The one good thing about taking a little vacation from blogging is that tonight I’ve got lots of news and pics to share.  First off, an update from Greg Main, penned January 10 – just before the serious snow began to fall.

     “What we’ve been experiencing of late as far as weather is concerned on Mackinac Island could easily be termed a January thaw, but something about that perspective just doesn’t sit well with me.  It isn’t so much this wacky, warmer-than-it-ever-should-be-at-this-time-of-year climate that has enveloped such a large area of the country so far; nor is it the pathetic bits of snow here and there on the island – snow which has been rapidly disappearing the past few days -  which gives me reason to hesitate referring to our current state of weather as a ‘thaw‘.  It doesn’t seem proper calling this a ‘thaw’ because we haven’t yet had a sustained period of cold, snow, skim-ice-in-the-harbor type of weather we’re used to seeing.  What hints of winter we did get now and then – single digit temperatures at night, wind-chill advisories – lasted barely long enough to warrant discussing, let alone complaining.                                         

     Not until December 28, the first day the water in the Straits ‘steamed’, a sign of very cold air and the first of seven such steams which many say are necessary before ice begins forming on the water, was there any indication of a beginning to what Mackinac Island is used to seeing regarding winter weather.  Main Street was bare on the 29th until flurries began falling at 1:30 that afternoon.  A very brisk southeast wind prohibited this moderate snowfall to accumulate on the streets, rather pushing it into drifts along the curbing.  Not to be denied by the lack of road cover however, I was not surprised to watch, as I rode my bike home from work  a few hours later, someone on a snowmobile taking full advantage of the small amount of curbside snow, screaming westward through town, a trail of snow dust in the wake.  Truly, when the ‘official’ beginning of snowmobile season on the island is November 15th and snow doesn’t arrive for another 6 weeks, well, a person can be expected to wait only so long before the need for transportation via the internal combustion engine takes over.  For a couple of  days, heavy travel on the streets caused the snow to be packed down so hard, biking was relatively easy.  It was by bike that I ventured out to the Myers’ home New Year’s Eve for their annual get-together.

     It’s always good to take a load off in (arguably) the most comfortable, inviting room of any house anywhere.  Burning logs in the fireplace, sink-your-body-into furniture, a beverage at hand, surrounded by the natural warmth of wood walls and ceiling, excellent craftsmanship, good company and ( the favorite of many) a window bed, combine to create a most relaxing atmosphere even though the boisterous party crowd are but a few feet away.  It’s always good to see Grace Armour again and to be introduced to someone new and while the crowd there consisted of mostly familiar faces, many of whom I see several times a month, it’s still nice to meet, greet and eat on New Year’s Eve at British Landing.

     You may recall, the usual exodus up to Fort Holmes for the midnight countdown was changed last year.  A beach fire at the Bogans was the chosen option, and that was also the case this year.  Many thanks to Jim and Mary Bogan for the use of  their beach.  I do have some videos of the fire and fireworks (shh!), and I will get them onto my youtube page as soon as I can find time.  They are rather long and require uploading patience, something I’m still working at.  Given that a possible ‘new’ tradition was started in town with the Great Turtle Drop,  Anneke Myers decided there should also be a British Landing turtle drop, of sorts.  Fashioning a turtle from snow and sticks, the countdown began . . .10 . .9 . .8 . . . and at 1, the snow turtle left her hand, arching upward, landing in the fire, perfect timing.  As for the event in town, I heard there was a large turnout for it, but the only other information I received was what I read in the St. Ignace News.  No first-hand account.

     Leaving the beach fire crowd shortly after midnight, the ride back to town along the shore road, guided by fresh batteries in my two-dollar flashlight,  the dark sky reminded me of the night after Christmas.  Needing to get some cleaning done at the Medical Center that night, I headed out the door around 7 o’clock, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the western sky.  A marvelous night-sky view of a bright, crescent moon with a sparkling Venus to the left of it, both of which were situated perfectly over the festive lighting of the Mackinac Bridge.  I’m sure others had to see it also both here and on the mainland.  Had it not been so incredibly windy at the time, some of my photos may have been keepers, but it was all I could do to lean into the wind down at the boardwalk in front of the Cable Cottage, let alone try holding a camera still enough to take good photos.  Even while using a tripod or leaning against the light pole, the wind buffeted the pole, the pod, the camera and me enough to shake the clarity out of any photo I took. An opportunity lost, for sure.

     The New Year ushered in the type of snowfall that movie-makers dream of.  Huge, heavy flakes, falling straight down, rapidly piling up on the ground, clinging to trees, fence railings, people and leashed animals.  It was the type of snowfall which bends the branches of conifers and piles straight up on branches and twigs, mirroring their respective shapes.  What a marvelous time to be out shooting video or taking photos.  I actually carried an umbrella as these flakes were so close to being rain, they instantly returned to a water state as soon as they landed on anything relatively warm.  The umbrella was used to protect my camera, and I’m sure I must have looked strange to some who saw me walking around with it during a snowfall.  The wind remained non-existent until just after noon.  The calm only added to the tranquility while walking the East Bluff and trails beyond Arch Rock.  These are some videos I hope to get posted online soon.

     January 3rd was another day of note this year as the morning arrived bearing a temperature of 10 degrees and . . .the second steaming!  Something else was notable about that day, but it was nowhere near as impressive as watching the steam out on the lake, moving back and forth by light, fickle, variable winds.  Two down, five to go before the lake sufficiently cools (so it’s claimed) to allow the formation of ice.  As of today, we’re stuck on two and the forecast for tomorrow, Wednesday, is more of the same until very late in the day when a cold front passes through, temperatures fall sharply and ‘a very significant’ (weather forecaster’s words) amount of snow is possible overnight, all day Thursday and into Friday morning.  Looking out at green grass, grounded snowmobiles and bikes a-plenty on the streets, a significant amount would surely come in handy right now.  However, we’ve missed out on several such events over the past few years so I, for one, am not holding my breath.

