Sunny windy day in the woods.................................

Today was just too nice to stay inside. gabby was feeling a bit better and Cooper too. So forget the housework and everything else I should be doing and off we go.
The leaves are not at a peak, nowhere near. Still I got a few good shots.

That was probably one of the only coloured trees on the lake but it certainly makes a nice picture. I had to be selective and crop the rest out

We were glad to be out in the fresh air and get our lungs cleaned out.


I wonder how many people walk in the woods but do not really SEE? I doubt the little ones will remember but I try to explain. The circle of life. Why do the trees die in Winter. Well, they don't they shed their leaves and nuts so that the animals have food and stuff to make houses for Winter. Then what they don't eat grows a new tree, pointing to a small baby Oak tree.


The thing is things must die so others can live but in all things, it is not the end. The next season comes and covers it all in snow and the earth sleeps, rests and the little bugs break it all down to enrich the earth. Then the Spring always comes and new life comes from the old.


Besides, the seeds are beautiful all of their own accord



It was hard going, we have not been walking in awhile. This cough has dragged us all down. Cooper has a sinus infection and Gabby is hacking her lungs up. Me and Gerry are still coughing but I think its allergies. I have missed going out. The weather is so nice I just had to get out. It is supposed to be nice for the rest of the weekend and next week lower temps. Maybe I can work in the yard but I still have a lot to do in the house. I bought a new carpet shampooer. Every room needs doing.

Not much in the way of wildlife, one lonely duck but then we didn't travel far. Just the Silver lake park.


The Beavers have left, no surprise, just way too busy at this lake. I miss seeing them, wonder where they went.

I should take a ride out to Port Oneida and see how that little guy is doing. He has flooded one of the roads and the park just closed the road, so he gets to stay and change the landscape.

Well, it wasn't a long walk, just about enough for Cooper. He was tired. Starting to complain. When I think how far Tristen and Reina used to walk, we would go for miles at Coopers age. (He is 4) Well I better get walking again or next year will be even harder. Several weeks now I had not been feeling well. A bit better now but really not a lot of time left for this year, but if it stays nice like this who knows.
I love the seed pods and the fall colours so I really do hope we can have a while longer to enjoy it.



Well thats it for today.............hoping for a good weekend.

Cooper to the Lighthouse...................

Gabby is not familiar with the Peninsula as we call it, it is actually "The Old Mission Peninsula" ........it was a lovely day and so I fancied going for a ride. That's where we went. The Peninsular separates the two arms of Grand Traverse Bay.

That is the areal view showing the Peninsula between the Bays and the next is the map version just so you know where we are.

There is a road that runs right up the middle and that's the road we took. There are views of both Bays from there
This is the usual spot to take a picture of West Bay looking over Vineyards now where once stood Cherry Orchards

Anyway, we didn't take anything with us so I thought I would show them Old Mission itself. There is an old fashioned general store there and it's worth a look. I bought and split a Corned Beef Reuben sandwich Cooper declined anything but some crackers. So we sat and ate those. I had a pleasant chat with the proprieter whose family came from Cornwall in the past, workers from the Cornish tin mines who went to work in our U.P in the mines there. I have always had an interest in those long ago Cornishmen. He knew the cemetery I like up there where there is so much history. He told me where his great grandfather worked near Calumet and it was a pleasant meeting. He also brought the local recipe for Cornish Pasties that passed through his family. Next time I will buy some.
Cooper, not quite yet ready to play chequers but enjoyed the attention.






This is the Old Mission School, the original chapel/school house.

So with full tummies we headed for the Lighthouse. It was quite cold near the water but once on the beach out of the wind it was quite pleasant. Showed Cooper where the swings were and off he went.
He declined to wear a coat and so he froze his bunnies off. I wore a cardigan but Gabby was decked out for Winter.

I just wandered the beach a little and took pictures of the Lighthouse.

Its small but pretty.

