I was in Mackinaw City yesterday. It’s famous for lots of things, the Mackinac Fort, Mackinac Island, the Mackinac Bridge.
And the fudge.
Good stuff in here.
I stopped there on my way home from the Upper Peninsula specifically to do a storefront photo for Cee’s challenge. Not to buy fudge.
Of course not.
See me? I’m about 5 dogs in from the left.
I did not invite all these other beautiful dogs to my park! I am supposed to be the supreme princess! The most beautiful sheltie around! It’s supposed to be all about me! Me me me me me!
One lady. Lots of shelties.
Ahem.
I had to go to the groomer to get beautiful just for this party, and that’s not fair either. But I’ll stop complaining now.
Emily Ann was the star of the party!
Because actually it was pretty interesting. My dad even went! I mostly sat under the picnic table while he talked to some people that had two shelties. The three of us hung out together under the table. We got along just fine by ignoring each other.
Lots of sheltie smiles.
In fact I was content to ignore all the other shelties but not my mama! Oh no, she had to go meet them all. I watched her sit down on the ground with some of them and pet them and tickle their tummies and I wasn’t jealous at all because I had my dad.
One of the only pictures of ME!
My mama didn’t even take very many pictures of me! Can you imagine that? She was busy taking pictures of all the other shelties. She kept saying things like “Wow, that’s a beautiful dog!” and ” oh look at that one!” You’d think I’d get a complex or something.
Sheltie kisses.
But I didn’t, because lots of people thought I was beautiful too, and offered me treats which I politely refused. Until my mama took me for a walk and I met one lady sitting on a blanket. There were dog treats on that blanket! Her dog Sadie hadn’t eaten them, so I scarfed them up. Always willing to help out you know. Then she gave me a big treat and I chopped it right down.
Lots of sheltie lovers.
But then I did a bad thing.
Sadie came by and sniffed my butt and I turned around and nipped at her. My mama was mortified. And as our parents were pulling us apart I nipped at her again! Well! Sadie is only a puppy and my mama said I should have had better manners.
Sadie and her mom.
I was getting tired and hot by then and when we went back to daddy I nipped at another dog. So mama and daddy said that was quite enough and we went home. Mama says I have shown my true colors and now she knows to keep better watch on me.
Whatever that means.
I thought the party was interesting but I just got too warm and too tired and that made me cranky. A princess does not like to be sniffed so much. A princess is supposed to be kept cool and hydrated and well fed. I didn’t even have my princess pillow! I mean really, what were they thinking?
Sadie and a new friend.
Anyway. I’m sorry I nipped at those dogs and I’ll try to be a better sheltie-citizen in the future. Meanwhile, I think all the dogs had a good time and I’m glad mama and daddy took me.
Cookie has the right idea. Time for a nap!
Time for a nap now.
Pet me! Pet me!!
When Katie and I camped in northern Michigan over on Lake Huron we had a great time even though we had to cut the trip short due to rain.
Ship chugging along the horizon at sunrise.
But when she was telling you all about it she focused on herself. As befits a princess I guess.
Our first day was beautiful.
Still, there were plenty of pretty things up there that you didn’t get to see because they weren’t always about her.
Loved how the lake disappeared into the morning sky.
There was beauty in the big expanse of the space, and tiny things too.
Is this a buttercup?
So I thought you might want to see a couple of the things that didn’t get shared. And yes. One or two of them might even include the princess.
Low clouds closing in.
But don’t tell her.
“The spotlight should ALWAYS be on ME mama!”
She’s already got a big head.
“Which is prettier? The lake or me?”
.
Remember when you were a kid how you’d hound your mom (or dad) during summer vacations about having nothing to do? And no matter what was suggested it wasn’t what you wanted. Even though you couldn’t exactly say just what that was.
Retirement can be sort of like that. Or not.
Checking out the buffet.
Katie and I have been camping in the back yard the last couple of nights. This morning, with a thunderstorm in the forecast, I went out to pack the tent up. I was feeling privileged that it was 7:30 on a Monday morning and I wasn’t sitting in commuter traffic on the freeway. The neighborhood was quiet, sun shining softly on the leaves, only the sounds of the birds to interrupt my wandering thoughts.
Got any jelly there lady?
A chipmunk and a fat squirrel skittered away from me as I startled them mid-breakfast. A rose breasted grosbeak flew off the feeder, an oriole streaked away toward the woods.
I smiled.
I’ll just get a drink while I wait.
And then part way across the back yard two tree swallows flew in formation right toward me, perhaps 6 inches above the grass. They swooped and swirled through the yard. I stood still. They circled me several times, flew low and then swept up over the tomato cages, then down across the lawn again. Like stealth bombers, their wings were silent unlike the other birds that frequent the yard whose fluttering wings and grumpy cries always let me know when the feeder is empty.
I recognized in that moment how lucky I am. I can stand perfectly still in my backyard, in the middle of a weekday morning, and enjoy doing absolutely nothing.
I demand fresh oranges!
