Northern Living

Next good thing

2010-07-23T11:28:00.017-04:00

Summer garden

Ants are GONE and the flowers are beautiful. Life is settling down again, but not for long. We've joined a website called Couch Surfing and have offered a place to stay for a couple from Holland MI. Not the distant travelers we'd hoped to attract, but a start.
If you've not heard of couch surfing it is a social network for travelers who are looking for a personal experience by crashing at various homes along the way. We may choose to find individuals to host us when we travel next, but for now we are open to having people stay here. I'll blog about it after the fact and let you know how it goes.

We (mostly I - Joe is a little more reserved which is a good balance to my overly trusting personality) like the idea based on the experiences we've had hosting youth from the Blue Lakes Fine Arts camp, voices without borders, and our travels to Germany last summer. Through established programs we've had kids and adults stay here from Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic. Each time the guests have helped us understand their culture from a personal perspective. They've always left us with a small gift from their home town and been well mannered and appreciative of the assistance and time provided to them. We've loved the performances, evening bonfires and singalongs with these talented travelers.

When we went to a wedding in Germany last summer our hosts had friends who were out of town and willingly offered their apartment for us during our stay. It was SO incredibly nice to stay in a family home and experience Berlin in a more intimate manner. Do we openly let strangers stay in our homes in the U.S., based solely on the word of a friend? Mostly likely the answer is no, or not often at least. American's seem so distrustful. And what do we lose by holding this perception? Well, in my mind relationships are key to a good life. They are the most important thing we have and what truly enriches life. The more people we know who are different than ourselves the greater our understanding of the beauty and diversity of the world. Our minds expand as we learn about different cultures, different points of view, and traditions. While we didn't get to meet the family whose house we stayed in, we were amazed at their openness and trust. We too left them a small gift from America and hope they hold a good view of the people in this country. Traveling in this way makes staying in a hotel and looking at a tourist book for the 'sites' and best places to eat no longer holds much appeal. Its experiencing a place at this personal level that lets you really feel like a part of it.

Patio pot!

Happy travels!

Summer fun - NOT

2010-07-20T21:50:00.001-04:00

My posts to date might make Northern Michigan sound like utopia, and hey, most of the time it seems like it. This week is different. After a wonderful BLISSFUL time at Blissfest (see link) listening to three straight days of music and fun in the sun we returned to find black ants in the house. They were on the floor, on the counters, in the kitchen, livingroom, bedroom/bath, basically a few here and there - everywhere.

I had sprayed the outside of the house; after all, we live in the woods so you do need to take precautions. And apparently I drove them into the house instead of away from it. So I spend the night I returned from a great weekend cleaning out cabinets and squashing ants. OK, Joe squashed them. I just can't stomach it because they tend to crunch. I'm not talking the little tiny sweet ants that go marching two by two, these are BIG BLACK CRUNCHY ants. Ants that bite. When I tried to pick up a mostly squashed ant to throw it away it bit the paper I was picking it up with and I couldn't get it to let go. Even dead the thing hung on so tight its head came off when I tried to scrap it off the paper.

After conferring with a few friends and neighbors I decided to try terro liquid.

No one warned me about how this worked so let me fill you in. After purchasing the terro in the early afternoon I sent out six traps, they are liquid filled plastic containers that you cut a small rectangle into for access. I cleared out one cabinet where there were a majority of the ants and set three of these traps in it. I sent the remaining three at strategic places around the house where I'd seen ants. A few hours later I opened the cabinet door and nearly screamed (or did I?), it was crawling with more ants that I could imagine. If I hadn't slammed the cabinet shut as fast as I could I might have snapped a picture for you, but it was just too disgusting and I definitely wasn't opening that door again. Apparently the liquid DRAWS the ants so you get more and more of them.

Considering this fact, I quickly decided that having these little baits spread out around the house was NOT the good idea I had originally thought it was. I collected the three traps dotting the house and put them all into the cabinet, scattering ants as I did so - yuck! I slammed the door shut again. By now it was evening and I was done with ants for the day. We weren't seeing them anywhere else, so felt a bit better and just left the cabinet alone and went to bed.

In the morning I didn't dare open the cabinet door. Joe did, and it was still filled with fast, hungry ants. I started to second guess this whole idea. During the day I sprayed Ortho-Max around the house floorboards and the exterior, hoping to simply kill the little suckers. The ants were not present around the house and although we checked and they were partying away in the cupboard they seemed to be contained. By the next day (day 3) the party was slowing down and we saw some dead ants in there with the live ones. We continued to leave the bait, but by day 4 we started seeing ants in the house again. Dead for the most part. I cleaned up a few dozen everyday, dead carcasses here and there on the floor in the rooms I'd first noticed them (yes - everywhere). But there were also live ants. The live ants seemed awfully perky and FAST for being poisoned and on their last legs. They were out in search of water. We started seeing them in the tub and sink - ewwwwwwwww.

