Horseshoe Harbor–Freeze Frame

Kim Has a fear of heights and this little crack in a rock looks like nothing but...Mike already crossed and is way ahead Kim begins to cross on her own...

Kim has one leg over, arms ready to push off from the other side and she freezes in the wind with crashing waves below and considers calling to Mike...

Kim shouts over the wind and crashing waves a dozen times luckily Mike hears three like little mosquitoes buzzing his ear...

Mike plops himself in between giving Kim a human aid to cross Kim enjoys what lays beyond and tries to put the return out of her mind.

So I laughed as Mike who was ahead of me looked back and signalled he was going ahead. I blew him air kisses and gave and air hug and waved him on. We would not have been heard over the crash of waves and the roar of the wind.

When I reached the divide I knew why he paused and looked back to me. Mike knows my fear of heights. I fell behind as I took 70 some photos of frogs in a tidal pool. We often separate on hikes but let each other know which direction we are headed. I stood analyzing thechasm. No going down the back side of the rock as it was pretty shear. Lake Superior roaring up a storm on the other. It had to be acrossthe divide. The rock shelf I was on stood slightly taller. It was a drop tot he next shelf. The gap was in my mind a bit over two feet. I threw my water bottle across, slung my camera over my shoulder and to the back. I began to cross. On my butt, I put out one leg to the far shelf, great hand holds on my current shelf, and one leg. Yhe idea I had was like going down stairs on your butt. I would just kinda shove myself. WRONG!

I froze in place. I felt like I was going to sag and pour into the chasm to the crashing waves below and drown. It was a 15 foot drop. I began to yell for Mike, which I thought was utterly futile. But Miracles do happen and he heard me. “Like a mosquito buzzing in his ear,” He said.

Mike perches between the two sides like some great mountainneerman and says use me to cross. Well I had to keep urging myself and I was now fearful for the nose of my camera. So I surrender my camera to Mike. I get my bottom and body across. The scenery was worth it.

On the return I hadto cross again, It was not pretty and basically I have been telling the story as Mike shoved my *ss over the crevasse. But I feel I did get over a fear. I did not let it hold me back. I just needed a bit of help. I successfully bouldered the trail despite my fear of heights.

Fort Wilkins–Lake Fanny Hooe

August 14, 2008 before sunset Mike and I headed out with cameras. Camp was set-up and Mike the Younger and Beth had also arrived. I had been itching to pick-up my camera but after a long drive and night approaching I felt I must get camp situated for our four day trip. Fanny Hooe was still and the reflections beautiful. This was a hush, solitude, serene, the trees aglow looked like autumn in the tint of light.

I knew this trip was “deep” as I had much to sort in my mind. New directions in my work. New directions in self care. New directions in my idea of stability and what I want to portray to others. Balance would be a theme as throughout this trip; I would push to my limits and feel the contour of the land and my soul while balancing on fallen cedars, bouldering, and standing against the winds off Lake Superior.

Monarch Caterpillars in Sylvia’s Garden

Downstream–Sulfide Mining

This weekend I did not get to take part the Protect the Earth Summit. I wish I could have brought pictures of the hike to Eagle Rock and posted them here. I feel inadequate to address the issue of the proposed sulfide mine in the Upper Peninsula. Where I can spout my anger sufficiently enough, when I try to sound coherent and educated I stumble and I know anger is not a positive way to create change. Despite my intelligence, my protests have been limited to bumper stickers, tee-shirts, and the occasional letters to my politicians. What I am doing is not enough.

from Farlane's Blog

Is fresh water important to you? Have you swam in the waters of the Great Lakes? Have you walked the Yellow Dog Plains? Picked blueberries? Fly-fished? Snowshoed? Do you have friends and families living off grid up County Road 550? I like the idea of advocating for pristine waters–don’t you? Farlane, is not just someone I have stumbled across online (although I have never met him in person), he has become part of a family, a community. His use of technology and the Internet to promote and protect Michigan show commitment, and he is the administer of a Flicker Group, called Downstream. The images at Downstream run in a slide show along with Daisy May’s A Letter from Downstream . Please take some time to listen.

Spurred to action, I added a photo to the slide show, it is still not enough. I will call Kristi Mills at Save the Wild U.P. and get her that framed photo I promised. Earlier this year I had a showing at a Mission Gallery inside Dead River Coffee and one of my prints is promised to help the raise funds in a future auction. What else can I do? I can make this post, and a commitment to talk to people, educate, and encourage action.

Get Stoned, Presque Isle

These are Marquette’s Black Rocks on Presque Isle, a popular destination for tourists and locals. Kids cliff dive here and sunset enthusiasts come for the spectacular show. But many come for grounding, getting stoned. When the world gets rough and you feel chaos has pulled the rug out from under your feet you can come to black rocks and the energy here will center you. The ancient volcanic black basalt is the oldest exposed rock formation in North America dating back almost 2 billion years.

For more images of Black Rocks you can visit The Dailies, 365.

Quenched Garden

Rock River Perennial Garden & Greenhouse–Spring Visit

Rock River Gardens was an adventure that brought out the goddess in me.

Rock River sells annuals, perennials and vegetable starts.

Fennel grew wonderfully in my raised bed herb garden during last year’s drought. I did not however, save seeds to sow for this year. I chose a healthy fennel while visiting the Garden.

I chose pennyroyal which I will use in a bug-off blend in the future.

I plan to get back to making oils and such.

The owners of Rock River Perennials encourage people to

walk up the woodland path to the gardens around their home.

Fading Bloom; still vivid.

Gargoyle weeping with bleeding hearts.

