Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.


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Park days

The weather has been wonderful this past week; cooler with high temperatures in the 80’s  (21’s C) and less humidity.  Katie and I took advantage of that one evening after work and went to her favorite park.

Just sitting with my Mama.

Just sitting with my Mama.

I took my book, thinking I could sit on the hillside and read, and she could explore while on her long line.  For a little bit she sat with me.  Then she went and stood at the end of her long line, facing the walking trail.  She didn’t cry, she didn’t tug.  She just stood there and waited.  She made me feel bad.  After all what is the point of going to the park if you aren’t going to go for a walk?

OK little one.

So we went for a long walk, all the way around.  Then because it was beautiful out we took a side trail over to the library and meandered up the library driveway back to another entrance to the park.  I figured we’d head back to the car and go home.

I always have to wait for her.

Mama…I always have to wait for her.

But as we approached the park entrance we saw a car we recognized enter the park and drive way over to the parking lot.  We were quite a ways away but we picked up our pace.  Still, by the time we got to the parking lot they were already unloaded and out of sight down the walking path.

So we hustled along and eventually caught up with Maddie, a miniature Australian Shepard and her folks.  Katie and I met Maddie when we were all in an agility class together a few years ago.  We learned then that we lived in the same town and went to the same park but we hardly ever run into them.  It’s been a couple years since we saw them last.

So of course we had to go on the walk with them, all the way around the park again.  Katie thought she was in heaven to get to do the walk again!  Though she slowed down some near the end.  After all she’d already had a long walk.

Maddie is just full of energy, and ran circles around Katie.  At one point, though, Katie did a play bow with Maddie and sort of leaped into the play.  For a moment.  Then she remembered she is a princess and stopped.  I think if they saw each other more often and were left to it they might actually play together.

Katie and Maddie

Katie and Maddie

Aren’t they cute?  We hope we run into them again this summer!

Evening with Katie

Evening with Katie


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No respect

I woke this morning to the news that someone has vandalized the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Mr. Lincoln

Mr. Lincoln

One of the beautiful things about our monuments is that you can visit around the clock.  Wandering them late on a warm summer night, when they are all lit up, when they are quiet without the hundreds of tourists, is a gift.  Perhaps it’s a gift we won’t always have.

Climbing to meet an important man.

Climbing to meet an important man.

All I can say to the person or people responsible is this:  If you don’t have any respect for yourselves at least have respect for your own history.

Number 16

Number 16


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The compelling reason to visit Michigan

Scott wonders what about summer around here might compel a person to visit.  So he asked us to show him.

Well here is the reason you should visit northern Michigan.

A visit provides the opportunity to relax your shoulders, loosen the kinks in your neck.

You can empty your mind.  Or fill it with fresh new thoughts if you’d rather.

Relax

Relax

There’s nothing like the peace of sitting in the sand as the sun goes down…

Watch the light change.

Light.

…watching the light dance and change as your mind rests.

Come visit northern Michigan.

And let it renew your soul.

Gentle evening.

Sigh.


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We got a package!

Pretty sheltie

Pretty sheltie

Look what came in the mail today!

Katie, of course, was very interested, because her boyfriend, Reilly, tucked a special gift for her in among the bag that his Mom made for me.  In fact she was very interested in the whole package.  I think she knows Reilly is smitten.  She kind of likes him too.

Two pretty shelties.

Two pretty shelties.

Isn’t the bag beautiful!  It’s got pattern, slightly different, on each side.   I’m going to use it to haul stuff to and from work.  It’s perfect!  All you dog lovers out there should look at Bree’s website.  She’s so talented!

Thank you Bree!  And Reilly too.  Katie sends kisses!

Yummy!  And all for ME!

Yummy! And all for ME!


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Nope. Not compelling.

Saturday I worked on Scott’s photo challenge.  He wants to see something compelling about summer in our hometown or state. I think it’s the word compelling that is intimidating me.  To go and create a photo that would compel you, my loyal readers, to book travel in my state is a big proposition.  Yet I know there is so much here in Michigan that you would love to see.

For many of us down near the city summer means going ‘up north.’  We pack up family and toys and jam our freeways heading north.

Two bikes, two kayaks.

Two bikes, two kayaks.

 

So Saturday afternoon I packed my camera and headed north too.  Oh I knew I wouldn’t have time to make it to my favorite places, but I thought I’d see how far I got and then I’d augment with photos from my archives.

I got as far as Frankenmuth, a little German town infused with flowers, tourists…

Shopping!

Shopping!

 

….and famous chicken dinners.

Can't stop in Frankenmuth without a chicken dinner!

Can’t stop in Frankenmuth without a chicken dinner!