In hopes of avoiding another infestation I decided on all out war. We had some granular terro in the garage. It comes in a bag that is made to double as a sprinkler. I sprinkled the perimeter of the house and yard covering about 25 ft from the house. I purchased another container of Ortho-Max and sprayed the exterior foundation and inside floorboards. I figured this would keep them out or kill whatever was inside. It kind of worked, but not entirely. I wonder if ants can become chemical resistant and if so, what I'll do next year.

It is now day eight - yes 8. I just finished cleaning out the cabinet, throwing the bait traps away after not having seen any live ants for a solid 48 hours. Not seeing one in the cupboard that is...we are still seeing them in the house. I'm tempted to get more terro, but can't bring myself to attract them again. I'll play a waiting game and if they don't disappear in another week I'll give it a second try. Wish me luck.

Day 10 update: The bodies are slowly declining in numbers and I haven't seen a live ant in 24 hours. I think we're over the worst of it and on to bigger and better things - thankfully!

What's so great about it????

2010-06-25T10:31:00.002-04:00

OK, so what's so great about living in Northern Michigan. Let me try to explain with this small example. Our community had a region-wide business after hours (chamber of commerce event) held at a new development property in downtown Boyne City. This is a business networking opportunity and was very well attended. So, we dressed in our best 'outdoor' clothes in hopes of fitting in while really focusing our attention on the kayak trip down the Boyne River which we planned to take immediately afterward. We spent a happy hour or more at Business After Hours chatting with colleagues and sampling foods from the newly opened Cafe' Sante' restaurant. Then, within 15 minutes of leaving the event we were floating down the Boyne and felt as if we were miles away from civilization.

The trip down the Boyne River starts at Damn Road and ends in town - or out on Lake Charlevoix if you want to get out on the big water for a moment. Between the two there is a lovely deep woods, winding river (some challenging spots), song birds, feeder streams entering the river & as you approach town a gentle widening of the water with ducks and swans swimming alongside you. Taking the river in the evening means popping out onto Lake Charlevoix (if you go that far) to a gorgeous sunset.

So what's so great about living in Northern Michigan - the mixture of community and nature, business and pleasure, peace and excitement, all (practically) within walking distance.

Summertime

2010-06-25T09:33:00.004-04:00

Summertime in Northern Michigan - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Yesterday Maddie and I found our first ripe wild raspberries on our walk through the woods. What a treat. As a friend once shared with me, "I love grazing" and we definitely are kindred spirits in this respect. Walking through the woods and fields finding fresh foods in the wild is SO fun - and delicious! My grazing started this year with wild leeks (ramps) and morel mushrooms. Now mind you, this isn't really 'grazing' per-se since they needed to be brought home and cooked. Still, they are foods found while foraging and the thrill is the same. Now I'm watching the blackberries, which are growing profusely with the yield this year looking like it will rival or surpass last years. The weather has been warm, yet rainy enough to grow wonderful fruit.

Growing fruit is something that I'd love to do. Three years ago I planted two concord grape plants and have had tiny (VERY tiny) grapes which whither and die almost as fast as they form. This year I had great hopes of actually tasting grapes from my vines. The little grape clusters started out growing in greater numbers than before and actually grew a little bigger before drying up and dropping off the vine. Oh well, maybe next year. I probably should read up on them and try to determine what the issue is. Any ideas out there?? And will it mean that I actually have a chance to taste the grapes? This morning we shooed away deer who were grazing on the grape vines. Pretty picture if you aren't worried about yield!

Wild raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. Wild grapes, old apple orchards, cherries (did I mention cherries?) and more. I can't wait to see what delicious delights the rest of the summer has in store!

Ebb & Flow

2010-03-02T18:39:00.006-05:00

Work and the economy have lead to an interesting year. It seems that it is either boom or bust and for a while at the end of last year it was bust. My employment gone and the holidays coming. Interesting how I had thought to have a relaxing (if sparse) holiday with family, but life and emotion don't always match our thoughts.

Being off work sounds like a dream. And in some ways it was, but for the majority of time it was simply stressful. The stress of knowing you need to FIND a job, wanting to LIKE the job you have, and wondering how long you can make it without a job...including how you'll rebuild your savings when the time comes.

I have a lot of empathy for those thousands of people who are unable to find work. If you are lucky enough to have unemployment some of these fears can be staved off for a while (longer and longer with Govt. intervention), but eventually without a job they come crashing in.

I had thought that during my time off, however long it would be, I would clean my house, cook and relax. Maybe get back to reading (I'd taken to books on CD in my car because of time constraints) and simply enjoy life for a while. The truth is, you can't really DO that when you are stressed out.

As a self employed individual who primarily works through contract I am used to being quite busy. Not having those long standing contracts and the need to go 'beat the bushes' was mentally exhausting. I'm one of the lucky ones and have to say, when it rains it pours. Thankfully I am working again and at more than full time, at least for the short term. As for the long term, who knows. I'll keep plugging along and see what comes up. I wish others ALL THE BEST.

