Inspired to Take a Different Road -- Slowly

We are now in “high season.” This very week was 4th of July and, of course, still is Cherry Festival in Traverse City. Cherry harvest is a little late here in the northernmost part of Leelanau County, due to an unusually cold April. We’ve certainly had warm weather lately, though, and the summer people and tourists are swarming to restaurants, shops, tasting rooms, and beaches. High season is the busiest time of year for almost everyone in Leelanau County. 

But Kim Schneider, my July 5 TEA guest, must have inspired me, because on Friday morning I jumped the traces for a modest morning adventure. 

After hanging laundry out before sunrise, I made it to the farm market before official opening hour (most of the vendors ready for business), did bank and post office errands, and then took myself, with Sarah, out for a slow drive to Peterson Park and a stroll around the grounds for — hard to believe — my first visit of the year. Peterson Park looks different with the old dead trees taken down and new little trees of various species planted. Probably a lot like the early days, one third-generation local observed, except that this time a monoculture planting was avoided, which bodes well for the park’s future. With more open area, the views are longer and wider. There is a shaded picnic shelter and also tables in the sun, so take your pick. Whenever I go up there in the morning, with coffee or without, I think what a lovely vacation breakfast gathering spot the place would make, especially on summer Fridays. Fruit and croissants from the farm market, fresh coffee, maybe cook up some bacon and eggs on one of the park grills. 

Sarah and I didn’t take the rustic stairs down to the beach. (That much time we didn’t have.) Peterson Park beach, though, is my favorite place to send people who want to hunt along the shore for Petoskey stones. Kim Schneider asked people who came to her TEA event for their suggestions of ideas she could add if 100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die goes to a second edition. (Would an enlarged second edition have to be called 150 [or however many] Things to Do, etc.? I don’t know.) I’d definitely have Peterson Park on my list, and my other suggestion would be the pow-wow in August in Peshawbestown, an event I sometimes find difficult to fit into my calendar — so much going on all summer! — yet whenever I get there, the chance to relax under the trees and watch the dancers brings peace to my spirit. I call it “that pow-wow feeling,” and it’s another way for me to slow down and simply be here. Important to take advantages of quiet moments and hours along the way, isn’t it?

Back in town, I did my last pre-opening errand on foot, pausing on the corner of Mill and Nagonaba to appreciate what I've always called my "lipstick" roses. I rescued the bush when I was working in a friend's garden business and one client wanted all his old roses dug out and replaced with new hybrid teas. Unable to throw these old-fashioned darlings on the compost pile, I put the bush in my car instead to take up to Northport and plant next to my bookstore, back when Dog Ears was housed in the little bark-covered building on that corner that is now the home of Porcupine. They bloom still, my lipstick roses, with their brilliant shade that reminds me of the lipstick my mother used to wear when I was a little girl. 

My mother's lipstick, working in my friend's garden business, the early days of my bookstore -- to me, all this history is contained in these colorful blooms. 

Ice Lingers On

Lake Michigan over cornfield, orchard, and willows

These shots of the ice lingering in the Lake Michigan's Manitou Passage -- between Leelanau County mainland and the offshore islands -- could go on my photo blog, because they have nothing to do with books, but this was a big part of my morning. The photo above and the one directly below were taken from Jelinek Road, near my home ground. The bright orange-yellow (up close more green-yellow) of the willows seems to sing this time of year, and I love the deep mauve-red of the cherry branches. But you see what I mean about the ice -- .

I hadn't planned an expedition to Peterson Park this morning. The plans I had didn't work out, though, and I had enough gas in the truck to get out northwest of the village, so that's where we went, Sarah and I. We hadn't been to Peterson Park since before winter set in. What a sight from the top of the hill, driving in! Why did it surprise me? Combination of blue sky, sunlight, and white, white ice stretching way, way out was breathtaking, even to Up North eyes that have been looking at ice and snow for months on end.

Anyone for a picnic?

South Fox Island out on the horizon

And then I went a little nuts. More ice. More ice. More ice. Haven't we seen enough already? Stop!!!

You're seeing North Manitou Island way out there

Beach, seen from above with telephoto

It would have been worth the drive out to Peterson Park even without the surprise detour I'd found earlier, entering Northport. Below is the detour seen from my end of the block, not the end visitors see as they arrive, but only half the block is closed, anyway. My end is open. And since helper Bruce (usually here on Wednesdays) is out of town this week, and since my drawing class has been cancelled for today (Boo-hoo!!! Get well quickly, Betsy!), and since today may be the only bright, sunny day we have this week, I'm glad my bookstore is still accessible.

Something going on at the bowling alley construction site....

 -- But what's this? A couple ventured up from Suttons Bay? Time to stop messing about with photos and get back to messing about with books.

Did Someone Say, "Day Off"?

Sarah is so down with the concept!

The Birds Beg of You--Please, please!

Would you want to see traps set on the beach? Maybe poisoned bait? No? Well, how about those beautiful, brightly colored balloons and ribbons from graduation, birthday parties and anniversaries? There are not so beautiful later, as Lake Michigan litter, and are a danger to unwary birds.

Evolution did not prepare birds to expect bits of rubber and grosgrain at the wrack line or sloshing in the waves at the edge of the water. The birds’ brains see worms in the ribbon shapes, something tasty to eat. Choking and death can result.


The remnants of balloon turn to sticky, waterproof glue—and birds do not have Goo-Gone at their disposal!


