A Quiet Week – Until . . . 6/20/2013

The Horton house has been relatively quiet the last few days (insert huge sigh of relief).  I worked Monday at the Stuart House, Ted worked Tuesday at the Visitors Center, Wednesday was off-island grocery day, and today we’ve had a really relaxed day doing mostly nothing.

Even with the lack of any special events going on, I still have some photos to share that I’ve collected during the week, and a little later, I have an exciting island rescue to tell you about!  So let’s get started . . .

While photographing Lilacs at Chambers Corner the other day, my eye was immediately drawn to this magnificent sculpture of an eagle . .

Am I going crazy? Has he always been there, and I’ve never noticed him? Geez – I hope not! Regardless, he is a beauty, and looks very natural soaring between the Lilac trees.

We missed the Blessing of the Animals this year, but photographer Steven Blair captured this beautiful moment of Dr. Vince Carroll blessing Regina, Maryanke Alexander’s wonderful Friesian.

Looking downtown from Fort Hill.

I can’t get enough of Jeff’s garden on French Lane this year.  It is lush with greenery and flowers, and the summer has only just begun!  Give it another month to grow, and oh my goodness!

Blog readers Paul and Elaine Williams, enjoying some cool refreshments on the Pink Pony outside patio.  (Photo:  Jill Sawatzki)

Michigan blue sky and water – looking across the yard in front of the Grand Hotel, down to the Mackinac Island Public School.

Doud’s Market on the right, the Chippewa Hotel across the street, the Visitors Center sideways across from the Chippewa, and Marquette Park across from the Visitors Center.  Add bikes, people, carriages and horses, and you have an always busy corner.

Fort Mackinac, with yellow umbrellas visible at the Tea Room, one of our favorite places to have lunch with a view!

Maryanke and Regina took a ride down Main Street last evening, to the delight of a lot of tourists. We were downtown to have dinner with the Forresters, so we got to say hello also. (Photo: Mike Forrester)

Ted and I took Maddie and Bear up to Lookout Point today. It was a great day for a walk, and the woods are so green it takes your breath to walk through them.

Cathie, forgive me. I missed the big Lily-of-the-Valley blooming, but I did find a few for you!

I’ve never seen the grasses in this photo before in the woods.  I know they look blurred, but they are actually just that fine and whispy.  Anyone know what type of grass this is?

Sugar Loaf

It was at Sugar Loaf today that a dramatic rescue took place.  The Mackinac Island Fire Department and EMT’s were called to Sugar Loaf by a family whose son had become trapped inside one of the cave-like opening in the huge limestone outcropping.

In the photo above you can see a wide sand-like trail that winds around sugar loaf on the right.  Above that trail there three holes (almost looks like two eyes and a mouth).  It is hard to tell in this photo, but those holes are quite a distance from the base of Sugar Loaf.

A 14-year old boy, who frequently comes to the island and has done this before, once more climbed into one of the holes.  Not realizing until it was too late that his larger size now would get him in trouble, he became wedged in the hole and could not get out.

In Assistant Fire Chief Jason St. Onge’s words:  “Lt. Larry Rickley and Fire-Fighter Craig Bunker from Engine 1 used air-chisels and other hand tools to help extricate the young man, while Allied EMS, EMT Tony Spata rendered aid.  The three men were able to balance on the edge of the rock while they worked.”

St. Onge said, “Rickley and Bunker worked like horses to free up the young man, and Tony Spata all but climbed in to render aid/oxygen/assurance to keep him calm.”

As I’ve said many times in the past, the Mackinac Island Fire Department, Police Department, and EMT’s are first-rate, professional, highly-trained individuals who have to answer emergency and rescue situations not many other emergency personnel would have to deal with in their districts.  Mackinac Island is unique in so many ways, and these men and women are the best!

A huge thank you to all who took part in this rescue – both on and off duty!

FROM ANOTHER PERSON’S PERSPECTIVE

After a recent visit to Mackinac Island, a new friend of mine, Jean Schachermeyer, shared this the other day on Facebook:

On Saturday I was sitting on a balcony on Mackinac Island watching the folks on Main Street, and I took notice of three things I wanted to share about Michiganders…

1. Kids…riding bikes down Main Street (helmets on:) and one said to the other “Aren’t you going to be sad when we have to leave this place?” 
2. An Amish woman riding a bike putting her face back to feel the wind on her face. I could just tell it was quite a treat for her.
3. Watching the folks as they exited the ferry and walked onto the island, I noticed families, working class families. They had no luggage and were not spending the night, but making maybe an annual pilgrimage to this amazing Michigan treasure. Soaking in the sights, smells, and sounds…spending their hard earned money on fudge, taking a carriage tour, knickknacks to remember the day. 

I think someone already coined the phrase but what the heck . . . Pure Michigan.

Thank you, Jean, for saying so well what I try to say with each post on Bree’s Blog.  Mackinac Island is like a gift, all wrapped up and waiting for all who come to step off the ferry, open her up, and see what what she has to offer.  Pure Mackinac.