Sunday Reflections

All is well in the Keweenaw.

A Day to Celebrate!

All is well in the Keweenaw.

The Condensed Version

I went to Florida and all I got was this lousy. . . 

sinus infection. No, not really. I got some good stuff, too! You would think I would be editing photos like crazy in order to share our 16-day adventure with you. Uh, no. Not so much. This infection has me feeling generally lethargic and "headachy." OK, everything is unpacked, the laundry is done, the house is in order, the meals are being made, consumed and cleaned up after, and even the Easter decor is put away. Other than that, I've basically been sitting around the house doing a whole lot of nuthin' - except sneezing, coughing and clearing my throat. Just delightful!

Still, I feel I owe you some sort of post - just to let you know that we're still living and breathing in the Keweenaw. Since my concentration skills are a bit lacking right now, I thought I would give you the Reader's Digest Condensed Version of our trip. Here goes.

We were in 11 states in 16 days. We saw some stuff.

We ate some stuff.

Steve's Flounder at Clark's Fish Camp, Jacksonville, FL

We visited Senior Citizen Land (aka Golf Cart Haven) - The Villages, FL. I was already sick; Steve got a little sun. Greatly enjoyed our time with family.

We saw more stuff - sometimes just through the windows of the vehicle.

The Keweenaw had some pretty significant melting in the snow department while we were away, but we awoke to this scenery on Sunday morning.

It was 64° here the day before. Now? We're in the midst of a good old-fashioned ice storm. Limbs are falling from trees as I type. Hoping the power stays on!

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Sunday Reflections

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

And that he was buried, and that he rose again

the third day according to the scriptures."

I Corinthians 15:3,4

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Home!

Here's a little secret. We were on vacation from April 2-17. We had a great time visiting family in Florida, and I'll share more details about our trip soon. My allergies were triggered the minute we hit the Florida state line 2 weeks ago, and that has now turned into a full-blown sinus infection. I was down for the count Wednesday and yesterday, but I'm rallying today in order to take advantage of my free birthday meal at our favorite restaurant! 

Mr. Cut Off informs me that the last 2 days were pretty gray and dreary around here, so I didn't miss much. Today, however, we were greeted with a fresh coating of snow and beautiful sapphire blue skies. Not a cloud in sight!

Oh, it's good to be home in the peace & quiet of the Keweenaw!

We have some errands to run today courtesy of the State of Michigan. They give us the best birthday presents ever. That's the day our driver's license and license plate tabs have to be renewed. Since my birthday and Mr. Cut Off's birthday are just a week apart, we get hit with a double whammy some Aprils. Yeah, tabs for 3 vehicles and 2 driver's licenses in one week. Thanks, Michigan! So, that's on the must-do list today, and we'll meet friends for dinner later. I can rest again tomorrow, right?!

Oh, and Chloe's home, too! She's one of the deer who hangs in our backyard.

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Sunday Reflections - Easter!

"He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

Matthew 28:6

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Spring - Free Printable

We may have had a few snowflakes in the Keweenaw this week, but we aren't about to let that dampen our spirits. We had A LOT of melting before that, so spring is surely on the way. I guess that means it's time to think about more spring decor.

Maybe if I display a printable about green grass, we'll get green grass? Hey, it's worth a try!

Here's one I designed in honor of the upcoming season. 

I gave it a slightly weathered appearance on purpose and printed mine as a 5x7.

If you would like to download and print your own copy of the printable that looks like mine, click here on Spring A.

If you would like a version that's a little more green and a bit less weathered, click here on Spring B.

If you would like a simple black & white copy without the flourishes, click here on Spring C.

Printables are a fast, easy and inexpensive way to change up my seasonal decor.

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Snow Adventures B

I'm back today with more photos from Mr. Cut Off and his snowmobile trip to the tip of the Keweenaw in March. After making a short stop in Copper Harbor, the guys continued on their way to High Rock Bay where you can see Lake Superior's Manitou Island in the distance. Manitou Island is about 3 miles off this eastern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

If you look closely, you can see many snowmobile tracks along the shoreline here, as this is a popular remote destination for snow adventurers.

Pretty cool to be able to drive right up to the shore of Lake Superior, right?

As you can see, Mr. Cut Off was pretty excited about finally taking the time to visit the tip of the Keweenaw.

Buddy Marty was also excited.

Waves in the foreground; Manitou Island in the background.

More waves.

Note the changing sky.

The guys sure had a great time on their snow adventure that day.

Yep, another lovely spot in the Keweenaw!

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Sunday Reflections

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

Habakkuk 3:18

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Snow Adventures A

Snowmobiles or Snow Machines. Whatever you want to call them, it seems that our season for using them in the Keweenaw is at an end. The temps have been warming, the groomers have stopped grooming, and our trails are toast. We're often greeted with fresh snow on a daily basis during the winter months. Managing that snow requires a lot of maintenance, and it's sometimes difficult to make time for play. Mr. Cut Off was determined, however, to take a couple of days in March to enjoy some snowmobile time with his buddy, Marty.

They set off one day to explore the tip of the Keweenaw - Mr. Cut Off on his blue Polaris and Marty on my "girly" Polaris. After leaving our place, they headed up the trail. First stop - Brockway Mountain. Mr. Cut Off snapped a few shots for us.

Brockway Mountain Drive isn't plowed, and it becomes part of the snowmobile trail system during the winter. As the guys made their way back down the mountain, they stopped at the Copper Harbor overlook.

Here's the winter view from that spot. . .

and a closeup of that sign.

I know it seems that I've just started this post, but I'll stop there for today, as we're having a busy week. I'll show you some photos taken at the tip of the peninsula next week.

All is well in the Keweenaw.

Sunday Reflections

All is well in the Keweenaw.

P.S. This obviously isn't a recent photo, but I thought a bit of color would be nice for a change! We still have snow!

Another Beautiful Day

We've been having one beautiful day after another this week. Here's the view this morning.

The sky has already changed since I snapped that photo. All the clouds are gone - nothing but blue! And. . . yes, that white stuff on the ground is snow. Here's the current shot of the snow marker on a low spot on the lawn.

It's a lot deeper in other spots, and can we talk about the piles? Look at this shot taken through the window in the dining area yesterday.

You would be more impressed with that shot if you knew how far off the ground that window sits! Even though we're all in the mood for spring and the forecast is looking very promising, we're all very aware that April can produce some fantastic blizzards up here. No matter, in just 3 months we'll be getting ready to be in the July 4th parade in Copper Harbor again!

All is well in the Keweenaw.