     Snow is certainly needed and wanted at this point.  Our ski trails are either bare pavement or muddy right now and don’t even allow for pleasant walking.  What remains on the sidewalks and streets in town is either wet pavement, slush or sand-covered ice, with just enough wiggly ruts rigidly embedded in it to keep bikers on the alert.  Many of us have a lot of trips to the dump on our agendas which also requires ample snow.  The forecast looks promising temperature-wise, with teens and twenties for highs through Sunday – but will the snow arrive?  Given our recent history, it’s a coin toss.
What little snow cover we did have on the streets was greatly decimated on the 5th during a sunny, 48-degrees-in-the-sun day.  Only a few areas which were truly cemented to the pavement survived that Spring-like onslaught, and even those areas are now nearly history as this past week has remained much-above normal for temperatures.

     I have nothing to pass along as far as City Council meetings due to not being able to attend any since they started beginning at 3 p.m. instead of 5.  This was started due to the airport being closed, which prevented some who were required to attend from being able to fly off after the later meetings.  With the last ferry leaving the island at 5 o’clock, air travel was the only way.  As of last week, the crew was still coming to the island to work on some of the new electronics at the airport, so I’m surmising flights after dark are still not happening.  The next question is, after night flights are allowed again, will the council meetings be changed back to 5 p.m. or has everyone become accustomed to the earlier start time?  If it remains at 3 o’clock, I won’t be able to pass along any more first-hand information  of what I see and hear, but anything noteworthy is usually printed in the local newspaper anyway.

     The few days we did have snow greatly benefited both the Mustang Lounge and Village Inn as travel time and ease was no concern with snowmobiles.  Now, however, both places are relatively quiet again at night, with only a couple bikes outside to indicate the lack of business.  Snow.  We need a lot of snow.  I think I wrote that in my last email, also.  The island truly comes alive when we have ample snow.  I guess there is nothing more to pass along at this time or, if there is, my memory fails me.  Until next time, I hope you’re all doing well, have as much snow as you need and want (or not) and are enjoying the early beginnings of 2012!”

Thank you, Greg, for sharing your insights into all the happenings on Mackinac!  What would we do without you in the wintertime??!!

Many of my readers sent emails after they received their Vera Bradley catalog a couple of weeks ago.  The entire photo shoot for the catalog took place on Mackinac Island!  I remember the 2-3 days they were there – mainly because good friend Jane Winston (who lives on the island in the summer and in Georgia during the winter) was asked to be in one of the photos (we now have a celebrity in our midst!).  You can view the catalog online at http://www.verabradley.com/catalog/shop_catalogs.jsp (when the page comes up, click on “2012 Spring Catalog”.  Someone said it’s almost like playing the “Mystery Spot” game on last summer’s blog, trying to guess all the locations.  By the way, the top photo on page 11 shows Jane walking with two models.  Jane’s the one in black (I had to point that out because she looks like a model herself, and you never would have guessed which one she is).  AND . . . . . there’s a Vera Bradley VIDEO – also shot on Mackinac this past summer.  View the video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rbBUz6tViQk), but be forewarned.  As soon as you finish with the catalog and the video, you’ll be on the phone booking your stay for this summer!  Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful photography and video work.

Here’s another link I want to share.  I’ve talked with this young woman several times over the last couple of summers, and she graciously allows me to occasionally swipe one of her photos for this blog.  On January 19 she posted some great photos of the “blizzard-ish” conditions on the island (she and her family live there year-round).  Her blog is called Mackinac Mommy, and the address is:  http://mackinacmommy.blogspot.com/2012/01/from-blue-skies-to-blizzardish.html.

Ok – PICTURES!  Thank you, thank you to everyone who shared!

Sunrise over the ice on Lake Huron, taken by a cast member at Shepler's Ferry.

An otter plays off the Arnold dock. (Photo: Arnold Ferry Line)

Someone asked about the construction progress on the new Bicycle Street Inn on Main Street. Looks like work is going strong! What I've heard is that the Inn will open in Spring 2013, but shops on the first floor of the new building will be open this summer. (Photo by Island Bookstore)

Andrew Doud does a little snow blowing outside his store. The wooden structure at the front door is added each winter to keep icy winds from entering the store when someone comes in off the sidewalk. (Photo: Doud's Market)

Last ferries of the day - a little over a week ago. (Photo: Heather May)

Brrrrrr . . . this REALLY looks like winter has arrived! (Photo: Mackinac Bridge webcam)

A snow-covered Island House. (Photo: Island Bookstore)

A little bit of everything - bikes, sleds, snowmobiles, and construction equipment. (Photo: Metivier Inn)

The Metivier Inn is beautiful in her winter dress. (Photo: Metivier Inn)

The new Grand Hotel stable (at Surrey Ridge) is really going up fast! From what we hear, Grand Hotel horses will be housed there beginning in April. (Photo: Metivier Inn)

A frosty Grand Hotel porch. (Photo: Grand Hotel)

That’s the update for today!  If you haven’t read about our trip to Colorado yet, you can click here for Part I (Part II will post Friday):  http:bree1976.wordpress.com.

Have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you back here next Wednesday!  God bless.

]]> http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-8/feed/ 12 bree1972 sheplersunriseoverice otteroffarnolddock bikeinnislandbookstore doudstuesday heathermayboatsatsunset bridgecam islandhouseislandbookstore metivierinnbiking metivierinnsnow metivierinnnewstable porchbygrandhotel http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-7-1112012/ http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-7-1112012/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:01:41 +0000 bree1972 http://bree1972.wordpress.com/?p=15250 ]]> Hi Everyone!  This will be a short and sweet update tonight.  I haven’t heard a lot of news from the island this week, but I do have some photos to share.  I just took a look at the island weather report for the next seven days, and it looks as though they will have some significant snow coming in on Thursday and Friday – how much depends on how charged up the lake effect snow becomes.  Here’s hoping they get lots and lots of the white stuff – they need it!

