Back in My Happy Place 7/27/17

Hi Everyone!

We’ve been on the island now for almost two weeks, and I think we’re about settled in.  I’m a little surprised that the first week was harder than usual for me – physically I mean.  I knew I hadn’t been exercising much in Florida since it had gotten so hot (short walks with Bodie just don’t equal “in shape” on Mackinac).  The first walk up the hill to our condo left me breathing hard and thinking, “Geez, what the heck is this?”  But, it’s amazing how fast that climb got easier each time I did it, and yesterday Bodie and I covered over two miles of trails – up and down hill – and came back to the condo feeling great.  It makes me feel better that Bodie is having to get in shape too, but for some reason, I think he’s having a lot more fun than I am during the process.

Weather – what can I say?  We came from over 100 degrees heat index in Florida to here where the temps haven’t gotten out of the 70’s for highs since we arrived.  Shorts and t-shirts during the day, a jacket at night for the last dog walk, and a lap blanket out on the porch in the mornings while we have coffee.  We’ve had a couple of days of rain, but that’s ok.  We’re on the island.  We just pull on the rain gear and keep on truckin’.

Bodie has amazed us by how well he’s taking the island busyness in stride. From the time he stepped off the ferry . . .

. . . and jumped right into the taxi, he’s handled it all with a maturity I really didn’t think he possessed yet. He’s been surrounded by horses, carriages and people and is amazingly calm about all of it.  Maybe Maddie’s “so what” attitude has rubbed off on him!  Still very excited though when he meets new folks one-on-one.  We continue to work on that!

The island is beautiful in July, and we were so excited when we got to the condos to find all the landscaping done, flowers blooming, and butterflies floating from bush to bush.

And, we’re excited that we’ll be right here in this same place until we leave mid-October!

OUR FIRST TWO WEEKS IN PHOTOS

We celebrated our first evening on Mackinac with dinner at the Chippewa (a tradition). The second night we went out with friends Buz and Patty from Oklahoma. They’re here until the middle of September, and we’re so excited we’ll be seeing lots more of them before they leave. I think it was the third night we finally ate at the condo, and then walked down to Sadie’s for ice cream.

One of those stormy days. It’s amazing how quickly I forgot how dirty a golden retriever can get on the wet streets of Mackinac Island! (Photo: Jill Sawatzki)

One thing all that rain produces are lush gardens all over the island, like this one of the west bluff.

As I was leaving the reunion, one of Ted’s newly-found cousins, Diane Caruso, gave us this wonderful pillow she had made because she knew of our love for little Maddie. It’s wonderful to have something “homemade” in the Mackinac condo, and when we leave we’ll take it to Florida, and it will find a home there.

You all know Ted and I have a morning coffee ritual – wherever we are. Maddie in Ted’s lap . . .

and Bodie guarding the front porch seems to be the theme for this summer.

One of cousin Dave and Diane’s sons, Scott, and his wife Tina and their boys spent the day on the island the week we arrived. They stopped by to say hello and added another “personal” item to the condo . . .

. . . . this great candid shot of their family on vacation!

Ran into artist Mary Lou Peters in Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island this week. Love this sweet lady!

Backtracking some now – I know most of you saw this on Facebook, but just in case you didn’t, Ted and I stopped in to see Lowell and Faye for a few moments as we passed through Olivet. It was storming and we had to leave the pups in the car, so we didn’t get to visit nearly long enough!

And one day while we were at Dave and Diane’s, I met Mary Saul and Frankie Thill in downtown Spring Lake for a girls chat session. So happy to see these two sweet friends.

I dropped by Mackinac Mud Pottery this afternoon and was just in time to watch owner Jay Barch creating at the wheel. Love this shop filled with original items. Ted and I use coffee mugs from Jay’s shop on Mackinac and in Florida.

Heading down Fort Hill this afternoon. There it is – that Michigan blue water and sky!

Pretty zinnias at the Grand!

Fort Mackinac on a gorgeous July day!

INDULGE ME – PLEASE

You’re just going to have to indulge me now for this section.  I’ve taken about 352 photos of Bodie since we arrived, and if left up to me I’d force you to look at each and every one. But I’m going to take pity and try and just put up a few of the best ones.  I promise, promise, promise I will NOT do this in every blog this summer, but for this one . . . well, please indulge me.

Mackinac, as seen through Bodie’s eyes his first week:

First of all, the cars here are pulled by animals called horses. Horses are much bigger than me, so I leave them alone. I don’t even bark at them. I have to admit riding around in a carriage is pretty cool stuff!  Would you believe there are people here who sweep up after the horses when they poop in the street.  I sure am glad, cause I don’t think they make poop bags big enough for horse poop!

Out my window I get to see horses in a corral. Seriously, I do.

Mackinac has woods, and being in the woods means I can be off-lead. That makes me very, very happy!

Mom makes me practice my Sit/Stay command all the time here (so she can take photos of me).

Mom said we didn’t have room in the truck for both my crate AND my bed. I’d rather she brought my bed. Maddie shares hers sometimes, but it’s not quite as big as mine.

Mom and I go on long, long walks – usually twice a day, and I’m really getting a full tour of Mackinac. Mom LOVES to take my photo at the different places we visit. Like the gazebo for Somewhere in Time . . .

. . .this place called Anne’s Tablet . . .

. . . . and in the Grand Hotel gardens!

Today we were in Turtle Park and this guy was kicking a soccer ball around. I figured he needed help.

I ran out to help him with the ball, and he stopped what he was doing and gave me great pets!  I thought that was pretty cool, but since he didn’t have treats in his pockets, I ran back to mom when she called.

This is absolutely the best place I’ve ever been so far in my life. It’s summertime, but it’s cool. There are miles and miles of trails to run on. Just about every person I meet wants to pet me. Everyone of you should seriously pack up all your pets and bring them to Mackinac!  They will thank you forever!

ONE MORE THING

Jill and I sat downtown at Marquette Park this afternoon people-watching and drinking our Arnold Palmer Lite Ice Tea (99 cents at Doud’s).  I have it on good authority that Friday, July 28, is Jill’s birthday, so everyone feel free to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY right here!  Yes, she’s going to kill me for doing that, but that’s the way it is with good friends.  We can get away with stuff!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JILLSKI!!

See you back here in a few days!  God bless.

Mackinac Island Christmas Bazaar Trip – Post 3

It’s been a long day friends – but it’s all been worth it cause I’m sitting at my laptop on Mackinac Island tonight!

I arrived at the Pellston Airport 15 minutes EARLY and was met by Jill, Sue and this fellow (one of the permanent displays at the airport).

