Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Winter Wonderland


It's been a short while, but I'm back. I've traveled home for the holidays and have been spending time with the family, making trips between Ohio and Michigan. It is so snowy and lovely here right now and boy do I have pictures!

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

This past weekend I traveled up to Leland, Michigan with my dad and brother. We rented a cabin in the woods near downtown Leland, went skiing, and enjoyed the massive amounts of snow. It snowed constantly from the time we arrived to the time we left...in fact I believe it's still snowing. Everyone was talking about how they haven't seen snow like that since 1978. It's going to be a great year for winter sports up there if this keeps up. And it was sooo gorgeous.

Leland

Leland was the home of my grandmother, and it's the one place that has been constant throughout my life. For this reason, it feels more like home to me than any other place. Through my families moves, my going off to college, and my move to Arizona, Leland has remained my place of memories and family friends. Even as we returned this time, 6 years after my last visit, it feels mostly the same. It's a small town, and there are people that live there who have known me since I was a mystery inside my mom's belly

At just about every place, my dad runs into someone he knows. In fact, we went into the Leland bookstore and happened upon a book about Fred Petroskey, a famous Leelanau painter and my grandmother's dear friend. We opened the book, and there upon the page is a painting of my grandmother, as well as the painting of my grandfather and I that sits in my father's living room.

It was wonderful to return to this place that is so entrenched with memories from my childhood, to see familiar faces and places, and to enjoy the winter wonderland with my dad and brother.

Again, I wish I had a better camera, because my pictures don't come close to doing justice for the beauty of the area...but I will share anyway. Happy Holidays!Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Fishtown, Leland

Suttons Bay, Michigan

Indiana Woods, Leland

Lake Michigan Shore, Leland

Barn in the Woods

The Narrows, The Village of Lake Leelanau

8 comments:

  1. Great pictures! I really like the Fish Town, Lake Michigan Shore, and Narrows pictures.

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  2. Ah, you take me back to my Chicago days, Kim! We never got up into the Michigan dune country, but did love the Indiana and the Illinois dunes. However, I don't think my old bones could keep warm enough in the winter that's brewing in the midwest.

    MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

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  3. Granny J- It is mighty cold here...I can barely stand it any more...two weeks will be about all I can handle of the cold. Growing up in Chicago, our family used to meet "half way" at the Indiana dunes to camp in the summers. It is a beautiful area as well, but Northern Michigan has this special magic that is hard to explain.

    Merry Christmas too!

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  4. Just looking at your beautiful wintery photos made me pull on my jacket to get warm again..

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  5. Beautiful...i feel the magic of the place through your photographs.

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  6. Ok, let's trade: you get to be here and I get to be in AZ where you are. I can't believe you were here! We could've met up! Leland is super close to me! Only I was probably in Indiana when you were here. Oh well. Next time, let me know you will be here & maybe we can meet!

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  7. Thanks Sheoflittlebrain and Zephyr...Northern Michigan is a magical place (and even more magical if you don't have to persist through 5 months of winter ;p)

    Jamie- I know, I thought about your while I was up there. We were so close to Traverse when we were in Suttons. If I get up there again we will definitely have to try to meet up. I hope you had a nice trip to Indiana and that you can get some warmth sometime soon...let me know if you come to AZ :)

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