There are several photos from Heather May I want to share tonight.  Heather is such a great photographer, and she lives on the Island year-round.  She’s also a teacher at the Island school.

Lots of snowmobiles lined Main Street at the time of this photo. As you can see, the Christmas lights were still up also. This was taken around Jan. 3 or 4.

Heather was in the right place at the right time to catch George in the winter taxi, turning the corner at Cadotte and Market.

Heather made her way up to Fort Mackinac for this shot. The last boat of the day for both Arnold and Shepler Ferries were leaving the Island for St. Ignace.

Heather added some special effect magic to this beautiful scene of Marquette Park and the marina.

A friend of Heather's risked climbing part of the way up Sugar Loaf! No way would I do that - klutz that I am!

Last pic for this time by Heather May. The West Bluff stairway.

This sunset takes my breath! (Photo: Robert McGreevy)

Both Arnold and Shepler Ferry companies are still running and will continue to do so until ice builds in Lake Huron to the point that travel by ferry would be too dangerous or not possible at all.  Shepler’s was running their “fast boat” – the Felicity – up until a couple of weeks ago and then began running the Sacre Bleu.  Since the Sacre Bleu is a freight boat, not a passenger boat, the problem arose of how to keep passengers warm on the trip across since the work ferry had no passenger cabin.  Ingenuity took over, and now a brand new service is offered by Shepler’s . . . . . . take a BUS to the Island!

When you pull into the Shepler parking lot at St. Ignace, one of their shuttle buses picks you up at your car, and your luggage, groceries, etc. are loaded onto the shuttle. Then . . . . .

. . . the bus is driven onto the Sacre Bleu and remains running the whole way across to the Island - heater going, and passengers all warm and comfy. I love it!

Swans off the Shepler dock in St. Ignace.

I wish I had more tonight, but hopefully by the next update there will be lots of news and pics to post.  I’ll be skipping a week, so the next Winter Update will be Wednesday, January 25.  Next Tuesday night, when I’d normally be sitting down to write this blog, Ted and I will be at the Beaver Creek Ski Resort in Vail. CO.  We’re flying out on Saturday (Jan. 14) to see Blake, and I can’t even begin to tell you how excited we are!  We return on Thursday night, Jan. 19.  Two weeks is a long time to go without blogging about the Island, but I will be posting this Friday (Jan. 13) AND on Monday (Jan. 23) on the Lake Blackshear Blog.  Tune in there for Colorado stories and photos.

See you back here on January 25.  Till then – be safe, stay healthy, and God bless   

P.S.  Safe travel prayers would be much appreciated.

]]> http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-7-1112012/feed/ 19 bree1972 heathermaydouwntownparking heathermayhorseandbuggy heathermaylastboatoftheday heathermayspecialaffects heathermayarchrock heathermaywestbluffstairway robertmcgreevysunset sheperbus sheplernewyearsday sheplerswans http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-6-142012/ http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/mackinac-island-winter-update-vol-6-142012/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:15:55 +0000 bree1972 http://bree1972.wordpress.com/?p=15212 ]]> Happy, Happy New Year!  It seems as though I haven’t written about Mackinac Island for two months instead of two weeks, but one good thing came from not hearing from me for so long – I’ve stored up a LOT of news and photos from the island!

What better way to start this update than with a newsletter from Greg Main.  Greg penned this one on December 22, and it’s filled with all kinds of good stuff AND what sounds like a good story we might add to past ghostly happenings at the Island House Hotel!

“A glance at the calendar hanging above my laptop notes that today is the first day of winter.  A quick glance out the window offers evidence to the contrary.  Although the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees early this afternoon – from an early morning thermometer reading of 35 – it is the temperature alone which is the only indication that winter is upon us.  If I were to make a list of five things I would be engaged in as far as outdoor activity on the 20th of December, in this part of Michigan, in any year, raking and bagging leaves would not be one of them yet, there I was.

Sunday morning, we awoke to the skimpiest dusting of snow, just enough to barely cover paved areas and roofs, yet nowhere near enough to hide the grass or deter anyone from biking.  One good thing to come of this pathetic attempt from Mother Nature to pacify the snow lovers was that it provided an ideal opportunity to begin setting out our ski trail markers and track critters at the same time.  Needless to say, rabbit tracks, of varying sizes,  dominated the scene.  I would like to say I saw fox tracks also, but they seemed to be quasi-following  some human footprints, crisscrossing the road, heading slightly into the woods, emerging back onto the pavement, staying in line for several paces before bounding off to the other side of the road.  The freshness of the tracks indicated they were made at or near the same time, and since I did not take time to look for distinguishing clues, it may have been a dog.

The snow-starved natives are getting restless.  I listened to one person lament how much snowmobiles cost to buy in relation to the limited amount of time one gets to use them here on Mackinac Island during a typical season and how he thought it would be nice to be able to ride 4-wheelers during the allotted snowmobile season when there is insufficient snow.  Personally, I would hate to see that happen and also offer that the odds of that happening would be one of the best long-shot bets of all time.  Snow.  We need a lot of snow.  It‘s time for a good stomping from Heikki Lunta . . .after we’re all done traveling for the holidays, of course.

There was a bit of excitement Wednesday afternoon.  While I wasn’t present during this event, my boss was, and he explained that there was a smell of propane emanating from the Lakeview Hotel, apparently inside the building as doors were propped open and fans were in place, blowing the odor out.  Soon after the smell was detected, Main Street was closed off from the Windermere Hotel to Marc’s Double Oven, the construction project at the former McNally lot was halted and evacuated, one fire truck was positioned on Main Street, near the Lakeview, and another was on Market Street.  People were told to stay away, yet the Village Inn, mere watermelon seed-spitting distance from the Lakeview and a building which sits between said hotel and the evacuated McNally lot, was allowed to remain open.  Hmm.  Anyhow, as it was told to me, less than an hour later, whatever was causing the problem was taken care of, and all was well again on the relatively quiet thoroughfares of off-season Mackinac Island.   Our lack of snow is something we can deal with, like it or not, but if cold weather sets in for any stretch of time, and the ground remains bare, shallow water lines could be easily frozen.  Snow.  We need snow.  We need a good stomping from Heikki Lunta.

