trip | Change Is Hard

April 3, 2016
by dawnkinster 14 Comments

Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: People or animals

While I was walking back from the cherry blossoms in DC last Sunday I passed this woman. Head down, carrying her shopping bags she was moving fast, not looking at anyone.

Resident among the tourists.

She seemed lonely and isolated even in the midst of the large and noisy tourist crowd. I wished I could talk to her, but she wasn’t sending out friendly vibes. I’m guessing she wasn’t happy with all the tourists inserting themselves into her Sunday routine.

She was an interesting person, and perfect for Cee’s challenge this week.

April 2, 2016
by dawnkinster 16 Comments

Morning in DC

Sunrise on the Hill.

Part two of the cherry blossom saga. Easter weekend was my first visit to DC during cherry blossom time. Sunday I explored, along with thousands of others, the beautiful tidal basin ringed with cherry trees showing off their blossoms. Monday was spent at meetings, but Tuesday morning I had a couple of hours before my flight. So I got up before dawn and rode the metro back to the Hill.

It was an entirely different experience.

For one, the sun came up and lit the western edge of the basin with a rosy glow that complimented the pink and white cherry blossoms. And for another, there were far fewer people out there. Most of them were joggers like me, or photographers also like me, though many of them had fancy equipment. I was carrying my trusty point and shoot, the better to get runs in between stops for photos.

Jefferson glowing way over there.

The first bit of sun tinged the top of the Jefferson Monument pink, and though it was beautiful I was still two very busy streets away. Still, I got a bit of it as I zoomed in as far as my little camera would go.

As I got closer to the tidal basin the sun was beginning to focus on the cherry trees themselves. Pretty breathtaking.

Morning light and cherry blossoms.

I could have spent hours just meandering beneath the beautiful trees…

The trees were art.

…but I had limited time. So I headed over to the Martin Luther King monument, just around the corner. I took a few shots of him framed in cherry blossoms, but I liked this version best.

Contemplation in morning light.

No blossoms, but a strong look for a strong man.

Then I checked my watch and realized I had time to visit President Lincoln if I ran. So I did. It was a great run, along the reflecting pool up to the Lincoln Monument. Could I make it up those steps at a run?

You can do it!

Why yes I could. And there was hardly anyone there, so I got a moment alone with the President. He was warmed by the morning sun, glad to see a new day. Me too.

Good morning Mr. President.

And because I was so close, I jogged over to the Vietnam wall. There were lots of veterans there. I learned later that it was Vietnam Veterans Day, and I had just missed the ceremony.

Reflection.

I didn’t jog past the wall, instead taking my time to walk it, reading a few names from each panel. So many names. So many families. Heartbreaking.

But time was slipping away. So I headed back, moving more quickly, probably my longest run. And it felt uphill at that, though I don’t suppose it was.

A long way back.

A good place to stop and catch my breath was the WWII memorial. I walked through a part of it, paid my respects and kept going.

Peacefully empty.

WW II, Washington Monument and Flag in morning light.

Heading back over the Washington Monument hill I saw lines of people already forming for the attraction. The sun was fully up. It was time to give the city back to the tourists and be on my way.

I didn’t want to leave.

I had experienced some pretty special moments during my early morning run. Not something I’ll be able to do again soon. Spending a couple days in the Nation’s Capitol turned out to be a gift.

With one last look over my shoulder I jogged toward the metro station and my flight home.

Until next time.

Bye Washington DC. I had a great time. See you soon.

I have no idea why Ronald was out so early.

April 1, 2016
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

It’s cherry festival time!

Close up and personal.

No, not in Michigan, that’s still a few months away. But down in DC? Well, it’s prime cherry blossom viewing down there! And I was lucky enough to have a meeting scheduled there, so in between commitments I went up to Capitol Hill and became a tourist.

It was glorious.

I’d never been in DC during cherry blossom time, so I didn’t know what to expect. I flew in on Easter afternoon, changed into running clothes and figured I’d jog a bit on the Mall, take a few pictures of cherry blossoms, just enjoy some alone time.

Pretty in pink.

