It’s Fall, Y’all! 9/22/2022

Today is the first day of fall, and yours truly couldn’t be happier. Yesterday our high was 70, and today our high is forecast to be 53, with northwest winds blowing at 15-25 mph. I know not everyone gets as excited as I do about fall up north (because it’s a precursor to long, cold, snow-filled, gloomy winter days) . . .

. . . But, hay! It’s going to warm back up into the 60’s in a few days – so let’s not start thinking about winter quite yet!

I’ll be the first to tell you that fall is my absolute favorite season on Mackinac – or anywhere else for that matter. Yes, I love spring on the island, with its time of renewal, summer with its gorgeous flowers, and winter with everything covered in pristine snow. But fall! I have to agree with poet and author Victoria Erickson, “If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour.”

So . . . until we leave toward the end of October, these posts will be filled with fall on Mackinac. We aren’t to the point I can begin to show you massive amounts of color yet, but that will come soon. Today I’m just passing along some miscellaneous pics taken this week that I hope you’ll enjoy!

Me, doing what I do 99.9% of the time climbing the Cadotte Hill – stopping to photograph “something”. Funny story. A Carriage Tour driver passed me the other day and shouted, “I love your backpack!” I laughed and shouted back, “Thank you!” That backpack has come to Mackinac Island with me for 22 summers. It’s Vera Bradley and the pattern ‘Java Blue” was retired in 2006. So I consider it vintage. Like me.

A foggy morning recently near Anne’s Tablet. (Photo credit: Ted Horton)

A sunny walk to town.

Geraniums blooming along the entrance to Little Stone Church. Ted and I are associate members here and love this congregation so much. We went to the Holy Land a few years ago with a group from the church and our pastor and his wife, Dan and Beth Hans. Only two more Sundays left in this season. Hard to believe the summer has flown by so swiftly.

Grand Hotel flower gardens are beginning to look “fallish”! I love ornamental cabbages!

A look down the west end of Market Street toward a sparkling Lake Huron.

A carriage coming down Hoban Street toward Main Street. The beautiful Cloghaun Bed and Breakfast is in the background.

Whoops! There it is!

Fall hedge trimming at the condo

Friend Meredith and I out for one of our “wandering” walks. We never have a plan, so we weren’t surprised when we found ourselves on a trail neither one of us had ever been on before. It was almost completely overgrown (we took it off a Trillium Heights road), but we stuck with it and came out near the cemeteries. There may have been poison ivy involved, but luckily we were both in long pants! P.S. We solve most of the world’s problems on these walks.

Our sweet boy on top of the island – at Fort Holmes (Photo Credit: Ted Horton)

Same afternoon as above. Great shot, Ted! Gosh, I love that blue sky!

Always an extrs treat when a taxi ride home includes dropping off Grand Hotel guests – especially in the evening! There’s even a glimpse of the swimming pool as we turn the corner.

So looking forward to sharing with you the time we have left before heading to Florida. Also thinking about whether to continue writing after we get home. It won’t be Mackinac, of course, but Florida in the winter can be interesting – and beautiful in its own way. It sure has been great connecting back with each of you – and adding some new friends – this summer!