While I make my way through every room in the Island House Hotel, I’m offered varying views from high and low, views which present a slightly different perspective of the island and its surroundings.  Even though the sights are not new, the angles are, and that has helped make this winter work even more enjoyable.  Being the only one working inside the hotel, other than Ryan from h.r. working down in the laundry room (the annual, temporary winter office), it took some time getting used to the creaks, groans and oft-times unidentifiable noises I hear most every day.  The building and rooms are as cold as outdoor temps, and the hallways are dark but for the occasional exit sign, glowing eerily red. Even heating the rooms while painting only goes so far because the cold air, having invaded every breathable space,  only relinquishes so much square footage, allowing everything from waist-high and up to become comfortably warm while maintaining a firm grip on the lower regions.  It’s far from uncomfortable, just interesting to note the distinct temperature difference, especially in the tiled bathrooms.  Cold floors, indeed.

While on the subject,  I thought it wise to begin this winter work at the room farthest away and work my way down to the first floor, figuring by the time I was tired of climbing several flights of stairs, several times each day, I would be finishing on the first floor, only 10 steps up from the laundry/break room and maintenance shop.  As such, I was farthest away from any human contact most of the first few weeks on the job, and any noises I was hearing could not be contributed to Ryan, way down in the laundry room. All was fine until I began moving furniture in what’s known as “the parlor” on the fourth floor, east wing.  From the street, this room is above the dining room.

“As in nearly all the rooms, it was necessary to move most of the furniture away from the walls in order to paint baseboards and windows.  After moving a small sofa-sleeper a couple feet from the front windows and spreading a drop cloth onto the floor, I knelt down to begin painting, and my right knee immediately “came alive” with a sharp pain, reminiscent of a rap on your funny bone, only worse . . . . and not funny.  Moving the drop cloth aside, I found the source.  A blue M&M, hard as a rock.  Giving it little thought, I tossed the candy onto the bed, which was covered with old sheets for the winter (as was all the furniture in all the rooms) and resumed painting.  A short time later, it was off to lunch.  Returning to the room, it was time to  push some furniture back to their respective places in order to make space in the middle of the room for more furniture to come away from the walls.

A much larger sofa-sleeper was moved next and, much to my surprise, I see another blue M&M on the floor.  My first thought was kids tossing them at each other or some such nonsense, and a couple of them disappeared under the furniture, away from the housekeepers vacuum.  Picking this one up, my thought was to toss it onto the bed alongside the other one.  However, the other one was no longer on the bed.  Nor was it under the bed.  How odd.  Holding the ‘second’ candy in my hand, I looked everywhere in the room.  The more I looked, the more I wanted to keep looking as there was no way the M&M I tossed onto the bed, the one I saw land on the sheet covering the bed, the one which was still on the bed as I left the room for lunch, could have rolled off the bed and across the room, stopping six feet away underneath another piece of furniture.  I had no explanation.  I wasn’t imagining things.  It was on the bed, now it was gone, and I had another one in my hand.   Side note: despite the television commercial and the marketing slogan, if you hold an M&M in your hand long enough, it will melt.
This incident happened a few weeks ago, and in the following weeks there have been some more odd noises now and then for which I also have no explanation, but I choose to not dwell on such things, preferring to simply to chalk it up as another page in my book of Mackinac Island experiences.  I hope everyone has a great Christmas and I wish you all a prosperous New Year!”

If you keep up with Island happenings on Facebook or Twitter, you already know that the Island FINALLY received enough snow to talk about just before New Year’s Eve, and they’ve been getting more the last couple of days.  I know the Islanders are silly happy and having a ball on their snowmobiles – snow was a long time coming this year!  Friends who live on the Island year-round and friends who returned for the New Year’s Eve festivities have shared photos, and they are good ones!  Here we go . . .

Christmas morning sunrise after a dusting of snow. (Photo: Mission Point Resort)

A friend of ours, Brad Conkey (you might remember him from this summer – Brad, his sons and Ted went cave exploring together), arrived on the Island with his family on December 30 to celebrate New Year’s Eve Island-style.  The next six photos are his – thanks, Brad!

Islanders were enjoying a game of street hockey the day before New Year's Eve. It was cold and wet, with the beginnings of the snow that was to come in the next few days.

Sun rising over the Straits on New Year's Eve morning.

Downtown - and the horses are working. Wonder if they know the next day is the beginning of a new year.

The Grand Hotel porch - no rocking chairs, no flags, no geraniums - just a little snow.

Stone Cliffe looks frozen in time.

Round Island Light. And is that ice along the shoreline?

There was a brand new celebration event on the Island this New Year’s Eve.  Instead of dropping a huge ball like they do in Times Square, there was a “Great Turtle Drop”. The brainchild of Rich and Marge Lind, innkeepers at The Cottage Inn, the idea came from their wish to “come up with something fresh, new and fun for New Year’s on the Island”.  The giant fiberglass turtle was a loan from the Grand Hotel (it was originally part of a Mackinac Island Community Foundation fundraiser which auctioned off the decorated turtles).   Marge constructed a green felt jacket covered in green LED lights for the turtle to wear.  The turtle sat 30′ in the sit on top of a lift provided by the Chippewa Hotel.  As the seconds were counted down, the lift gently lowered the turtle to the ground.  Man, I would have loved to be there for that!

This photo of all the action was captured by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Looks like a great crowd!

Here's another view from our friends Rich and Marge at the Cottage Inn.

New Year's Day, and the snow was really coming down. This pic is from the Lilac Tree Hotel Facebook page.

A friend's home up near the airport.

The community stable. (Photo: Mackinac Horses Facebook page)

Looks like big, fat, wet flakes. So pretty. (Photo: Doud's Market Facebook page)

A winter wonderland. (Photo: Brad Conkey)

In the days since January 1, more snow has fallen, and the Island is finally looking like it should this time of year!

