seasons

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

Here at the resort, there are a few jobs we do every season that are sort of like book ends, defining the end of one season and the beginning of another. Pulling out the docks is one of those tasks. We wait as long as possible to pull them out though, as pulling them out too soon kills the grass where they are set for the winter. Dad and I are grateful to have them in as it snowed another inch yesterday, giving everything a fresh white blanket and making winter even more apparent that it’s here to stay. With temps in the 20’s to low 30’s, the small ponds are starting to freeze over, and it won’t be too long and the lake will have a coating of ice.

 

Posted in Resort Life

Winterizing Gardens

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

First off, we apologize for the long delay in posting updates on the happenings at Half Moon! It was a busier spring than usual with the new cabin, and the summer and early fall has flown by like a flash! Things have slowed down a bit, and we feel we can finally start posting a little more regularly now.

Fall at the resort is beautiful, and a time that our family thoroughly enjoys. Mom (Mary), myself, and our garden crew were hard at work this past week working on the gardens.  We go through the gardens in the fall, making note of plants that did well, some others that didn’t, and things we would like to try next season.  It’s also a time that we split perennial plants that have grown too large for their current spot in the garden, which is what we are doing in the last photo below. Lastly, we put the gardens to bed for the winter. The first two photos are before and after we have winterized one of the gardens. Winterizing requires cutting most of the perennial plants down, pulling the annuals, and saving any bulbs that we take inside to replant next season. All of plants that we pull or cut are then composted, making nutrient rich compost for adding to the gardens in future years.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Sneak Peek

Posted on October 4, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

We’re heading into the home stretch of our spring work and tying up a lot of loose ends.  Cabin 19 was fitted with its carpet today and furniture delivery is set for Monday!  It has been a fun project, but we’re looking forward to its completion.  The pool got a face lift back in the fall with a new liner and skirt of concrete, and Ryan and Dave have finished installing the fence around the pool.  We decided to change the fence so it just surrounds the pool area, and no longer the courtyard.  We’re loving the change and hope you’ll enjoy it, as well!  We’ve a

Posted in Uncategorized

Boot Lake Ice Off 2017

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

Thursday morning was beautiful here at the resort, with the sun peaking over the trees and illuminating the resort with a warm orange glow. One of the photos shows a beaver out for one of his first paddles this season, and stretching his legs after being in cooped up in his lodge all winter. This early spring is wonderful, as it gives us an early jump on spring work and getting Cabin 19 finished up! It seemed like the ice went off the lake quickly this year, going from the normal light grey ice color, to a dark blue color just before it started breaking up early this past week. If your curious, our lake association has the history of freeze up and thaw dates.  Check it out here!

Posted in Nature, Photographs, Resort Activities, Resort Life

Deer, Deer, and More Deer!

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Ryan Ahrendt

Mary Kate and I (Ryan) went for a short evening drive yesterday as we both enjoying seeing deer. The field directly across from the resort must have been hosting a deer convention, as there were over 100! We have had a fair amount of snow up here this winter which makes the forage in the fields inaccessible. The deer are excited for spring, and to eat something other than the woody browse  they have been eating through the winter months. We, just like them are excited for the warmer weather and are anxiously awaiting getting outside and working on yard work and spring projects!

Mary Kate Ahrendt looking at deer
Deer near Half Moon Trail Resort - Park Rapids, MN

Deer near Half Moon Trail Resort on Boot Lake

 

 

 

Posted in Family Life, Nature

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