Tag Archives: Round Island Lighthouse

Ahhhhh . . . Spring!

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Ahhh. . . Spring!

No matter in what part of the country we live, Spring is always a wonderful time of the year.  The first hint of green in the lawn, the first buds on the trees and bushes, the first butterflies happily waving good morning with still-damp wings as they flutter through air filled with the scent of sweet salt air.

Ahhhhh . . . Spring!

Ahhhhh . . . . CHOO!

Dang it!  I was sure hoping my springtime battle with allergies would be a thing of the past when we moved to Florida.  We don’t live near any Pine or Pecan trees, and it was my thinking all this sea air would be filled not with pollen, but with the natural healing powers of salt.   I was wrong.

They tell me it’s Oak pollen down here that gets everyone sneezing in the Spring (the Burr Oak and Northern White Oak to be exact), but with a little research, I’ve discovered the mighty Oak is just one of the culprits.  There are also grasses:  Bahia, Bermuda, Coastal Salt Grass, Eight-flower Six Weeks Grass, Fall Panic Grass (in the spring), Red Top Panic Grass, Smut Grass and Wand Panic Grass.

And then there’s Bayberry.

Makes Georgia’s Pine and Pecan trees look like petty criminals, doesn’t it?!

I lost my voice five days ago – LOST, as in even uttering a whisper required great effort and the pain of trying to squeak out words past a throat so sore I could barely swallow.  This is normal for me in Spring.  If I’d been in Georgia, I would have called my family doctor at the first sign of a sore throat, and he would have sent me a magic cocktail of antibiotics, cough medicine and prednisone.  Two days later it would have been over. 

But here.  Here I have no family doctor yet.  So I put off calling for almost a week as things got progressively worse.  This afternoon I broke down and called my Georgia doctor.  He’s faxing the magic cocktail prescription to the nearest CVS, and I’ll go pick it up later tonight.   

And – hopefully – I’ll be all better by Sunday!  

God bless.

Just looking at this makes me feel better. Another masterpiece captured by Clark Bloswick.

Just looking at this makes me feel better. Another masterpiece captured by Clark Bloswick.

 

Oh Yeah . . . Mackinac!

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So intent was I to write the first post of the new blog that I forgot completely some of you might be concerned whether our favorite island would still be considered part of my life.

Let me just answer that with a resounding YES!  YES!  And in case you didn’t get that . . . . YES!

Mackinac Island holds me like a warm glove (I’d better make that a cold glove right now), and as long as there is breath in this body and a word left in this brain, I can’t fathom writing without the pretty constant mention of that magical place.  Ted and I are already planning our summer visit (six weeks in August-September), and if I could discover a way to turn grains of beach sand into dimes, I’d put together a trip before then.

So – for the worriers – I dedicate this entire post to our favorite place (and to be truthful, I needed my own Mackinac fix right about now)!

Just when the islanders thought they'd have to trade in the snowmobiles for their bikes again, they awoke a few days ago to a wonderful snowfall! (Photo: Mackinac Wheels)

Just when the islanders thought they’d have to trade in the snowmobiles for their bikes again, they awoke a few days ago to a wonderful white-covered fairyland!I can’t even begin to count the number of times we’ve walked down Fort Hill into town.  The view of the fort blockhouse is always great from this point, but to see it against new-fallen snow is just the best!  (Photo: Mackinac Wheels)

I love it when one of my readers goes to Mackinac and sends back photos!  Yvonne Pitsch and her family travel to the island as often as possible, and one of Yvonne’s solo trips is usually the first week in January – this year was no exception. She shared the following three photos:

Awwww . . . . home sweet home for seven summers. MISS THIS PLACE SO MUCH!

Awwww . . . . home sweet home for seven summers. MISS THIS PLACE SO MUCH!

The beautiful Grand Hotel stables . . . sitting serenely in the snow, resting up for another busy season.

The beautiful Grand Hotel stables . . . sitting serenely in the snow, resting up for another busy season.

From Yvonne: I call this my “angry” picture. This is in the middle of the day by the British Landing and the wind was so strong that it was whipping the ice and snow around creating an almost whiteout. The noise was so loud that it sounded like the lake being angry and screaming at me. It was somewhat eerie being out there by myself.