January thaw

2010-01-25T22:08:00.013-05:00

December is a blur. I had high hopes of blogging about our house concert, then about having kids home for the holidays and more. Now I'm watching a Canadian news program in a hotel in Lansing and thinking it would be fun to blog about it. I guess I'll be wrapping it all into this one.

First off - the house concert was wonderful. Having 25 friends in the house to listen, up close and personal, to live music performed by engaging artists who obviously love their work simply can't be beat. Of course there was some stress leading up to 'concert night', the kids arrived at the airport in TC the night before (plane delays working to our favor by having them land within 15 minutes of each other) and the house needed to be kept clean. The kids (can I still call them that?) were great and managed to stuff all of their things into one room for two night and accommodate their mother's neurotic worry about having it all turn out OK. Actually, as that mother I must say I did pretty well. I took myself out of the house for the better part of the day and left the others to clean. They did a fabulous job!
Jamie Sue Seal and John Latini arrived right on time along with our guests and all mingled and chatted while the stage was set.
The music was great and everyone had a wonderful time. Most sat and listened with some head bobbing and toe tapping, but there were a few of us up and dancing. Room was at a premium so the dancing occurred in the kitchen. Jamie Sue and John were very kind in giving the crowd an encore. They were on their way to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (the U.P. eh) for shows on Friday and Saturday nights, this was a stop along their way and we were happy to give them a place to land for the night and SO happy be able to share their music with so many of our friends.
If you have never been to a house concert here's the scoop. You find out where a house concert is (or decide to host one - www.concertsinyourhome.com) and guests bring along whatever they would like to drink (we have coffee & soft drinks available) and a dish to pass. It is important to arrange the house so it is conducive to seating a few people and viewing the artists. Get a group of people together - and some live music - and a party starts. It is amazing.
I would be remiss not to mention that at this house concert we invited Ed Brehm from Boyne City Provisions to join us to share wines from his store. Actually, he had suggested it after attending our first house concert and we took him up on it. What a fun addition! Thanks to Ed for attending and providing us with libation - I hope some individuals have since found and frequented his shop, it is definitely worth a stop if you are in Boyne.
One thing we have noticed...we inherit dishes when we host a party. Try as I might to return them, we seem to have this interesting collection of bowls, plates etc. We'll pass them along when we come to your place.

We had a fantastic visit with our children, those from California stayed for 2.5 weeks and the one from N.C. for slightly less (we really don't know why she left so early!) LOTS of food, home rolled sushi, pies and well - let me put it this way, When I asked my daughter what she would like on her last night here, she said she'd had everything she could imagine. That explains the 10 pounds I gained (and can't seem to lose) during those two short weeks. You'll have to find my facebook page to see pictures if interested. LOTS of wonderful memories were made!

Which brings us to January. New jobs, newly quiet house (so sad) and a January thaw that can't quite melt all of the snow we collected during December. The job brought me to Lansing for an orientation and it is cold outside. I think the thaw has ended, for now. How strange to think that I come south to see a Canadian news show on TV! So fun to hear their accent (yes, we can tell the difference) and especially interesting to hear news with a Canadian slant rather than the same old same old from our network broadcasts. Haiti still started the program, as it has here since the earthquake. So sad. They did show a 7 year old boy who rode his bike in an old fashioned fundraiser and advertised it via internet. It went viral and he raised more money than he ever dreamed. The worst is often the catalyst for bringing out our best.

Not a creature was stirring...well

2009-12-22T08:57:00.006-05:00

The family is here and it’s time to trim the tree. Having a houseful of people you love is truly a treat and we are SO lucky. All together there are eight of us, plus two dogs and one cat and we are getting ready for the holidays. Very little decorating had gone on here. The house concert (did I not blog about it? I will, and add pictures, soon) took my attention and we really needed the space so the tree didn't go up until yesterday.
The deck was shoveled so the tree could be brought in through the French doors. Like magic, when I returned from walking the dog the tree was in the living room and looked great, but very bare. All decorations are stored in tubs in the garage attic. Boxes were unloaded and brought into the house. Lights were placed while dinner was prepared and the house smelled of roast and pine needles.
After dinner the boxes began to be unpacked. Like many of you, we love to look at the decorations and tell the stories they bring to mind. When did this one appear, who purchased that one, this was a gift from... and so on. Looking into one large plastic tub Michael stopped unpacking when he saw mice damage. He was worried that the mouse was still in there. I continued unpacking and sure enough, the cutest little brown mouse came running out. He ran around the fireplace and into the powder-room then down the hole the hot water pipes come up through. Now we have a mouse in the basement somewhere.
We are starting to miss Seymour the cat! Well, we've missed him periodically since his move to Alaska, but most notably when we see creatures in the garage (or house in this case); he was definitely a great hunter and kept us pest free. Some of our decorations were destroyed, but the damage wasn’t too bad. This Christmas we are will be listening and hoping that on Christmas Eve, not a creature is stirring. I'll keep you posted.

Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T21:29:00.008-05:00

Its been a while since we traveled out of state for the holiday, but this year we did just that. We visited family in Chicago and had a blast. Who would have thought that adults could play like children and have such fun!