I was so naive! When I came up out of the metro (subway) and made it over to the mall I was confronted with a few hundred gazillion tourists, all strolling along. It was like being at the start of a race, when you’re all jammed together and walking (slowly) toward the start line. Except there was never any start line…the crowd just kept meandering along.

Not going to be running here.

So, no running on the Mall that afternoon! What was I thinking? But the cherry blossoms were stunning! The trees glowed under their own power without benefit of the sun.

Crowds enjoy the blossoms.

I moved with the crowd from the Washington Monument where white cherry trees provided a heavenly canopy for people picnicking….

My favorite image from Easter afternoon.

…toward the Jefferson Monument on the tidal basin, surrounded by white and pink trees.

Jefferson Monument surrounded by beauty.

The water was filled with people in paddle boats having fun. The shore was crowded with people taking pictures of people in paddle boats, pictures of trees, pictures of blossoms, pictures of each other, pictures of Jefferson’s monument.

There were long lines to rent the boats.

It was so much fun, even though I was cold. I had dressed to be running and I was decidedly not running. But I didn’t care. It was so just much fun! Eventually I got all the way over to the Jefferson Monument….

Headed up the steps.

…and noticed how pretty the Washington Monument was, across the basin, ringed with cherry trees.

Washington watches over the crowds.

The short trek between the two had taken over an hour, and it was getting dark, so I took some side streets back to the metro. I even ran a few blocks, just to say I did.

I will put together one more blog about the sights on the Mall. Tuesday, before my flight, I got up early and headed back to see the sun rising over the cherry trees. You won’t want to miss it.

I couldn’t stop grinning the whole morning.

Found a few seconds of solitude at Jefferson’s.

January 10, 2016
by dawnkinster 16 Comments

I had to forgive her

Katie here.

I suppose you’ve all been enjoying my mama’s photos from her trip way up north. Might I remind you that she was gone for two weeks and she left me and my daddy behind! I don’t know what she was thinking.

This is my back yard!

And do you know what is worse? When she came home she smelled like another animal! Not me! Something smaller and…dare I say it…more like a….a…squirrel! Whatever it was it had been all over her!

When she first came home I was all excited. I couldn’t control my wriggle-butt, it just kept moving! Then I smelled the evil on her. I still couldn’t keep my tail from wagging…and I had to give her a couple of kisses. But then it hit me….she had cheated on me!

This is my park!

Well, I backed right up and sat down and barked at her! And you know what she did then? She laughed at me! How could she!?

I thought about it long and hard, (OK…for about 3 minutes) and decided I was going to have to be the bigger doggie and forgive her. After all, she took me to my park the very next day.

And she’s been giving me tummy and ear rubs. And she feeds me. And gets up in the middle of the night to take me outside if I ask.

I couldn’t stop smiling!

So I guess I should let it go, right? I shouldn’t feel all jealous and cranky. I mean she did come home to me and daddy. I don’t know where she went or who she hung out with, but she came home to me. And that’s what matters.

That and treats. Of course.

January 7, 2016
by dawnkinster 21 Comments

A place

Sun sets on another magical day.

What is it about a place? What is it that imprints a place on your heart? What makes a place feel like home whenever you’re there, even if it isn’t?

Sand ripples in rose light.

Are there places that put a magic spell over you? That cling to you when it’s time to leave, begging you not to go?

Wide expanse of beautiful.

Can you only have one special place like this? Or can a person have these feelings in more than one? Does everyone have such a place, perhaps hidden in their heart?

Happy little wave.

And who among us is lucky enough to live in that place that tugs at their heart? For a few months or even full time?

Orchards resting until spring.

I’ve spent two weeks in one of my special places, way up in the tip of Michigan’s little finger.

Used to be a working farm.

But I feel the same sense of belonging, the same tug on my heart when I’m in the Keweenaw Peninsula way way up north. So I know I can love more than one place at a time.

Maybe it’s the peninsula thing. Being on a spit of land surrounded by huge bodies of water. Maybe it’s being far away from a city and city lights.

Celebrating magical places.

Maybe it’s the crisp air, the huge vistas, the wind in the trees and the splash of waves on the beach.