Hoban Street at dusk. (Photo: Jennifer King)

Snow behind an Island friend's home.

Mission Point. (Photo: Mission Point Facebook page)

Main Street in front of the Chippewa Hotel (Photo: Island Bookstore Facebook page)

Harbour View Inn. (Photo: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)

St. Anne's Church. (Photo: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)

Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as Mackinac Island in the snow?  I look at these pictures over and over again and daydream about being there.  I bet you do too!

One other important news item:  In a story in The St. Ignace News by Matt Mikus, it was reported that the Mackinac Island City Council voted to “dedicate a plot of land at the Ste. Anne Cemetery for the reburial and memorial of the bones unearthed from the Bicycle Street Inn construction site this fall.”  According to the story, the bones, contained in seven truckloads of earth, may be buried at the site relatively soon because the ground remains unfrozen.  The article went on to say “the burial mound will be in the shape of a turtle, and a memorial will also be constructed.”

See you back here next Wednesday with more from our favorite Island.  God bless.

Happy New Year

from

the Hortons!

See you back here on Wednesday with LOTS of Mackinac Island news and photos from the holidays!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.  George MacDonald

In December of 2009, after our second summer on the Island, I wrote about a gift that Jane Kemp from Minnesota (a blog fan) had created for her mom for Christmas.  Jane and her mom loved Mackinac Island and visited as much as possible.  In an email from Jane that year, she explained:  “When I read you might publish a book from the blog, I thought, ‘I’ll make a blog book myself, and give it to mom for Christmas.‘”  Jane printed out page after page of blog stories and photographs and compiled it into a spiral notebook, with pictures of geraniums on the front cover.  She entitled it, “Mackinac Island Living Through Bree’s Blog….as blogged by Brenda Horton.”

In 2009, Jane emailed this photo of the book she created for her mom.

In the spring of 2010, when I was facing surgery, I received a scrapbook Jane made especially for me.  It is beautifully done and filled with photos from the blog and little snippets of what I’ve written over the years.

Jane’s note with the scrapbook read:  “Hi Bree. Hope this finds it’s way to you, and that I got the correct address . . Bear did say he lived on Flintside Drive, and I only found one Horton on Lake Blackshear!  As soon as you said you were having surgery, I had this idea . . for a little memory book to peek at while you make your recovery.  I hope you and Ted enjoy it – as you begin to make plans for another trip to the island.  Your friend in Minnesota, Jane.” 

This book is so special to me, and it travels back and forth with us to Michigan every summer so I can share it with others.

Last week, tired and grouchy from battling traffic and other shoppers in Albany, I was sitting on the den sofa feeling pretty sorry for myself.  I couldn’t seem to find any kind of Christmas spirit this year.  Even though I had lobbied for a small tree, every time I looked at it – bare underneath at that time – I wanted to cry.  “Where is my joy?” I asked myself.  I knew some of the problem, of course.  Christmas is always a time when I miss my parents the most.  I miss daddy’s fun-loving spirit and mama’s quiet smiles.  I miss walking into their house on Washington Street in Sylvester and smelling all the Christmas fixin’s – my mom’s dressing and sweet potato souffle’ and ambrosia.  I miss watching daddy carve the Christmas hen – yes, that means “chicken” (mom always claimed she didn’t know how to bake a turkey).   To say I was throwing myself quite a pity-party is an understatement.

It was then that Ted walked out to the mailbox (probably to get away from my grouchiness).

When he returned, he said, “You have a package from Jane in Minnesota.  Were you expecting something from her?”

Puzzled, I said, “No. In fact, I haven’t heard from Jane much this year.  What in the world could it be?”

I opened the card on the outside of the package.  It read in part:  “Hello Bree, and Merry Christmas to you and Ted from your blog follower – Jane in Minnesota!  I have been lax about leaving comments but have been a faithful reader – even tho my world has been turned upside down.  I lost my dear mom back in May.  Like you – I am an only child, blessed with loving parents.  She was my best girlfriend as well as ‘mom’; I miss her terribly!  Have been taking care of my dad – after 59+ years of marriage with mom, it’s been a big adjustment for him.  Anyhow – you may recall I had shared with you of my creating a ‘book’ of some of your earlier blog posts and other info on Mackinac Island (and Lake Blackshear too!) and giving it to her for Christmas as a gift.  She loved it and got much enjoyment out of reading your stories about our favorite island.  I know she would love you to have the book . . . I hope you get a kick out of reading your words – ‘book’ style!  Merry Christmas, Bree!”

Within the beautifully wrapped package was the book Jane created for her mom.  There is no way I can explain what seeing it meant to me.  The time Jane put into the development of her mom’s gift is a testament of her love for her ‘best girlfriend’. The book is over 150 pages and filled with copied photos, entire blog posts, comments from readers – including most of the comments and emails by Jane to me and my comments and emails back to her.  There’s also a section of blogs from the lake and posts from other Mackinac bloggers.

What a cherished gift – one that will travel with us, along with Jane’s scrapbook, to Michigan each summer.  Reading through it brought such wonderful memories – of times with friends, times in the quiet solitude of the Mackinac woods, time standing on the shores of Lake Huron and thanking God for the blessed life we have.

I’ve always believed in the adage “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”  But on that day last week, sitting on the sofa in our den, holding Jane’s love-filled gift to her mom – now passed on to me – I was blessed to receive not only her book, but my Christmas spirit as well.  I know God will bless Jane – who gives as the angels give.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The shopping is done.  The gifts are covered in holiday paper, tied with pretty ribbon, and they wait beneath our tree for Sunday morning’s hustle and bustle.  It will just be Ted, Blake and I to open presents on Christmas Day, but that’s ok.  Having our children or grandchildren with us is always a time of celebration, even if they come one at a time!  Jason and Blair will be coming in the day after Christmas, and later in the week Ted and I will leave for Florida to celebrate with Julie, Matt and the grandchildren.  That’s the “sunny and warm” trip I mentioned on Monday.  The “snowy and cold” trip will be in January when we’ll fly out to visit Blake in Colorado.  We’ll stay in Ft. Collins a couple of nights, then drive with him to Beaver Creek, CO (near Vail) to spend two nights there at a ski resort.  We’re hoping for tons of snow, but no blizzards to change our travel plans.  We are so excited about both trips, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

I pray your Christmas Day is filled with everything joyful – family, friends, good food and special gifts.  And perhaps, sometime during the day, there might be a quiet moment when all your folks can gather together and read the greatest Christmas story ever written.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.

