Vacation on Mackinac Island, Michigan

I'm  used to referring to the Great Lakes as "the North Shore" because in Minnesota we all go north to Lake Superior.  But this is Lake Huron/Lake Michigan land--the lakeshore is sandy instead of rocky and the water isn't as cold.  Perfect timing for us to get away from the awful humidity and heat back home.  The Great Lakes don't allow for such extreme heat!

Summer's answer to Jack Frost

I have been absent from here for quite awhile, but I know I will be taking pictures daily again as Dan and I are heading out on a trip to Mackinac Island today--with our bikes.

This is what it looked like when I came downstairs Sunday morning. That's not fog outside--it's condensation on the windows!  It is incredibly humid outside--I can't remember seeing anything like this.  We had so much rain Friday night (4 inches) and the ground is so saturated, that I had standing water in the garden on Saturday.

Finally-the quintessential summer activity

Today was the first day I have gotten out in my kayak all year. Usually I am out in May and throughout the next few months (even as late as October or November if we have a warm day).  But this year, winter went on forever, then it rained almost every day, or was excessively windy on the two days it didn't rain.  Finally today was a perfect day with just enough breeze to make it fun coming back up the lake.  I have numerous work-related projects I need to be doing (even though it is not a clinic day), but decided that if I didn't put them aside and get out on the lake today I would regret it. Two photos today.

4th of July Girl

My niece--who is amazingly cute! (Ok, I'm biased!)

Phalen Lake-Sunday

One of my favorite walking/biking/kayaking spots is Phalen Lake.

Deck Gone. Saturday

I got home on Saturday and the guys had been busy while I was gone. (And yes, the light was too bright on the dirt in this photo...)

Friday, July 1 Wolf

I went to a Starbuck's in Idaho Falls and there was a man who came in with what looked like a HUGE husky.  It was not. It was a wolf.  He said he had had it since it was 3 weeks old (it was 7 years old now) and that "he doesn't know he's a wolf." Yeah--up until the moment he remembers he IS a wolf and the instincts take over and he bites someone! Still, he seemed really docile and well-behaved.