Old Pictures ..

I was looking for pictures on my niece's flickr (don't remember why I was looking) and ran across these ...

This one was taken in Eagle Harbor with my father's parents - Melvin and Muriel Kelly.  My grandma (Granny) was 65 when these pictures were taken.  She always seemed to old to me, but she really wasn't that old -- just in my 6 year old mind.  I never thought about whether my grandpa (Big Grandpa) was old or not.  He was just Grandpa.

 

The same picture but from a different angle ..  the Eagle Harbor Light House is behind us on the right -- too bad you can't see it.

 

This is a picture of me and my cousins Jeff White and Stephen Deshler.  Stephen and I are the same age -- he lives close by now and we get together every now and again.  This picture was taken at my other grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary.

This is another picture from Michigan -- taken at Fort Wilkins (I went there this past summer).  This was in 1983 because my #2 son was just a baby at the time.  The others in this picture are Atsumi (a Japanese friend of my grandparents), my oldest, Paul, who was 2 1/2 at the time, my cousin Dave Kelly and his wife Sue, my dad and mom, me and my middle son, Mark.

Here's a much later picture taken on the National Mall in Washington DC -- must have been summer of 1989 because my younges is the baby in the 2nd picture below.

I don't remember the day, but these pictures are kinda cool.  From left to right, back row, my youngest son, Michael, held by my sister Anna, my niece Katie, Paul, my youngest, Robin, held by my husband (who was very young and thin at the time); front row, my older daughter, Kelly, Jonathan (now known as Jones), JJ, and Mark. 

(I decided that my kids can have real names now -- if they want me to change them, they'll have to let me know.)

Total Eclipse of the Sun

There was a solar eclipse across the U.S. this past summer on August 21.  We were in Michigan at the time.  We hadn't planned to view it, but the weather, although iffy, was holding up, and the park service was giving away glasses ...

So we went to Quincy Hill in the shadows of the old mine shaft.  We got there, stood in line for our glasses, and then waited.

 

They have this really cool old train there.  I wished my grandsons had been with us because they could have climbed all over the old train.  They would have loved it.  Usually, when you see an old train like this, you can only look, no climbing.

Building with the mine shaft in the distance ..

Us with our glasses .. too cool.  It was impossible to see with them on so I just had to wing the selfie.

 Pictures of the sun through the glasses.

Very cool, but you can't see the eclipse.  We left there and drove back to the harbor -- we stopped a few places along the way and shared the glasses.  It really was cool to see -- if we'd been where it was 100% we could have taken the glasses off and gotten some great pictures.  Maybe next time.

Another cool thing -- our kids started sending us pictures a couple hours before we saw it so we did the eclipse across the US -- first in California, then Michigan, and finally in Buffalo NY.

Here's a picture of the Quincy Mine Shaft.  My father would know which one ...

Michigan -- beer and coffee

So, apparently I like dark beer -- though my favorite this summer wasn't the dark one.

First I had the Keweenaw Brewing Company (KBC) Redjacket Amber Ale -- pretty tasty.

Then there was the Brickside Brewery Park Bench Porter -- I think I prefer the KBC.

My favorite beer of the trip was "Walter Get Buzzed" -- a coffee blonde.  I thought I would like a stout or porter best, but this was great.  Unfortunately, only one you can get in Michigan.

 

That big blast of coffee is amazing!

I tried the Ballast Point, Victory at Sea, thinking I would like it even more -- but the Walter beer was better (which I only tried because of my Uncle Walter).

And then there was the KBC Widow Maker Black Ale -- pretty good, but not quite the coffee, blonde ale.

And a cup of coffee with a heart!  Love it.

Estivant Pines

Another place I've wanted to go in the Copper Country was Estivant Pines.  It was a rainy day, but we decided to take the hike anyway.  Another dirt road but it seemed like it was easier to find -- though there were fewer people there than at Horseshoe Harbor.  Actually, there was no one else at the Estivant Pines, whereas there were two other groups at Horseshoe Harbor.

The path was kind of muddy, except where there was a wooden path ... (or whatever you might call it).