To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

“For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

  We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

In Christian love,

Ted, Brenda, Maddie & Bear

The south end of Cadotte. Snow is falling, adding atmosphere to the merry decorations along the fence that stretches all the way to Chambers Corner.

A festive wreath hangs on a streetlight. I love that on the Island even sawhorses are decorated with Christmas lights!

A beautiful angel "Harks the Herald" from this porch.

This is in the open space between Market Street and the first house on the right going up Cadotte Ave. The snow hasn't accumulated yet.

Santa looks all relaxed in his recliner! I guess on Christmas Eve morning he'll hop on that lighted bike and scurry up to the North Pole.

The Geranium Cottage on Market Street - always beautiful, but never more so than at Christmas.

Heavier snow now - on Main Street at the Iroquois Hotel. Even though the Iroquois is closed for the winter, the McIntyres have it beautifully decorated.

A quiet Main Street - through the snow.

Daybreak on Sunday morning - people awoke to a snow-covered island.

Looking west down Market Street toward Lake Huron. Even with the clouds, the Island looks beautiful covered in white.

I love the potted Christmas Tree beside the Mackinac Island Medical Center sign.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree . . .

The Manger scene at the head of the Arnold Dock.

Denise found the one taxi operating during the winter, and one of its horses was REAL interested in what she had in her backpack!

They said hello to our friend George Wellington, the winter taxi driver. I love George!

The Arnold Ferry freight boat - the mighty Huron - complete with Christmas Tree on the forward deck.

A great shot of town.

If anyone is planning to be on Mackinac Island over New Year’s Eve, the following link can give you all the great restaurants that will open to serve you during that holiday – it even has the menus!  http://mackinacisland.blogspot.com/2011/12/patrick-sinclairs-irish-pub-opens-for.html#!/2011/12/patrick-sinclairs-irish-pub-opens-for.html

I know there’s a lot of interest out there about why the mackinaclive.com webcam site is for sale.  I’ve really tried to get some info on that and will continue to try.  Since I’ve converted from Windows to the Linux operating system, I’ve been unable to access some streaming video sites, and mackinaclive.com is one of them.  I’m using the Chippewa Hotel site, which now has a webcam pointed toward Main Street (http://www.chippewahotel.com/web-cam.cfm) and the Horn’s Bar site (http://www.hornsbar.com/webcamframeset.htm).  Neither of those are live streaming, but you can see what’s happening on the streets in fairly real time.

That’s all I have for tonight, but if you have time on Friday, come on back here for a special Christmas edition of Bree’s Mackinac Island Blog.  Until then – happy shopping, wrapping and caroling.  God bless.

A beautiful photo taken of a sunrise this week by the Mission Point Resort folks. The gazebo illuminated by the sun is one of the most-used spots on the Island for summer weddings.

Santa Bear

Heather May captured what little bit of snow fell a few days ago - not even enough to think about cranking up the snowmobiles. The Christmas decorations sure look festive though!

The annual Christmas Bazaar was a great success last weekend.  According to Jeannette Doud’s column in The Town Crier (our Christmas edition arrived on Monday), “the doors to the Community Hall opened on Friday, and at 1 p.m. sirens could be heard in the distance as Santa arrived on the new Fire Department ladder truck.  He came into the hall and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.  Santa then went over to the fire hall, where he heard the wishes of the little children, who were so excited.  Santa told them all to be good and then left for the North Pole.  He will return Christmas Eve.”

Santa didn't let a little rain stop his arrival! (Photo: Jennifer King)

I’ve received so many great photographs from island friends – and blog readers who have been to the island in the last couple of weeks.  I couldn’t wait to share them today!

Rainy weather didn't stop shoppers either when the doors to the Community Hall opened for Christmas Bazaar. (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

The entire Community Hall was filled with items like these. Some could be purchased outright, some went at silent auctions, and there was also a spirited auction for some major items, led by friend Mike Carley as auctioneer. (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

Wow! I would have loved to have been there to Christmas shop! (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

A little Christmas magic from the good folks at the Chippewa Hotel. And . . . .

. . . not to be outdone, right across the street from the Chip, Doud's windows and flowerboxes are aglow with twinkling lights.

The Lilac Tree has garlands of lights, and they'll be open for New Year's Eve! And did you notice the window in the lower right-hand corner? That's Nicole Doud's Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island.

Since Nicole lives year-round on the island, she can open the store anytime she wants during the winter season! (Photo: Nicole Doud)

Shepler's Christmas tree on their St. Ignace dock.

Sue and Andrew (blog readers we met last summer on the Island) from Vicksburg, MI were on the Island for Christmas Bazaar and emailed some great shots to me last week.

Andrew thought I might want to see what Anne's Tablet looks like without leaves on the trees. I've never seen it in the winter. Sure looks cold though!

They pretended to be locals and attended a basketball game at the Island school.

Andrew and Sue loved this "wreathed" horse at Chambers Corner (the corner of Market and Cadotte). I love him too - in fact, at the very first Festival of the Horse, Jill took a photo of me sitting on him (he was wearing a saddle then).

Oh my gosh! They've come a long way on the new Grand Stable being built up near our place! It's supposed to be ready by the time the Grand opens in April.

The brightly lit Christmas tree in the middle of Main Street. The beautiful tree is very tall and very well-shaped. It came from the yard of Rosie Charnes, a neighbor of ours up in the Village. I love the Manger scene that is always there at the entrance to the Arnold dock. Thanks so much Andrew and Sue for these great shots.