We collected my luggage, jumped in Sue’s car, and we were off. We made it to Mackinaw City, crossed the bridge and pulled up with minutes to spare to board the mighty Huron.

Friend Joan Barch met our boat, and snapped this pic of me when I first realized how COLD it was – full shudder mode!  39 degrees with a nice wind blowing.  A big change from sunny Florida!

Our first stop was the Original Murdick’s Fudge Shop where Murdick elves have been busy for days creating fudge and other yummy treats to send out across the nation. Jill took this photo of Leanne, Sue, me, Bobby Benser, whose family owns Original Murdick’s Fudge, and Joan.

We got settled in and went to meet Sue’s son Patrick and Joan at The Village Inn for dinner.  There are only two restaurants open in the winter – The Village Inn and The Mustang.  Had a great meal and then headed back to the friend’s house where we are staying.

I love that even though the majority of the businesses are closed downtown, they’ve still decorated for the Christmas season – like Horn’s Bar . . .

. . . Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island. . .

. . . and the Chippewa Hotel (Photo by Jill).

I’m sure there are others, but we didn’t venture off Main Street tonight.

Tomorrow will be a full day, and I’ll continue to post little snippets from my iPhone.  I’ll be covering all the activity at Original Murdick’s Fudge and everything going on for the Christmas Bazaar.  Tomorrow night is the Christmas Tree lighting on Main Street.  If you go to the Horn’s Bar website and click on their webcam a little before 5:00 p.m., you should be able to watch the lighting from there.

It’s going to be a great weekend, and I’m so glad all of you are along for the ride!

Now this old girl is going to bed.  It’s been a long time since 4:00 this morning!

See you tomorrow!

 

 

Three Weeks To Go . . . . 9/8/15

I know this blog was supposed to be Part II of the Grand Garden Show, but I decided to break up all those flower gardens with some photos of daily life around the island this week.  We’ll get back to the garden show in the next post!

Labor Day is over, and the island has already made the subtle swing into the relaxing season of Fall.  The huge crowds left on Monday, and although there are still plenty of folks downtown, you can just feel the island beginning to breathe a little more slowly.

I even started back volunteering at the Stuart House this week. I worked all day Saturday and will be back on duty Thursday! It felt great to be back inside this historic Mackinac building!

There are several new businesses in town, and one of my favorites is a new shop opened by Nicole Doud, who also owns Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island.  She’s calls it the Little Luxuries Artists Market.

The Artists Market carries items handmade in the USA (there are a lot of Michigan and Midwest artists). Nicole loves craft fairs and markets and loves supporting independent artists/makers.  Concentrating on unique handmade gift items, the Artists Market has a modern vintage feel with wood floors and vintage display pieces.  I love it!

Bear’s new favorite spot – with his head between the porch rails overseeing the carriage, bike, and pedestrian traffic down below.

Sunday was a beautiful day on Mackinac! The second annual Labor Day Weekend Sailboat Race was in full swing when I spotted the boats from our window and went over to take a photo.

Mission Point was beautiful in the sun . . .

. . . and the wind was spreading the seeds of this purple-flowered plant far and wide.

The Mackinac Island version of AAA.

Stormy Labor Day weather didn’t stop Ted from joining approximately 40,000 other walkers for the Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk. This photo is just before he joins the crowd at the starting point in St. Ignace.

LOL – no, he’s not walking in the wrong direction – just turned around for a photo op before reaching one of the bridge towers.  The bridge walk covers 5 miles and ends in Mackinaw City.  This was Ted’s sixth bridge walk.  Yes, I’ve done it . . . . once.

This morning was foggy, and I had to go off-island for an appointment and a little grocery shopping.

Coming back across the Straits this afternoon was a very rainy ride. Would you believe there were folks who opted to ride on the uncovered top deck!?

You know it’s a crowded ferry when the baggage section is packed so full of luggage and bikes that a few bikes had to be transported on the front deck!

Coming up before we leave . . . . 1) Part II of the Garden Show and garden photos from two downtown summer cottages and the Iroquois Hotel.  2)  An update on Silver Birches.  3) A report on the marine rescue boats and equipment used by island rescue units and the U.S. Coast Guard.  4)  An update on Fort Holmes

Less than three weeks left on the island.  How can that be?

See you back here in a few days!

God bless.

Mackinac Island Spring Update 4/7/2013

Five weeks to go . . . I think.

Ted has had a possible 3-day job come up May 6-8 here in Georgia (the week we would be doing our final packing to leave).  If that job commitment is made, there’s a chance we won’t get out of here Mother’s Day weekend.  We’ll just have to wait and see what happens . . .

I only have a few photos tonight, and most of the ones I do have deal with more snow . . . something the island will be happy now to see end.  The first of the Grand Hotel workers arrived this week, and most of them came from very warm climates.  I’m hearing there are a lot of very happy Jamaicans seeing their first snow ever and enjoying it immensely!  I just can’t quite comprehend that the Grand “soft” opens at the end of this month and officially opens one week later, on May 2.

I read in The St. Ignace News this week that P.J. Parrish, the author of “Heart of Ice” – set on Mackinac Island – will be participating in the Mackinac Island Library Summer Author Series.  As you know “P.J.” is actually the pen name for two sisters, Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols.  They’ll be at the island library on June 28 at 4 p.m. – can’t wait to hear them!

The Seabiscuit Cafe is already open!  Love, love, love their English Pot Roast Muffins!  Oh my gosh – now my tummy is growling!

April 4 and it is snowing on the island. That cart just arrived with the first of this year’s merchandise for Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island. I chatted with Nicole this afternoon, and she said more snow is forecast for the end of the coming week.  Good grief!  Oh . . .have I mentioned that Nicole’s shop will be twice as large this year?! Oh my goodness, do NOT tell Ted – he will chop up my charge card. (Photo: Nicole Doud)

The Father Marquette statue welcomed April to the Island through a veil of snow flakes. (Photo:  Clark Bloswick)

For the entire month of April the Mackinac Bridge is illuminated by blue lights as part of an autism awareness campaign.  So beautiful.  (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Perfect place at the perfect time. Clark Bloswick was walking down Astor Street when he spotted the Huron coming straight in to the Arnold dock.  I swear when we get to the Island I’m tracking down Clark Bloswick and Robert McGreevy and following them around all summer.  Maybe that way I can get some fantastic shots too!

Greg Main posted this photo of the new street lights being added downtown.  The light with the speed limit sign is older, and you can see the new lights beyond that one are brighter and seem to direct more light down on the street.  Love them!

