Mission Hill, Bay Mills and the Soo

Sandy and I decided to take a little trip to the U.P. on a normal fall Saturday (rain, clouds, cold, sun and warm within 10 hours).



-Mission Hill in the Bay Mills/Brimley area.

-The sign for the steep one way hill to go up there on - Sandy showing what happens when you don't follow the sign and there's a huge truck up there for some reason.

-A forest path.
-The site of the burial of the sailors of the Steamer Myron. The Myron went down in Lake Superior. The sailors went on a lifeboat, the captain stayed with the ship. The captain actually was saved and the next spring, the sailors came ashore, encased in ice. Ironic.

-Sandy and the Point Iroquois Lighthouse.
-Steps in the tower.
-My shadow and the rocks in Lake Superior.

-The shore.
-Point Iroquois Lighthouse.

-Sandy and the shore (and cool walkway).
-What you don't do for the perfect pictures.
-Since it was a nice weekend, I weeded and cleaned up the yard. And I found this praying mantis, with TWO young on its back (you only can see the one).

Posen Potato Festival

The Posen Potato Festival in Posen, Michigan.... Please see polka video at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BmAi1tXLfUA


Jenny and I decided to g0 (because we like potatoes and Polish stuff). Although it was good, we kept trying to think of great potato dishes they would have and other potato stuff and, I must say, it was a little disappointing. As far as a small town festival goes, it was just fine.




-This van had speakers on the top and drove down the street like a ice cream truck playing polka music.
-Jenny excited for the midway.
-Us with our elephant ear.
-Jenny deathly afraid of the Ferris Wheel.


-But she was a good sport and I made her go on (because I love ferris wheels). And she survived. Notice how I'm enjoying it and she's bearing it.
-I really do love ferris wheels.
-Then we went down the slide. Jenny first.
-Then me.
-And, oh, the polka dancing and music!

Biking

I did a lot of biking this summer (got the new bike, odometer and the ipod). In the end from June through August I put in almost 800 miles, almost 32 in one day, and average over 8 1/2 per day. Next year...1,000 miles. We'll see...

Bridge Walk

Last week on the island so finally the "babes" got together...

-Val, me and Margaret.
-The bridge on one of the last bikes around the island this season.







Then came the bridge walk. After being downstate, I decided to stay on the mainland and take the bus across for the first time.
-Jenny and I, after waking up at 4 a.m. getting an early start in Mac City for the festivities.













-Jenny and I sitting in the back seats of a Harbor Springs bus. We figured we were never the cool kids in school who did that, so we were going to try it now. Really, not as exciting as we thought.

-Since we got an early start we went to find Kim, who was one of the 50 who were swimming across the span!
-A beautiful morning for a stroll.


-Me, Heather, Jenny and Peggy ready for a walk.
-...so are our feet.













-I think this is Kim's group from the bridge.
-That's a lotta people. Oh, the humanity.







-Walking on the grate of the bridge.


-Coming up to the north (and best) tower.
-The north tower.


-Peggy, Jenny and Heather say "yes" to Michigan (okay, we're all Michigan geeks who were saying "Pure Michigan," too).
-At the finish line with our nifty certificates.


-At the end of the swim. The guys with the finish line had to run up and down the beach with the banner to get to the swimmers.
-Kim coming in (with the yellow cap).

-Kim at the finish line.

Joe and Kate's Wedding

Pre-wedding Beth dresses up Irving - same thing she used to do when she was three.


-Vince doing the blessing for the food. The most "priestly," he said.









-Sarah and Jana, the boogie-ers of the night.



-Jean and bright-eyed A.

-Me, Kerry (my wonderful goddaughter) and Claire.













-October girls, Michelle and I.
-Billy and Beth.


-Joe and Kate on the dance floor.
-The rest of the clan on the dance floor.
-Carol took us on a little jaunt to Mast Greenhouses to see the gardens. My favorite non-stop (tuberous) begonias. These I would always unwrap at the nursery I worked at in the springs.
-Carol and Mom with the begonias.



-Carol and Grandma with the gardens.