Northern Lights Over Mackinac

Thursday night, much of the northern United States was treated to the northern lights. Despite it being a school night, we're completely nerdy people so there was no way we weren't going out to see them. Thankfully Mother Nature cooperated and gave us a mostly cloud-free sky.

My pictures aren't nearly as impressive as many other folk's are, but they do more accurately reflect what we were able to see with just our eyes: lots of red. At one point it almost looked like the sky was being illuminated by a nearby forest fire - it was that bright.

Things started early. Allen and I were at Point Lookout, with out camp chairs, by 9:30 enjoying the show. It changed minute by minute, varying between red and green, bright and dim, and where in the sky the lights danced. It was absolutely stunning. Surprisingly, we had Point Lookout virtually to ourselves. It seemed like just about everyone else went to Fort Holmes or the airport.

We packed up and biked home at about 10:45, grinning from ear to ear the entire way. 

Capital City Comic Con

Back in February I posted about working on my Princess Leia costume, but I just realized I never posted pictures from the comic con. We had a blast! The Lansing Comic Con isn't huge, but it was a prefect con for us to start with. We had a great time. My favorite moment was getting my picture taken with a little Ghostbuster. She told me Princess Leia was her favorite Star Wars character and that she had been trying to catch up with me to get a picture. He dad was kind enough to snap a picture with my camera as well. I also got to hear Tim Russ, who played Tuvok on Star Trek Voyager, speak and answer questions; which made my nerd heart happy.

I went with my good friend, Keith. He's an incredible maker! He really doesn't appreciate it when I brag about his talents, but he really is incredible (and modest.) The man can make / build pretty much anything - his Boba Fett costume for instance. While he bought the jumpsuit and helmet, he 3D printed, built, and painted the rest of it. He even made all the hard parts of my costume, including my helmet, blaster, etc. 

Now we've got to start planning for next year! The nerd in me is thinking Star Trek, but who knows...

Happiness Is

Not only did I get invited to a cook out at a friend's house today, but Mackinac was treated to a beautiful rainbow. I wasn't able to catch a photo, but for a while it was a double rainbow!

Disapproving

We spent the weekend up in Marquette visiting the kids up at Northern Michigan University. Since we were there, we took the kids on a little shopping trip to Meijer. As we drove out of the parking lot, I got the distinct impression Meijer did not approve of our choices - probably because we tried to stick to a budget! Lol.

Glorious

Fall is, by far, my favorite season on Mackinac. Many days, like today, are practically perfect weather wise.

I'm Loving It

One of folks in my city harvested seeds from her hollyhock flowers and put them on her fence to share with all. I just love this this is the kind of town I live in!

Good Morning

This time of year I'm quite busy. School has started so I am teaching, but I'm also still housekeeping at one of the Island's historic cottages. To keep up with everything, I often stop at the cottage to do laundry before school. While it does mean my day starts very early, it also means I get to enjoy a Mackinac sunrise. I can't think of a better way to start the day! 

Old Faithful Inn

Lots of people are surprised to hear my family likes to vacation away from Mackinac Island. When you live in a vacation destination, that place is just everyday life for you, so of course we want to get away and spend time somewhere else. Part of this summer's Yellowstone and Grand Teton trip involved a stay at the Old Faithful Inn. I hadn't heard of it, but it was close to the the top of my mother-in-law's bucket list.

Much of the 1903 section of the hotel looks like it did when it first opened - including rooms in which guests still have to use lavatories located down the hall. Additions were put on in 1913 and again in 1927 (where we stayed.) A few of us took a tour of the building, which was quite interesting. We learned the architect, Robert Reamer, used local lodgepole pine from the park to build it. 

Many of the light fixtures in the hotel are original. The simple fact the building survived the summer of 1988 fires is a miracle.

Unless you're inside the building, it is hard to get a feel for the sheer scale of the building! It's HUGE!

  

The main lobby is 76 feet tall!

There is even a tree house at the the top of the building's peak. Sadly, the little house had to close after several deadly hotel fires forced the U.S. government to regulate the number of exits in hotels. (Today, two are required for all public areas._ But, on our tour we learned six lucky people get to access that part of the hotel each day. Those six slots literally book up within hours on the first day the hotel begins taking reservations for the next season!

Old Faithful's eruption times were clearly posted all around the hotel. You literally walk out the front door, turn the corner, and the Old Faithful geyser is right there.

Seeing Old Faithful with my own eyes was on my bucket list, and it was incredible. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. 

I'm Happy You're Here

Now that one of my children has been found to be on the Autism Spectrum, it makes me wonder if I am, too. Sometimes I notice things other people don't, and I often "see" faces in inanimate objects. 

Take this locking mechanism in the floor of the house I clean. (I'm a housekeeper at one of Mackinac's historic homes during the summer season.) To me, it looks like a little face looking up at me, smiling; almost like it's happy I'm vacuuming the threshold of his door. Weird, I know. I'm probably the only person whose ever really looked closely at that lock, except for maybe the builder who installed it, but noticing these little things makes me smile.

35 Years

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with these amazing women. It's hard to believe that have been in my life for 35 years now. We all worked at Fort Mackinac in the late 80s and early 90s.

For years we  always got together once or twice a year, but over the last few, we let life get in the way of our get togethers. And then, our number got smaller. Our dear friend, Chandra, passed away unexpectedly last spring. 

So we have renewed our promise to get together as often as we can.

Not every one of us can make it every time we meet, but we've decided to do the best we can since we never know what tomorrow may bring.

Kelaine, Rachel, Michelle, and Shannon - thank you. Thank you for making our friendship a priority; thank you for sharing your joys and frustrations and listening to mine; thank you for a weekend full of love and laugher; but most of all, thank you for 35 wonderful years of friendship! I can't imagine my life without each and every one of you.