Yvonne’s words: “I call this my “angry” picture. This is in the middle of the day by British Landing, and the wind was so strong it was whipping the ice and snow around creating an almost whiteout. The noise was so loud it sounded like the lake being angry and screaming at me. It was somewhat eerie being out there by myself.”  Yvonne said she spent two days riding all over the island.  The day she was out taking this one, it was 4 degrees!

Just in the last few days the weather has really turned, and the island is slowing icing into its winter landscape.  Lake Huron has begun to “steam” – the first sign there may be an ice bridge this year.

Steam coming off the lake as the wind pushes ice onto the shoreline. (Photo: Greg Main)

Steam coming off the lake as the wind pushes ice along the shoreline. (Photo: Greg Main)

If this photo doesn't make you grab your winter coat, snowboots, muffler, and gloves, nothing will! The icy freighter, American Century, makes what may be one of its last passes of the winter by the Round Island Lighthouse. (Photo: Greg Main)

If this photo doesn’t make you grab your winter coat, snowboots, muffler, and gloves, nothing will! The icy freighter, American Century, makes what may be one of its last passes of the winter by the Round Island Lighthouse. (Photo: Greg Main)

Wow! A beautifully framed shot of Round Island Light by Jason Kladiva.

Wow! A beautifully framed shot of Round Island Light by Jason Kladiva.

Photos like this one make me want to book a ticket north RIGHT NOW! Robert McGreevy said it was 5 degrees, and the wind was blowing 30 mph when he took his shot.

Photos like this one make me want to book a ticket north RIGHT NOW! Robert McGreevy said it was 5 degrees, and the wind was blowing 30 mph when he took his shot.

. . . it had warmed up to 12 here, but the winds had increased to 34 mph. Life and work goes on as usual on Mackinac regardless of the weather, but I can't even imagine how cold these two guys were out in that weather. (Photo: Robert McGreevy)

It had warmed up to 12 here, but the winds had increased to 34 mph. Life and work goes on as usual on Mackinac regardless of the weather, but I can’t even imagine how cold these two guys were. (Photo: Robert McGreevy)

This may have been on that same day. Swans hunkering down on the ice and hiding their heads from the wind. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

This may have been on that same day. Swans hunkering down on the ice and hiding their heads from the wind. (Photo: Clark Bloswick)

Sking enthusiasts like friend Orietta Barquero used that great snow (after the wind died down) to make a run out to Sugar Loaf.

Skiing enthusiasts like friend Orietta Barquero used that great snow (after the wind died down) to make a run out to Sugar Loaf. (Photo: Steve Humphrey)

From Clark Bloswick - The ferry service is day to day now, as the water freezes. On this day Arnold Line's Mighty Huron had to come into harbor by going around the back of the island. Shepler's Sacre Bleu managed to make it straight in from St. Ignace.

From Clark Bloswick – The ferry service is day to day now, as the water freezes. On this day Arnold Line’s Mighty Huron had to come into harbor by going around the back of the island. Shepler’s Sacre Bleu managed to make it straight in from St. Ignace.

I know it's a little late for a Christmas photo, but I just had to post this one of The Stuart House by Nancy May. This is where I spent a lot of hours volunteering during the summer. I love this old building and all it stands for.

I know it’s a little late for a Christmas photo, but I just had to post this one of the Stuart House by Nancy May. This is where I spent a lot of hours volunteering during the summer. I love this old building and all it stands for.

I’m going to close with a fantastic video shot by Jimmy Fisher, who owns Mackinac Wheels.  Jimmy filmed this on his way to work the other morning (the bike shop isn’t open now, but he still goes in to get things ready for the season ahead).  I’ve posted a couple of these in the past as folks travel by snowmobile down Grand Hill, but this one is from a totally different perspective.  He starts out at the cemeteries, continues through the woods down Garrison Road behind the Boy Scout Barracks, down Mission Hill into the Mission District to Main Street, and then ends at Mackinac Wheels.  So beautiful!  Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=880089545376942

Ok – tell the truth now.  How many of you would LOVE to take that ride right now?  Me! Me!

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We’ve had a few very unseasonably cool/cold and wet days here in Florida, but that’s ok.  The rainy/cool/cold days inevitably turn into warm and sunny days after a short time, and we trade our corduroy pants for shorts again.  Florida does take some getting used to, but it’s beginning to grow on me!

A few days ago . . .

A few days ago . . .

And two days later.

And two days later.

 And, just a few minutes ago . . . . 

See you back here soon!  God bless.