More Christmas Tree Photos

Even on a rainy day, that tree is pretty darn majestic. (Photo: Mackinac Mommy, who also has a Mackinac Island blog at http://mackinacmommy.blogspot.com)

A view of the tree from the Chippewa Hotel web site.

The gathering for Christmas carols, just after the lighting of the tree - quite a crowd!

Before I close for this week, I just wanted to remind everyone – if you still need to order books for someone on your Christmas list – or anytime AFTER Christmas – please consider supporting an independent bookseller – The Island Bookstore.   They offer discounts too – just like the big guys!  Check them out at http://www.islandbookstore.com.

Michael Forrester shared this great painting of Round Island Light on his Facebook page this week, and I just had to share it with you.  It was painted by Virginia Souza and was featured on the cover of the December, 2010 issue of Lighthouse Digest.  I love it!  The picture is available for purchase (Mike has one) at http://www.shop.foghornpublishing.com/product.sc?productId=217&categoryId=27.

See you back here next Wednesday when it will almost be Christmas!!  Have a wonderful week, and let’s all hope up some snow for Mackinac Island.  God bless.

Next week – hopefully – we’ll return to our regular Island winter updates and talk about Christmas trees and maybe even some snow on the ground.  But not this week.

The plane crash that took the lives of Tom Phillips, a Mackinac Island summer resident, and Joey Pann, a pilot with Great Lakes Air, was not the only tragedy for the Island this weekend.  Already numb from that news, we heard of the death of another Mackinac Island summer resident.

On their way north last Saturday morning, Steve Vanderboegh and wife Bobbi pulled over on the side of the road near Cheboygan to aid a couple whose car had spun out on black ice.  They asked the couple into their car to wait – out of the cold – for emergency vehicles to arrive.  While waiting, a tractor trailer driver, attempting to switch lanes, lost control of his vehicle on the icy roads.  The truck hit Steven and Bobbi’s car, killing Steven instantly and injuring Bobbi and the other two passengers.  Steven was 48 and leaves behind a son Alex and daughter Ashley, who Ted and I know from her working at the Cannonball for two summers and at Doud’s this past summer.

All three of the men lost this weekend were husbands and fathers – Joey so very young, and Tom and Steven in the prime of life.  Anyone who has lost a cherished loved one knows the hurt each of their family members is experiencing today.

Please continue to remember the Pann, Phillips, and Vanderboegh families in your prayers.

Funeral services for Joseph “Joey” Pann, Jr. will be Thursday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m. at Curtis Baptist Church in Curtis, MI.  Memorials may be made in Joey’s name to an educational fund for his three-month-old son, Axel.

Memorial and funeral service information for Tom Phillips is available through the family.   Donation information: Fulcrum Foundation www.fulcrumfoundation.org, National Ski Patrol  www.nsp.org, Seattle Children’s Hospital  www.seattlechildrens.org, The Arthritis Foundation  www.arthirits.org

Funeral services for Steven Vanderboegh will be Monday, December 12, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel, Fremont, MI. INTERMENT : Mackinac Island Protestant Cemetery. MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS : Ashley and Alex Vanderboegh Education Fund.

Header Photo:  Heather May

I did not know Tom Phillips, but I do know his wife Sandy as a lovely and gracious lady.  Joe Pann was a much loved pilot who almost daily flew Mackinac residents and visitors back and forth from St. Ignace to the Island.  This tragedy strikes to the hearts of all of us who call Mackinac Island home.  Our prayers go out to Sandy and her family and to the family of Joe Pann.

A special thanks to the men and women of the Mackinac Island Fire Department, Police Department, and EMT Service and to the U.S. Coast Guard for their tireless efforts in locating Tom and Joe.

Header photo: Heather May

What better way to start this week’s update than with our first newsletter from Greg Main!  Thanks so much, Greg, for allowing me to share your wonderful words about life on the island during the winter months!

     “As we near the end of November, with the winter months just around the corner, there are changes in store for those of us still on Mackinac other than the weather.  Actually, these changes will also affect those of you who will be returning. 

     So far, we’ve experienced little in the way of winter-to-come, with only a few flurries in the air one afternoon and temperatures falling a few nights into the upper 20’s.  Typically, gray days, cool temps and rain forecasted every few days is a November we expect. 

     An expected change – one which was generally not wanted among this community – is the destruction of McNally Cottage.  Gone for good is yet another of the island’s historic structures.

     Another expected change, this one scenic in nature, was the removal of all the remaining mature maples lining both sides of Cadotte Avenue.  Their spindly replacements will take some time to get used to, as will the ‘new’ view looking up and down that street.  Hopefully, a few decades from now, future generations will be able to enjoy the same canopy-covered, photogenic street many of us will fondly remember.  One drawback (personal opinion, here) to the new plantings was the placement of one tree directly in front of Little Stone Church, making it impossible to get an unobstructed photograph of the church head-on.  However, it was the same way with the old trees.

     One of the unexpected changes is the change in management of the Village Inn.  After 28 years, Ron and Mary Dufina will no longer be leasing the building, as owner Dennis Cawthorne decided to let the Grand Hotel give it a go.  The new name, as I’m told, is something like ‘Cawthorne’s Village Inn, a Grand Hotel restaurant’,  but don’t officially hold me to that name. All of the kitchen equipment was removed a couple weeks ago for remodeling, and a lot of painting and other remodeling has been taking place in the bar and restaurant areas since the first of this month, with a December 1st re-opening still being anticipated.

     For the first couple weeks this month, the noxious odor of hot asphalt wafted downhill from the airport, intermittently invading the olfactory senses of anyone outside in the downtown area.  With that aspect of the airport job now nearly finished, the runway is once again open, although only for daytime flights until the new lighting installation is completed. 

     Our town Christmas tree was set up on Main Street, donated by Rosie Charnes from her property in the village.  This tree is strikingly different from the norm, it being much larger in height and girth.  It is a great looking tree, and we’re all looking forward to the official lighting.

