Winter is here.

All those wonderful words are back snow and cold, lake effect, system snow, blowing and drifting. It’s time to turn on the TV and check for school closings and delays. Winter has returned to northern Michigan. The ski resorts have fired up their snow guns and are talking about the earliest start to the season in years. It’s true we get snow this early in the season; it’s just that it usually does not stay. When it comes this early it will be gone in two or three days.

Not this year. This time it feels different. This time it feels like it could stay. Still it does not matter, if it stays or not we have to live with it. Slippery roads put cars in the ditch and most of us just aren’t ready. We’ve lost our hat and gloves and there isn’t a scraper in the car. There is no ice melt for the walk and the snow blower won’t start. Snow may be fun to play in, but as a rule it’s a pain in the butt.
Maybe if I close the curtains and ignore, it will go away. I think bears have the right idea when they sleep through the winter. I think I’ll go back to bed.

A Michigan Day Trip

Just a thought. Do you realize that when we talk driving distance in Michigan we often look at trips of four to six hours or longer. In some parts of the U.S. the same distance would take you through two or three states.
Still no matter where you live in Michigan there are places to visit that are worth the drive to go see.
Here in the central part of the state we are within a couple of hours of great skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and wonderful fishing and camping areas in the summer. Out of all the great places to go, if you have never been there, you must get to the Island. That's with a capital "I" because it is a proper name just like the Bridge.

I am talking about Mackinac Island and the Mackinac Bridge. The spelling is right, Mackinaw City is spelt with an aw, the others are ac. It's a Michigan thing having to do with the early French and English settlers. It is located in the Straits of Mackinac and can only be reached by boat or small plane.once a gathering place for native Americans, the British built Fort Mackinac there in 1781 when Fort Michilimackinac on the mainland was no longer considered safe.
The area was once central to the fur trade and played an important part in the early history of our country. Except for a brief time during the war of 1812 the U.S. maintained the fort through the American Civil War, using it house prisoners of war. In 1875 it became the second national park. In 1895 the fort was closed and the park became a state park.

An important part of history and a beautiful place to visit. It is surprising how many Michiganders have never been there. With excellent hotels and campgrounds in the area it is a perfect place for a day trip or extended stay. Mackinac Island is a pleasant step back in time where cars are band and everyone gets around with bikes or horse drawn carriages.