As the weeks tick by, I’ve begun to think seriously about Bree’s Blog, and where I want to go with it this summer .  Coming up in June will be what I hope is one of the best stories yet from that magical spot.  It involves a wonderful, loyal reader and his wife and the amazing way the Island is helping make a dream come true.  That’s all I’m giving away for now . . . . :)!

That’s all for tonight.  Have a great week, think SPRING, and God bless.

I Think I’ll Go Outside a While . . an jus’ smile 9/30/2012

It’s a beautiful mornin’ ahhh
I think I’ll go outside a while
An jus’ smile
Just take in some clean fresh air boy
Ain’t no sense in stayin’ inside
If the weather’s fine an’ you got the time
It’s your chance to wake up and plan another brand new day
Either way
It’s a beautiful mornin’ ahhh  – Rascals

Makes you want to sing along, doesn’t it!

We’ve had three days of beautiful mornings – and days – this weekend, and being outside is all I’ve wanted to do.  I LOVE Fall – wherever I am.  In the South, Fall usually continues past Christmas and New Year’s Day (I’m talking Fall temperatures – the trees lose their leaves before then).  Winter (meaning we might throw on a fleece layer over a long-sleeve cotton shirt) usually arrives sometime in January.  So, even though we’ll leave here after the beautifully-colored leaves have probably all been blown from the trees, we’ll arrive in Georgia in time for another Fall that could last two more months.  We are so blessed.

The ri’vah is calling me more strongly each day.  We’ve been gone a long time now, and I’m yearning to see family and our sweet friends and to sit on the sun porch, coffee mug in hand, and watch the birds at their feeder and the lake shimmering with sunlight.

But that’s five weeks away, and right now I’m planning on enjoying Fall on Mackinac in all its brilliant glory.

So much to talk about from the Island, but first . . . .

Ted’s Trip to Chicago and the 39th Ryder Cup

Ted was invited along on the trip with a group of guys he’s gotten to know well since we made Mackinac our summer home.

The group drove to Traverse City and flew to Chicago on a charter. Now I ask you – does this group look like they could have fun or what!

Beautiful homes they passed on the way to their hotel.

Along Lake Michigan, with the Chicago skyline in the background.  Ted loved the biking, walking and running trails, but said there was no time in their schedule for exercising.  Uh huh.

View from the 40th floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where they stayed the first night.

On Tuesday, they attended the first practice round of the Ryder Cup and the Pro-Am Celebrity Tournament.

Some of the celebrities they spotted playing were Michael Phelps, George Lopez, Bill Murray and Justin Timberlake (sorry, no close-ups).

The 17th hole. Golfers they watched practice were Phil Mickleson, Bubba Watson (go Georgia!) and Zack Johnson.

After a full day at the golf course, one of the guys gets in a little power nap on the train.

Since Ted had never been to Chicago, the guys took him to the Trump Tower Terrace bar, where you can look down the Chicago River to Lake Michigan.  What an unbelievable view!   They ate at Gibson’s Steak House on Monday night and at Topo Giogio’s Italian Restaurant in Old Town Tuesday evening.

Night in Chicago.

View of Lake Michigan Wednesday morning from the Embassy Suite.

In the Tribune Tower (home of the Chicago Tribune) there is a tangible piece of history from each of the 50 states embedded into the building. Ted found Michigan’s block, which held a bit of Fort Brady from Sault Ste. Marie.

The guys flew into Traverse City early Wednesday afternoon, drove to Mackinaw City and caught the 4:30 ferry to the Island.  I didn’t get to hear much about the trip until Thursday morning ’cause Ted went straight to sleep in his recliner after dinner.  What a great trip for everyone!

Fire Drill

The Mackinac Island Fire Department is one of the best-trained group of firefighters anywhere – they practice and drill constantly.  On Thursday evening our Fire Department conducted a training event at British Landing Dock, with the help of SEMCO energy.  The training involved burning propane tanks ranging from the “grill” sized tanks to the “home heating” style tanks, which are becoming more prevalent on the Island. 

Battling the flames are Assistant Fire Chief Jason St. Onge, Harold Jonas, Travis Vartanian and Ben Mosley.  The flames were visible from St. Ignace.  (Photo credit:  Dan Seeley)

Preparing to take care of their equipment, after the fire was out.  The lights of St. Ignace are visible across the lake.  (Photo Credit:  Dan Seeley)

The Weekend in Photographs

Friday morning’s sunrise. (Photo Credit: Patrick Conlon)

Maddie thought it was a good day to sleep in the sun (a fluffy fleece blanket only made it better)!

Jill and I hopped a ferry Friday afternoon for St. Ignace and hair appointments. All I did was get my boring gray covered, but Jill went crazy with a PINK streak!

Jeremy’s reaction to Jill’s PINK streak! Not to worry, by Sunday morning, she had washed it out.

A sign of the season. Our recent cold snap was hurtful to some of our beautiful summer flower baskets. These from Main Street Inn & Suites came down this weekend.

More Fall signs – the shops are decorated for Autumn. These mums and scarecrows are outside of Decked Out.

Little Luxuries has some great Halloween goodies. Hey! That pumpkin matches my backpack!

Ted and I popped in at Ella & Ivy’s in time to wish Anne’s mom a Happy 90th Birthday!  She had flown up from Florida to spend the week with Anne and commented it quite a bit chillier in Michigan!  What a sweet and beautiful lady.

Steven Kopacki closed his gallery at 6pm Saturday evening and took a fall hike to Fort Holmes where he took this picture. It was taken at dusk, no flash, no tripod, looking southeast, full moon and fall color. Did you see the freighter in the moon reflection in the water. Steven’s gallery is offering 20 to 30% off on canvases and prints thru Oct 14th: www.photosbyblair.com

The peacefulness and beauty of the water near Mission Point Resort on Sunday morning promised another wonderful day outside! (Photo credit: Mary McGuire)

Late this afternoon Ted and I decided to take the pups up to Lookout Point. The trees at the Carriage Museum are turning more golden each day, and Wednesday is the last day they will be open – no more doughnuts till next year!

One of my favorite trees at the back entrance of the Carriage Museum (that’s the Wings of Mackinac Butterfly Exhibit over the dropoff there).

All paths to Lookout Point lead first through the cemeteries.  Today was a wonderful day for a Drive-it-Yourself buggy ride!

The trees at the cemeteries had much more color than Surrey Hill – just 1/2 mile away.

A canopy of gold.

The view from Lookout Point out to Lake Huron – so much change from when Ted was up here a week ago!

