A Tale of Two Days

Our typical north-northwest snowbands kicked into gear yesterday, threatening 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) of fresh powder through nightfall. So we did what we typically do on these days; we greeted it head on. We cloaked Petey in his cape and struck out for Maple Bay – a land convervancy with a nice, secluded stretch of beach.

However, as we drove down the lane, the drifts began to drag the doors and only got deeper farther down the drive. Having learned our lesson, we backed up and opted for another location.

We could see tracks in the snow at the Traverse City State Park, and decided it would be a safe place for the car.

Four-frame panorama; click for larger version

We padded through thigh-deep snow down to the beach and met bracing winds. Petey wasn’t bothered. He snuffled through fluff and trotted along the ice shelf, oblivious to the snarling winds gusting off the bay as he lapped up mouthfuls of freshwater.

He was, however, disappointed that he couldn’t swim 😉

Snow continued to howl around us, but we were blessed with clear overnight skies, and this morning dawned bright and blue. It’s days like this amidst a snowy December that highlight just how grey we’ve been.

I wonder which path made all the difference?

After tracking up the fresh glaze of snow (morning business, you know), I had a tough time focusing on work. Blue skies kept calling, and so I was grateful when it was time to go to the vet (routine maintenance).

The gorgeous day persisted after our successful vet trip, so I dressed Petey and we went for a walk. It’s funny; when you walk three to four miles a day regardless of the weather, even 16-degree (-9C) days feel toasty when the sun’s shining.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I feel blessed to have enjoyed today. And I’m sure I’ll find something to celebrate tomorrow, even if we’re back to grey. I hope you do, too!

Old Mission Outings

More than two weeks ago, Jess and I took a photography field trip up the Old Mission Peninsula. It was a dramatic kind of day. The temperature was in the single digits, and the wind chill was well south of zero. Parts of the sky were clear with bright sun spilling through, and other parts were heavily clouded with snow pouring down. Since it was so cold out, our field trip consisted of multiple brief stops where we’d hop out of the car, frame a few shots, then run back to the car to warm up.

I intended to share the photos sooner, but with one thing and then five, it didn’t happen. And then I accumulated more. Chances are, since the weekend is ahead of me, that I will be accumulating even more photos, so while Tony and I are out skiing this morning, I’m going to share. This way we can all move on with our lives 😉 In addition to this morning’s outing, we’re going to check out a chocolate festival in Boyne City and then maybe go for a hike tomorrow. What plans do you have?

Happy Weekend!

LOVE!

Occasionally I’ll have a momentary hesitation about what to publish. I don’t think it’s my job not to offend anyone, but I certainly don’t set out with that aim,either. I sometimes worry that my exuberance about this beautiful area I call home will seem like a slight to others. It’s not, I’ve decided; I share my elation because it’s a happy message. I hope you’re equally happy where you live. That being said…

Of Rain and Sun

If you know me or follow on this blog, then you know that not many weekends – or even weekdays – go by where we don’t get out. This is especially true now that we’re into the long days. Even today we left for a four-mile walk/hike around the block around 7:30pm. So, it was anomalous that we stayed in on Sunday, and didn’t do anything. For most of the day.

Fun with Frozen Water

In case you were curious, we chose Torch. We’ve been pretty busy lately, and decided simply to take it easy today. The wind had whipped Torch Lake into a bit of an uproar. But, even with the overcast start to our trek, the blues of the lake were incredibly vibrant. Of course, so was the wind.  I took a couple of pictures at the northwest end of the lake, then hopped back in the car.