cottage

#ForestFriday - Through The Woods

I have a few specific memories of my grandmother (Gramma) that always comes to my brain when I think of her. Today is her birthday, so I’ve been thinking about her all morning. For this #ForestFriday I’m thinking of the times we would walk the dog through the Besser Natural Area (Bell Bay) and look for the old homesteads in the woods. We’d meander down the trails and walk past the lagoon and eventually out to Lake Huron. This little nature area was only a few minute drive from our family cottage, so we would go often in the summer season.

Enjoy some photos as I travel down memory lane in honor of one of my biggest supporters and favorite people in one of our favorite places (and then a few of her just for fun). Rest in peace and thanks for everything, always.

Way Back Wednesday - June 2019 "Up north" #WBW

It was the middle of June and I was heading up north with my dog and my kayak. Up north is a technical term for anywhere in Northern Michigan. I bounced between my grandparent’s house and the family cottage and enjoyed many sunrises and sunsets. Enjoy some photos from the lake where the family cottage is and some memories I hope to remake in the future. P.S. I miss my black Outback so much.

Cha-cha-changes!

Where to begin? Life is always changing, flowing like a river. I’m currently in the river, flowing down stream and seemingly swirling at the moment but headed to a dry spot. Sometimes the river flows fast and other times it’s just a trickle, and you swirl down the stream, but the point is to flow along with it no matter what. I’m sure there are great poems or essays about being like the water and flowing, or something, but if you’re reading this you get my version.

I’ve moved to Washington, found myself single, lost my grandmother, met some new friends, and have a new car all in six months. A LOT of life changes happened and that river was raging. This is all after a whirlwind year or so of realizing I haven’t been my best self while questioning how and why I got to where I am. Glacial melt, flowing with force, ice cold and speeding down the mountain.

Fast forward to the summertime, and the beginning of the mass visits. I’ve had more unique visitors since March than I did in my entirety of living in Texas which was 10 times longer. I have a few more on the books through October. Pair that with trips of my own doing, and I’m a busy guy. I’m welcoming the swirls as my raging river has turned into a summer trickle.

Sometimes the river dries up. Have you ever got everything you wanted, or what you think you wanted, and it not feel quite right? Living in the Pacific Northwest was always a goal for me, and that started way back in 2008. I now live in the Pacific Northwest - positioned outside of my favorite national park and forest as well as hours from so many others. It felt right at first, but slowly started to feel off.

I’ll be honest, maybe it’s just not the right time to be here. That sucks, and the reality of it seems to go against all I’ve fantasized about for over a decade. The reality is, I inherited part of a family cottage in Michigan. My dearest friends, who are essentially family, live in Minnesota. I have many great friends all over the Great Lakes region, and a ton of family too. I need to be near the cottage to help with and to enjoy it, and I want to be nearer to the friends and family who’ve always supported and loved me unconditionally.

This spring, I’ll be making the trek east and moving to Duluth, Minnesota. I’m not sure of the details right now, I just know this will be a good place for me both physically and mentally. I’m positioned within a day’s drive of the family cottage and the family who lives near it, I’ll be near the most Superior Great Lake and my friends who are family, and as close as I am now to a major airport hub. It’s not a hard decision, and it surely isn’t a new idea. I’ve loved Duluth since I first visited in 2004. I can’t wait to hike, camp, cross-country ski, and road trip all over Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. There’s so much life to be had, no matter where I am.

Flow down the river and see where it takes you - it may just be the Great Lakes. HA. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you outside. - Mike



Stay-At-Home, Week 1 & 2 Check-In

I’m writing to calm my brain. I’m going to start writing little blurbs every week to check in, document what’s going on, and put some shit out there for the world if they need a distraction. Currently, I’m on week two of working from home and the first week of “shelter in place” mandated by the county in which I live.

My days are honestly wonderful…

  • Get up, run if it’s a run day, make breakfast, and watch some nonsense, check some emails

  • Go to my “home office” and start actual work, beyond communications

  • Take a break to go for a walk, then have some lunch

  • Go back to work until dinner time

  • Make dinner, maybe do some work or email stuff

  • Watch some nonsense, read something not for work, and/or work on Campfire Stories.

I’m going to check my privilege here, because I know I’m pretty damn lucky. I work for a company that has allowed us to work from home and receive normal pay. My job can be done at home easily, even though some things are just better in person, and I’m grateful for the flexible productivity. I am having an awful time focusing - not going to lie about that. Oh well, I’m getting work done on my own schedule and that’s all that matters. Thank you, company, for letting me work from home and allowing me to continue to support local businesses and friends who need it.

In between work, exercise, and doing absolutely nothing, I’ve been looking through old photos. I’m working on re-mapping my old trips in Google Maps because Microsoft Streets and Trips is obsolete and my files don’t work. Talk about Throwback Thursdays. I’m going to share a few of those photos here and when I get some maps done, I’ll probably share those in a post for Campfire Stories next month.

Today I’m dreaming of being at the family cottage in the warm summer sun. The cottage is situated up on an inland lake on the northeast side of Michigan’s lower peninsula. When I first heard we were going to have to isolate, I immediately though of packing up our lives and moving to the cottage until this blew over - but things didn’t happen the way I had hoped.

With my grandmother aging, and the dementia taking hold, the family cottage is never going to be the same. We have uncertainty about of what new memories will be made there, but the old ones will never be erased. The cottage will always be a place, as long as we own it, for family gatherings and good times. I’m going to share some of my favorite photos from time spent there to lift my own spirits and encourage others to stroll down memory lane.

#WayBackWednesday - July at the Lake

I’m looking back to July of 2016 and a spontaneous trip up to Michigan. This was during a transitional period for me when I was working a contract position that was seven days on and seven off - which was great for road trips! Part of me misses that schedule but I don’t miss that job nor do I miss the hours, but I do miss seven days off in a row. That summer we went to Michigan a few times, went to the Redwoods, and plenty of local excursions. Enjoy some photos from the family cottage in rural Northern Michigan and think back to a good time!

#WayBackWednesday - An August Weekend

At the cottage with my grandparents was one of my favorite places to be.  We always went on boat rides in the evenings, during cocktail hour before dinner, and spent the days prior soaking up the sun or swimming after yard work.  I miss being so close to the cottage, I miss Phil, I miss their old dog Abbey.  Things have changed so much, but I will never forget the good times that are frozen in time with these photos from August of 2009.  Forever my favorite place, with some of my favorite people.

The back of our family's cottage - my grandparents lived out here from late spring til fall.

View of the cottage from the front, out on the water.

Coreopsis - my grandmother's favorite

Clematis crawling all over the garage

My "step" grandfather (he was part of my life 1991 til his death this year) and my grandmother, on our evening cocktail pontoon cruise

Abbey the dog, in some of her best years.  This dog was just the best - lovable, fun, friendly, and always up for a boat ride.

Crescent Island - out in front of our cottage.

Nothing caps off a day on the lake quite like a sunset over the bay.