A Ball, A Rainbow and A Bash

The annual COs Ball was held at Fort Mackinac this year - something that hasn't happened for about three years now because of the later closings. Dress however you wish!

-Shannon dressed as me!
-The Fab Four - Sandy and I as the Preliminary War of 1812 Planning Committee, Jennifer as an Indian Princess and Brian as a Conf. soldier.

Brent (as an opium dealer?) and LeeAnn (in historic undergarments) provided the music.
-It rained just as the potluck was ending so we had a tight fit on the porch.

-But the rain gave way to a complete double rainbow.
-Which Claire and LeeAnn were enthralled with...

-And also a beautiful sunset!

-We went out to hear the great Soulstice band at the Gatehouse.
-Joe going at it with Geoff.
-Jennifer and Myron.
-And Katy was up for the week with the scouts and then a wedding so some great catching up and hanging out time with her (thanks for tracking me down and keeping in touch!!!).

Mid Summer

Weatherwise, it's been kind of cool, but my kind of summer...in the 70s. Keeping to the island a bit more because of everything going up in price, but still getting out and seeing stuff.
-One of my countless bikes around the island came upon this sailboat under the sun near Arch Rock.
-I went with Sandy north to exchange her newly fixed car in Marquette. We met up with her brother and mom and overtook Sugarloaf Mountain!
-The trail going up.
-Me and Sandy's family.
-The view from the top, looking over Marquette.
-Sandy holding the Yooperdome in her hand.

-A lot of storms coming through, too. Here's a huge storm going south of us.
-And one to the north...sometimes getting us, but it tends to split at the straits.
-Across the pond again, and I played tourist taking pictures from the ferry of the laker passing through.

-We had the Vintage Base ball game again: Mackinac Never Sweats vs. Mackinaw City Boys. Sandy led my sister + friends to the field.
-A fine game, although the Never Sweats lost. The two teams hadn't played since 1886!
-Beth, John Hiller (of '68 Tigers fame) and I.
-I forget what Jennifer and Brian had to keep secret.
-Phil got up and played Wild Thing for everyone.

-People like to do the rock formations and there's been more on the shore than ever before!
-Tons of rabbits, too. I finally got a picture of the bunny.
-The 100th running of the Chi-Mac race was last weekend. Heather and I went out to see the chaos.
-And Peggy, Chris and Carolyn enjoyed the dancing fun.
-As did Alvero...wonderful dancer from Mexico!

Crazy Days of Summer

-At the Fourth celebration, Steph came up to visit the north: Mark, Stephanie, Ben, Sandy and Maria by the Somewhere in Time "Is it you?" memorial.
-Wild Columbine in the woods.

-Jeff, Michelle, Kathy and Dean all came to visit the north...and it was Kathy's birthday! A lot of walking to many sites on a beautiful day.
-Even some cool clouds and some exciting weather to end it all off.

-This is how we clean the exhibits - Ashlee and Caitlin.

-Sandy and I needed fruit bars (amazing things only found in Canada)! So we headed north, got some good food and kept heading north for Chippewa Falls, Ontario (on Hwy 17).
-We got real fruit, too. A lovely little picnic at the falls. Also where the Trans-Canada highway came together, between Nova Scotia and British Columbia.
-We got in - I had my passport - but we thought we may run into trouble coming back. We didn't. But we did have a bit of a wait. This was our view for awhile. I think it's kind of cool they have rocks!

-I made it over 500 miles for 2008 on my bike. One of many pictures of flowers on the island - coreopsis.

Independence Day

As always, one of the best places to celebrate Independence Day is at the fort.
-Brett, LeeAnn, Jared and Joe as musicians.
-And a lively Virginia Reel.
The ladies showing some pantalettes.
-The impressive soldiers with Sgt. Joe barking out the orders.
-Aren't they loverly?
-The 2008 interpretive staff.
-The guys jump for joy.

-The staff pyramid (this took awhile).
-Downtown at dusk.
-We got to see fireworks this year!