Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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Magical

Almost a week ago now we had clear skies, no moon, and moderate temperatures. It was all perfect for a Milky Way photo shoot. So a photographer friend and I along with her daughter took a run up to the thumb of Michigan to find somewhere to spend the night under the stars.

Best to know where you are.

There’s a special barn up there, and I’ve always thought it might make a good Milky Way foreground.

This barn is “in” the town of Pigion.

We checked it out, both sides. The owner of the barn must have a sense of humor.

Open to interpretation.

But physically it wasn’t really faced in the correct direction for a Milky Way shoot that night. Maybe earlier in the season when the Milky Way will be further to the east. I’m keeping it in mind So we headed up toward Port Austin, near the point of Michigan’s thumb. We found a little roadside park with a small sandy beach.

The last light illuminates the log resting on the beach.

We decided to watch the sunset from there and then decide what to do. While we were watching the sun a small flock of cedar waxwings showed up, sitting in the dead tree near us and then flying out to catch bugs. The light was low and they moved so fast it was hard to get a good image.

A cedar waxwing keeps watch for a tasty bug.

But they sure made me smile.

There seemed to be an unlimited source of very thin rocks, perfect for stone skipping. So my friend and her daughter skipped stones and I took pictures.

So fun!

It was so much fun.

Meanwhile the sun began to set. And, though we didn’t get a great sunset it was pretty enough for us.

A quiet sunset.

We went back to the car to get our real cameras and when we came out to the beach hundeds of lightening bugs rose from the beach grass. I tried so hard to get a picture of them, but it was hard.

See the yellow fireflies? Now multiply that by 100s.

Just imagine standing there with all these glowing lights flitting around you. It was magical.

And then it began to get dark and my friend told me there was an aurora alert and we should take a test shot to the north and see if anything was happening. And guess what.

A pink dome, supported by a green base with a couple pillars in for good measure.

There was!

So we spent a lot of time shooting the aurora. It wasn’t a spectacular show, but there was plenty of pink and green and light pillars.

Crazy beautiful.

Then we turned our cameras south to see if the dark horse was leaving the protection of the trees yet.

Hiding behind the trees.

It was still, unfortunately, partially behind the hill. We weren’t in a prime location for Milky Way, looking to the south it was behind the trees for much of the night. But the aurora made the site worthwhile.

The aurora was moving out further into the bay.

Across the way you can see retangles of golden light. I think, after studying a map, that must be Tawas, a large town on the other side of Saginaw Bay. I also wondered if there’s a bank of foggy mist out there.

We looked back to the south. The dark horse in the Milky Way was moving further out from behind the trees.

The dark horse is headed west.

So that’s how the night went. Shoot a little to the north, shoot a little to the south. There was something spectacular no matter where we looked.

It was hard to believe we’d gotten so lucky!

The whole night was so wonderful. Fireflies, aurora, Milky Way, stars, a slight breeze, warm temperatures, the lapping of a quiet lake. You can’t beat it. And I felt lucky that we were there.

Milky Way AND firefly!

We left the beach a little after 1 a.m. as the mist from the bay started to move over the Milky Way and the aurora had fadded.

Notice all the light pollution from Caseville.

We had a 2.5 hour drive back home. I smiled the whole way.

Nothing but stars and the tail end of the Milky Way overhead.


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Backyard shenanigans

A long time ago I promised to show you the shenanigans going on in my backyard. Or should I call it backyardigans?

Waiter! I need a napkin!

These are self explanatory, but if the participants had anything to say I’ll add that as comentary under the offender’s image.

My morning abdominal workout might be offset by my morning snacking.

You will note there is one pictured here that is not like the others. She knows who she is.

I have to ask the help to fill this feeder every single day.

Sometimes I wonder how I get anything done in the house, given all the entertainment just outside my window.

I emptied out that birdfeeder, now my tummy doesn’t feel so good.

Oh wait. I really don’t get much done inside. Please don’t look at the dust covering everything or the dog fur rolling across the floor.

Somebody come help me with these two hooligans!

But I ask you. Which would you rather do?

I’m just going to sit here and watch the crazy in real time.

I thought so.

Me too.

Me three.

Not me, I’m eating while I can. A mom gets so little time to herself around here!

You are so right! Eat while you can I always say!

I see you lady with the camera! Could you please leave us more peanuts?

She always puts the peanuts at the bottom. Good thing I have short legs.

Seriously, I’m going to go crazy in .2 seconds.


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Relevant reading

I’ve known Karen Mulvahill, author of The Lost Woman for more than 40 years as a friend, a coworker, a fellow outdoor loving camper, hiker, cross country skier, as a writer of poetry. But I haven’t known her as a literary author.

