That State Up North

Pete and I just came back from a long weekend in Northern Michigan where some friends have a house on a small lake. It was so wonderful to get away for a few days; work was getting to the point where I wished that my retirement was nine months away, not nine years!

Anyway, the house sits right on the lake. It was so peaceful and quiet, mostly because the land around is state park so there were plenty of trees to be found. We would sit out on the deck, drinking coffee and hoping to see a loon. Apparently, they are rather allusive, which we found to be true. We heard them each day but never saw a one. Pete and I also went out on a canoe, which was quite the experience. Our paddles were different sizes, and we ended up going in semi-circles. Of sorts. But it was a lot of fun. The lake is shallow and very clear, and we could see the bottom. There were bass (can’t remember if they were small or large mouth) and turtles. And a kingfisher, too. And one of the neighbors said a bald eagle lived in the area.

We also headed out to Hartwick Pines to see the old growth white pines there. I wasn’t sure what to expect as the only old growth trees that I’ve seen have been in Ohio and were hardwoods. These pines didn’t have the same circumference as those trees, but they were so tall and straight. The forest around has been logged in the late 1800s. They had a museum about what a logging camp would have looked like and how the trees were felled and sent to be milled. Then in the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked in the area to put back thousands of trees. A few of the trees had started to change into their fall colors, a hint of the beauty to come. There were lots of red maples, white and black pines, and paper birch. Just a few oaks here and there; they were more the exception than the rule. Very different from what we see in Ohio.

Only two weeks until to our Pawpaw Festival. It will be a good time, with wonderful vendors. September 21, 2013, 10am, at our kiosk on Weber Road.

Until next time!