Lots of summer picnics have been enjoyed under this little shelter at Lookout Point!

The road not taken – at least not today. Next week we’ll go through here to Ft. Holmes.

We had started our walk late and then stopped to talk with several folks along the way. It was WAY past Maddie and Bear’s dinner time . . . .

“I wonder if this leads to Afternoon Snack Trail?”

Last wood path before home . . . what an awesome weekend!

I left out a very important part of Saturday.  A group of visually impaired children and teenagers visited the Island this weekend, and one of the highlights of their trip was a visit to Jack’s Livery Stable, where they were introduced to all things horse – including a ride!  I was so excited to be  invited to come with my camera, and I’ll have that story for you Wednesday.

The days will begin to fly by now, and I’m hoping I can give those of you who can’t come for Fall a real sense of what Mackinac is like during this season.  It’s a wonderful time to be here – maybe some photo will convince you to plan a trip in the next few weeks . . . everyone is offering specials!  And if not a photograph, what about a little movie – taken Saturday afternoon on my way home:  http://youtu.be/_RWwwSVYHRg

See you Wednesday!

Stick Season 9/23/2012

“She calls it “stick season,” this slow disrobing of summer,
leaf by leaf, till the bores of tall trees rattle and scrape in the wind.”
–   Eric Pinder

We haven’t gotten to “stick season” yet, but would you believe that the weather report called for possible SLEET this past weekend!  It didn’t happen, but could it be . . . . could it possibly be . . . that we might see SNOW before we leave?  You know how I am about that white stuff . . . I’ll keep you posted!

Ted and I were going to Mackinaw City on Friday to say goodbye to Chris Ann and Burton (they leave on Monday or Tuesday for Florida – by way of lower Michigan visits to family and friends).  But the weather was so bad (rain, cold) that Chris Ann called and said, “Please don’t get out in this.  We’ll see you later in the year – maybe in Georgia!”  We were already geared up for rain when she called, so we decided to go ahead and walk downtown for breakfast/brunch/lunch – whichever we were hungry for when our tummies said , “It’s time to eat!”

It’s hard to explain how important rain gear is to someone who doesn’t live on Mackinac.  In the “real world”, we throw up the umbrella for the two-step walk to the car from our front doors, park in garages attached to shopping malls, and scarcely give a thought to getting wet, even on a really rainy day.

Here, it’s a little different.

On Mackinac Island, rain gear is a necessity, and buying the good stuff is well worth the dollars and cents!

Take the Carriage Tour drivers.  One of the first things they are told when they are hired is, “Bring good rain gear!”  Cold-weather gear is provided, but not rain gear.

The first-time college-kid drivers tend to scoff at this advice.  They may even show up at the beginning of the season with NO rain gear.  But the first time they’re in the middle of a shift and the skies open up, leaving them stuck for the rest of the day on a carriage – soaking wet and miserable – they use the first opportunity they have to: 1) go on-line and order the best rain gear available; or 2) phone home and ask mom to send same.  It’s a wet lesson, learned the hard way, but from that point on, at even the hint of anything other than sunny skies, the rain gear goes out the door with them to work.

I bought my men’s size small rain pants just before we came back for our second summer on the Island, and Julie and her family gave me a great rain coat with hood and some rain boots for Christmas that year.  This was after realizing that walking back from town in a windy downpour, with only an umbrella, gets you nothing but soaked.

So – enclosed in rain gear – Ted and I set off for town during a little break in the weather.

Before we’d even reached Main Street, the skies darkened once more, and we made a run for it past Marquette Park . . .

. . . and into the Richard & Jane Manoogian Art Museum – which we had not visited all summer. The new exhibit upstairs is dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the Grand Hotel, and it is amazing. From an upstairs window we watched the rain clouds move from Mackinaw City to the Island.

Shooting through the rain-drenched window gave downtown the blur of a watercolor painting . . .

. . . and seemed to accent the emptiness of the marina.

When the rain let up a little, we walked over to see Anne at Ella & Ivy and found Ella modeling an adorable doggie raincoat.  Everything in Anne’s store is 50% off – except the artwork.

We also stopped in at Little Luxuries (Ted went to Island Bookstore while I explored). Nicole has so many Fall items out now . . .

. . . including Halloween fun things!

Today begins Mackinac Island Restaurant Week (September 23-29), and Island restaurants are trying to outdo each other with special menus at fantastic prices.  To see what some of your favorites have to offer this week, click here: http://mackinacislandrestaurantweek.org/.

I met back up with Ted at the bookstore, and then we popped into Jesse’s Chuckwagon for one of their fabulous hamburgers (Rodeo Burger for me and Bleu Cheese Burger for Ted).

The Chuckwagon is traditionally a locals favorite, and Ted and I enjoyed eating breakfast there many, many times when we’d vacation on the island years ago (we don’t get downtown for breakfast much since we moved “up the hill”). This may have been our very first time there for lunch, and the hamburgers were great!

The Chuckwagon is a tiny restaurant, but if things go as planned, they may be increasing in size in the next year or so.  Then more folks will be able to enjoy this special place where you can sit at the counter and watch the food be prepared.

We splurged on a taxi ride home (hardly ever do that in the daytime), but we used the rain as an excuse :)!

Someone is already picking pumpkins out of the patch at the horse barns!

Saturday was another gray and rainy day – the wind and cold didn’t help either.  We had plans to go to friends for dinner, and when the forecast for sleet came on at the Weather Channel, I started adding another layer to my planned outfit.  But – not only didn’t it sleet – it stopped raining!  And . . .

. . . Shepler’s Ferry in Mac City captured this dazzling double rainbow late in the afternoon . . .

. . . and Patrick Conlon captured the sunrise this beautiful Sunday morning.

After church and lunch, we took the pups out for a long walk.  They’ve been cooped up most of the week – with short potty breaks being their only outside time.  They were ready to run!

Colors are showing above the Carriage Museum.  Loving that blue sky!

Glimpses of yellow through the trees . . .

. . . and the first red leaf I’ve seen this year!

It felt great to be outside in the woods!

Lots of new smells to sniff out after a rain . . .

Bear runs ahead, then waits till we catch up . . .

. . . and today he ran and ran just for the sheer joy of it!

Even Maddie was allowed off her leash to chase a squirrel up a tree!

It’s after dinner now as I sit finishing this post.  Ted leaves on the 9 a.m. ferry Monday morning with Island buddies to drive to Traverse City.  From there they are flying to Chicago, and on Tuesday they’ll be attending a practice round of the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament. They’ll be back Wednesday.   He is excited!