Please, for the birds’ sake, dispose of that pretty party refuse properly, whether your own or someone else’s you find along the beach.

This collection was picked up in the course of one morning’s walk along the beach at Peterson Park in Leelanau Township. It isn't nearly as much fun to pick up as beach stones, but since my friend Kathie alerted me to the dangers, I can't simply walk on and leave it there.

What’s Happening In and Around Town and Country, Indoors and Out?

As mentioned in yesterday’s postscript, Sarah and I went to Peterson Park on Monday afternoon. The images today are from my time on the beach. I’ll intersperse them with unrelated text, if you don’t mind.

I’m reading (devouring!) Marry or Burn, having set aside Deeply Rooted to dive into the long-awaited (by me and others) Valerie Trueblood story collection. I’ll have a lot to say about both of these books in the near future, but I was so confident about Trueblood’s work, after Seven Loves, that I chose her for this week’s recommendation before even opening to the first page, something I’ve never done before. I can say now, several stories in, that my confidence was fully warranted. More on this later. And more on the various books related to agriculture I’ve been reading. Another that might go into the to-read-soon pile is Sacred Trusts: Essays on Stewardship and Responsibility, ed. by Michael Katakis, with illustrations by Russell Chatham.

Pictures immediately below:
Petoskey stones come in rock size, too.
Land and water forms join.
Other rocks present alluring colors.




We finally got to set our clocks back on Sunday, and Northerners now have another hour of sunlight in the mornings. I suppose Southerners do, too, but can it possibly mean as much to them as it does to us? I love having a wider window of opportunity for morning dog walk/runs. (I walk, she runs.) Some people are grumpy about losing light in the evenings, but the home fireplace takes the pain out of dark evenings for me, and it’s a good excuse to stop yard work and come into the house, too.


With the sun so low, the shadows of even tiny creatures stretch to great lengths.

Bless my neglected garden! Yesterday I wanted carrots for soup but didn’t want California carrots (Sorry, California, we have plenty of carrots in Michigan!), so the grocery store in Northport wasn’t going to help me, but riding through the countryside with Sarah after our expedition to Lake Michigan I remembered that I hadn’t dug the carrots from my garden yet. Went home. Got out the spading fork. Sure enough, beautiful and fresh and crisp and sweet! There are enough for a few more diggings, too. Very satisfying!

Here is a plant from the beach, kinnikinnick, or bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi. Not much from a distance, but up close the berries are bright, cheery red.




My calendar has suddenly spouted another exciting holiday event. Well, the date isn’t certain yet, but I’ll keep everyone posted and add it to the calendar as soon as possible. Marjorie Farrell, whose mother-in-law lives here in Northport, will be visiting from Woodstock, New York, in December and will be bringing her new line of beautiful, stylish, reusable, eco-friendly wrapping cloths. They are perfect for books (I love how easy books are to wrap, anyway), and lucky recipients can use the wrappings afterward as scarves, small table covers, art for the wall—or as wrapping for gifts to pass along to friends. “The medium is the message”? In this case, “The wrapping is [part of] the gift”! We’ll have a party at Dog Ears Books, with refreshments, Marjorie will give a demonstration, and we will banish the winter blues, if anyone already has them in December, which I hope will not be the case.

For now, anyway, it's still November with balmy October weather.


P.S. Please take time to read Sharon Astyk's post today on the "love economy."

North Leelanau County From Low to High

We've experienced a cool-down in temperature and a slow-down in crowds. While Bruce was at the shop, I took time to do errands and a little county cruising and rambling. These are some of the sights on a sunny, windy Wednesday at the tail end of August.









How many invasive species did you see? Did you see the wind?

Artists Still Crazy, Dogs Lying Low, as Dog Days Settle In

This image of melting ice cream swirled with chocolate syrup is intended to answer the question, “How hot is it?”

Do parents do this kind of thing in the 21st century? My mother and father taught little toddler me to responded to their question, “What’s the brightest star in the sky?” with the shamelessly coached response, “Sirius, the dog star!” I remember knowing the answer but had no idea what the dog star was. If you’re in the same boat, you can follow this link to read about Sirius and why the hottest summer days are called “dog days.”

Heat does not seem to dampen the zany ways of artists. Painters Jack Warden and David Grath proved irrepressible on Sunday evening.



Sarah enjoyed the tepid Lake Michigan water this morning and afterward was happy to lie in front of the fan at the bookstore.


Who's crazier during the dog days, dogs or artists?

Tour of the Tees and of Peterson Park

See? I didn’t mean ‘trees’ and leave out a letter. At least one of these shirts could probably be used as a car washrag, but I don’t have the heart. There are gaps in the words and picture both, but that’s my sweet old Nikki (below) in the old shop on Nagonaba.


Sweet young Sarah and I went to Peterson Park this morning, and the first thing I noticed was that it’s been very windy lately out there on the bluffs.


The view is always beautiful, even on a rainy morning.


Why didn’t I bring a picnic breakfast? Some of the tables are down below under a sheltering roof, others out in the rain, high on the hill. I love the way these trees are leaning.


“Someone else was here!” Sarah is saying to herself.


Reminders: Tomorrow is Election Day, and there are two more weekends with an opportunity to see “My Fair Lady” at the NCAC. I went on opening night and recommend the show highly. Acting, singing, choreography and orchestra—all are excellent. And it’s great fun!