My sister hosted (very brave of her) and my Mom & Step-dad, all 3 of my siblings and most of the children attended. The only missing children were my oldest who live out of state. In addition to this were a variety of friends, some who came for dinner and some after just for the fun. Well, I thought it was fun...my sister may still be cleaning up from the day!

Luckily travel was good this year. We had a rainy trip down with a detour of a few miles and a sick dog (don't give bones as treats on a long ride....lesson learned!) but was otherwise uneventful. The temperatures were well above freezing, unlike past trips. One in particular I remember because I had offered to bring down a fresh turkey from a local turkey farm and ended up in a hotel overnight around St. Joseph due to a horrible snow storm. All worked out fine that year, but it was nice not to have the stress this year.

Dinner was wonderful, of course. How can Thanksgiving dinner be anything but wonderful. Lots of food to choose from. Our family tradition is to have Polish foods in addition to the traditional Turkey & sides. In addition to turkey, dressing, sweet & white potatoes, peas & carrots, cranberry, etc. we had fresh Polish sausage, Kapusta, & a variety of Peirogi - all yummy & MUCH to much food. Of course this was all followed by pies, many of them!

After dinner the fun began. My younger brother (the youngest sibling) took pictures and I'm sharing one here. My sister had some silly string, which soon devolved into whipped cream. I don't know how it started, but it sure was fun! The uncles (my brothers) are such great role models. I can't think of anything better for children to see than adults playing and having fun. All I could think about what what wonderful memories the children would have!

Cleaning up the (people are easy) carpet, walls, etc. are another story. My sister is a true sport.

Silly Raccoon

2009-11-11T10:26:00.004-05:00

We often have wild visitors on our deck. We feed the birds and find that the squirrels, wild turkeys and raccoons love birdseed too. The raccoons in particular make a mess and do damage so we scare them off whenever we hear them banging around out there, almost always after dark. We had a mother on the deck with 5 little babies one spring, the little ones were so cute. This was when we were building and there was no deck rail up yet. The mother ran for the hills shimmying down the deck support pole while the little ones ran to the edge, turned, and were slightly over the edge hanging on for dear life. They stayed there looking at us as if they feared they would be our next meal and considering their options. Five little baby faces peering at us, so adorable! One by one they either attempted to descend the railing after mom, simply jumped or lost their grip and fell. Being very small and having a soft landing on the forest floor they all survived. We were surprised that the mother deserted her children like that, but she must have stayed close & we did not see them again.

Last week we once again heard the banging and noise on the deck that meant a 'coon was at the feeder. This raccoon was on the deck when I ran out the back door making noise to send it running in hopes that it would be scared enough not to return for a while. Well, evidently I scared it alright. We can only imagine it is this years baby and still young and inexperienced. It ran to the corner of the deck and simply froze. It seemed to think that as long as it couldn't see us we couldn't see it either & it was safe. I stood not 4 feet from the critter as it peeked over the railing at me and then quickly hid its head again. Calling Joe to come and see I waited while he came up from the lower level, got his jacket on and come out onto the deck. I thought for sure that at any minute it would run along the railing to the edge of the deck and out into the night. That or, as the mother did some years back, head down the deck post to the ground and safely make its way into the woods. I didn't want Joe to miss seeing him up close and standing still. He had his chance and we both stood and talked with the raccoon for about 5 minutes. The raccoon did not respond, or move again for that matter. We went in and watched from the window for a few more minutes but the raccoon did not budge. Since we had all the lights on we felt that this was probably the reason for the continued game of 'statue'. Off went the lights and when we checked back a 1/2 hour later the raccoon was gone. Its been very quiet on the deck lately & while we enjoy having these up close experiences, we are happy for the peace as well.

Walking with dog - the sequel

2009-11-11T09:11:00.010-05:00

Maddie and I take many solitary walks through the various trails and hiking paths around Boyne. The woods change with the seasons and fall is one of my favorites. The leaves on the ground make a beautiful blanket and you can once again see the contour of the land through the trees.

This fall there has been a large amount of little white moths on the floor of the woods. When Maddie runs along through the leaves they rise up behind her and it looks like a silver fairy trail floating a few feet off the ground. I would love to have a picture for you, but my camera is not up to the job. This silver path is simply amazing as it sparkles and moves. Walt Disney couldn't have had a better model for tinker bells magic trail. The Northern Michigan Woods are truly a magical place.

Maddie likes to run, but with the possibilities of hunters in the woods she wears her 'hunters orange' to decrease the possibility of any accidents. She's a trooper and doesn't seem to mind this, or the new back pack we purchased for her so she can carry her own drinking water and treats, leashes, etc. On the trail, Maddie will find any available standing water and take a drink. Some of the water does not look incredibly palatable, but so far she has not gotten sick from these nature made bowls. I'm hoping her luck holds or she gets a little more choosy about where she drinks. We had a traveling water bowl but she chewed it. I'll get another and with a fresh water supply and portable bowl in her backpack she'll be ready for hiking in health and style.