Sometimes she’d mention working on her book, or the frustration of finding an editor, or the writing group she belonged to and where she found support for her work or the struggle to find a publisher.

And then….just this spring….her book came out! After years of research and work and rewriting the book is here.

It was hard, but I waited until I could purchase the book from my favorite Independent Bookseller, Dog Ears Books, owned by Pamela Grath in Northport. The wait was worth it.

I read this book slowly, in small sips like a dessert drink, not wanting it to end. Which is saying a lot given the story revolves around German occupied Paris in World War II, and I am so not a fan of WWII books. But much of the story of the occupation and the treatment of the Jewish population is feeling familiar today, and that drew me in.

From the book; “The Nazi leardership were generally paunchy middle-aged men.” I have often, lately, voiced that I was tired of middle-aged white guys making decisions about our world that benefit themselves and rarely anyone else.

And then, one sentence I stopped and reread, from a description of a Jewish family rounded up from the streets of Paris, shoved into a car, and gone in an instant: “Well, they must have done something.” said the people wittnessing this disappearing.

I thought about how easy it has always been to believe people not like ourselves must have done something to warrant their experiences. Experiences we hope won’t come our way because we’re not like them.

I began to underline little bits, words strung together that made me smile or stop to consider:

“The river shuddered under a light breeze that churned the intermittent sunlight into the depths.”

“I bounded up the stairs as if I weren’t contained by my own skin.”

“Did my armor ward off as much joy as grief?”

“As they turned up a gravel driveway, dust curled behind the truck, erasing the places he had been.”

You, reading this book, will have different bits underlined, maybe different places that call you to pause and consider. By the end you’ll have your own interpretation of what Paris and the art world was like during the occupation, and perhaps a better understanding of what resistance looked like then and what it might look like today.

I have to thank my friend, the author, for writing this book. Because I know her I read it. Because I read it I am more aware. And being aware is infinitely more desirable than assuming “they must have done something.”


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Title!

Hey Peeps! It’s me, Penny! Guess what, guess what, guess what???! Mom and I went to a Rally trial on Friday and in spite of mom I got my first AKC title!

Where are we going mom? I’m not sure I want to go!

It all started when mom rushed me into the car in the morning. This was unusual and I wasn’t sure it was going to be a good day. I was afraid maybe I was going to the vet. Or the groomer!

But we ended up at my school and I’m always excited there. I’ll tell you a secret. I’m not excited because I get to hang out with other dogs and do fun stuff.

Well OK mom! I love school, let’s get going!

Nope. I’m excited about the cheese. Don’t tell mom, I don’t think she realizes, she still thinks I’m an intellectual dog that’s all invested in learning new things.

Let’s not disappoint her.

This doesn’t feel like school, mom!

Anyway. Mom got us there way too early. We had to wait through a whole lot of people and dogs before we got to go. I mostly sat around and begged other people to share their treats.

She has snacks RIGHT THERE mom!

Mom kept saying NO! Everybody said I was cute and they all wanted to share but mom was a meanie. Except once when we were all done she let me have a tiny salmon liver thing. OMG! Mom’s cheese is nothing compared to salmon liver!

Your snack skills are severely lacking, mother.

Anyway…once it was my turn I was a very good girl and followed mom all around that course. There were lots of circles which are not my favorite but I stuck pretty good, even though mom thought I was lagging behind sometimes.

We had to wait for almost all these people to do their thing first. I’m in Rally Novice B.

And we ended up with a 99 out of 100 and first place! And since that was my third leg (you have to get three qualifying runs to get a title) I got my first title too!

Me and my first place ribbon and my TITLE RIBBON!

Mom and I went in the back and got our pictures taken with my ribbons.

Me and mom. She said she was very proud of me.

But then I found out mom had entered us for a 2nd run. Mom called it insurance in case I didn’t qualify in the first run. But it meant waiting all that time all over again until it was my turn!

I decided I’d take a nap in my crate while we waited.

GEEZE mom, this is not fun.

But then my breeder, Mama S, showed up and I was sooooo excited to see her. She’s one of my favorite people, right up there with daddy and mom and she came to watch me! And then we waited and waited and waited…and I was soooo bored. Mom tried to keep me occupied but all I wanted to do was nap.

While we waited mom studied the map of our next run.

And when it came my turn, finally, I didn’t want to play the game anymore. I decided to protest by not sitting when she asked me to, until she asked four or five times. I also decided I wasn’t going to circle left at all. And I was going to walk reeaaaal slow. So mom had to keep trying to get me to move along.