I’ll be at the Stuart House Monday from 10-2, and if you read Bree’s Blog and you’re visiting on the Island, I’d love for you to stop by so we can meet.

Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here Tuesday night or Wednesday morning!  God bless.

Spring . . . Summer . . . Fall? 8/19/2012

Hmmm.  There’s a little nip in the air.  It  warms up nicely by two or three o’clock (“nicely” being low 70’s, not mid-80’s), but then the thermometer mercury begins sliding back down the tube.  Friday and Saturday were very windy, and although I don’t think Fall is quite ready to declare “I’ve  arrived!”, it’s certainly lurking out there somewhere – throwing us a few more sunny, warm days to pamper us, before beginning to turn green leaves into gold and warm breezes into chilly winds.

To be frank, I’m ready for Labor Day.  As big as our crowds on the Island have been all summer, it seems for the last two weeks they’ve been even bigger!  Because of the crowds, I haven’t been downtown as much this summer; but at the same time, I’ve been thanking the good Lord for all the business for the shops, hotels, and restaurants.  The economic numbers have begun to come in, and Mackinac Island is coming back strong.

When I drew the shades up Saturday morning, I knew I just couldn’t stay home.  The sun was shining, the air was cool, it was breezy, and the sky and water were matching shades of blue.  Perfect!  Jill and I had been trying to get together for weeks, and Saturday we finally both were free at the same time!

Jill met me at the condo, and we took the long way downtown, walking down Fort Street. The weeping willow tree shows just how windy it was!

We ate outside at J.L. Beanery, moving to the dock, and sitting at tables in the sun. From there we could see the marina, the lighthouses, and the Straits. I called Ted at the Visitors Center and asked him to walk out on the back deck. From there he could turn in our direction and see us waving at him.  I think he was a little jealous he was working, and we were playing.

When we left the Beanery, we noticed a wedding party across the street at the Island House . . .

. . . . where a very handsome Marine and his beautiful bride were posing for wedding photographs.  Just before this pose, he had swept her up in his arms, and she had taken off his hat and put it on her head – as in the final scene in “An Officer and a Gentleman”.  SO romantic . . . and I didn’t have my camera ready!

I needed a baby gift for my Georgia friend Dawn’s about-to-be-born grandson, so I shopped in Little Luxuries, while Jill ran in the bookstore to put her “left-over” sandwich in the frig.  She was working the late shift on Saturday, so that would become her dinner.  Then we crossed the street to visit Anne at Ella & Ivy’s.  Both places were crowded with customers, and little Ella (Anne’s Maltese) was getting plenty of pampering by everyone who walked in.  We said “Hello!” to Loretta in Martha’s Sweet Shop, but she was so busy she couldn’t break away even for a second.  We all decided after Labor Day we had to have a Girl’s Lunch to celebrate a great season!

Jill had books to return to the library. I never tire of walking in that beautiful building. On Saturday, the back doors were open, and we could look straight through to the lighthouse.  We enjoyed looking at the beautiful art of the Mackinac Seven, a group of local artists who display their work in the library each August.

I browsed through the Used Book section (Hardbacks-$2, Softbacks-$1) and through the DVD and VHS rentals. I thought of all the old movies I had stacked up at home and made plans in my head to ship them to the Island library when we return to Georgia. As you can tell, the wind was kicking up a little more by now, and the waves and whitecaps were becoming more numerous.

Outside the library, I met Jane from Kalamazoo, MI, a fan of Bree’s Blog, with her precious daughter (hope I remembered that name correctly).  Good grief, look at my hair!  Well, I said it was a windy day!

The boardwalk, on the west end of Main Street, was lined with visitors – all enjoying their day on the Island.

Even the sidewalk on Cadotte was crowded . . .

. . . and many visitors stopped to watch a few innings of the vintage baseball game, played every Saturday in the open space below the Grand Hotel.

Saturday night Ted and I headed back downtown for date night.  We had drinks at the Pony, then walked down the street to Mary’s Bistro for dinner (their signature dish is the spit-fired chicken with mashed potatoes). I get it every time we go there – yummy!

We tend to favor restaurants on the water, and Mary’s fills that bill. We usually eat outside on the deck at lunch, but at night inside is more cozy.

Saturday was a great day – spending time with a good friend, visiting other good friends, and capping it off with a sweet date with Ted.  Blessed – so blessed.

Random Pics from the Weekend

Blog reader Yvonne Pitsch and her husband Tony (from Iowa) were on the Island this week, and we made plans to meet up on Friday morning as I walked with Bear down to the ferry (grooming day in Cheboygan).

Bear loved meeting ANOTHER Bear – their German Shepard/Collie mix. What a sweet dog! Tony and Yvonne were staying at the dog-friendly Harbor View Suites downtown. So good to see you again, Yvonne, and to meet Tony and Bear!

Bear on the ferry Friday morning. With the wind like it was, it was going to be a bumpy ride both ways, so we headed to the lower deck. There were a few brave folks who opted to “try it out” up top, but by five minutes into the ride, they were downstairs – not because of the ride, but because of the spray off the water.

The Tale of the Skirt

This morning I decided I would try something new – riding my bike to church, wearing a skirt.  Ted had gone down ahead of me, so I finished dressing, took Maddie and Bear out one more time (in case we decided to eat lunch downtown), locked up and got on my bike.  I was very conscious of trying to ride “ladylike” and also keep the skirt (mid-calf length and full) from getting into gears and bike chain and sprockets.  I was doing a darn good job too . . . until I reached the Grand.  Suddenly, instead of the whir of bike wheels, I heard the “click, click, click” of something wrong.  I was going VERY slowly and had time to stop the bike before it stopped on its own.  I was right next to a stopped carriage, and the driver looked over and said, “Uh, oh!”  My skirt was totally wrapped in the back gears.  Because it was long and full, I was able to get off the bike.  There was nothing to do but rip the material out of the gear (the wheel would no longer turn), leaving about an inch of the skirt in the gear.  I couldn’t see the damage, but I asked the driver his opinion.  “Ah, you can’t even tell it’s torn,” he said.  “Just be thankful you didn’t fall.”  Well, I was, but I also had a feeling the damage was a little greater than what he was letting on.

I ripped the rest of my skirt out of the gears and walked the bike around the corner to Margaret’s Garden Shop at the Grand.  Parking the bike, I walked inside, explained my problem, and asked if they had some sharp scissors.  “Just do the best you can,” I said.  They cut out the ragged edge, straightening the line as best they could, and swearing that because the skirt had an underskirt, it looked right in fashion.  I thanked them and walked the bike the rest of the way to church.