Running with dogs

2009-11-05T15:51:00.010-05:00

OK, So I don't actually run with them, but they run. I've been walking Maddie at a local park in town where it is a bit safer to let her run during the fall hunting season. People are not supposed to be hunting in that area so I put her orange vest on her and can let her go. A lot of people take their dogs up there to give them some exercise and although I believe technically you should have them on leash, most are not. Maddie LOVES to run and really NEEDS to get her energy out. Once she's had a good hour walk she is chill for the rest of the day, just the way we like it!
A couple weeks ago I ran into two women who were also walking their dogs up there and we walked together while the dogs played and ran. We all got along so well that we've been walking together whenever possible and the dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Wheaten Terrier along with Maddie who is a Belgian Tervuren Sheepdog just have a ball together. We meet every day we can so the dogs (and us by default) have a good hour walk/run.

Each day the dogs seem to find a lot to explore and often find things of interest. They have a spot with a double tree where the bottom makes a natural bowl so they can get a drink, they have returned first with little round burrs and more recently with long pointy ones that we talk about combing out of our respective dogs in the evenings. More recently a spot was found with something fowl (we believe turkey poop) and the other two dogs have rolled in it requiring baths. Until today I was very pleased with Maddie for not joining in and therefore not needing a bath. Today it was bath day. She ran ahead and when I saw her she was rolling on her back in the offending spot. I called her over, took one whiff and knew what the rest of the afternoon held for me. Luckily she is a great dog when it comes to baths and doesn't put up much of a struggle.

I love walking through the woods and seeing or hearing the turkeys on the ground, or as the other day, roosting in the trees. The little gifts they leave on the ground that the dogs can't seem to resist are a whole other story!

The beauty of it is, Northern Michigan woodlands are SO beautiful and there is SO much of interest in the woods that these little issues are really non-issues. The dog can be brushed (and it promotes bonding) and can be bathed. The time together running in the woods is irreplaceable and the joy of breathing fresh (fall in this case) air and experiencing the outdoors is what life is all about.

Elk in Northern Lower Michigan

2009-10-27T13:29:00.004-04:00

The Elk herd from the Pigeon River State Forest is moving west. Someday I hope to see this in Porter Creek. This appears to be a calf having fun in the water.

Squirrels, salmon & other wildlife

2009-10-26T11:37:00.006-04:00

Fall is falling...ok, the leaves are falling. The color is still very nice out a majority of the windows, but out front we are seeing a lot of bare tree trunks. So, of course we start to look around for other interesting sights.

There is so much wildlife around here we don't have to look far. Actually, I sit here typing and can hear the wildlife. It sounds like the bird-feeder banging against a post. This is rather funny (or not depending on your viewpoint) since Joe just spent a pretty penny (as my mom used to say) for two new 'squirrel proof' bird-feeders. Yes, it is the squirrels munching away on the sunflower seeds. We have black, gray, red, & fox squirrels. At the moment it is the black squirrels (one with a white tipped tail) that are filling their bellies, but the fox squirrels are standing around barking and trying to figure out how they can get a piece of the action. The poor birds are on their own. No matter how many times I chase the squirrels away they just keep coming back. Joe's suggested squirrel stew, but I'm not sure either of us are up for doing what it would take to get the little guys in a pot.

Stepping away from the house a few feet and wandering along the stream it is fun to watch the Salmon that are still in the creek spawning. Amanda and I went to the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery yesterday. At the hatchery (a must see for visitors who want to see a LOT of fish all in one spot) they have/grow lake & brown trout. Neither are as large as the salmon we see in the back yard. These are the fish that travel from the deep waters in Lake Michigan through Lake Charlevoix and into Porter Creek to spawn. They are either Coho or Chinook Salmon we see every fall and this year is no different. The females hollow out beds to lay their eggs in and the males are right beside them to fertilize. Many times we've been standing on the creekside watching while this dance goes on. Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a nature documentary being made, but this is real life.
Spring-time brings Steelhead into the river and we get the same show again with a slightly more wily fish. Since the Salmon die after spawning they are truly focused on simply getting up river and taking care of the business of creating the next generation. The spring steelhead return to Lake Michigan so are very skittish when it comes to being seen in the water. We typically find a place where we know the fish often make beds and then stand quietly waiting for them to show up.

Other animals in the neighborhood are the ever present deer & the wild turkeys. During the summer we don't see the deer much but we DO see their tracks. They are always hanging around and we're looking forward to more sightings once the leaves are down and the deer yard up for winter. The turkeys have been wandering around and nesting in the trees. We will be seeing more of them as well once the leaves are all down.

I talked about the squirrels, but not the birds. We have so many birds, I'm looking at a female cardinal just now, a tufted titmouse, chickadees, sparrows and goldfinch. In a few weeks we'll put out suet for the woodpeckers. We've seen the flicker on our bird-feeder, but most of the woodpeckers prefer wild grub or suet. We sometimes see pileated woodpeckers, those big woody-woodpecker variety with their ratatat tat call, and often see Hairy, Downy and other varieties year round. My goal this year is to take pictures of as many as possible and post them online. Look for more coming soon...

