Really?

When I got up this morning (at 5:30 a.m. on my day off) and saw all the heavy wet snow weighing down the pine branches and sticking to the leafless trees, I thought it may make for a photo worthy morning. But, as I sat in the old lazy boy sipping my tea and watching "Sweet 16" on MTV, I realized the sun was in no mood to help sparkle the snow, so we both lazied our Saturday morning. While doing what I do and googling to help wake up my mind, the fog decided to lend a hand and change up my photography expectations. I geared up in double fleece, opted for jeans rather than pajama pants and, with fingerless gloves on and camera in hand, ventured an early moring walk (definitely not usually a choice I make).

Just me, the trees, the breeze and the birds, I experienced a full sensory morning. Thunump, thunump as the snow slid off the branches and joined the layer on the ground. Cherurp, caw, cherurp, caw, caw as the birds all awakened to a hazy morning with all there green taken back. Spleoop, spleoop---spleoop, spleoop as my boots hit warm pavement under melting slushy snow. Hu-ho, hu-ho, hu-ho as I huffed on my trek back to the house, and realized I am quite out of shape thanks to an extra long winter.

Finger tips frozen and a caterpillar shocked by a fall from a snowy tree branch, I share with you my end-of April U.P. morning. If I was a fist shaker, I'd be shaking it at the weather man who forecasted 60 degrees and sunny tomorrow.

It's not Really Summer, Until you Lay in the Lake

Life has been more than a little busy, I am exhausted, and yesterday I ran out of chai tea. After an already long day, and a 3 mile walk (anyone know if it is really 3 miles around the lake here, or does it just feel like 3 miles), I had to go grocery shopping. I could not put my poor family through another day with me moving about without my morning (and afternoon) cup of chai.

Saturday, I helped out in the morning with a yard sale at our neighbor's home. We then splurged and went for lunch at the Deli and saw four(?) baby foxes in the ditch playing and enjoying the sun. Later we walked down to the beach and Bits splashed and splashed and laid down, fully clothed, in the water.

Today, I have a huge to-do list and am thinking I need to take a double dose of my vitamins to get through it. The bugs are here and biting and the sun is up and shining. We have ants making themselves at home, coming in right through the front door, and sandy clothes still hanging on the line out back--summer's here.

I'm not Sure if I'm Ready for my Sandals Quite Yet

The sun is staying up later and later into the evening and the temperature is warming up ever so slightly. Here we go again, bundling up and getting our walk on.

We've braved the chill here and there on evenings, but nothing like the regular amounts of walking we had been doing in the summer and fall. This evening it almost felt like we were getting the bounce back in our step and can sense spring is on its way.

We walked a little further than normally we do on these cold evenings, and I snapped a pic. made available from a hidden woodpecker.

My mind is jumping to summer by the lake as I look at these beach-esque snowy surfaces. The slow thaw is making some textured forms out of the built up ice and snow. A couple of these remind me of those rocks you can break open and find quartz hidden inside.

Again, what incredible sights awaiting to be seen if only we take the time to do so (including the sight of one bundled toddler with rosy cheeks and nose).

Native American Indian Summer

The weather this weekend was amazing. Saturday I felt icky (thought I was getting the piggy flu for sure), so we stayed in on what was a gorgeous day.

Sunday was a lot more fun. Church in the a.m., then our neighbor invited us over for a grill out-eat in lunch. It was really nice to get to conversate with such friendly people. We took an actual afternoon walk with sunshine and went all the way around the lake. We only go all the way around when there's still light in the sky, because the second half of the lake is wooded and not lit by streetlights. We ran into a couple people on the walk and chatted briefly, and made it home before the sun officially set. Great timing, considering the sun sets at 4:30ish.

Today is supposed to be in the low 50s and Mike mentioned we should rake when he gets home. Sounds good to me!

*Update!: WMS are closing at 10:00 today and will repopen for classes next week Monday due to H1N1 absences. Say a prayer none of us get sick, and we can go to Presque Isle, Black River Harbor, or Little Girls Point every day this week. What a perfect weather week for classes to be canceled!

The Sun Goes Down at 5:00

We are in a different time zone from the majority of Michigan. Since we are on the east end of this new time zone, the sun sets at about 5:00. It is a race for Mike to get home quickly after school, all of us to bundle up, and get out the door for a walk around the lake while we still have some sunlight.

We made it in time yesterday evening and experienced a wonderful sunset for our efforts.

The lake was calm with hardly a breeze in the air, although it was noticeably chilly. Coats, hats and gloves are staples for any outdoor ventures.

I captured a beautiful reflective shot of the trees on the water's edge with the sunset behind and duplicated on the water's surface.

Temps in the 50s today and tomorrow. Hooray for us!

Sunny Days and 40s

This week is supposed to be mostly sunny and 40s. Let's hope the weather keeps its word. I was going to go to Walmart and do our weekly grocery shopping yesterday, but decided that the sun was too sunny to waste the day in a big cement building. Bits and I bundled up and went for a walk to the library and then to the grocery store (Mike's birthday-and we needed the staple chocolate cake mix with white canned frosting) and then to back home. I always overestimate my energy for the day, so by 8:00 I was exhausted.

The lake was true midnight blue and big blackened areas from the clouds in the sky fell onto the bare trees on the hills behind. It's such a beautiful place.

Mike's b-day was fun. His birthday dinner was an impressive feast of chili and biscuits, his choice. He ate two pieces of his cake while I ran out to pick up a few groceries, so after dinner we put the candles into the already sliced into cake. He had been waiting all day for cake, so when he got home he was too hungry and excited to wait any longer. Bits helped Daddy blow out the candles. A little later the two of them took a chilly walk to see the Indian.

It's True: Deer Play Baseball

Hey, it actually did not rain at all yesterday! My mums are thankful.

Baconator and I took a walk around the lake to see the Indian and then played at the park. His shoes were still drying out, so he was wearing his still slightly too big winter boots (waterproof!-ha, ha, ha!). Another fabulous game of "Watch out for the (you-know-what)". He sidesteps anything that may even remotely have been left from a goose.

Apparently, deer play baseball. Bacon Bits did his normal running of the bases in the baseball field, and there were deer prints leading from the pitchers mound to first base.

I finished separating my flowers before the snow comes on Saturday, and found one of my deer frienemies left be a nice gift in the front flower bed. Anybody out there bow hunt?