2023 Mackinac Island Lilac Festival: Some Things Old and Some Things New

There are lilac festivals around the world this time of year, and although I believe the Highland Park Lilac Festival in Rochester (NY) holds the record in North America for number of plants (1,200+) and visitors (500,000), some contend that Michigan’s Mackinac Island Festival is the most famous due to the uniqueness of its old-world charm and ambience.

Alan’s birthday usually precedes the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival by a few days, so we go up in time to preview everything while the lilacs are bursting into bloom but before the crowds and room-rates burst.

The 10-day lilac festival will be June 9-18th this year. It typically starts on the first Friday of the first full week in June. There are 250+ varieties of lilacs on the island. Some are over 200 years old, but residents continue to plant new ones each year.

For the past 57 years we’ve been trying to visit this gem of an island. (Alan calls it the Disney of the North.)

We started coming for the day with buddies while we were still in high school and lived just an hour from the island.

Now that we’re retired, we’re not tied to visiting on the weekends, so we went up in the middle of last week.

All the lilacs are just starting to bloom.

It should be a great festival! For those who may be going, I want to share a few travel tips. For those who won’t be going, I want to share some of the beauty and joy we found.

So, what are the “some things old” I noticed?

#1. Perennial favorites include the ride over to the island.

You can’t get to Mackinac Island without taking a boat ride, but the 16-minute trip is a highpoint!

However, no matter how warm it is on land, it’s almost always windy and cold going across the Straits of Mackinac to reach the island, so bring a light jacket or sweater for the ride.

#2. Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel—worth a stroll through their gorgeous grounds and a walk on their porch (which costs $10) at least once in a lifetime. We stayed overnight once when we got a break in the cost (because Alan was attending a medical conference), but normally the prices are well above our comfort zone.

#3. The island transports you 200 years into the past to a quaint but still pristine wonderland where time seems to stop. Sitting on a park bench absorbing all the sights, sounds, and smells is worth it, even if you don’t “go” anywhere!

#4. Our favorite pass time is biking around the island. It’s a super leisurely, mostly level, 8-mile ride with spectacular views.

There are no motorized vehicles on the island—just bikes and horse-drawn carriages—so if you can miss the horses and the splatters they leave behind, it’s a relatively easy ride.

The best deal on a good bike is the shop in front of the Island House Hotel (6966 Main St . . . turn right off the ferry terminal and walk about a half a mile).

We paid $18 an hour for a tandem with gearing (which helps going up the one hill).

Arch Rock along the shoreline of Mackinac Island

Alan and I can make it around the island in just under an hour, including a few stops for photo ops.

If we’re there for a couple of days, we’ll often walk around the island too, but that takes more like 2-3 hours.

Mission Point Resort’s main lobby
supported by 80-foot lodge-pole pines

Mission Church (1829): The oldest surviving church in Michigan

On the bright side, this leaves all the time you want for exploring, wading, building cairns, skimming rocks, chasing seagulls, picnicking . . .

and inhaling all the springtime fragrance!

Halfway around the island is the British Landing, a lovely park area with restrooms and a snack shop, but for those of us who are over 60 . . . don’t drink so much coffee that you can’t walk for 4 miles before you need a restroom!

When we were kids, and even when our children were young, we’d stop to climb the “Devil’s Kitchen,” but it’s now off-limits except for taking photos in the front cave.

#5. What else is old? The charming Fort Mackinac former military outpost, where you can still walk the grounds and see demonstrations of military encampment life from the 1800s.

#6. If you happen to be in the park eating fudge from one of the many fudge shops lining Main Street at just the right time (like we were), you might even hear a squeaky brass band of Boy Scouts belting out “God Bless America” and other heartwarming patriotic tunes.

#6. The harbor and downtown areas are a pleasure to stroll anytime of the day or evening.

During the Lilac Festival, a heavy perfume of lilac mingled with crab apples and lily-of-the-valley will send you into sensory heaven.

Flower boxes and old curiosity shops line Main Street.

Those are a few of my favorite “some things old.”

#1. Probably the most impressive “new” thing was arriving on the island the very day Viking’s two 665-foot ships, Octantis and Polaris, anchored off Mackinac Island.

This is the first day they were in port together on the Great Lakes and marks a new beginning in Michigan’s tourist industry.

Lake freighters and pleasure crafts have been plying the waters throughout my lifetime, but it’s been over a hundred years since the glory days of steam ships cruising up from Chicago to Mackinac Island such as Michigan-born author, Ernest Hemingway, remembered from his youth.