They missed a couple of ragged tears . . .

. . . but like they said, with the underskirt, it doesn’t look really, really bad. Maybe I’ll just cut the other side the same way!

Lesson learned:  Don’t try the skirt thing on a bike again.

Favorite Photos from the Weekend

Sunrise this weekend from Mackinaw City. (Photo: Patrick Conlon, Shepler’s Ferry Line)

One of the most gorgeous dawn photos I’ve ever seen.  Wow and double Wow.  (Photo:  Abby Holstrom)

Another busy week ahead – working on Monday, friends possibly coming on Tuesday, lunch with Frankie on Wednesday, Ted in golf tournament for Medical Center on Thursday, with accompanying dinner at the Woods for wives that evening, and off-island for appointments on Friday.

Have I mentioned it’s been a busy summer?!

See you on Wednesday with the full report.  Have a great week!

Mackinac Island Spring Update – Vol. 5

Note on Header:  No, you didn’t go to sleep and wake up on Christmas Eve.  But I bet you’re wondering, “What the heck is THIS about?”  You’ll find out . . . later.

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Oh. My. Goodness.  Where do I even begin?

News from the Island is arriving on a daily – sometimes hourly – basis now, and it’s hard to believe there will only be one more Spring Update after this one before we are back there ourselves!  Our “go” date is Saturday, May 12, and barring any problems, we’ll arrive sometime on Monday, the 14th.

It seems by this time each year I’ve usually started packing, so I keep thinking I’m behind . . . maybe I just feel more confident now about getting everything done in a shorter amount of time.  Jason and Blair will be here for the weekend, so packing plans will be put off until after they leave.  With our kitchen completely torn apart with a slower-than-pouring-molasses kitchen remodel, I just couldn’t face a bedroom filled with half-packed suitcases too.  The granite countertops arrived from Atlanta Monday – and went BACK to Atlanta Monday.  Snafu on the cabinets (not level).  Cabinet man coming tomorrow.  My fingers and toes are crossed that the kitchen is finished by this Friday.  PLEASE, Lord!

Newsy News

•  As reported earlier, the Mackinac Island Lilac  Festival is June 8-17 this summer. The Tourism Bureau wants everyone to please remember the Island is surrounded by very cold water and is not having the same bloom season as neighboring states or even counties. Mary McGuire at the Bureau says, “So many people are calling from points south thinking our lilacs are blooming…but gratefully, they are not.”
• Fort Mackinac opens May 3!  It’s a really special year as the fort (and the entire island) will be celebrating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.  The very first skirmish of that war took place on Mackinac Island when British soldiers surprised and captured the American outpost on July 17, 1812.
  
• The Grand Hotel began “going green” several years ago, and this week the “Detroit Free Press” featured an awesome article on the Grand’s usage of good old American ingenuity to handle problems the “green” way.  Click here http://www.freep.com/article/20120429/BUSINESS06/204290503?fb_ref=artsharetop&fb_source=home_oneline    for the article, which includes 23 behind-the-scenes photos of “eco-friendly initiatives that include recycling, composting and reducing the use of paper.”
• While we’re on the subject of green living, here’s a link to a slideshow of six places in the world where cars are banned.  Bet you can guess where one is!  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-places-where-cars-are-banned-slideshow.html.
• Starline Ferry will begin passenger service from both Mackinac City and St. Ignace to the Island on Friday, May 4.
• Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island is now officially open for the season.
• Mackinac Island’s Finest will open Friday, May 4.
• If you’ve visited Mackinac Island, I ‘d guess one of the things you did for entertainment was stand and watch a fudge maker in one of the many Island fudge shops.  But, just in case you missed it, here’s a short little video of fudge being made at one of the Ryba Fudge Shops:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AsaJ3siTfc
  

New Places

It seems hardly a day has gone by for the last week-and-a-half that I haven’t heard of another new shop/restaurant/happening place opening on the Island this summer.  It’s always good to have new places to check out, and these sound pretty darn special!

• The Huron Street Pub & Grill.  This is the old Patrick Sinclair’s Irish Pub, and this year it’s under new ownership.  During the winter the inside was renovated, and the outside’s been given a facelift.  It’s open and already getting great reviews!

Photo by: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

• Mackinac’s Little Gallery.  This is located on Market Street in the building occupied for years by Wolfgang’s Gallery.  The accent here will be “everything Mackinac”, with a special emphasis on the Island’s horse culture.  From the looks of some of the art I’ve seen online, it’s going to one of my first stops after we’re settled in.
• TwistN Sprouts.  Don’t you love that name!  This eatery will feature yummy, HEALTHY goodies – like make-it-yourself salads, a signature Chicken Salad, and a yogurt bar with toppings sold by the ounce.
  

Good-for-you frozen yogurt with fruit medley. A wonderful alternative to one of your rations of fudge each day!

TwistN Sprouts is on Main Street. If I’m not mistaken, it’s right next door to Alford’s Drug Store.  Opening mid-May!

• ella & ivy.  Imagine my surprise and delight when one of my readers, Anne Standard (she worked on the Island during the summer “back in the day”, and I met her and her mom for lunch one day), emailed that she was opening a new shop on the Island.  A two-hour phone call followed, and although I don’t have pics yet, I can tell you that Anne’s shop (named for Anne’s little Maltese “Ella” and a dear friend’s dog “Ivy”) sounds as though it will be another favorite on the Island.  It’s located in the Horse Corral Mall right behind Martha’s Sweet Shop.  Anne plans to carry really nice home decor and gift items along with note cards, candles, pillows, throws, doggie items, etc.  Anne’s retiring the end of June and will come up from Florida a few times before then to work on the shop.  She hopes to open by mid-June.  More to come later!

New Note Cards

Don’t you just love to discover something brand new from the Island . . . something no one has seen yet, and you have a chance to own before most anyone else does!  My Georgia/Mackinac Island friend, Jane Winston, has completed just such a project, and I think you are going to love this!

Jane is wonderfully creative – she’s a published author, she’s a college professor, she’s an actress – shall I go on?  One of her more recent ideas was to produce a set of Mackinac Island specific Christmas note cards.  She thought including a Santa on each card would be great fun for a souvenir purchase and for folks wanting to jot a few lines to a friend at Christmas.  One thing Jane professes not to be is an artist.  So she mentioned her project to a group of friends in Georgia, and Margaret Mathews said, “Sounds fun!”

