Not a lot to talk about today, so I will just chat a while and see where that leads us.
Everyone on the island is talking about what a weird summer this has been – weatherwise. It certainly has been different from last summer, when it seemed every day was sunny and 75 degrees. Last year we started off every morning in shorts and jackets, shed the jackets by noon, put them back on around 4:00 in the afternoon, then went to bed and started the whole process over again the next morning. This summer, we have started nearly every day in sweatshirts, maybe shed those for a lighter sweater during the day, then put the sweats back on in the late afternoon, sometimes even adding a coat. And it has RAINED! A very wet summer, according to the islanders.
Today (Friday) has been perfect – sunny, a warm breeze, 72 degrees. It just doesn’t get any better than that! Later this afternoon though, when Ted and I were walking the dogs, Ted said, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but doesn’t it feel a little bit like fall to you?” It did – the breeze had changed and had a distinct coolness – the way it did at the end of August last year. I laughed and said, “Maybe we’ll get lucky and have snow in October!” Ted wasn’t amused.
Am I complaining? Not one iota. Mackinac Island is Mackinac Island – warm, cool, cold, wet, dry, sunny, cloudy, and windy. Love it in all its glorious sunny summer days, love it in all its messy rainy days. Just love it. We have learned to leave the house prepared for anything during a day. Yesterday when I took Bear over to Cheboygan for a much needed bath, I wore capri’s and a 3/4 length sleeve top. Tied a white zip-up hoodie around my waist. I forgot one thing – I should have taken the rain gear. I didn’t need it in Cheboygan, but it was raining on the island when we got back. Gave me an excuse though to call a cab. Bear and I love those cabs. If there is room, he spreads out and takes up two seats, with his head hanging over the edge looking out at everything we pass.
When we got off the ferry, Jill was there to meet us. I think she has a sixth sense about when people are arriving on the island. Not only was she there, but Bonnie was waiting on the dock also, greeting friends/family (don’t know which one) who were on the ferry with me (although I didn’t know it). Putting Bonnie’s picture on the blog a couple of days ago with Charlie the chipmunk raised my readership about 200 people that day. Bonnie and Don must have a really big family! I got the nicest comments from some of them.
I rode over on the ferry with a couple from Tulsa, Oklahoma who were visiting the island for the first time (in case you haven’t noticed, I also forgot my camera yesterday – so no pictures of any of this). It was a surprise trip for the wife. Her husband had arranged the whole thing for her birthday, including a dinner at the Woods Restaurant. Talk about romantic! It turned out that their daughter (I think) and her family lived in Arkansas in the same town a few years ago as our Julie, but have since moved. Small, small world. Anyway, Happy Birthday Patty! I hope your visit to Mackinac Island is everything your husband envisioned for the two of you!
Ted went to Cheboygan today – grocery shopping. He’s so good about not asking me to grocery shop when I take Bear over. Handling 85 lbs. of dog and several banana boxes filled with groceries isn’t easy – so he went back today.
When Ted got home this afternoon, I walked downtown to get the mail, send some cards, and pick up some boxes to send some packages off next week. Went by the bookstore to see if Jill was working, and but she wasn’t coming in until 4:00 today. I stopped by The Grand to take some pictures of their daylily garden. Many varieties, many colors – all beautiful!
Oh, I have to show you this. The first picture is one I took June 29 of the flowers out in front of The Grand. The second picture was July 26 – less than a month later. Amazing!
I know I have shown you a lot of flowers in the last couple of days, but honestly I can’t help it. Everything is at its peak right now. These are planted in front of the Jockey Club Restaurant, across the street from The Grand.
To put the icing on this fine Friday, I got to see two of my favorite Friesians trot by, pulling a beautiful carriage. Don’t know if they were on the way to town to pick up someone at the ferry, or if they were just out getting some exercise.
Stevie and Dawn from the lake in Georgia just called, and they are on the way. They left after getting off work this afternoon, and will spend the night in Tennessee. They are stopping in Ohio for a couple of nights to see a new grandbaby, then coming on up to us on Monday. We will be so excited to see folks from home!
I’m going to take a day off from blogging tomorrow – gotta house clean for company, and I don’t think you want to hear about mopping floors and polishing furniture. Will see you back here on Monday morning, good Lord willing. Have a wonderful weekend. God bless.
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