In the shadow of Sleeping Bear.

Maybe it’s just magic. Maybe it doesn’t have to be understood.

Mountains of fun.

Maybe it just is.

The magic begins in nature.

January 4, 2016
by dawnkinster 18 Comments

Like a shark

Up out of the warm darkness that is sleep you reluctantly emerge. One eye cracked open you see the triangle of an ear on the other side of a pile of pillows. It’s slowly moving toward you. The music of “Jaws” begins to waft through your sleep deprived brain.

The soft weight of the resident shark settles on your chest and then sneezes into your face.

Feed me.

Good morning Lydia.

January 3, 2016
by dawnkinster 6 Comments

Back to the walk

It was a wonderful day today, one of my last in northern Michigan. I had lunch with friends down in Traverse City and then I came back through a beautiful gentle snowfall and fell asleep on the sofa with the cat. Perfect.

Since I didn’t take photos (well only a few) I thought I’d take you back to the Clay Cliffs Natural Area where I walked Saturday afternoon. I’d been there a few days before, and I almost didn’t go back Saturday but the sun came out and the sky turned blue and I figured why not take advantage of beautiful weather to make it all the way around the trails there. (If you remember I walked there before but got nervous about becoming lost because I hadn’t studied the map before I started walking, so I turned around and didn’t finish.)

Last time I was here there were 10 or 11 inches of fresh snow and only a couple people had walked the trails ahead of me. Each step was through deep snow and while it was beautiful, it was also taxing. This time multitudes of people had tromped through the woods prior to me. The path was wide and definite and easy to maneuver. I set off at a good pace.

An obvious path makes the walk easier.

I was more confident, knew where I was going, and the shortest way to get there. No meandering for me! Plus I wanted to get ahead of these guys who were getting all geared up with snowshoes and poles and stuff. I ran into them again on my way back out of the woods.

You really didn’t need snowshoes.

Pretty soon I was all the way at the back of the preserve; I could hear the lake’s chop distinctly. Around another curve and there was the viewing platform.

Wonder what I’ll see?

I had hoped there would be stairs leading down to the beach so that I could actually see the clay cliffs, but there wasn’t any way to get down there. The lake sure was pretty though.

Very windy up here. And cold too.

I started this adventure pretty late in the day, so I didn’t stay long on the viewing platform. I headed back into the woods to complete the loop. Pretty soon the path headed back into the field, the field I had tromped across last time, coming from the other direction.

I was so close last time and didn’t realize it.

It was a pretty walk, not at all intimidating, mostly because I knew I wasn’t lost. Amazing how a little doubt can override a good time. I’m glad I went back. Now I can say I’ve walked all of it. I think I should come back up here in the fall and walk the same trails again. It would be fun to see how they look in a different season.

Just a walk in the woods.

Now wasn’t that a nice walk? I’m glad you came along. It’s always nice to have company.

See you next time!

January 2, 2016
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Look! It’s the sun!

Late afternoon light.

I went for another walk in a nature preserve today and I planned on sharing that with you. While I was there the sun came out! Blue sky, shadows on snow in the woods, turquoise lake. It was all beautiful.

But do you know what was even more beautiful?

Tonight’s sunset! It’s the only sunset I’ve seen during the almost two weeks I’ve been here. Mostly the sky has been dark and ominous. Yesterday the clouds were almost purple – beautiful in their own way. But no sunsets.

Turning grass into gold.

So I decided to show you that instead. Sit down and relax. You’ll get to enjoy it from the comfort (and warmth) of your home. I, however, couldn’t help myself, I ran right out there into the wind. It was magical.

And then the sun began to set.

I’d already been out to the lake earlier in the late afternoon when I noticed the light had turned gold.

The light turned the waves to gold too. It was sort of mesmerizing. While I was trying to get the color recorded I’d notice myself watching through the viewfinder but not taking the shot. Just watching. Silly photographer.

Liquid gold.

Eventually I got cold and went back up the 40-something steps into the house. Where I almost immediately noticed that the sky was beginning to turn pink.

Turning pink.

