Northport was full of light and color on Thursday, with these bright tulips and daffodils blooming on Nagonaba Street between Dolls and More and the little bark-covered building housing Nature Gems (both former locations of Dog Ears Books). The awnings weren’t back up yet, nor the benches out, at Barb’s Bakery, but by Friday the bright fuchsia bench had appeared in front of the Pennington Collection on Mill Street, signaling the end of winter. The renovated Willowbrook Inn looked particularly attractive in the sunshine, and later I saw proprietor Pat Busch out on the deck, visiting with a couple of friends. Does his return signal the imminent re-opening of the Kampgrounds Kreamery?
There are signs of life again at Stubb’s Sweetwater Grill, re-opened after their winter break, and Bruce Viger’s new Garage Door Bar and Grill, also on Waukazoo Street, is moving right along with inspections. Meanwhile, back on Mill Street, the former Eat Spot has become North End--
--and will, so says the new sign, be open for breakfast and lunch and pizza. Northport is gradually waking up from its sleepy winter, as it always does. I wish I'd been counting the number of people who have exclaimed, "You're back!" We were here all winter, but who noticed? Ah, well, a few staunch, stout-hearted friends and book buyers did.
In only two weeks we’ll be heading into Memorial Day weekend, with Cars in the Park as usual on Saturday the 28th, always a popular event, and I want to highlight another event scheduled for that last Saturday in May. It will be the third annual Blessing of the Pets, sponsored by Black Sheep Crossing, Marty and Cherry Scott’s nonprofit animal rescue operation. Reverend Karen Schulte of Trinity Congregational Church will officiate at the all-faiths event, pets must be on leashes or in carriers, and each pet will receive a St. Francis medal and a treat. (Sarah still wears her medal from 2009.) The blessing will take place at the Marina Park Pavilion at 11 a.m. Our pets bless our lives, so why shouldn't we return the favor?
8 comments:
I believe you must be Northport's Unofficial Ambassador of Welcome. You certainly know how to make people long to be there.
I am astonished that Sarah wears her medal. Miss Sadie not only refuses to wear her dogtag, but chews off the Cowboy's as well. She dislikes the jingling. The current tags are bright and shiny in a little envelope somewhere on my desk. One day I will figure out a solution.
And I've only scratched the surface, Gerry. The Northport Sailing School has had its storage facility upgraded, and we're also getting a big harbor renovation this year. Oh, and a new platform at the Mill Pond and new walking paths. What else? I'm sure the news will keep coming, along with the spring blossoms.
Jingling. Hmmm. Sarah has two tags, but they don't jingle, and now you've got me wondering why.
Katie would wear a tag...she likes the BLING, being the princess that she is.
I long to be there too...
Well, it's grey and rainy here today, and none of the following are yet open: Kampgrounds, North End or Garage Door. Stubb's, yes, and Barb's (this morning), yes. But soon we will be in full operational tourist season mode!
A pizzeria open for breakfast? Mmm, pepperoni-
mozzarella-spinach-italian
sausage-goatcheese omelet,
with canadian bacon on the side? ...I hear tourists on
the way!
Hey there, BB! I just got online to leave a note about beaver activity on that Shalda Creek post....
Tourism- out this way we
have been seeing a lot of
TV commercials about Michigan. Quite appealing, wonder where
the tourists come from-
maybe Illinois/Ohio?
I’m glad you’re finding the Michigan tourism ads appealing, BB. We get tourists from as far away as California, New York, Vienna and Tokyo, but probably the majority are from downstate Michigan, Illinois, indiana and Ohio. When I (born in South Dakota) was growing up in Illinois, my family made annual vacation treks to Michigan. Escape the heat, frolic on the beaches—isn’t that what vacation means to many families?
Post a Comment