Jane and Margaret looked at hundreds of Mackinac Island photographs – some of Jane’s, some on Goggle – I think they might have even looked at a couple of mine.  Margaret created the watercolor art for five different scenes.  Here’s a quick look at two of them and a mini-look at the set:

Jane will be marketing the cards on the Island this summer, and one of the places you will be able to find them is the Island Bookstore (I’ll let you know other shops soon).  A set of ten cards (two of each scene) with envelopes will be $12, or Jane can ship them to interested folks for $10 + shipping (contact Jane at jwins1939@gmail.com).

I am so excited about this project!   I think they’re going to sell like hotcakes on a cold Mackinac morning!

Photos, Photos,Photos

Our wonderful friends, Chris Ann and Burton Nelson, are back at their beloved cottage on Cobble Beach in Mackinac City. This was Sunday’s sunrise from their backyard. Welcome home, you two!

The new Grand Hotel stable near our condo. Friend and blog reader Joyce Kozlowski, who was on the island for the Geo-caching Weekend, snapped this photo. Love the colors!

A busy Main Street – as the town of Mackinac Island readies for another season. (Photo:  Barbara Metting)

Daffodils are blooming at the Grand Hotel, which welcomed its first guests of the season April 27!  (Photo:  Barbara Metting)

The Island Freight and Garbage drays are sporting a new look – nice! (Photo: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)

Miranda, with Martha’s Sweet Shop, is busy baking this week. Have I mentioned that Miranda is our favorite brownie-maker on the Island?

One of my favorite ways to view the Island is over the back of a horse. Barbara Metting took this photo of Cadotte as they approached the Grand Hotel in a taxi.  I’m still getting used to the huge trees being gone, but by the time the new ones put on their spring clothes, the avenue will take on its fresh “new normal” look.  And those trees will grow fast!

Barbara also took this photo of our condo. I see the lilacs in our front yard are just beginning to get some spring leaves.

Barnwell Landscape and Garden Service has filled the window boxes outside Doud’s Market with pretty young plants and flowers.

Robert McGreevy shared this photo of the Wildred Sykes passing through the Straits on April 19. The Wildred Sykes is a favorite freighter of Mackinac Island residents.

Frankie Thill and sweet Hershey arrived on the Island this week. Frankie is busy opening up the house in the Mission District where she is house-mom to Ryba Bicycle Rental employees. Hershey will definitely be one of my first featured “Dog-Eared Page” celebrities (news on that later in this post)! (Photo: Barbara Metting)

Someone’s in the kitchen at the Grand! Six bakers baking . . .! (Photo: Grand Hotel)

Horses are still arriving daily – all fat and frisky from a winter off-island. (Photo by: Steven Blair Kopacki from his new gallery – Artistic Mackinac Gallery and Studio)

A shot by Shepler’s Ferry, where business is booming at the Mac City dock. Hmmm . . . there’s two of my favorite Pat’s –  taking care of business.  The “Pat” on the left, Patrick Conlon, . . .

. . . caught on camera this other-worldly sunrise Tuesday morning off the Mac City dock.

One more breath-taking sunrise. This one’s by Steven Blair Kopacki of photosbyblair.com.

Bree’s Mackinac Island Blog News

I’m trying to spruce up my blog a bit and will be testing some new themes over the next couple of weeks.  Consequently, if you’re subscribed to the blog, you might get a notice that a new post has been published, when really all that has happened is I’m goofing around with the page.  Please be patient with me as I am not a techie, and all of this will be trial-and-error.  By the time we get to the Island, I’ll either have a new look online – or I’ll go back to the old tried-and-true.

A new page.  Some of you may have already noticed there is a new “tab” in the post header called “The Dog-Eared Page.”  This will be a new item on the blog this season and will feature the lucky dogs who live on the Island year-round and the lucky ones who come to visit with their humans.  It is Under Construction right now, but you can click there and give me your opinion about the page.  It will be a mostly pic and caption page – no stories (unless warranted).  I’ll post there as often as I find an owner who’d like to have their four-legged companion’s photo on Bree’s Blog.  By the way, decades ago I dreamed of one day owning a little bookshop where I’d bring my dogs to work everyday and spend my time reading and sharing books and stories with my customers.  I didn’t have a clue where this bookshop might be located or how that dream might come true – but I DID already have a name picked out – The Dog-Eared Page.  I’m finally using the name – but for a totally different reason!  It’s funny, but the first time I walked into The Island Bookstore, that dream came to mind again.  If my Dog-Eared Page had ever become a reality, I would have wanted it to be just like The Island Bookstore – but with dogs.

WHEW!  That was quite a bit of news tonight, wasn’t it!  Countdown has begun . . . see you back here next Wednesday . . . over and out.

Mackinac Island Winter Update – Vol. 11 – 2/15/2012

Happy Valentine’s Day, and hello from the . . . . . fairly cold South!  We’ve had a few days of early morning 20’s (even had a fire in the stove one morning) and high temps in the 50’s.  In other words, it’s felt like wintertime down here since the weekend, and that’s a good thing!

Ya’ll will have to forgive me tonight, but I’m going to kind of throw together this post.  It’s been a crazy week here.  I was summoned for jury duty on Monday, and even though I haven’t been called yet, I spent Monday AND Tuesday at the Americus courthouse, have to go back on Wednesday, and now I’m trying to get out the door with my Sweetie for Valentine’s dinner at my favorite ri’vah restaurant, Daphne’s.

Sooooo . . . . . here’s a little news and some great photos and links for you to check out!

• You know that little shop I talk about and shop in all summer on the Island – Little Luxuries?  Well, oh my gosh, Nicole (the owner) now has her store online, and you can shop till you drop from the comfort of your home (but ONLY if you’re not on the island – if you’re ON the island, for sure GO TO THE STORE!).  Nicole says she’s a little short on merchandise right now, but by the time the store reopens May 1st her web site will be filled with all kinds of goodies you can order online.  Some of my favorite things are already available!  You can get started by going to the link below the logo.

http://littleluxuriesofmackinac.com

• With the price of gasoline climbing higher and higher, Forbes Magazine did a study and came up with the Best Car-Free Destinations.  Guess what Island made the list!  Read the article here:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/anniefitzsimmons/2012/02/10/americas-best-car-free-destinations/

• This isn’t specifically about Mackinac Island (but it IS about Michigan), and some of you might have already seen this on the NBC news the other night.  We all know that this winter we’ve been getting some spectacular Northern Lights displays.  If you think they’re beautiful from earth, you should see them from the International Space Station!  The very first video on the link below clearly shows Detroit and Chicago and the outline of the state of Michigan in the night sky.  Jaw-droppingly (is that a word?) awesome!  http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/07/10344463-aurora-extravaganza-glows-in-space.

