Today is my last day of work before a few days of R&R. Columbus Day week has meant staycation for me for the last several years and I’m looking forward to it more than ever right now.
I plan to do some cleaning and organizing inside and to work on a few things in the yard. I will sleep in as much as Scout allows and head out on a few adventures as well.
I don’t know where I’ll go or what I’ll do but I will savor every minute of these nine days of freedom.
We expect cooler temperatures today. It’s starting to feel and look like fall and I’m glad that it arrived in time for my vacation.
Some people look for amusement parks and casinos in their travels. I seek out churches, bridges, bookstores and libraries.
Mackinaw Island is thought of primarily as a summer destination but it’s also home to a year round population of about 500. The library has shorter hours during the winter but it does stay open.
This location, right on the lake, dates to 1992 but the island has been served by a library since 1936. We were there on a Sunday so we didn’t make it inside but the exterior is charming.
I stood there for a moment imagining life as a librarian in this quaint island community. The thought was fleeting since I don’t care for crowds of summer tourists and the isolation may not be the best for me.
Someday I’ll go back on a weekday for a look-see inside!
Traverse City’s Flap Jack Shack opened in the mid-1970s and it shows. This place oozes with seventies charm. In fact, stepping inside is better than a trip in a time machine.
Plus, the food is pretty good too. I ordered some kind of veggie omelette with a side of pancakes. They bake their omlettes, something I had never experienced. It was fluffy and brown and not bad. The headliners of the meal were the blueberry pancakes. Man, these people do know their way around some flapjacks.
I appreciated so many of the details like this interesting light.
And this counter!
If I ever make it back to Traverse City, Michigan, I will absolutely return to this place. Want to visit? Get their hours, menu and other information here!
When I told a friend that I was quickly piecing together a Michigan trip last month, I asked for his recommendations. He quickly fired back that I needed to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. He said I would love it there and that it’s beautiful.
He was not wrong.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan. It covers about a 35 mile stretch of coastline and is a place of extraordinary beauty.
Lush forests, gorgeous lake views, towering sand dunes, a lighthouse and interesting things to see along the trail will someday lure me back for more exploration.
That’s because we had just part of a day to nose around since we got clobbered by rain on day two. Yet, our short hike and the scenic driving tour we took near sunset are burned into my memory among the very best of my favorite travel memories.
It’s funny, because I’ve seen gorgeous sunsets in my lifetime. We watched the sunset every night that we could on this trip and the ones we saw in Petoskey were the very best.
At least they were the very best until I got to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
I have never seen such a beautiful sky. Sadly, the magnificent colors that ranged from fiery reds and oranges to cotton candy pinks and blues did not translate well in my photos.
Not well at all.
I cannot stress enough how beautiful it was and how much it is worth the drive to visit this place. Even if all you do is spread out a blanket high atop a sand dune and wait for the sun to slip below the horizon, it will still be one of the most amazing experiences of the average person’s lifetime.
It was tranquil and serene, reverent and sacred. It almost felt like a religious experience, these last several minutes of daylight.
It was hard to believe this is the same sun that sets over the rural ridge I call home here in southern Ohio.
I hope to make it back again someday and hope you will go too. Trust me. This is something for the bucket list.
If you asked me to rank the seasons starting with my favorite, it would be Fall, Winter and then Spring. Summer is so unpleasant it doesn’t merit a mention.
Ask me about my favorite month of the year and October is a clear winner. There’s nothing like October with its moderate daytime temperatures and cool evenings. The sky is typically a pleasant blue and the light turns golden, creating spectacular photo opportunities at nearly any time of day.
Late bloomers in my flower beds hang on until the first hard frost and the landscape is dotted with colorful mums, marigolds and asters. Grown adults get excited about pumpkins and some of us still roll up our sleeves to carve a Jack-o’-lantern.
Cute hats, scarves, boots and sweaters begin to replace shorts and t-shirts and not a moment too soon. Summer clothes are rarely a good look for me. Not to mention the joy of having soup simmering and hot chocolate at the ready.
And the events! Let’s not forget all the fun events that come with this month. In fact, it feels like there are too many activities to pack into just 31 days. Ghost walks, fall festivals, open houses and so much more offer opportunities to explore.
Truth be told, I almost welcome the fall rains that set in come November. As much joy as October brings, I teeter on the edge of ready for a break from all the running by the time the weather turns sour.
Almost but not quite. After all, who would wish away all this happiness?
I plan to hike more than normal this fall and to study the foliage maps to make sure I’m maximizing exposure to all the pretty leaves in my weekend wanderings. I’m going to make popcorn for special couch time screenings of It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and a few other seasonal classics. Maybe I’ll even buy some Halloween candy.
There is much happiness to be discovered in October and I solemnly swear to do my best to enjoy life to its fullest this month. After all, life is short and a gal only gets so many chances to savor her favorite month.
To quote Victorian era author L.M. Montgomery “I’m so glad I live in a world with Octobers.”
It was raining cats and dogs when we caught our first glimpse of Randy’s Olde Towne Service. So we circled back to the corner of Eighth and Union Streets in Traverse City when the rain finally dried up that evening because I wanted to show it to you, dear reader.
Isn’t it a striking service station?
Luckily for Traverse City, this art deco beauty is still operating and offering more than the washing, greasing, batteries and tires that were spelled out in tile in the front of the building all those years ago. Air conditioning, engine replacement, alignments and computer diagnostics are among the services now offered.
In a world where businesses so often tear down the old to build a boring, boxy modern thing, it’s refreshing to see a business sticking with tradition. And this local tradition is pretty fabulous!
