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Tag Archives: winter
Adventures galore
Katie here.
Boy I had a big day yesterday! I thought maybe it was my birthday or something! Cause my mama took me all sorts of places and each of them was fun with lots of stuff to sniff. And can you believe that she chauffeured me around all day long? But I was sure it wasn’t my birthday, cause I remember my folks ignored me completely that day.
So I wondered… what was up?
Anyway, I woke mama up early and she said that was good because we wanted to be at the Winter Dog Show before 10 to watch our friends Karen and Deuce compete in conformation that morning. In case you haven’t met Deuce, he’s an absolutely beautiful cocker spaniel. He came to my park last winter and we had fun, but he’s been so busy doing classes and his therapy dog work that he hasn’t been able to come back out for another walk. Here’s Deuce and me last winter. (Click on any photo to see more detail.)
Me and Deuce. He’s a good guy.
And here is Deuce and his mom yesterday at the show! She was getting him all beautiful. He did really good, and won an award which made his mom very very happy. Deuce is happy all the time, so it was hard to tell if he was excited about his award.
Getting his handsome on.
Deuce got his picture taken with a celebrity doggie. I could have gotten mine taken with the celebrity too..but I told my mama no way was I going to allow some huge doggie to hold me! No siree! My mama said that was OK, it wasn’t all about me anyway. I did let people pet me when they asked though. I’m not so shy as I used to be and lots of people said I was really soft. Several of the adults told my mama stories about shelties they had as kids. I guess I remind people of happy times.
Deuce was looking for a treat.
We were at the dog show for a couple hours, and as it got more crowded I got sort of hot and started to lag behind my mama. I was ready to get out by the time we left.
We didn’t see any lineups of shelties.
Then mama took me to her favorite park, Kensington, and we walked a bit on the bike path. That was more like it mama! It was cool and I trotted out front of my mama sniffing, sniffing, sniffing! Eventually mama got cold She’s kinda prissy, my mama, so we got back in the car and drove over to her home town!
This is fun mama! And cooler too!
Mama said she wondered if the city park was open. She used to take swimming lessons there on the lake. The beach is on the opposite end of the lake she lived on as a kid. She hasn’t been back to that park since at least 1978, maybe before that! And guess what? It was open! So we went down to the beach and walked around a bunch and watched kids sledding down the hill, and other kids playing hockey out on the lake right where mama used to swim. We even went out on the ice! Mama said that was a very weird feeling.
On the ice of my mama’s childhood lake!
We drove by her old house too, and the garage door was open and people were home. She almost stopped, but then she decided that would be weird so we kept driving.
And then we went to my other park, Indian Springs, and watched more kids sledding. And I chased a mouse (or something) under the snow. And we ran up and down the hills. It was just so much fun. I wasn’t even tired, but mama was cold and her feet were wet.
I smell something under here mama!
So we finally went home and I figured out what was going on. Daddy was making a whole bunch of noise fixing something in the house. And guess what? He wasn’t finished! He’d go up these weird stairs and then disappear into the ceiling and then there was all this clunking and pounding above my head and I did not like it! No I did not! So I barked and barked and barked and mama told daddy she was taking me out again. (HEY! That works!!!)
We ended up at a store where we walked around and around and around and …well, you get the picture. I got to sniff a lot of stuff including CAT FOOD! Did you know that cat food smells really really good?
Eventually mama picked out a very small package of treats and we went up to the cash register. I don’t get to go to the store very often but I remember very specifically that if I walk up behind the cashier, right into her little space, she will give me a treat! So I got one! HA! Mama forgot to bring me treats the whole day we were going all over, but I got one at the store! Cause I am seriously cute you know.
This one smells good mama!
It was a great day. We drove lots, and I even fell asleep in the car, which I never do. Mama says I am a very good traveler. I think we should do this again.
What do you think? Should we go on another adventure soon?
Looks interesting over there…
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Anything that starts with the letter S
Sheltie in snow on a Sunday.
Did you get my good side mama?
Go over to Cee’s original post to see other interpretations.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
Winter showed up
Beautiful snowy day on the Lake.
I was hoping we’d slide right past the snow and ice of a true winter…slide quietly into spring while skipping all the angst of blizzards and ice storms and shovels and extra coats and hats. And boots.
Most of you know I’m up in northern Michigan visiting a friend’s cat. It’s been relatively warm here too, but Monday night while I was sleeping about 10 inches of snow silently fell.
And I have to admit it sure is pretty.
Come on a walk with me!
Today, on the advice of Heather I went in search of a Clay Cliffs, a nature preserve not far from where I’m staying. The roads weren’t great and I was a little worried, but I found the parking lot and it was plowed so I pulled in. My mistake was not looking at the map in the parking lot before I was drawn down the path and into the dark pine trees covered in beautiful white snow.
Someone else had been there, perhaps yesterday, perhaps earlier today, and I followed the footsteps into the woods. More than once I said out loud into the stillness of snow covered trees “Well, snowshoes would have been good.”
Nature’s patterns attracted my attention.
I can tell you walking in snow is a lot slower than walking on a dry path. And walking in snow while taking pictures is even slower. After awhile I began to wonder if the footsteps I was following were actually walking on a path. There were no trail markers. Occasionally I saw dog prints along with boots. Were the footprints merely following a dog as it explored? Or was it someone that knew these paths?
Are you sure this is the way?
I didn’t know.
Eventually (ok, maybe only 1/2 a mile into the walk) I came to this sign. Should I take the field and forest loop? What if it just connected to another loop? What had that map at the beginning said?
Which way should I go?
I didn’t know.
I decided to take it for a bit and then come back to the original loop that I hoped would fit the definition of a loop and end back at the car. The field and forest loop went almost straight up a big hill.
I wasn’t cold by the time I got to the top and found a huge field stretched out in front of me. I thought I’d go to the next marker which happened to be near a bench where I might rest.
A nice place to sit…in summer.
If it weren’t covered in snow.
Still, the path lead further across the field. I noticed all the footsteps already in the snow were now going in the opposite way and eventually this began to bother me. I didn’t know where this path led, or why all the boot tracks were coming toward me. When I got to the other side of the big field I turned around.
I walked way over there before I turned around.
If there wasn’t so much snow to trudge through, and if the sky wasn’t so dark I think I would have kept going, but my fear was that I’d end up having to back track to find the car and I’d already walked a long way. (Not so long once I looked at the map, but it felt long!)
Pretty birch and snow.
So I worked my way back down the big hill and continued on my way. Turns out the car wasn’t that far away. And when I studied the map I saw I was within about a 1/2 mile from the destination I wanted to find.
Should have looked at this map first. I went clockwise on the green loop and then all the way across the field, before I turned around and then finished the green loop back.
So now that I know there are only two loops I think I’ll go back and make it all the way over to the lake. Even if there is still snow to slog through.
More winter texture and pattern.
Because there likely will be. Once winter arrives up here it’s not going to leave any time soon.
Snow on spruce
Change Is Hard 