I’m reading a book, Slow Love; how I lost my job, put on my pajamas, and found happiness. by Dominque Browning. The author is describing her transition from frenzied work to unemployment. This afternoon I read the following passage which perfectly described how I felt earlier in the day:
“I begin to understand how nothing to do is its own state of grace, difficult to find deliberately, nearly impossible to recognize. Nothing to do means I can sit and look and let my mind wander, then empty, then fill again, with wonder or with grief, with anything or with nothing at all. “Nothing to do” is not the same as “Nothing can be done.” One is hopeless; the other the place from which hope becomes possible.”
In the heat of mid-morning, standing still in the light, I realized that nature was enjoying my yard every day. Used to be that I didn’t get to see it, but now, now that I have nothing to do, it’s all right there for me to enjoy.
Pretty darn cool.
Grape jelly again?!
No it’s not mama who thinks waves are evil. It is I, Princess Katie, who doesn’t trust those noisy, ever moving, elusively wet things. Not at all. And mama knows I don’t like them, yet she took me on an adventure where there were lots of waves! Sometimes I don’t understand my mama. At all.
Our home away from home.
But you know what? I had a really good time anyway. You know how much I love to camp with my mama and we went to a park we’ve never been to before, way up north, on the shores of Lake Huron. Mama scored a beautiful campsite with our own private path to the beach (and those pesky waves!). Lucky for me it was a ‘no dogs allowed’ beach so I didn’t have to spend much time out there!
Some people ask me what I do all day when we’re camping. Well! Let me show you! We go on lots of walks around the campground where I can show off my beautiful self…
Not too many people around to admire me!
…and we take lots of naps. When my mama is reading in the tent I like to nap up on her bed, right next to her…
Reading is boring mama!
…unless I’m busy keeping watch on my private pillow from my own private window.
What’s going on out there?
And when my mama is reading in her chair outside I like to keep track of the world while keeping cool under the picnic table. It’s my secret hideaway. Nothing gets by me!
My secret hiding place!
But we explored lots of other places too. This campground has a dog beach and the first evening we went to find it. The path went through some tall trees and the sun was getting low which made the trees (and me!) just glow. Mama spent a long time in there taking pictures of everything.
Isn’t the light cool in here?
When we finally got to the dog beach I made it very clear with my flat ears that I did not like it mama! I especially didn’t like when the noisy waves were behind me. Mama tried to tell me that these were just little, harmless waves and she wasn’t going to make me get my feet wet but I was still very glad we didn’t stay there long.
What IS that mama?
The next morning mama almost missed the sunrise! I slept all night, hardly moving at all, while my mama shivered under four blankets while wearing layers of clothes. She finally fell asleep in the early morning hours and expected that I’d wake her up at the usual 5:30. But I didn’t! It was so nice sleeping in the cool night air that I just rolled over and kept sleeping. She woke up at 5:45 and woke me up! She wanted to go out on the beach to see the sun? Is she crazy?
The sunrise was nice but I didn’t want to be there, so she brought me back to camp, put me on my long leash and gave me breakfast to keep me busy while she went back out on the sand to take more pictures.
Morning light on my fur.
Well. I do not like to be separated from my mama! So after I finished my breakfast (You didn’t think I was going to leave that in the bowl did you?) I figured out my leash wasn’t really attached to my collar and so I walked casually right back out to the beach to find her!
Hey mama! Whatcha doing out there?
She turned around to check on me and there I was, standing next to the path (I don’t like the sand in my toes.) watching her! Mama came running and I got hooked up to my leash really good. I think she was sort of surprised that I came back out on the beach on my own. I like surprising my mama. Keeps her on her toes.
Later that day we went on a little road trip. And guess what? I got to see a real lighthouse in person! This is Sturgeon Point lighthouse. It’s very beautiful. Mama would have walked up to the top, but the tower was only open on the weekends. And she had me. As you know I don’t do stairs.
What is more beautiful than a lighthouse? Why ME of course!
Of course there was a beach there too, with even bigger waves and I didn’t like it. So mama and I walked around the grounds of the lighthouse instead of out by the water like she wanted. She’s good about compromise, my mama.
There is also a one room school, the Old Bailey School, on the site. Mama said that since there weren’t any waves nearby could I please sit and look pretty so she could take a picture with me and the school. But I was more interested in what that thing was over to the right of me. Plus there were two people on the other side of the school and I could hear them talking and I wanted to go see what was over there. So all my mama got was this.
What IS that mama?
By the time we got back to camp I was exhausted! I slept all night again, and mama shivered all night. She put on all her clothes and even wore a pair of socks on her hands and she was still cold! I don’t know about you mama! I was wearing all my clothes too and I thought the weather was perfect for sleeping! Anyway, this time my mama set her alarm to wake us up at 5:30 so we could go out and see the sunrise. It was spectacular. I couldn’t stop looking at it.
The sun’s got nothing on me!
Wouldn’t you? Out on the horizon was a fishing boat which made it even more interesting. The sky was just gorgeous. Everything was gorgeous, and this time I didn’t even act scared of the waves! I let mama enjoy everything!
Colors beyond description!