I found the whole thing totally boring.

If that comes with a snack I’ll take it!

Lucky for us the judge was a nice lady and didn’t disqualify us. I think if we weren’t doing beginning rally we would have been kicked right out of the building! But we got an 89 and qualified and even got a third place ribbon (cause there were only 3 of us in that group) and mom was relieved.

Three ribbons!

We went in the back and got our pictures taken again, even the lady judge posed with me!

The lady judge was very nice.

And then mom drove us home. We were both very, very tired. Mom and I took a nap when we got home and today mom’s going to go back to the school to watch the obedience trials. She says we’re going to try that next month! She says I can stay home and rest up.

Cause I’m a rock star. Or something.

Thinking about my strategy for the next time.

I think I better rest up!


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An honorable goodbye

You remember Deuce, my friend’s cocker spaniel, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in March. Well, this past Saturday there was a ceremony at War Dogs Memorial where he and 3 other special dogs were laid to rest.

Guarding all those that rest here.

I arrived a little early, and walking under that gate into that quiet place was hard, knowing my friend was taking her last walk with her little budy, saying her final goodbye. My eyes welled up before anything even got started.

Dogs from WWI.

But once it did, seeing all the therapy and honor guard dogs in attendence, all the people there to pay their respects, it felt a little better.

Not to say I didn’t use my tissue multiple times.

One of many dogs there to wittness the last goodbye.

Katie and Deuce visited this place many years ago. It’s a beautiful cemetary, and I know I’ll take Penny there to visit someday this fall, when the weather is cooler and we can spend some time exploring.

Deuce’s therapy dog group, getting ready to pay their respects during the last walk.

I know my friend is going to miss her little buddy every day forever, but what an honor to have him spend eternity with other special dogs, all of them having served not just their own people but hundreds of others.

Over 600 therapy dog visits, my friend said during her talk about him. More than 600 times he gave people comfort and smiles and love. Lots more than that when you count all the love he gave his mom, and Katie and me, and all his other friends.

A 21 second howling salute at the end of the service.

So long, sweet Deuce. You have planted your prints on so many hearts, we’re going to remember you and miss you forever.

He was a very special boy.


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But what about the pretty stuff up in Northport?

I know. It all seems quite a long time ago when I traveled over to the western side of the state to camp and watch for stars.

This seemed too perfect not to stop.

You all know the star thing didn’t work out. And that it rained a lot. And that my last day there I drove up to Northport to meet with friends about a new book.

One of my favorites, I park up the road on a side street and walk back down busy M-22.

But on the drive back to camp I did wander a bit, looking at pretty stuff. Of course.

On a random backroad that I took to turn around for another barn..

Because why be up there at all if you’re not enjoying all the pretty stuff!

It’s not always about the barns.

Many of these barns you’ve seen before, but I’d have to say it was a long time ago.

I hope to get the Milky Way over this barn someday.

And some of you are newcomers so this will be your first glimpse of the beautiful rural landscape that sits along Lake Michigan in the upper part of our lower peninsula.

I parked over by the house in a bike path access parking lot and walked the bike path to get this image.

I feel like I’m jabbering too much. Maybe I should just show you a few of the pretties and let you decide for yourself if they were worth me stopping to grab the image.

This is a famous barn on M 22. Lots of people have shot the Milky Way over it. Maybe someday I will too.

I kind of think you’ll be in agreement with me that it was worth turning around and even driving around a really big block to capture some of these.

Near the bike path parking lot. I liked the vintage car, the vintage house and the famous barn all together.

Enjoy.


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Christmas in July

Remember when you were a kid and stores did the big Christmas in July sales? I don’t know if that happens anymore, but this 4th of July holiday weekend I was doing a lot of Christmas-y painting.

For our September silent auction at Truck Safety Coalition fundraiser.

The Truck Safety Coalition is getting ready to put on their 3rd annual fundraising dinner and silent auction. Both years we’ve done this I’ve donated 3 sets of cards, 5 in a set, to be auctioned off. This year I feel like I don’t have much new to give, though I suppose if I dig through my notes I have painted new stuff since last September.

Did these months ago and shipped them off to seniors at nursing homes.

Anyway I decide to paint at least one set of holiday cards, and I’ll be including stamps for all of the cards I donate. I don’t know that people are really sending cards and personal mail anymore, but I hope these find good homes.

Painted these this spring and sent off to seniors.

Now I’m debating. Should the next set of cards be whimsical cats and/or dogs? Or should I do flowers and birds like I usually do? Or, should I do a set of birthday cards? What do you think will get the best bids?

What’s your vote?