I don't remember which trail we took -- whatever the shortest one was.  Plus one of the ways was a real hike, not just a casual hike which was what we were looking for.

The only wildlife we saw.

Though not necessary on this trail, it was marked with blue diamonds (might be necessary in winter, if it's open in winter?).  It reminded me of a hike on and earlier trip where we followed markings on the trees which led us on a crazy hike.

Mushroom...

the map ..

The parking lot ...

The List #30 - DONE!!!

So, one of my goals this year was to have a 35,000 step day (FitBit steps).  I figured the only time I'd be able to do it would be when I was on vacation because it takes a long time to accumulate that many steps. 

I was in the middle of a work week challenge -- fighting for the lead.  I decided that Friday of that week (August 25) I would try and get my 35K steps and hopefully win the challenge.  I took my usual morning walk (to the marina and back about 9K steps).  Then later walked it again ..  

The marina.

and back again.

My husband and I drove in to town and on the way home, I had him drop me off 4 miles from our hotel and began walking.  Since it was dinner time, he came and picked me up after just two miles.  I was at about 26K steps at that point.

After dinner, I again walked to the marina.  I ran into an acquaintance and walked back with her.  She had a set walk so I walked with her and got about 10-11K steps -- hit my 35K! 

However, for the work week challenge, the person nearest to me was only about 4K behind me -- and he was constantly walking and racking up the numbers.  Even though I was exhausted, my husband talked me into walking a little more and I hit 40K! 

At this point, I didn't care if I lost the challenge. I was ready to concede ..  However, I did win, but only by about 1,200 steps.

Vacay ...

So, my husband and I are going on vacation, together.  We'll be going to Eagle Harbor Michigan, home of the tree.

Which I'm pretty sure looks exactly the same this year as it did last year.  We will be there to help my father enjoy his break -- from us.  Not quite sure how that works.  He's been there for two weeks without us, but now we're coming to spend the rest of his vacation with him and bring him home.

We stay at the Lake Breeze Resort.  They don't actually have a website, but this shows you the front of the hotel/resort/lodge/whatever.  When I googled "Lake Breeze", it came up as a haunted place.  Who knew? If I see/hear/experience anything like that, I'll be sure to report it here.

Favorite Things Friday - Saturday Edition

So my favorite this week is one I also called a favorite years ago .. it is the tree outside the Lake Breeze in Eagle Harbor Michigan.  (I should probably someday show pictures of the Lake Breeze so you can see just what a cool hotel it is.)

So, here are some pictures of the tree.

 There used to be two of these trees on the rocks .. here is what remains of the other one ...

Week 35: Aug 30 - Sept 5

Saturday .. the Portage Lift Bridge

 Sunday - the Mighty Mac
(The Mackinac Bridge)

Monday - The Mackinac Bridge

up close and personal (with 40,000 of my closest friends)

Tuesday - the tree (still there)

Wednesday - covered road

Thursday - foggy shaft house

Friday - Eagle Harbor light house

Swimming in the Great Lakes

I had  the great privilege this year of being able to swim* in three out of the four Great Lakes. On Labor Day, my husband, Nevada and I walked across the Mackinac Bridge.  Once a year, on Labor Day, they open the bridge for walkers and about 40,000-60,000 people walk across.  It's pretty amazing actually. 

The  Mackinac Bridge is located where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet which gave me the opportunity to swim* in two of the lakes without much effort.

Here I am getting out of Lake Huron.  It was shallow where we were and hard to get in (lots of muck).  You'll have to take my word for it that I went under. 

And here I am, in Lake Michigan.  The beach access was great and we were able to get some decent pictures.  The water was kind of dirty though -- lots of stuff floating around in it. Chilly, but not too cold.

It was probably in the 70s -- not great swimming weather, but not too horrible. That was on Sunday, August 31.  Then on Wednesday, it was in the 80s here in Eagle Harbor so I took the plunge into Lake Superior.  Three Great Lakes.  

I think one year, I'll put on my list to swim in all five in the same trip .. take a trip around the lakes.  might be fun.

*I use the term "swim" quite loosely - what it really means is that I got in the water and was completely submerged .. that's it.  no swimming strokes.  just getting wet (including my hair).