Hello from Georgia, where we’ve been besieged all weekend with predictions of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and ice, but so far – nothing! Not even a raindrop – frozen or otherwise!
Not so for Mackinac Island though. It’s finally winter there, and folks on the island are very happy to see the snow that’s fallen in the last week. Snowmobiles are everywhere!
It’s been a very slow week for news though, so all I have for you today are some photos and a very special video – maybe next week, things will pick up!
- Alyssa, who lives on the island year-round, posted this pic of the ice building at the water’s edge. Wonder if they have a Polar Bear Club on the island? This would make a perfect spot to jump in!
Shepler's Ferry began a "365 Days in Pictures" feature on their Facebook page this year. Here's one from the first week - the sun setting over Mackinaw City.
A beautiful shot of town from the fort - compliments of the Mackinac Historic State Parks.
Joanne, a blog reader who was on the island before Christmas, took this photo of one of the beautiful island cottages - all boarded up for the winter.
Another photo from Joanne - a wintry ride up Cadotte.
I had to post this one last Christmas photo from Greg Main. Every time I look at this I start humming, "Silent Night, Holy Night".
Looking at these winter photos, I really start thinking about traveling back to the island this winter. In the few days I spent there last February, I fell in love with the crunch of my boots on the snow, the silence of the woods as we stood among snow-covered trees, the cold wind off the lake that blew through the school yard- turning our cheeks bright red, the sparkling lights of downtown at night, and the pitch black evening sky with millions of stars so close . . . so close.
But – if I travel during the rest of this winter, it won’t be to Mackinac this year. Instead, I will turn my car (or hop on a plane) west to Colorado, where Blake accepted a job this week. To hear all about that, you can click here: http://bree1976.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/rocky-mountain-high-for-blake-1102011/.
I’ll close with a video for all you Friesian lovers out there that my friend Mary posted last week. The video will be played at the 2011 Stallion Show in Leeuwarden Netherlands to represent the U.S. Friesians that won’t be able to attend. This is the first time all 25 U.S. stallions have been seen together in a video. Of special interest to Mackinac Island folks is the last two minutes or so – a memorial to Nanning, the beautiful Friesian who was on the island two or three years ago when the “Friesians of Mackinac Island” video was filmed. The video is great, the music is beautiful, and the Friesians are – of course – awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdXl7ClzQ9o
See you next Monday, good Lord willing. God bless.
Bree's Mackinac Island Blog 
Thank you for the beautiful pictures. It brings tears to the eyes. God Bless and good luck to Blake and his new job.
Great pictures Brenda Love to see all the snow and winter pictures but I am not ready to go visit until Spring, as much as I miss Alyssa and would love to see her!! The link to the story about Blake doesn’t work for me…but will try again later!!
Blessings!!!
Thanks for the heads-up on the link, Alice. It’s fixed now!
I sure enjoyed those beautiful pictures, especially the one of the Grand and the young Maples on Cadotte. I see they are enjoying their sleep and will awake to growth and beauty in about 3 1/2 to 4 months.
I saved the Freisian video to my computer and emailed it to my neice. She is a lover of anything horse, so I’m sure she will enjoy it. Thank you for posting the link.
Looks like you and I had the same case of insomnia, Lowell. I’m sitting on the sunporch at “almost” 1 a.m. watching it rain and wondering if we’ll wake up to ice in a few more hours.
Always love seeing winter pictures of the island but still can’t understand how they ride bikes in the snow?. I know I couldn’t do it, without falling. Now walking, oh yeah, I would love to walk the island in the snow.
Love the video!! What beautiful horses!.
Congrats again to Blake!
Loved the pictures of winter on the island. The one of the fort with it’s Christmas tree shinning brightly is breathtaking. The video of the horses show just how beautiful they are.
Congratulations again to Blake on the new job.
I can’t understand either how people ride bikes in the snow. Here in Niles, where we got 16″ of snow over the weekend (26″ in South Bend in one day), I did observe a person riding a bike down the street Sat. afternoon….not sure how you stay from slipping and falling…maybe a snow bike tire?? Love the pictures of the Island snow…thanks!
They do make snow tires for bikes, but their effectiveness is limited. There are times on the island when travel is almost impossible because there’s not enough snow to run the machines and it’s too icy to walk. Winter on Mackinac is not for the faint of heart.
When I try to watch the video – it just says it is private and won’t let me watch it 😦 Anyone know why?
Wow, Tina, I have no idea. It was working last night. I am checking into it and will make correction when I figure it out. Thanks for letting me know. Bree
Oh, Bree, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the beautiful winter pictures! I am so happy Blake got a job!! Awesome!!!! May he love it in Colorado! Your on the downslide now for getting back to the Island. Not to many more months to go!!!! Have a great day Bree!
I know, Michelle! Ted and I were just saying that we’d been home for three months already – wow, time is zooming by! Maybe because we’ve been so busy!