     Just as we’ve been getting used to the continued running of Arnold Transit’s fast ferry, the announcement was posted today that the Chippewa, or ‘the slow boat’ to many of us, will be put into service beginning Saturday.  Shepler’s ferry is still running also, per the ferry ordinance, but there have been more empty or near-empty ferries coming and going every day between here and St. Ignace this Fall than I have ever seen before. 

     Mackinac Island’s first annual ‘Turkey Trot’, a 5k/3.1mile run/walk/ dog/walk/ bike/ whatever will take place Thanksgiving morning at 11 o‘clock, beginning at Doud’s Market, route unknown to me at this time.  It’s a just-for-fun event, untimed, unsanctioned.  Perhaps a good way to work off some calories before packing them back on later in the day.  

     Freighters remain an everyday sighting in the Straits.  It seems busier this November than most that I recall.  Maybe this is a sign of good things to come, economically.

     I’m getting started with these missives a bit later than usual this year as most of my week has been tied up with working.  It’s rehab time at the Island House Hotel, and every room is gone through, painted, patched and primped.  Five days per week there leaves little time for me to wander about, gathering ideas, mustering opinions or to chat with people in order to sit at this keyboard on a semi-regular basis and pass along things I might deem interesting . . .hopefully.

     It is that time of year when quiet returns.  The daily parade of dump trucks loaded with McNally site excavation dirt and gravel rumbling through town notwithstanding, traversing the bluffs, east and west, the Annex roads, interior trails and even circling State highway are a welcome contrast to the noise and hubbub of the all-too-brief summer season.  It isn’t so much that island wildlife is more abundant or noisy at this time of year, it’s the lack of human distractions which enable one to pause now and then, noticing an interesting architectural feature on a cottage, listen to the distinct, myriad warbles and trills of those non-migratory (or procrastinating) birds or to simply walk or bike slowly, taking in the newly-created vastness of the masses-free areas all over the rock.  It’s a good time to be here if you like the transition phases of Mackinac living.  We quickly fall into daily routines which, themselves, change little as winter approaches, sets in for a spell, then melts away a few months from now.  It can be a busy time for some, a relaxing time for others.  For those of us who like being busy with a day now and then to relax, it is, again, a good time to be here.

     This first offering will be rather short until I get myself into a routine sometime after the holidays, after which I can ‘settle in’ to hopefully have more to write each time along with new photos as often as possible.  Until the next time, I hope all is well with everyone wherever you are.”  Greg Main

As I’ve mentioned before, November is a slow month on the Island, with a lot of men off hunting.  November is also the month when many store owners are off the Island traveling to “market” and purchasing all the goodies we’ll want to buy next summer!

The St. Ignace News is a winter source for a lot of what I learn about the Island in the off-season, and this week’s issue was brimming with information.

• In a story by Matt Mikus:  The skeletal remains of at least four humans found at the excavation site of the demolished McNally Cottage (believed by Cecil Pavlat, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians repatriation specialist, to be of Native American origin) may be reinterred in a memorial burial mound on the Island.  Pavlat stated at the Mackinac City Council Meeting on Nov. 16 that this would be a culturally acceptable means of repatriation and would help bring awareness to Native American history on the Island.  Pavlat plans to contact the Mackinac Island State Park Commission to find a possible location for the burial and the monument.  If the state park commission is unable to fulfill the request, there is also the possibility of a private landowner donating a plot of land.  In response to a question my council member Anneke Myers, Pavlat said the 400 yards of earth removed from the site could probably be contained and interpreted on a plot of land 200 feet square.
• From Jeannette Doud’s Mackinac Island column:  1)  Folks are getting anxious about the lack of snow – snowmobiles are ready to go, but first that white stuff has to fall from the sky!  2)  The Island hosted its first Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.  It was a 5K, 3.1 mile walk, run, or bicycle ride, and dogs were allowed.  The race wasn’t timed or sanctioned – it was just for fun.  3)  Christmas Bazaar December 3-5.  4)  Christmas tree lighting Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. (you can watch on the Island web cams at http://www.mackinaclive.com!)

Shepler’s “fast” ferry will continue to run through December 2 – and possibly longer, depending on weather conditions.  The Felicity is pulling the extra duty, with other Shepler fast ferries out of the water for the winter months. Although all the ferry companies now run only from St. Ignace, the Mackinac City Shepler Dock is decorated for Christmas.

Thanks to all the readers who “snagged” a photo off the webcams of the Christmas Tree going up in the middle of Main Street and emailed them to me.  The two I’m posting are from Smi Horn, who lives year-round on Mackinac and got a great shot from a different angle than the webcams -  and a shot at sunset tonight, Nov. 29, from Nicole Doud of Little Luxuries.

As Greg mentioned in his newsletter, this is a really BIG tree. Can't wait to see it glowing with lights this Friday night!

Nicole added this sunset shot of the unlit tree to her Little Luxuries Facebook page just tonight.

The Mackinac Island Tourist Bureau has a new site where Island videos are being posted.  This is the one I chose to highlight (about horses, of course, and with some great music), but once you’re there you can click on all the others.  Thanks to Mary Slevin for this snazzy new resource!  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmm40d_mackinac-island-horses_animals

I’ll close with a few more photos from Steve Fridley . . . . . .

Mission Church on the east end of Main Street, before you get to Mission Point. If you've never been inside, please make a point to drop by on your next trip to the Island. Its peaceful simplicity will draw you in and bring a moment of calm to a busy day.

Marquette Park. Street lights. Full moon. Peek-a-boo clouds. Sigh.

A quiet fall evening downtown.

Fort Mackinac - with fall color!

Can’t believe when we talk next Wednesday it will be December, and we’ll all be in the middle of the Christmas hustle and bustle.  Let’s not forget, during all that craziness, to celebrate the true meaning of the season – the birth of the baby Jesus.  Love to you all!

God bless.

Shared by a friend - too, too cute!