Three Sisters in Pink

 
Ha, ha. I'll bet after yesterday's post you thought this was going to be more flamingos. Nope it's the Three Sisters dunes, in late light.



This is in contrast to the early part of the day with no visible sunrise at all, just this pale blue homogeneous light.



In other news: worked, mailed books, had a program at the Pentwater Library, visited with Hanne and Tim (which was a lot of fun!).

	See Three Sisters
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Late Fall Driveabout

 
I got to do one of my favorite things today... go out for a rural drive. It actually had a purpose. I decided to combine the Mason County Quilt Block Trail with quiet outdoor recreation and write my newspaper column about a way to see the blocks and get some exercise all in one day.

Here are some of my favorite pictures. Maybe more tomorrow.

This is the tunnel of trees on Conrad Road, pretty much around the corner from me. I've taken you there before (but I can't find the post, so no link).



Heading south, I thought I had discovered a great place to get a picture of The Three Sisters. But after comparing photos, I'm not sure that's what these are. I don't know what else they could be unless there are also three hills on the east side of Bass Lake. Maybe this angle is just different from the flat-on views.



There are 11 Quilt Barns in Mason County. I won't show you all of them (today anyway). This one is mounted lower than most, and you drive in to see it. It's at the Jam Farm, so it's a business, not a private driveway. The Jam Lady has developed quite a local reputation. This block is called Michigan Beauty. It's a variation of the Arrowhead Star.



I'm giving you the long view of this barn on the Quilt Trail. The house is very old, and I liked the looks of the whole place. It's also interesting that the quilt block is The Windmill, and they have a wind turbine! (It looks like it's right between the house and the barn, but they are very large- it's really well past the barn)



Then I swung to the other side of the county, crossing the Pere Marquette River at Walhalla Road.



Even though the general color never developed in the trees this year, there are occasional spots of brilliance. This is on Dewey Road.



It rained off and on all day, but I went out and did this anyway, because my column is due! At the very end of the day we got a reminder that it really is LATE fall, soon to become winter. Hail!



What do you think of Quilt Trails? Interesting or hokey?

Accountability Report:
I edited Chapter 53 of Dead Mule Swamp Druggist, started Chapter 54 and did some research so I don't mess up. Not much writing, though. Not good.
I really spent all day working on the newspaper column. Good thing I'm not counting on that for real income. I spent most of what I earn just on the gas.

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Forgive Us our Trespasses

 
Today's adventure was interesting in light of yesterday's. Today I went trespassing on purpose. Ellen went with me and condoned the activity.

First of all, the important stuff. She gave me an early birthday party!



Then we went off to learn more "on the ground" info about the Three Sisters, which are directly across Bass Lake from her house.



I'm going to write my monthly newspaper column about them. I still don't know much history or geology. Hoping to get that from the local historical society. Meanwhile, back to the ground. They are all privately owned, which is a big local political mess. Not going to get into THAT in the column. Here, I will say that it's a shame they were sold because they are rather unique.

In the picture above, which is looking west, you can see Bass Lake, and Lake Michigan is on the far side of the sisters. On the right (north) is Eagle Crest. The middle one is Baldy, and the south one is Camelback (or Scarface according to a man we talked to).

There is a smaller unnamed bump between Eagle Crest and Baldy. We managed to climb two of them and the bump. We even got permission for one of those treks. I think I'll leave the description right there. If you are going to trespass along the big lake it's best to do it before the summer people arrive at their expensive "cottages."

Trust me, maybe they don't look so big, but climbing straight up a sand dune is a really good workout.

This is the view of the Pentwater shoreline from atop... one of them.



Here is Baldy, looking up its Lake Michigan side face.



We could see sketchy views of Bass Lake through the trees from all the tops. Pictures aren't any great shakes... just a little water through branches. But we knew what we were looking at.

With a little photo magic, we took a picture of ourselves.



We have both become very busy- me with work and Ellen with family and volunteer commitments. We don't find time for many adventures any more. Today was a LOT of fun.

	See Joan and Ellen Climb Briar Hill
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A Lakely Story

 
No, that's not a typo. My story is more than likely, it's true. Out doing cases today, and saw several lakes. I bring you pictures from three of them.

First, here are the Three Sisters sand dunes on the far side of Bass Lake. I have yet to tell you their story. The dots out there are geese walking around on the ice.



Next, I went to a house on a bluff above Lake Michigan. I thought these were going to be my favorite pictures of the day, but nope... stay tuned.



I always love that lonely long view. Calm but cold today.



I passed by Pentwater Lake and Silver Lake without taking a single photo.

Ended up far south of my usual haunts, at Stony Lake. This is just a boring long shot looking up the lake, but it gives you an idea of the shape. It's long and narrow.



But my favorite picture of the day is this one of a white birch with Stony Lake behind it.

	See Three Sisters
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Three Sisters

 
This is sort of an introduction to a topic I'll be sure to bring up again.

These three sand dunes between Bass Lake and Lake Michigan, near Pentwater, are known as the "Three Sisters." They even have names, but I'll have to be reminded of them by Ellen. That's why I know you'll hear about them again.

They do show up nicely in winter. That's frozen Bass Lake in the middle, where I often go kayaking with Ellen.



Maybe I can even find out how they got the names.

I spent a lot of today working on two projects I can't share yet. You'll see one of them later in the week, though. I promise.

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Morning Walk and a Good Day

Thanks, everyone for your well-wishes. The headache is just part of the difficulty I have adjusting to the schedule to do the paper route. One more day and I can go back to being a night owl.

Much to my surprise, when I finished today, for the first day all week, I did not have a headache and I felt GOOD. Wow! So I started by taking a walk on the south breakwall of the Pentwater channel. It was a lovely calm morning, with the last traces of a fog making everything look soft.



A young couple was "spooning" on the opposite side in the shadow of the lighthouse, but they cut it out and just sat still for a few minutes, so I snapped their silhouette with "The Three Sisters" dunes in the background. That's their name... it's collective. As far as I know, they aren't individuals like Edith or Iona or Charlotte.



Walking back to my car, I just liked the way these sailboats at anchor looked in Pentwater Lake.



I continued to feel good all day. I did some gardening, and some maintenance things, and treated myself to a burger cooked over a fire. I only ate one! The rest will still have the great open fire flavor all week, even when warmed in the microwave.



I think I may be able to fall asleep fairly early again, so I'm off to bed soon. Definitely a quality day, just one more morning of paper route!

See Fire Grilled Burgers