A weekend in Empire

2009-10-19T15:41:00.009-04:00

Empire Michigan: Gateway to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

We spent the weekend exploring the dunes and trails. Our first short hike was Friday night and it was wonderful. We saw a spectacular sunset from the side of a dune on, I believe, the Empire Bluffs trail. The dog ran off leash while we were on the trail and was on leash when we were near the dunes so she wouldn't run on the dune and disturb the grasses in this fragile environment.

What we didn't know was that ANYWHERE in the National Park a dog needed to be on a leash. Not just any leash either - a leash no more than 6' long. The other thing we didn't know...and probably wouldn't have worried about at 7pm on a Friday night was that we needed a permit to park or even be ON the park grounds. Needless to say, we soon learned about both of these items.

Our group ended up a bit strung out with one couple in the lead, a few stragglers near the back and a few of us, myself included, in the middle. The dog was running ahead of me and checking on those in the lead then coming back to check in with me. I was just starting to miss her shortly before we arrived back at the parking lot. As soon as we come into the clearing I knew why I hadn't seen Maddie in a while. She was sitting quietly next to our friends who had her by her collar. Ranger Jim was standing nearby writing out a warning.

Ranger Jim seems like a nice guy. Although our friends said they'd been hearing a lecture on why dogs need to be on a leash for the past 5-10 minutes, and it wasn't even their dog! There really ARE good reasons to have your pet on a leash in the National park, it just isn't apparent when you are walking along a path in the middle of the great north woods and there were no other vehicles in the parking lot. Ranger Jim explained that there is open hunting on the park grounds and this is hunting season. Maddie looks like a fox or coyote or ... you get the picture. I'll try to post a picture of her, she really is beautiful. But we've worried around our house that someone would mistake her for a predator and are considering an orange doggie vest so would have worried there if we'd have known about the hunting.
The car permit was a non-issue with the Ranger. He must see people all the time arriving on a Friday evening and heading out for a hike before getting a permit. Since the permits are good for 7 days and we were only staying the weekend, his warning simply needed to be turned in at the Park Service office in Empire and a pass purchased. The $10. entrance fee is more than reasonable and we were glad to pay it.

On Saturday the guys went on a morning hike while the girls all went shopping in Leelanau. There were the cutest shops in the old fish-town area and the main drag. Many were getting ready to close up for the season so we hit it right for bargain shopping. The afternoon consisted of a hike up the back of the alligator on the Alligator Trail. The overlook of Glen lake was gorgeous. Colors weren't what we had hoped and we decided that the warm winds from the lake have slowed the change on this western shore.

The MOST fun (I suggest everyone give it a try) was the huge vertical drop down the dune (#9) on the Peirce Stocking drive. We didn't get to the dune climb, and frankly I've climbed dunes before, but we did this drop. They warn you that the 450+ foot drop is an exhausting climb back and not to try it unless you are fit. The sign had a personal note which cracked me up (not that I endorse writing graffiti on National Park signs), it read: Seriously dude (next to the part that reads: Return climb is extremely exhausting) think twice!

In the picture above (looking up) can you see the people at the top? They look like little sticks at the skyline.

In the picture to the left you can see our friends near the bottom of the dune at the lake-shore. Pictures really don't give you the perspective, it was amazing.

OK - here's the secret. You don't have to climb back up. If you are up for a great little beach walk, you can stash a car at the park near Bar lake and walk about a 1/2 mile along the beach to the park after your descent. I found a Petoskey stone while walking which made it extra fun. The wind was calm and the temperature was mild for mid-October. There was no-one else around and it seemed as if we had the dunes to ourselves. What a wonderful way to spend a fall day!

Deer

2009-10-13T10:06:00.005-04:00

We would try this (see video) at Pinch-Me, but we like our roses and the deer already feel like they can simply wander into the yard and help themselves to the plants and flowers. Maybe if we were camping!
We find footprints in the driveway and yard all the time so even when we don't see the deer we know they are visiting us. This summer we brought home a puppy and were afraid that the dog would scare the deer off but they don't seem to mind. I think we are close enough to town and neighbors that the local deer are simply used to the smell and sound of dogs.
It is always fun to see deer (Mom saw 5 in the yard when she was here and more in fields) I'm not sure feeding them at the table is wise.

http://www.snotr.com/video/2772

First snow

2009-10-13T09:26:00.005-04:00

Yes, it was only Oct 12, but in Northern Michigan you never know when the first snow of the season will fall. Our first snowfall was not nearly as early or as voluminous as those in the western mountains. We should remember, this is the temperate great lakes region. Those large bodies of water both protect us from weather extremes and cause lake effect snows.
I drove to Gaylord last night for class and as I drove the rain changed over to slush falling from the sky. When I dismissed class at nearly 10pm it was snowing. The snow was sticking to cars and trees, but was melting on the ground. Not a snow that will last this time. When I lived in Gaylord for a few years I did notice that typically once the snow began it would snow every day all winter long. Sometimes this would just be a sparkling in the air on an early morning in mid-winter and at other times it would be storms dropping a foot or more of the white stuff.
For those of you in the region waiting for a winter vacation this early snow is a good sign. Start waxing your skis and checking the bindings on your snowshoes, winter is close at hand.

