Back For the Holiday

 

Welcome to Hell!!!

Since my last post, I have been through Hell. Literally. The little stop in the road in southeast Michigan, that is, on what was a purely delightful road trip down to Vicksburg and Kalamazoo, over to Ann Arbor, and north through the Pinckney area. But let's backtrack a bit. 

My companion on the trail, Tree Guy, had a medical appointment in Ann Arbor that served as our excuse for the trip. I drove the first stretch, taking my one of my old favorite two-lane roads, M-37, which allowed a pause in Newaygo at the River Stop Cafe.

River Stop Cafe, Newaygo

Good place to take a break

River Stop hasn't changed its look since my last visit, but they now have menus and table service, even to the outdoor tables (but we sat at the back table inside). Sadly, the bookstore I visited last spring was no longer in operation, and a nearby business that had some used books was not yet open, but we admired a couple of giant sycamores that made the stop memorable.

Giant sycamore in Newaygo, Michigan

Tree Guy had friends in Vicksburg we could stay with for two nights, and then a friend of mine in Ann Arbor invited us for our third night away from home, so we were all set. We were extremely lucky with the weather, too. We dodged all the downpours, possible tornadoes did not materialize, and though many trees had come down in high winds, none fell on us or on the homes of our hosts. Sunrise the day after our arrival in Vicksburg was over a lovely pond. The pond was large enough to hold an island, a dock, and a couple of pontoon boats.

On the other side of the island lived the family's momma pig and her little ones. I did not venture too close, as the quick, unpredictable movements of pigs make me nervous, so none of my pig photos are going to win any prizes, but if you look closely you can see them. The momma weighs 600 lbs. Reason not to get too close! 

Look closely to see the pigs.

There were many other animals I didn't mind approaching. I missed Sunny, so dogs Miles and Louie kept me on an even keel.

There were also ducks and geese and hens and chicks and even duck eggs incubating in the guest bathroom. 

Ducks

Hens

Young poultry

On our one full day in Kalamazoo County, we were able to see grandson Jack's show at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, paintings done during his past year's residency there. Jack, as well as my son, Ian, met us at the KIA for a tour of the show.

Self-portrait by artist Jackson Willits

It was impossible to see all friends and family members in a single day, although I managed phone conversations with a couple more, and then we were off to Ann Arbor, Tree Guy at the wheel on I-94 and around that fascinating but (to me) very confusing town. It was a relief to get the medical appointment behind (after three hours at the clinic, mostly waiting for the doctor) and relax with delicious take-out Moroccan food at the home of a dear friend I've known since our kids were in grade school together.

And the morning after that, we drove through Hell for a brief visit with my former Arizona hiking partner, who now lives in southeast Michigan after 20 years in the Cochise County ghost town where we met and spent so much time together with our dogs. We missed the excitement of the Memorial Day weekend by going through Hell on Thursday, but that was fine with me. One of the reasons I love rural two-lane roads is that they are generally quiet. We did not visit the Hell Saloon but drove right past.

Because the shop in Newaygo was closed and time did not permit exploring Ann Arbor, I did not visit a single bookshop on this road trip, and yet I came home with my car loaded with books--backseat and way-back full!--thanks to friends who remodeled their home and thanks to my son who been storing their de-acquisitioned personal library items for me.  I did some reading on the trip, too, finishing up a Charles Baxter novel, First Light, interesting in its structure, as the story begins at the end and goes backward, step by step, to the beginning of the brother-sister relationship. That might not sound like a novel with a satisfying finish, but I appreciated it more and more as it went along, and closed it with a sigh of satisfaction. And now I'm halfway through Gerald Green's To Brooklyn With Love and enjoying the writing immensely.

And now here I am, back in Northport shop, with my newly organized section of Michigan used books (among many other treasures).

Used Michigan books, on table and on shelves

Books and dogs: That's my life. So here are the friendly Vicksburg dogs again, one more time. Miles and his antler reminded me of Sunny with the deer legs she brings home, and Louie, a tidy little Lab-beagle mix, had a head that put me in mind of James Thurber's dog cartoons. Both were very sweet, laid-back company.

Miles

Louie

And what, you may wonder, was Sunny Juliet doing while her momma was away from home for four days? No cold, lonely kennel time for my girl! She had the constant companionship of her Auntie Deborah, who spoiled her rotten with attention and tennis ball play. Sunny is a lucky, lucky dog!

HAVE A SAFE MEMORIAL DAY!!!