But then the clouds started rolling in….
Uh oh…
…and it began to rain. And rain….and rain. Mama and I hung out in the car. We drove into town so she could check the radar. We drove back to camp. We hung out in the car again and it continued to rain. And the wind picked up and the waves were getting bigger and noisier.
Getting noisier out here!
Mama thought about another night of sleeping in the cold. And now we were both wet from me making her take me on walks to do my thing. Even if she wore all her clothes again she’d be cold. And she didn’t think we’d ever be dry again. So she packed up camp. She didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go home! And I did not!
Goodbye lake! We’ll be back!
Sometimes mama uses that old excuse “because I said so” and I have to just go with the flow. But I have to admit I was really happy to see my Dad when I got home. I guess it’s nice to be here too. I slept upside down on my king sized bed that night. But now I want to know….what are you going to do to top this one mama? Huh? Huh?
What’s next mama?
It better be good, that’s all I have to say. Because a princess has certain expectations you know. And it’s very bad if she’s disappointed. I’m going to go take a nap now, in preparation for the next royal event.
I like the woods best!
Those of you that live in or around Michigan have surely seen and heard the promotional advertisements aimed at getting tourism. So when I saw that this week’s WordPress Challenge was Pure…and knew I’d be ‘up north’ enjoying some of the best that Michigan has to offer….
Pure Michigan
…well, I couldn’t resist tying the two together.
Have you ever explored through beautiful woodland in search of Shakespeare? Unless you live in Ann Arbor, maybe not. But if you’re from around here you’re in luck. The University of Michigan is putting on a spectacular production of Love’s Labour’s Lost in the Arboretum below the beautiful peony garden.
The peony garden.
You should go. Even if you aren’t sure you love Shakespeare. Because what could be better than to spend a couple of hours wandering in the beautiful trees and flowers of the Arboretum while watching talented people joyously telling a story of love and mistakes and confusion and confirmation?
As the actors headed down into the woods to prepare for the evening performance my Aunt and I wandered the beautiful peony garden.
On her way to find her nobleman.
It was past it’s prime, last weekend would have been perfect, but it was still beautiful, and smelled like heaven must.
Can you smell the perfume?
Once the show started we followed along eagerly, as we learned that the country’s king had decided to ban women from his court for three years, while he and his noblemen studied. Women are, you know, distractions from serious study.
No women?? For three years???
But had he forgotten that the Princess from France was scheduled for a royal visit? Why yes he had! So she and her noble women would have to stay camped in a field outside the court. She was quite put out. Which was a shame, because the King had a huge crush on her.
The ladies arrive.
And the rest of the women? They and the King’s noblemen had crushes too. So what to do? Meet in secret, write love letters that get hand carried to the wrong people? Pine away in the forest?
Studying.
All of that and more. And of course don’t forget the visiting Spaniard with his grandiose ideas of love and women who falls for the common milk maid.
She’s the match for him.
It was all there deep in the lush green forest. How does it all end? Does everyone get to live happily ever after? I’m not telling you. You’ll have to go find out for yourself. The play continues Thursdays through Sundays until June 26.
Playing a deceptive game.
Head out for an adventure. Try something new. Wear bug spray and bring a blanket or a chair to sit on.
The women celebrate.
You’ll love it. Guaranteed.
Heavenly.
Spending some peaceful time on the river.
The Huron River starts up near me at Indian Springs, a park Katie and I enjoy regularly, and flows all the way to Lake Erie, 130 miles in all. We paddled 8 miles on Friday morning under a bright blue sky. The water was crystal clear, with large brown fish (trout?) darting below our boat, among the intense green of the river grasses.
Clear river water.
The current was gentle but persistent, assisting our trip downriver but not so quick that we couldn’t enjoy the lovely views along the way. The banks were often covered in blue forget-me-not flowers, the sunlight falling on them in dappled joy through the new spring green foliage of the trees above.
So many pretty places!
Mostly the river was smooth and calm, reflecting the sky and trees, shining on the water bugs scurrying away from our silent canoe. Occasionally we rode through some moderate rapids…
Like a water ride at an amusement park. Only better.
…calling on the skill of my aunt, the expert in the stern to pick the best spot to slide by the largest rocks.
Captain Becky
The only people we saw were fishermen also enjoying the quiet beauty of the river.
Fly fishing.
But we saw lots of nature. A blue heron flew across the river in front of us and around a bend, hidden by trees, only to wait for us in the shallows, ignoring us as we passed. Another heron stood proudly on a log, posing as we glided by.
I’m not going to look at you.
We saw giant snapping turtles laying eggs on sandy banks, mallard ducks preening on a log, and several families of geese enjoying the beautiful sunny day.
Taking the family to the beach.
We had such a lovely time, I’m grateful for the opportunity to canoe with my aunt on a river she and my dad used paddle as kids. I remember other canoe trips with my folks, and one trip on this river, though a different stretch of it, with my dad. The Huron stretches 140 miles across this part of Michigan, and right through the hearts of my family.
Aren’t I lucky.
Bridging generations.
Change Is Hard 