Poetic Visions, 2023

Earlier this month the Mackinac Arts Council held the annual Poetic Vision of Mackinac art show. Adults and Mackinac Island students enter art and poetry to be shown and judged. This year I took my students on an imaginary "Haiku Hike" around Mackinac, then they wrote poems about things they might have seen. Next, each student carved a block print to go along with their poem. One of my students (pictured above with parental permission) won the Best in Show Award in the sixth through eighth grade category. She worked so hard on her block print, and she wrote four Haiku; one print and one poem for each season. She is such a great kid - the kind who puts her all into everything she does. The best in Show award is awarded for the best set of art and poetry. For the students, awards are also given for Best Poetry and Best Art. 

My daughter won the Best Poetry Award  in the High School category) for her poem On Mackinac Island.

My son entered a photograph and poem set, 

as well as a stand-alone poem. He didn't wain an award, but after winning Best in Show (High School) last year, it was a tough act to follow. 

I just love going to the show and seeing the kids' faces when they win. In September, when the art exhibit comes down, the beautifully framed artwork is sent home to parents. Thank you Mackinac Arts Council!

Noticed

As I was out walking this afternoon I noticed this tree next to the road. I've walked past this tree hundreds of times, but I'd never noticed the sawdust at the base of the tree. Of course, I had to investigate.

As I watched, ant after ant walked up to the edge of the hole, dropped a piece of sawdust, turned around, and disappeared back into the hole. A quick Google search told me they were carpenter ants; interesting to see in the wild but not so much to find in your home.

Watching them reminded me of the time we had ants in my childhood home. My dad had put out ant traps, he'd sprayed, he'd put out ant bait, but they just wouldn't go away. I remember him walking around the house with a stethoscope listening to the walls and the doors. I thought he was really weird until he had me listen to one of the front hall closet doors. As I put the stethoscope ear pieces into my ears I heard what sounded like whispering.

My dad removed the door from the track and took it outside. For a few days he sprayed some kind of bug killer into the hole in the bottom of the door. Then, he'd wait and listen again to see if there were still live ants inside. He did this three or four times until he finally got a small saw to cut around the edges of the door. When he pealed the top off it was as if the door was a sandwich and the front and back pieces were the slices of bread. It was a gigantic ant sandwich - they were nesting inside the door. Inside of that hollow-core door were thousands of ants - my childhood self was completely disgusted. 

Needless to say, we got new closet doors after that. They were still hollow-core doors, but my dad cut pieces of wood to fill the openings at the bottom. We never had carpenter ants again.

Excitement!

There were multiple water spouts spotted near Mackinac Island today! I was home cleaning out the chicken coop so I had no idea until my husband called me to make sure I knew.

I wasn't near the water, but many people managed to get pictures. 

Scary. 

I'm glad I wasn't in line waiting for a ferry.

Photos by: Brenda Horton, Jim Bondi, Nichole Wise, Jenna Natake, Julie Mitchell and Jimbo Brown.

Nothing to See Here

Nothing to see here. Just two people, who have never met in real life, meeting in the Fort Michilimackinac parking lot.

What, you ask, could bring two complete strangers together in a northern Michigan parking lot? Why chickens, of course!

She had too many, and I didn't have enough, so it was a match made in heaven; and the best part - she was willing to take partial payment in the form of homemade jams and jellies. Thank you Tori!

Party

As I was walking home the other day I passed by these two Island workers. I'm not sure where they work, but I have no doubt the party is at their place tonight...

The Little Things

When I am out walking I try to notice things. Today it was this hawkweed. It grows wild on Mackinac, and at at the end of June / the beginning of July it lines many of Mackinac Island's interior roads. 

There was just something about this one little plant, growing near a birch log that made me smile as I walked past. Plus, noticing things helps me not to dwell upon the things I cannot change.

The Road Less Traveled

Over the past few days my life has gone all kinds of sideways. Things zigged when they should have zagged and I'm not even sure which way is up today. There's absolutely nothing I can do to change things so I am trying to practice "radical acceptance." That and being grateful for what is going right. Today I am thankful for Mackinac's quiet side; a place that always seems to lift my spirits.

Little Float of Horrors

A few of us from the Little Shop cast created Mackinac Island Community Theater's first Lilac Parade float. We had a blast singing our hearts out through town, and somehow managed to win the award for Best Musical Group. Hooray! Next up for our little community theater is a musical concert - Disney's Beauty and the Beast. One guess which part I plan to audition for...

A Lilac a Day, Day Twenty-one

The 2023 lilacs are looking a bit bedraggled, but that's OK as we've had three weeks full weeks to enjoy them. They're actually not completely done; some of the later blooming varieties are just starting to open. It's actually perfect timing as the Lilac Festival wraps up tomorrow after the parade.

A Lilac a Day, Day Twenty

On rainy days, the lilacs tend to droop and they just seem a little sad. Maybe they just know Lilac Festival is almost over.

A Lilac a Day, Day Ninteen

We've gotten some much needed rain this week. Most of the flowers are loving it, but the lilacs are getting a little waterlogged.

A Lilac a Day, Day Eighteen

 Lilacs,

the Lake Huron shoreline,

and a seagull -

Pure Mackinac.

A Lilac a Day, Day Seventeen

I think my favorite lilac pictures are the ones where I get multiple shades of lilacs in the same image.

A Lilac a Day, Day Sixteen

There's just something about lilacs and a bright blue sky that puts me in a good mood. Well, it might also have something to do with not having to get up for school this morning.

That's right - the Mackinac Island Public School is officially on summer vacation!

A Lilac a Day, Day Fifteen

Literally, almost everywhere you look on Mackinac right now, there are lilacs. I was worried they'd all be gone before the Lilac Festival started, but I was wrong. Lilac Festival started yesterday and they are beautiful!

A Lilac a Day, Day Fourteen

Last night we crowned the 2023 Lilac Queen. (Her name is everywhere on the web and in the newspaper,  but since she is a former student of mine I agreed to not publish her name on my blog.)  It is always wonderful when the lilacs are at their peak for the festival!

 

A Lilac a Day, Day Thirteen

This time of year it's hard to find a spot on Mackinac Island that isn't picturesque... 

A Lilac a Day, Day Twelve

The Mackinac Island Public Library is a pretty building, but it's even prettier when the lilacs are in bloom.

A Lilac a Day, Day Eleven

Sadly, I don't have any lilacs growing next to my house. Our yard just doesn't get enough sun. Luckily I can enjoy them at other people's houses...

 

A Lilac a Day, Day Ten

Lilac time is one of the prettiest times to visit Mackinac. Everywhere you look there are views like these.