Falling Leaves

2009-10-12T08:34:00.003-04:00

On Friday they said the color is 70% - it looked like it is 50%, but as the trees darken and change it can be hard to determine. On Friday I had the opportunity to drive up M-119 through the famed tunnel of trees. I had hoped for miraculous showing of brilliant colors and did see glimpses, but the peak will probably occur next weekend. That is, as long as the wind and rain don't knock the leaves down. ON Saturday I traveled to Traverse City and again had the chance to see the colors along many miles of country roads. Some spots were in full color and others looked like they had barely begun to change. It is nice to know we have some days of glorious color left to enjoy. There is always that fine line between color peak and the last of the leaves of fall.
Still, each day I see the leaves glowing from the inside out as they flash bright oranges, reds and yellows. When the sky is muted the leaves seem to light up the outdoors. The most perfect maple grows across the street and I see it each time I leave my house. I'll try to snap a picture and post it.
This is such an amazing time of year, watching Mother Nature put on a cloak of color just before the world turns white for months on end. What a gift to have the ability to see and enjoy this display. Watch out for me as I drive around for the next week or so. I tend to be a bit more dangerous a driver during color season since my eyes wander from tree to tree.

Fall Apples

2009-10-02T09:41:00.002-04:00

The apple trees are hanging heavy on the trees. Driving down the road you see old homestead orchards bright with round red apples. I start to reminisce about taking my young children to a commercial apple (cherry, peach) orchard to pick fruit; how fun to climb the trees or ladders heading to the top where the biggest and reddest apples are found. We'd fill a bushel in no time and head home to make apple pie.

As a young adult I would often find these abandoned orchards and fill a basket for free when I knew the land was vacant and there was no house nearby. There was always the chance that the property owner would take exception to my pilfering, but none ever did. A favorite spot to pick apples is an old orchard on the township property in the woods nearby. I could imagine the deer eating the fallen fruit in the evenings while we were home eating pie or apple crisp. The old apple trees provide so much enjoyment for so many creatures.

When my children were teens I would send them out (kicking and complaining) to a tree along the roadside that I knew hung heavy with fruit. They didn't want to go for fear of having someone chase them away, but they couldn't resist Mom's insistent requests and the thought of warm apple pie after dinner. This year I have spied a gorgeous group of trees on some vacant land with the brightest, biggest apples. This year I'm passing on the adventure and purchasing my apples from the farm market. Joe is happy that no matter where they come from, he'll still get his pie.

Fall Colors

2009-10-01T13:15:00.001-04:00

The fall colors are starting to pop. I'll get a first hand look at the region on Sunday when I travel to Harbor Springs, then down to Traverse City before returning to Boyne City. Right here they are just starting to turn and there is still a lot of green out there.

We've had a lot of rain the the Salmon are running in Porter Creek. This is both wonderful and a challenge this year because we purchased a new puppy two months ago and she wants to run into the creek and find Salmon - or just eat any remains she may find laying around. We know we have some hunters in the woods and occasionally find what they leave behind.

The Michigan economy is playing havoc with our local financial situation. Surprisingly by all reports the local retailers report doing well this summer. If we have another snowy winter like last year they'll do well in that season and have the first really good year in many. Boyne has new stores opening, a new arts enclave is growing in South Boyne (the SoBo district). There for a while I worried that our downtown was dwindling, but it is once again the vibrant community and I am SO happy to be living here.

What a beautiful day in Northern Michigan.

January 2009

2009-01-12T12:47:00.005-05:00

Ok, so we really don't plan on making this a bi-annual blog. For now though, it is what it is.

The summer and fall went by with a flash and it is a cold week in January in Northern Michigan. We've been keeping the bird feeders full and the cats in the house. Today however, I saw a red tailed hawk hunting at the bird feeder - not exactly the kind of bird feeding we had imagined!

I tried for a picture, but it flew off. What I'd really like is to hear owls outdoors. We've heard them in years past about this time and through spring. It is so wonderful going to sleep at night listening to the hooting of an owl.

This year we purchased a wood stove for the lower level of the house. It keeps the area toasty warm and the heat glides up the stairway warming the rest of the house as well. A steamer for the top of the stove was a holiday gift and adds gallons of moisture to the air eliminating static electricity. I add cinnamon and other spices to the steamer to fool Joe into thinking I have a pie in the oven. I think he's on to me.

Oh, did I mention the wild turkey are back with a vengeance. As long as they don't start roosting I think we'll be able to cope. They are really fun to watch. We've had a flock of hens and a smaller flock of toms coming around.

