McCarthy, Carsonite, Clothesline

  We packed a ton of stuff into today. We met up with Loren and hiked six miles on the North Country Trail. We started at 3-Mile Road and hiked south past McCarthy Lake and back. This is the bridge over McCarthy Creek. The picture is actually on the return trip. The bridge was covered with snow when we were outbound.

This was quite interesting. We were in the woods at just the right time that the trees still had "snow shadows" where the sun (not that there was much) had melted all the snow except where the sunlight was blocked by the trees. Cah you see the white stripes reaching out away from the trees?

McCarthy Lake was lovely, as always. Gray skies caused gray water when we were closer, but there was some sun and blue looking back at it from the south. We saw bufflehead ducks, but all my pictures are poor.

We continued our project to change the stickers on the Carsonite posts, and update the other stickers and labels. We did six more posts on this hike. Loren took a picture.

In the afternoon, our goal was more home-oriented. Last fall, after I did that huge wellpit project and also finished the roof, we had a wind storm. Of all the goofy things, one of the clothesline posts broke off at ground level. It was way too late in the year and too late in my patience for projects to do anything with it then. But last week, I got my act together and bought all the stuff to fix it. I mentioned that on the day I got it all because I didn't like the price. Today, we made it happen.

We sistered a new post alongside the good part of the old one and dug a new hole for the post.

Marie removed the remains of the old worn-out ropes (they needed changing anyway) and cut new rope to the right lengths.

We got the post in, and the new lines strung. Tomorrow... laundry!

North Country Trail miles for 2021 is at 214.

North Country Trail, Lake County, Michigan, 3-Mile Rd south for 3 miles and back.

Trust me, this is all the news. It was plenty.

See Frost Shadow

Trail Work- Easy Edition

  Marie and I got ourselves out on time to do some trail work that I had volunteered to do.

Since Vermont has been officially added to the North Country Trail, all the stickers on carsonite posts at road crossings and junctions have to be changed to the 8-state strip.

So we drove to a lot of road crossings and replaced the stickers. Marie doesn't live anywhere near the trail, so although she has done some volunteer things for the trail, this was her first time to actually work ON the trail.

There are some posts that have to be hiked to, so we also took a walk through Sterling Marsh. Also, I wanted her to see the boardwalks.

The open water of the Marsh was lovely- it's one of the really neat spots on the trail. Usually lots of birds, and in spring, frogs. However, the high temp of the day was 37 degrees! All the frogs were hunkered down in the mud. No singing! This might be the cold day of Marie's visit. Supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow. She didn't really bring winter clothes.

And the hepatica was not willing to open its flowers, but I finally did see some this year that was technically in bloom.

We also nailed up some connector trail symbols on a couple of road walks, and dug out two posts that needed to be removed. Total miles we walked was about 5.

North Country Trail miles for 2021 is at 208.

North Country Trail, Lake County, Michigan, Jenks Rd. Trailhead south through Sterling Marsh and back, and a few other short pieces to reach posts

In other news: That's about it- we had to find some of the items that were other pieces of the puzzle to have all the things with us that we needed.

See Ludington State Park with Cathy and Marie

Ludington State Park with Cathy and Marie

  Today was a typical non-stop Tuesday. All good. Marie and I met Cathy at the State Park after lunch, and we set out on the Coast Guard Trail in a biting wind and 37 degrees.

That trail goes east-west across the park, but our goal was to get to Lost Lake. Today we walked up the west side- not a view I've showed you recently. It's a very pretty lake, and there are boardwalks all along this side.

At the north end, this view across the lake is the same one I've shown you at least twice from the top of the bluff, but this one is at water level.

There are already early spring paddlers out!

From there, we connected with the Island Trail- one of my favorites- and headed back. This tree root is on its way to becoming driftwood. Kind of artistic.

This log is only a couple of seasons away from really being driftwood. Lots of textures there.

The sun tried to come out, just briefly, but it made light patterns on the water.

We arrived back at the entrance and the outlet of the Big Sable River at Lake Michigan.

Three happy hikers!

Total distance- about 5 miles, probably a little more, but I forgot to turn on the app, and the trail maps don't have the mileage of every segment listed.

Ludington State Park, Ludington, MI, Lighthouse Trail to Coast Guard Trail, to Lost Lake Trail, to Island Trail, to Sable River Trail. About 5 miles

In other news: We cooked a big casserole for some meals over the next few days, hiked, did grocery shopping, and had bell choir practice. Next stop- rest time!

See Friends and Footsteps

Friends and Footsteps

  Life gets somewhat non-stop when Marie and I are together.

First we went to Baldwin to have lunch with Sue. Then we went to historic Idlewild and walked around the lake. And Sophie and Anabelle joined us, of course. This is just small-town streets, but there are some interpretive signs about Idlewild, a former African-American resort community. Lots of history there. The lake is the center of town. It was a cold and rainy morning, which gave way to a cold and gray afternoon. Fine for walking but not for spectactular pictures. Still pleasant.

The Wilson House is a beautiful fieldstone Craftsman bunglalow. The family was instrumental in the creation of the town.

I almost always see a red-headed woodpecker in Idlewild, and today was no exception.

Did we have a good time? I think our faces tell the story.

Pup-dogs were not interested in posing, but they each got a nose in the camera. Sophie

and Anabelle. Most definitely not their cutest poses, but hey...

Then Marie and I drove to meet someone to pick up some trail supplies, got home in time to catch our breath before heading to a meeting I had this evening.

Yesterday, we hiked at Bowman Lake. I've taken you there many times before, so you know it's a beautiful place. But I didn't want to neglect mentioning that we did hike 6 miles.

North Country Trail miles hiked in 2021 is at 203

Lake County Michigan, Bowman Lake Trail and North Country Trail loop- 6 miles, and walking around Idlewild Lake- 5 miles

See Caught the Red Head

Bell Choir Sunday

  We played two songs in the worship service this morning. Ludington United Methodist Church. Back to virtual services. First was "Come, Now is the Time to Worship." This is a popular contemporary worship song. If you are familiar with it, it's pretty easy to hear the melody.



Then, we also played "Mary, Did You Know?" We had practiced this one for Christmas, but then all our Christmas performances were cancelled, so we played it for spring instead!



Marie is indeed here. In the afternoon, we went for a hike (what else?). I'll show you that tomorrow, but at least here's the proof that we are together. Best friends forever!

See God of Grace and Glory