Mackinac – Beautiful Mackinac! 6/5/16

WE HAVE A WINNER FOR THE CONTEST AT THE END OF THIS BLOG.  THE WINNER IS KATHY STRUKEL!  Answers to the three questions are: 1) 1902; 2) Lawrence Andrew Young; 3) 1944.

I guess you’ve been wondering if I was EVER going to get back to Mackinac on this blog, and I’m happy to report today is the day!  With reports coming in from friends on the island, and photographs being shared every day, I’m hoping today’s post will fill the needs of all of you who are “Mackinac deprived”.  Writing it – and looking at all the photos – has sure helped me as I sit here in Florida – with temps in the 90’s and humidity that has my hair curling into Shirley Temple mode!

Doesn’t Bobby Lee capture great angles and perspectives on his photographs? I love this double dose of the Mackinac Bridge – the real thing and its reflection in the ferry windows.  Wishing I was on that boat!

And speaking of the bridge . . . Atlanta friend Mike Forrester got a rare chance to climb to the top of said bridge yesterday. Oh, what a view! Later on he and Jill sent me a photo of them together at the Pink Pony. Both that photograph and this one were meant to drive me crazy and make me very jealous.  Mission accomplished!

Weather has been very random the last couple of weeks – cool days, warm days, sunny days, rainy days, and foggy days. Even in the fog though, the island is beautiful, and the activities that define the island – like drays and taxis – never change. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Tulips, beautiful Grand Hotel tulips! (Photo: Patrick Conlon). Now you see them . . . .

. . . and now you don’t. In one day and night, the tulips are gone, and the annuals are planted. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

All those plants have to come from somewhere! They arrive by ferry, are transferred to drays, and then they make their way to the businesses and homes of Mackinac. That’s master gardener Jack Barnwell (Barnwell Landscape and Garden Services) driving the forklift.  (Photo: Jill Sawatzki)

One of my favorite island flowers – ladyslippers – are blooming in their favorite spots around the island. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Another favorite – crabapple blooms in high focus with a blurred out Round Island Light in the distance.  (Photo:  Tom Chambers)

And yes. It is lilac season on Mackinac. The Lilac Festival is in full swing, and the lilacs have cooperated by showing up right on cue! (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

—And whether you see them through the fog (Photo: Clark Bloswick) . . .

. . . or from up close, once you’ve experienced Mackinac during lilac season, you will always want to return at the same time the next year – and the next. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Would love to be in these woods and walking this trail! Patience, patience, patience. (Photo: Jill Sawatzki)

A busy summer day on Main Street! (Photo: Jill Sawatzki)

A recent full moon appears to be lighting Lady Liberty’s torch in the marina. (Photo: Josh Carley)

A great one to close this section! Can you find the upside down girl? Great capture, Clark Bloswick!

SOMETHING NEW AND COLORFUL AT THE ISLAND BOOKSTORE

I recently received two complimentary copies of a new coloring book that is already selling like hotcakes at the Island Bookstore.  Now, don’t think CHILDREN’s coloring book – think ADULT coloring book!!  It’s called “IlluMInations – The Mackinac Island Coloring Book for Grown-Ups”.

This is the third in a series of coloring books for people of any age, and Mackinac Island’s many architectural, thematic and natural treasures lend themselves wonderfully to the current craze of adult coloring books.  The book was conceived by Kristen M. Hains and Matt McCormick and published by Denali & Co.

Collaborator Matt McCormick spent summers in college working on the island – first as a dock porter/bellman and reservationist for The Island House Hotel and later as a Front Office Manager at the Lake View Hotel. He then spent two full seasons (in 1986 and 1987) working as a photographer with Rob Jerstrom at Resort Photography. It was during those two years that McCormick amassed a collection of images of the island, many of which inspired the artists who created the coloring pages.

I’ve already ordered my coloring pencils and can’t wait to get started!  What could be more creative and relaxing than spending a few hours bringing my favorite island to life – changing a black & white drawing into a kaleidoscope of magical colors!

Now – what about if I offer one of my complimentary copies to YOU!  Let’s have a contest to see who gets it.  Hmmmmm . . . how about this?  Be the first person to answer correctly – in the COMMENT SECTION of the blog – the following three questions (all three have to be correct):  1) In what year was the Michigan Governor’s Summer Residence built on Mackinac?  2) For whom was the residence originally built?  and 3) In what year was the residence purchased by the Mackinac Island State Park?

Whoever answers all three questions correctly first will receive a copy of this great coloring book!

As soon as I have a winner, I’ll enter that info at the top of the blog (like I used to do with contests on the blog) – so folks can stop sending in answers.  You might want to check the top of the blog before you write in your answers to see if someone has already won.  I will also post the winner in the Comments Section.  I don’t expect it will take long to get a winner!

If you don’t win one, you can find copies at The Island Bookstore when you visit the island!

Ready, set, go!

God bless.