 

You can buy German cheese….

Everyone needs a little cheese.

Everyone needs a little cheese.

 

….or sausage…

 

Doesn't everyone have a sausage store in town?

Doesn’t everyone have a sausage store in town?

…or stop at Bronners where it’s Christmas all year round.

Ho ho ho!

Ho ho ho!

 

Then while traveling cross country I got sucked into my favorite thing to photograph up there.

Wide open spaces.

Wide open spaces.

 

Barns.

I'm a country girl at heart.

I’m a country girl at heart.

 

So I didn’t get any further north, never got to show you Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Nothing but sand and sky.

Nothing but sand and sky.

 

Or Lake Michigan.

Water as far as you can see.

Water as far as you can see.

 

Or Mackinaw Island where all motor transportation is banned and horses haul everything.

Working like horses.

Working like horses.

 

Nope.  Didn’t find that compelling photograph that will make you want to come visit.  But I’m going to rummage through those archives and find something.

Just wait and see.

Come along with me!

Come along with me!


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Define summer

Scott has posted another photo challenge.  I’ve been so busy I might have missed it except for Karma’s reminder.

Scott wants to know about favorite summer places, events, food from our areas of the world.  He’d like to see photos so compelling he’d book a vacation just based on what we show him!

It’s due next Wednesday which means if I’m going to do this I had better get out there this weekend.  Wait.  It already is this weekend.  How does this happen?  Anyway, it’s not too late for you to look around your hometown/state and find the perfect photo to showcase what you love about summer!

Meanwhile, let me share with you a photo my sister took while she was in Iceland.  It sums up how I feel about work lately.

It's called "The unknown clerk."

It’s called “The unknown clerk.”

Maybe you feel the same way?  In that case there’s double reason for you to get out and look for summer fun!  Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Yes I mean you too.

Much of my summer.  Not compelling.

Much of my summer. Not compelling.


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Mulching…the musical.

The FIRST truck load.

The FIRST truck load.

I can tell you with authority that it takes 13 pitchforks of mulch to fill a wheelbarrow and 18 pitchforks to fill my Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof’s  inspired weed cart.

But on Saturday afternoon into evening as I was trudging from the mulch pile in the driveway to the garden at the opposite end of the house I wasn’t singing “If I Were a Rich Man” though I suppose that would have been appropriate.  If I were rich I’d hire someone else to do this!

make sure we get it ALL!

Make sure we get it ALL!

Instead I was channeling Jean Valjean from Les Mis.  You know the opening scene where all the prisoners are pulling on ropes and singing “Look down, look down, don’t look ’em in the eye.  Look down, look down, you’re here until you die.”  Well, that was going through my head.  It was about the right tempo and I was feeling some of their pain and I hauled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow around the house.

Little cart worked hard.

Little cart worked hard.

We finished moving this latest 10 yards tonight after spending most of this hot afternoon avoiding the project.  The good part about stalling was that, though it was still hot when we began, part of the garden was in the shade!

Summer garden.

Summer garden.

Sure…I was still hauling mulch around the house…but the end was in sight., so there was less depressing singing in my head.  And it sure looks good when it’s done.

Don’t you agree?

Makes me smile.

Makes me smile.


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Guess what?

Katie here.  Guess what, guess what, guess what!?!?!  OK.  Maybe you can guess cause my Mama posted it on Facebook.  But I don’t know if all you doggies read Facebook.

This is MY window!

I love camping!

My Mama and I got to go camping!  I know, I know.  It was just in the backyard and some of you don’t think that’s camping at all.  But we have lots of wild animals around here that smell extra exotic when you’re in a tent.  Trust me on this.

It was a beautiful night to be sleeping outside.  With no rain in the forecast Mama didn’t even put the rain fly on the tent so we got to look at the stars and the fireflies as we dozed off.  Well.  She did.  After a little sniffing I went right to sleep.

And I didn’t bark at one thing!  Not one!!  Even when a creepy bird flew by and made squawking noises, or the motorcycle guy roared up the road, or the people at the party across the street got loud or those two planes went overhead, or the train came through town!  Mama said I was very good.

She kept trying to get a picture of me sleeping upside down.  But every time she turned on the camera I woke up.  I gave her my “don’t bug me now Mama, I was sleeping” glare and that pretty much settled her down for the night.  Mamas sometimes need to know who is boss.

Stop it Mama!

Stop it Mama!

Geesh.

She’s always saying that I get her up way too early.  And you know what?  Mama’s the one that got up at 5 this morning cause it was so light out and she said she had to ‘go.’  Whatever that means.

Now we’re getting ready to go to school.  Best weekend ever!

MY window!

MY window!