I spent a week at the beginning of October in Northport Michigan. It was an idyllic week, filled with brilliant blue skies, warm temperatures, aqua water and cats.

I was there to hang out with a couple of mischievous cats that belong to friends of mine who were taking some time to travel. They were off having fun and I was having fun in their space and with their cats.

The cats, a boy and a girl, were adorable and I have more pictures of them than the beautiful place I was living.

I can tell you that cats are as hard to photograph as birds. You see a great image, grab your phone and by then they have moved. Multiple times.

The best and easiest time to photograph cats is when they’re asleep.

Which, if I’m honest, they did almost as much as they caused mischief.

Aside from the cats I also got to enjoy the beautiful area.

Though I didn’t go on long nature walks this trip, I did wander around the village of Northport, looking for color.

After all, this could be my Walktober, showing you the cute little town of Northport is, right?

There were plenty of flowers still blooming. I was particularly smitten with these California poppies, blooming away on a corner.

And the asters were beautiful as well. Purple and pink, blooming in front of storefronts.

Though the downtown itself is only a few blocks long I found plenty of interesting stuff to photograph.

It’s a tiny town, but it’s also a close knit community.

I think it’s probably a town where everybody pretty much knows everybody else. I didn’t talk to anyone during my visit, I just wandered and took pictures.

It was so warm it felt like a lovely summer afternoon. There were lots of people out and about, waiting in line for pizza, sitting at outdoor dining areas of restaurants.

While I got images of most of the village, I know that I missed at least an entire block, as well as the marina. Of course that just gives me an excuse to go back up for another visit soon!

I hope you enjoyed our short walk through Northport.
When I left, very early on a Tuesday morning (in order to get home in time to attend band rehearsal) it was still dark.
I was taken by the glowing orbs in the trees as I entered town.

And then I walked around the darkened streets and caught a few more images of Northport asleep.

I liked doing that as much as I had enjoyed my daylight walk.

I hope you did too.
So..was this my Walktober? I don’t know. There’s another one to show you, but I don’t have the photos ready to go yet. We’ll see.
Meanwhile you still have a couple weeks to do your very own Walktober. Take a walk, a drive, a ride, a hop, skip or jog. Take a photo or two or three, write a post and link it to the official Walktober post (see link above) and I’ll put them all together in one place in early November.
Let’s see what you’ve been up to!
The cats want to know.

October 19, 2025 at 1:28 pm
What a cool place to visit, Walktober or not! I’m afraid I wouldn’t be very good at “cat sitting,” but I’d have enjoyed wandering around town, taking photos, seeing new things, and basking in all that color. Those Adirondack chairs, the pink bench, those gorgeous asters — what’s not to like?!?
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October 25, 2025 at 11:45 am
Most of the time when cat sitting you don’t have to do anything. They’re pretty independent. I love that pink bench too, it’s been there for years.
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October 19, 2025 at 1:58 pm
The town is so cute! And the cats…well, that goes without saying. But they are adorable.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:45 am
Yes, both of the cats are adorable. And the town is very cute.
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October 19, 2025 at 1:58 pm
What a lovely visit you have shared with us! Looks like my kind of village to amble about in.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:45 am
It’s a short amble, but fun.
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October 25, 2025 at 12:01 pm
That’s the important thing!
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October 19, 2025 at 4:19 pm
Thank you for taking us along for your Walktober stroll. Maybe next time you are in town the bookstore will be open. 😊
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October 25, 2025 at 11:46 am
I hope so! I think it was probably open some of the days I was up there, but I just didn’t go to town on the right days.
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October 19, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Northport looks like a lovely town! The fall colors looked inviting, too, Dawn. Fun with cats and some good walking, nicely done! I walked a whopping mile and a half today with my dog down the street to the local fall festival. Nice to walk again now that our weather cooled off.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:47 am
The Northport bookstore owner posted on FB today the colors that are up there now…just stunning! But it was pretty when I was there too.
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October 19, 2025 at 6:40 pm
A delightful town and beautiful cats! Even though you were cat sitting, it seems as though you had a mini-vacation.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:47 am
Yes, I disguise it as working and cat sitting and stuff, but it’s really a vacation, and a gift to me from the homeowner and cats’ mom.
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October 19, 2025 at 8:42 pm
Wow imaging post thanks
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October 25, 2025 at 11:48 am
You are welcome.
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October 19, 2025 at 9:46 pm
I would love to live in a small town like Northport – how nice to know most of the people plus the quaintness of this town. “Dog Ears Books” is a clever name for a bookstore. I think the cats enjoyed posing for you. Don’t tell Penny as she will be jealous!
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October 25, 2025 at 11:49 am
It’s a very nice little place. Penny was very into me when I got home. I was “missing” the week before when we were in DC, so as far as she was concerned I was a missing person for 2 weeks! She smelled the cats for sure and she was not happy, but only for a few minutes and then she snuggled right in. She’s a good girl. She doesn’t hold grudges too long.
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October 25, 2025 at 8:52 pm
And you were camping in late September with your sister as well. Well, you two will be stuck like glue with the upcoming trials/events. Good luck with them.
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October 20, 2025 at 4:57 am
Cool town. I would want to visit that book store. And cats… you had me at cats. 🙂
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October 25, 2025 at 11:49 am
You would like the town, and the town just south of there. And of course the cats.
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October 20, 2025 at 6:20 am
Boy, do I need a new sign!!!
>
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October 25, 2025 at 11:50 am
🙂
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October 20, 2025 at 10:52 pm
Oh, ouch! “close KNIT community” and then you show a photo of knitted mittens … that was really clever, what fun! 🙂 Yes, what a great place to visit, and lovely cats.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:50 am
It was so clever even I didn’t know I did it!
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October 21, 2025 at 4:19 am
There is nothing like an Orange Tabby! That last photo sums them up, my cat used to have the same expression. Love your captures of your stay!
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October 25, 2025 at 11:51 am
Yes, they are quite the characters.
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October 21, 2025 at 5:42 am
Awww, the cats are so cute! They were lucky to have you take care of them.
Looks like an idyllic town to wander around. Always nice to see a small town’s main street thriving, and people choosing to shop/eat there rather than the chains and box stores.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:51 am
Other than Tom’s the grocery store, no chains or box sotres for miles around.
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October 21, 2025 at 7:16 am
Those glowing orbs in the trees were magical! Adorable cats, I loved the ‘don’t bother me, I’m hunting’ caption.
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October 25, 2025 at 11:52 am
When I saw the orbs during daylight I wondered if they’d be lit at night. But didn’t expect them to still be lit at 6 a.m. when I left town. I just HAD to stop and grab that shot, especially with the reflections in the puddle.
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October 25, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Seems to me you have two Walktobers. I enjoyed the wander through the village, and the cats, which I was surprised to hear one was a girl – orange tabbies are more commonly male. I love the last shot where the kitty appears like a triangle or a pyramid!
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November 3, 2025 at 8:33 pm
Looks like Northport would be a hopping place in high summer season, though I think your timing was perfect, and the kitties adorable. I assume Penny stayed home?
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