 

Stay tuned for more information on this and other local growers in the Upper Peninsula. Elise Bunce was a wonderful grower, very freindly and helpful.

Van Riper Camping–Setting Up

Memorial Day weekend Mike and I headed to Van Riper State Park to tent camp. It was to be the first camping trip of the year and the first time Mike and I would tent camp together. Normally, we camp in the pop-up camper that Mike owns, but this time we wanted to take the aluminum boat. I was very excited to be using my Journey JuJu to bring good travel magic. The plan was to set-up camp, visit the town of Michigamme, view the 5 photographer exhibit at the Michigamme Moonshine Gallery, boat and fish, and hike. We pre-registered our campsite online for a two night stay–check in time was not until 3pm but we had no problem with an early arrival. All our meals were to be cooked on site–no eating out.

I have camped with this tent before, purchased in the summer of 2007, I camped solo at Perkin’s Park in Big Bay. I had practiced setting up the tent alone in our backyard and had no problem setting it up when I camped alone. This was the first time I set the tent up with two people. I was bossy. I did not like that in myself. But Mike and I got the tent up together and oriented it toward the fire pit but a good 15 feet away. The direction of the opening would prove very beneficial come day two. It is a Coleman tent and forget getting it all back in the bag if you use extra plastic yellow stakes. I keep a plastic dish pan to throw tent stakes and extra ties into. I tend to use the plastic stakes as soil is usually sandy and they grip and hold better in wind and weather. This tent has a tricky set-up and following directions is very helpful–they are sewed on a flap on the storage bag so you do not have to worry about losing them.

Last year, when I camped I borrowed a family heirloom–a feather tick. It is heavy as the dickens and is the size of a full mattress and ways a ton. It takes a lot of storage space. So, this year Mike and I purchased an air mattress and small pump. Inflation took approximately 8-10 minutes. The pump we purchased runs by battery, cigarette lighter or in a pinch you can use jumper cables and a spare battery from one’s boat (more on that later). In the photo, you can see Mike next to the vehicle using the cigarette lighter adapter. The tiny 14.00 pump is very efficient but the cord could be longer for ease of use. It moves air at a fast pace, pulling it in through a fan type mechanism.

Here is a shot of full-size air mattress in tent. It is also where we made our first mistake of the trip. The door of my tent only opens on the right. I cannot zip-out the whole front door area. We had to drain air out of the mattress, squish mattress in and then re-inflate. Problem number two. Placement of tent, size of cord for tiny pump, and driving vehicle up close to said tent. Solution, pull boat battery and use jumper cables to run pump. Problem solved but if you are not capable or knowledgeable this could be a dangerous option and not recommended. Once everything was situated I was happy as a mother bird with her nest.

Our camp site had a wonderful fire ring and we purchased wood on site as not to transport firewood from other locals. At Van Riper there are a couple men sitting at a shed near RV camping selling green aspen for 5.00 a bundle. Mike and I bought two and hefted them onto our shoulders and headed for camp. We kept our camp food simple on this trip, brats and burgers. I had made up two cold salads, and we had two hot side dishes as well. Our table looked so colorful that I snapped this photo (right).

Thursday at Wetmore Pond

I once read a quote on “Ground of Being” and I like to think of the Wetmore Pond area as my ground of being, walking beneath old growth hemlock, the magic of the bog mat, climbing Hogsback, or even crossing the road and going to the shore at Wetmore Landing where I can lay out on a granite boulder and slip into freezing cold Lake Superior, this is the land that renews my being.

On Thursday of a very busy week, my “Magic Man” took me to the trails in search of morel mushrooms. The nights had been balmy but with not enough mositure, we soon abandoned our hunt for shrooms and fell in love with minutia and reflections–of course we both had our cameras.

Mike took the new shot that appears as my avatar here at WordPress. It is one of the few shots of myself that I have tolerated, in fact I am quite enamored of this shot. I actually look healthy, young, and not so chunky. I feel and look happy and vibrant. Good Job, Mike!

Song Bird Trail, Marquette

 

Today I went to Song Bird Trail in Marquette, Michigan to scout for a hike I will be on with others this Saturday. I wanted to know the path and I wanted to spend my day off out-of-doors.

I saw a red squirrel, deer droppings, two Canadian goose flying over head, various song birds in the delta brush, and I flushed a duck, on accident, and took the opportunity to quickly take a shot of the duck eggs. I believe she was a female mallard. I saw my first live fresh water calm and spaced it out to the bottom of this post–the colors are not great due to shooting a macro thru water–when I get a new camera I hope having a polarizing lense will solve problems.

I saw lots of deadfalltrees and many cut by beaver for a dam, berm but did not see the lodge. I saw high bush cranberry, lowbush blueberry, Labrador Tea, and wintergreen. Not much is green or new–we are still on the edge of spring and winter in the Upper Peninsula.

The water level was low but at the mouth of the delta where I thought I could cross I sunk past my knees into a type of quicksand. Luckily I had my Keen sandals and wool socks off and my pants were rolled. This was Lake Superior water washing up creek and winter melt coming down. I was iced! I had to pull my legs up slow and place them carefully backing up my steps to the shore I started on.

I had started out on the trail with a fleece jacket, sweat shirt and t-shirt, winter hats and gloves. I had my red backpack (with wings), lunch, water, and extra batteries. I met a couple from Colorado who were biking trails. They shared thier dissappointenet that the ferry was not yet in season to go to Grand Island in the Munising area. I told them what bike sho0ps in town could help with maps of trails. I finished the trail much warmer. I found sun on sand and warmed myself. My pants were wet to my hips. I had over half the trail to go.