Friday Report from Michigan's Little Easy

A visitor today from farther south in Leelanau County remarked that Northport looked "kinda quiet" to him. Really? He thought that? It seemed very busy to me! But then, we don't go in for elbow-to-elbow crowds here, except on the Fourth of July and dog parade day. Northport should really be called the “Little Easy.” Like New Orleans, we’re not on the way to anywhere else--if you come here, it's because this is where you set your compass. Also, like the Big Easy, we got our own way of doin’ things here. This is life in the slow lane. That doesn’t mean nothing is happening--don’t be fooled. There’s things goin’ on, cher. You just gotta seek 'em out.



For starters, there’s the Friday Farmers Market, down by the marina parking lot, just past the Depot. In June, local produce means, among other things, local strawberries; any time of the summer, you’ll find local honey and fresh-baked bread; and I don’t know about your heart, but there’s nothing to warm mine like the sight of young people involved in growing produce to bring to our local market. Here's the gang from Bare Knuckle Farm with their gorgeous edibles:




Busy bookstore day, Sarah greeting and charming, i.e., playing proprietor, while I played clerk. Division of labor. It works.

A little after five o’clock, after closing Dog Ears Books until tomorrow, I made way up Mill Street to David Chrobak’s latest venture, a little shop where he is selling various items he has collected over many years and housed in the Old Mill Pond B&B. David’s looking to downsize, and that means opportunity for new collectors. Today was opening day at Pot of Gold, and by the time I got there he’d sold a third of what he’d started with that morning—but never fear, there are literally tons remaining, and the shop will feature new items (that’s “new”) on a daily basis.



Finally, to wrap up the last Friday in June, Northport’s first “Music in the Park” featured the Stray Dogs from 7 to 9 p.m. I’m betting there was a good crowd, as this is a favorite weekly summer event for many who call Northport home or home-away-from home, and the rain seemed to be holding off, but I'll have to find out tomorrow from someone else. The front porch of the old farmhouse was calling my name....