• Hurray for Tony Lucca, a Michigan musician who has performed on Mackinac Island many, many times.  He’s been chosen on The Voice!  Video here of his story and his appearance on a recent Today Show:  http://tonylucca.com/

• There’s a great new video out on the Festival of the Horse, with footage from the 2011 festival.  Watch it here:  http://vimeo.com/28944420

• OK – This is HUGE!  Remember the photos and video from Vera Bradley posted a couple of weeks ago?  Didn’t think it could get much better than that?  Well, it did!  Vera Bradley is giving away a trip to Mackinac Island.  The Grand Prize winner will win a trip FOR FOUR to the Grand Hotel for a three-night stay.  Included is airfare FOR FOUR from anywhere within the continental U.S., ferry tickets, and selected meals.  OH.  MY.  GOSH!!  Deadline to enter is March 10, and you can only enter once . . . . hurry and get your name in!  http://insidestitch.com/2012/02/10/its-your-chance-to-get-away.  Also – FOUR 1st Prize winners will receive a Vera Bradley Grand Traveler ($118 value) in the Spring color of your choice.

Island Photos

The only way to and from the Island now that the ferries aren't running is via Great Lakes Air. (Photo: Mary Slevin)

The lighthouses sure look small from way up here! (Photo: Mary Slevin)

Sunset. (Photo by Mission Point)

The setting sun sets homes and ice aglow. (Photo: Heather May)

A recent cloudy, cold morning. (Photo: Sonnet Quinn - a.k.a. Mackinac Mommy)

Same morning - different view. (Photo: Sonnet Quinn)

Full moon over Shepler dock in Mackinac City. (Photo: Shepler Ferry)

The Welcome, Shepler's smallest ferry, is getting a facelift while in dry dock for the winter. Can't wait to see the "new" Welcome! (Photo: Shepler Ferry)

These last two photos (one of which is the beautiful header photo today) are from good Island friend Liz Burt, who teaches at the Mackinac Island Public School.  Her blog is quiltedturtle.blogspot.com.

She captured this one on her way to school early one morning. Liz, hope you enter this in the calendar contest!

No words needed.

That’s it for this week.  Hope everyone is doing well and getting just the right amount of snow.  God bless.

Mackinac Island Winter Update – Vol. 4 12/13/2011

Hello everyone!  I’m hoping you’re all a lot more prepared for Christmas than I am, but today I’m going to stop fretting about everything I haven’t done and talk about what’s happening on Mackinac Island . . . you know – the little island in Lake Huron that should at this time of year be covered in snow, all sparkling and white.  Not!

Heather May captured what little bit of snow fell a few days ago - not even enough to think about cranking up the snowmobiles. The Christmas decorations sure look festive though!

The annual Christmas Bazaar was a great success last weekend.  According to Jeannette Doud’s column in The Town Crier (our Christmas edition arrived on Monday), “the doors to the Community Hall opened on Friday, and at 1 p.m. sirens could be heard in the distance as Santa arrived on the new Fire Department ladder truck.  He came into the hall and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.  Santa then went over to the fire hall, where he heard the wishes of the little children, who were so excited.  Santa told them all to be good and then left for the North Pole.  He will return Christmas Eve.”

Santa didn't let a little rain stop his arrival! (Photo: Jennifer King)

I’ve received so many great photographs from island friends – and blog readers who have been to the island in the last couple of weeks.  I couldn’t wait to share them today!

Rainy weather didn't stop shoppers either when the doors to the Community Hall opened for Christmas Bazaar. (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

The entire Community Hall was filled with items like these. Some could be purchased outright, some went at silent auctions, and there was also a spirited auction for some major items, led by friend Mike Carley as auctioneer. (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

Wow! I would have loved to have been there to Christmas shop! (Photo: The Island Bookstore)

A little Christmas magic from the good folks at the Chippewa Hotel. And . . . .

. . . not to be outdone, right across the street from the Chip, Doud's windows and flowerboxes are aglow with twinkling lights.

The Lilac Tree has garlands of lights, and they'll be open for New Year's Eve! And did you notice the window in the lower right-hand corner? That's Nicole Doud's Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island.

Since Nicole lives year-round on the island, she can open the store anytime she wants during the winter season! (Photo: Nicole Doud)

Shepler's Christmas tree on their St. Ignace dock.

Sue and Andrew (blog readers we met last summer on the Island) from Vicksburg, MI were on the Island for Christmas Bazaar and emailed some great shots to me last week.

Andrew thought I might want to see what Anne's Tablet looks like without leaves on the trees. I've never seen it in the winter. Sure looks cold though!

They pretended to be locals and attended a basketball game at the Island school.

Andrew and Sue loved this "wreathed" horse at Chambers Corner (the corner of Market and Cadotte). I love him too - in fact, at the very first Festival of the Horse, Jill took a photo of me sitting on him (he was wearing a saddle then).

Oh my gosh! They've come a long way on the new Grand Stable being built up near our place! It's supposed to be ready by the time the Grand opens in April.

The brightly lit Christmas tree in the middle of Main Street. The beautiful tree is very tall and very well-shaped. It came from the yard of Rosie Charnes, a neighbor of ours up in the Village. I love the Manger scene that is always there at the entrance to the Arnold dock. Thanks so much Andrew and Sue for these great shots.

More Christmas Tree Photos

Even on a rainy day, that tree is pretty darn majestic. (Photo: Mackinac Mommy, who also has a Mackinac Island blog at http://mackinacmommy.blogspot.com)

A view of the tree from the Chippewa Hotel web site.

The gathering for Christmas carols, just after the lighting of the tree - quite a crowd!

Before I close for this week, I just wanted to remind everyone – if you still need to order books for someone on your Christmas list – or anytime AFTER Christmas – please consider supporting an independent bookseller – The Island Bookstore.   They offer discounts too – just like the big guys!  Check them out at http://www.islandbookstore.com.

Michael Forrester shared this great painting of Round Island Light on his Facebook page this week, and I just had to share it with you.  It was painted by Virginia Souza and was featured on the cover of the December, 2010 issue of Lighthouse Digest.  I love it!  The picture is available for purchase (Mike has one) at http://www.shop.foghornpublishing.com/product.sc?productId=217&categoryId=27.

See you back here next Wednesday when it will almost be Christmas!!  Have a wonderful week, and let’s all hope up some snow for Mackinac Island.  God bless.