I didn’t even take my coat off; just got better gloves and ran back down the stairs into the pink air. I was actually saying out loud “Oh my God, oh my God” as the light warmed and the world began to glow.

Sun is going down faster now.

The tops of waves were being blown by the increasingly blustery winds and they began to glow pinkish gold – like little tiny volcanoes.

Tinged with pink.

Wonderful.

Orange crush.

The sky to the south was turning more and more orange.

Orange sherbet.

The sky to the north was pink and purple.

Raspberry sorbet.

I was all alone, standing on a sandy snowy bluff and the entire sky had turned into art. It was indescribable. I turned my back to the wind, protecting the camera, and just watched.

Front row seats.

Bursting from my head and my heart deep thanks began to float on the wind. Thanks for being allowed to stay in this beautiful place. Thanks for one sunset during my stay. Thanks for being able to capture some of it to share with all of you.

Amazing doesn’t begin to describe the moment.

Overwhelming.

I guess you had to be here.

Thank goodness I was.

Gratitude.

January 1, 2016
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

On the beach

Many of you have retreated to warm beaches, beaches with palm trees and lounge chairs, beaches that require sunglasses and sunscreen. Where you can dip your toes in the waves. I’m at a beach too, though it’s a bit different. Just a tad cooler and windier.

Since the windstorm Christmas Eve I haven’t been able to walk on the beach right here at the house. The big waves dug away the bluff and now it’s more like a cliff. Sure, I could hop, jump or maybe roll down to the beach. But I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to get back up. And it’s way too cold to take that risk. So I’ve been looking longingly at the beach and staying up on the bluff in the wind.

Windy lake glows turquoise under a purple sky.

Today some neighbors stopped by to say “Happy New Year!” and I mentioned how I’d like to walk on the beach. They reminded me of a long staircase down in the next group of homes. They said it was covered in snow…but once maneuvered would lead me to a wide beach only a half mile or so away.

Well! This afternoon I bundled up, took the camera and headed up the street, down the stairs and out onto the beach. It was beautiful. And cold.

I’m teaching myself how to use manual camera settings.

Oh so cold. I shot a short video and thought my fingers would actually fall off. It’s posted on Facebook if you’d like to see it.

I found a very nice Petosky stone which was partially frozen into the sand. I got it chippped out and put the whole thing, frozen sand chunk and all in my pocket. I found another beautiful Petosky stone, but couldn’t get it chipped out of the ice. Most of the stones were frozen solid to the sand. Ah well.

Waves just keep on coming.

There were big boulders that had waves of ice and sand covering them from earlier in the day when the waves were higher. It was all beautiful.

All the photos in this post were from my walk on the beach. Notice how striking the sky was too. Every day the lake looks different. The sky changes. Wind and waves and light carve out a new view for me.

Giant ice cubes.

It’s going to be hard to leave this place, but soon I’ll be headed back to my husband and my Katie-girl. It will be good to be home, but it was very good to be here too.

Love my Lake Michigan.

Brrrrrrrr!

December 31, 2015
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Waiting for warm

Snacks will be available in the spring.

I’m up in northern Michigan, a place that many people visit in warmer seasons; a place that caters to those seasonal tourists.

Fishing boat waits patiently.

Being here in winter it seems odd to be driving past places I’ve visited myself in warmer months. To notice little things here and there that are waiting for spring just like I am.

Kayaks resting.

I’m sure these northern villages are glad when the tourists come back each spring. But I think many that live here permanently are also glad when the last of the tourists leave and everyone can relax for a little bit.

Not the season for bike riding.

I find it beautiful here in any season but I’m enjoying the coziness of remote Michigan in winter. It reminds me a bit of a time years ago when I lived in the Upper Peninsula. I learned then that as long as you find something outside that you enjoy winter won’t be so bad.

Ice cream shop celebrates Christmas.

But I’ll be back in summer too — I can play tourist with the best of them. Even though it will be a lot busier I wouldn’t miss seeing this part of the country with a warm sun glinting off the lake, the roads full of happy people, the shops bustling.

It’s Pure Michigan. And I’m lucky to be here.

Celebrating Michigan.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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