Cooper wanted to go inside and so we did. The stairs are steep, no problem for him but with my eyesight it was rather iffy..........but made it OK. I decided that the view was not good enough for me to risk the climb up into the light area but Cooper was thrilled and could "see the world" from up there.

You can see on his face what a thrill it was for him..........I waited at the bottom of the ladder to help him back down, and to be sure Gabby could get down OK.

Not a problem.....so then we just wandered around outside for awhile and got some more pictures. As you see we are located half way between the north pole and equator so we either burn up or freeze haha.

The garden still has blossoms

A little history


We took the other route home but there is construction so had a detour. I stopped at a small park so Cooper could play for awhile.

He didn't stay long, probably because he was on his own. He does not seem to like being alone at all. Even in the house he is very clingy with his mum. Th

So I found this picture somewhere, this one is not mine but I love the view so included it here.

I love the old barns out there, some day I should do a photoshoot of just the Old Mission Barns. The history here is very young, the 1800s and coming from England it seems not even history really. Old timers remember the stories from their grandparents who were the first settlers here, so its a very young country.

Anyway, that was our day. I have not felt like making any hikes or trips for several weeks now and I hated wasting such a nice day. I was going to venture out today but too tired. Maybe tomorrow if its still nice. I should be working in the garden but ah well............roll on Spring.?

Laura Moving......................

It's been fun but the time has come for Laura to rejoin her family. Robert (her husband) has been living downstate where he found work, for the past two years. Her and Reina remained here where she was renting from us.
She has had to do all the packing herself because he has been working and Reina unfortunately is not much help. I have been NO help I have been sick with some ailment that is undefined. I did find out finally my Magnesium is low, I don't know why I had to ask the doctor to check it. Seems HE should think of these things. He had me on 3 blood pressure meds that all have side effects. I cut out two of them without telling him (Lucky for me) and when I just went in for my 3 month check up we found my blood pressure low. I am not sure if that had anything to do with my "malaise" but he seemed to think so. My tummy has been out of whack too and now my ears are both itching like crazy to top it off, that deep down inside itch that is beyond reach but not quite in the throat. I have been so tired I am falling asleep when I sit down.................no energy at all. NONE..........behind on my own work and my blogs. So facing all she had to do over there would have knocked me out completely so I am waiting until they leave. Then we have to paint (Gerry will do) and clean (Me) and replace carpets etc. Then with luck we will be ready to put the house on the market. It has been handy to have these past nine years so that they could rent the place. Now to move on.

We need to sell it quickly or we will be paying two mortgages. When it does sell we will take any money that we do not owe on our mortgage and refinance this house at a lower mortgage. That's the plan. Our plans do not always go the way we think so will believe that when it happens. We need a lower monthly payment so that Gerry can retire at the end of this next Spring.
Meanwhile......Robert is buying a house down in Allegan, a nice and small town down state. They have a once in a lifetime opportunity there so I hope it works out well for them. Reina is at a good age to make the move, if she were a little older it would be more difficult but at 11 she should do OK.
The 2nd phase for us is to get this house in shape and sell it. I love this house and all the memories here but it's too big now. Gabby and Tony and Cooper are still here but have their own plans. If that works for them then that will be good and by the time we are ready to sell they should be gone. Once Gerry retires he can work on this place and maybe by summers end if all falls into place, we can put it up for sale.

It will be hard for us to sell this place once its all fixed up. I would like to be out in the country again though. I really would as long as we are healthy enough. Who knows, land is cheaper down state so maybe we will look elsewhere and explore somewhere new? May be find an old farm house to fix up, or a small house on some acres. We have no ties here really.
Laura and I have had good adventures here in this area and I think we have fully explored the area. If we did move I think I would be closer to where my friend Nancy lives and maybe closer to Jason. Time will tell. For now, one thing at a time. Lets get this house ready to sell.
This summer has been horrible. We hardly got out, it was either wet or it was way too hot. We did more in the Winter it seems. Anyway. Not sure what we will get up to now with her being 3 hours away but sure we will come up with something.