Spring

2008-04-21T21:00:00.005-04:00

Spring has arrived in Northern Michigan. The last of the snow is finally gone and the daffodils are popping up. With the snow, the turkey have seemed to disappear, but we know they are nearby, the males putting on a show for their perspective partners. The deer are moving into the gardens near the house looking for the new shoots from our plants. We love to see them up here but worry about the lilacs and other plants. The deer have a way of snacking on the best flowers!

Building continues on the lower level. We are nearly ready to have the floor completed. I hope to post a picture of it here once it is done. Maybe in the next couple of weeks we'll be finished with the floor and ready to hang doors and put the 'river' on the wall. That is going to be a many months long project but well worth it.

Spring is also Morel Mushroom time in Northern Michigan. May is really the month for it, but when you host thousands (I swear, everyone from the surrounding states picks mushrooms at home and then comes here to pick them too!) you need plan plan plan. Boyne City is home of the National Morel Mushroom hunt and the four day festival is filled with fun. This year we are having 'da Yoopers', a musical comedy group from Michigan's upper penninsula join us on Friday night. The whole town (and those thousands of guests) come out for the Saturday afternoon 'taste of Boyne', a mouthwatering event where over a dozen restaurants fix dishes with Morels. YUM
For more information on the festival check out www.morelfest.com

Long Cold Winter

2008-03-10T21:08:00.001-04:00

But what FUN we've had!! Skiing and Snowshoeing are our favorites, but plenty of people have been ice fishing, sledding, skating, snowboarding and more.

The deer are now coming in regularly and are really yarding up. We have anywhere from 3 - 20 at a time. The turkey's are also coming in like crazy. We have them in the yard and can hear the gobbling as if we were surrounded. They are up on the deck every once in a while pretending to be finches (at the bird feeders) but we chase them off. What a sight! We have turkey prints all around the house.

Joe keeps calling for new pictures here and I'm waiting for him to figure out how to put up his own. One of these days he'll get to writing a post too, then you'll know why I stay away from it. He can really write.

The house is coming along. By next winter we'll have the lower level done and be ready for guests. I can't wait, it is coming together so well. Better than we could have imagined.

And tonight - we hear coyotes outdoors. Neighbors a few miles down the road (near a field) say they hear them regularly, but this is a first for us. We have heard owl's before and I LOVE to listen to them as we fall asleep.

Salmon Run in Porter Creek

2007-09-22T19:39:00.000-04:00

Hello out there - fall is arriving in Northern Michigan, full of warm days and cool nights, and the salmon are RUNNING. We have a CoHo or Chinook salmon run in the fall and a Steelhead run in the spring. It is SO exciting to see these large fish as they move upstream to spawn. Here are a few video's from our backyard. Just goes to show you that you don't need to move to Alaska to see the salmon run (little jib for our friends Michelle and Doug).

All is well here - we are working on a fire for the cool evening but otherwise it is just time to relax and listen to the splashing!

Once in a lifetime experience

2007-08-19T16:47:00.000-04:00

Check the picture out. My Mom is up visiting for the weekend and we always go on an outing of some sort. She is an avid outdoors women who used to camp, hike, canoe and ski. As time goes on these things become more difficult for her, so we thought we'd try one of our favorite sports - Kayaking!

We had a great day; started out at the farm market in Boyne, drove up past Harbor Springs and visited Pond Hill Farms, a local farm selling organic meats of all kinds & a huge variety of canned goods all made on site. We then headed north for tea and cookies in Good Hart - Yum. On to Wycamp lake for some kayaking before a stop on Sturgeon Bay and a delicious dinner at the famous Legs Inn in Cross Village.

What a day!

When we arrived home Joe had a fire in the fireplace, first of the season - ahhhhhhhhh

30 seconds of blissful relaxation

2007-08-02T10:47:00.000-04:00

July update

2007-08-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Its been a WONDERFUL month at our place in the woods. Of course there have been a few incidents as well. We have been building a rose garden and the first rosebush to go in was purchased full of blossoms and buds, we set it on the deck while the garden was prepped only to find a deer had come in overnight and helped himself to the blossoms. Little deer footprints all over the yard - ahhhhhhhhh. The garden is now full of beautiful roses and we have a very effective 'secret formula' for keeping the deer from considering it a salad bar.

A young group of musicians visited Boyne City from Horsens Denmark as part of the Blue Lakes Fine Arts camp. Joe and I hosted 5 boys at our house; we were gifted with listening to Disney movie showtunes in Danish, what fun!

Bonfire's by the creek, sleeping under the stars, visiting with old friends...all part of Summertime living in Northern Michigan and in July we've had it all.

Now that August has begun we also have turkeys returning. Its fun to hear them 'talking' in the mornings.

Getting to know you

2007-06-25T08:26:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Living in Northern Michigan Blogspot! We are so glad you've decided to stop in. The summer day's in Northern Michigan are so green, the color is amazing. Lakes are glistening deep blue with diamonds dancing on top. The gardens glow with bright reds, yellow, oranges and blues. This morning we woke to find the deer had eaten the rose blossoms from the bushes, but there will be more in a few days.

More from our Northern Michigan 'pinchme' paradise soon.