#2. Another something new is a 2-day “ride all you want” pass which saves $12 off the price of buying 2 sets of round-trip tickets.

We took advantage of the passes and “just happened” to climb aboard twice when the Shepler Line was sponsoring free trips under the “Mighty Mac” Bridge, which is still the longest suspension bridge between two anchorages in the Western Hemisphere.

#3-4. Last but not least was a new place to stay and a fabulous new place to eat. We used to stay on the island, but it’s getting very pricey, so we decided to stay at a motel near the island and pay for two day-trips to the island, which saves A LOT of money.

We found the Aurora Borealis in St. Ignace which had the best price for a highly rated place. Clean. Safe. Comfortable. Next door is a new restaurant, the Wild Blueberry Breakfast and Bakery, which just opened in 2022.

It is our new favorite breakfast spot in St. Ignace, and maybe in the eastern U.P.!

Alan had a wild blueberry waffle and I had their wild blueberry pancakes. Both were stuffed with wild blueberries!

We traded halfway through breakfast, as we often do so we can try more deliciousness. This is how many wild blueberries were left after half of the waffle was eaten!

Fabulous food at great prices. If they moved to Grand Rapids, they’d be my new favorite restaurant in GR!

So there you have it, but I want to tell you about one new experience that will never grow old. Alan and I have been eating at Clyde’s Drive-In burger stands since we were teenagers. (In the 60s there was only one, but in the Soo.) I like to leave tracts that share the gospel, and for the last few years I’ve been leaving a “business card” that includes a link to this blog but also some Bible verses. I left one for the car hop at Clyde’s. Usually I have no clue if they keep the card or throw it in the trash, but this time our car hop (pictured on the left with her two daughters) came right back out to thank me and share her faith and joy in Christ. We’re now FaceBook friends! We even share a Facebook friend who is one of Alan’s cousins. Meeting new siblings in Christ is really an old joy, because I seem to meet them every where I go, but it’s a joy that never grows old and will continue to thrill me from now through eternity!

Thank you, Father!
You bless us with gifts both old and new every morning!
Great is your faithfulness!

“The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved” (Song of Solomon 7:13).

Dipping in to the Jampot

No trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan’s U.P. is complete without a smackerel of something from the Jampot Bakery.

Jampot selection when we visited in 2015

We always look forward to this special treat, and this particular trip (September, 2020), I was talking to one of my sons (who now lives in North Carolina) just before we arrived. He asked if I’d eat a double chocolate muffin with espresso frosting in his honor—a request I was more than happily prepared to honor.

One of my granddaughter’s selecting a Jampot treat from a previous trip
(A platter of those chocolate/espresso muffins are on the left in this photo.)

So, you can imagine our disappointment when we arrived on a morning when the Jampot was closed. 😦

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Ah, well, we thought. We had to drive right by the Jampot again on our way home (from the eastern tip of the peninsula), so we decided to stop on our way back.

Map of Keweenaw Peninsula; Jampot just south of Eagle Harbor

The Keweenaw Peninsula is one of Michigan’s most scenic areas . . . a small finger of land extending into Lake Superior.

Lake Superior and the Keweenaw Peninsula

Let me show you a few photos just to share its mid-September grandeur!

Trees turning colors along State Highway M26 by the Jampot Bakery

Maple trees in early autumn splendor: Keweenaw Peninsula

Hardy late-blooming rose outside the Jampot Bakery

A typical assortment of eye-candy on the counter of the Jampot Bakery

The monks normally had an ample supply of just about
any type of jam you could want!

So, with this introduction to get you in the mood, you can imagine our surprise when we stopped by on our way home and saw a long line of masked patrons, patiently waiting their turns to enter the tiny shop. (The guy in blue in front of us hailed from the Lower Peninsula and had a tradition of buying 24 jars of thimbleberry jam to give friends as Christmas gifts.)

Thimbleberry bushes (aka Rubus parviflorus, native to northern North America)—nothing but leaves for the masters now, as they ripen in late August to early September.

I have to say, the jams are excellent!!

We were pretty much drooling with anticipation by the time it was our turn to enter.

Their success this year has been unbelievably good . . . resulting in a stock that was unbelievably low by the time we visited. 😦

Even worse, the counters were pretty much bare! No double chocolate muffins with espresso frosting anywhere. In fact, there were no frosted muffins of any type available. When the dear monk saw how disappointed we were, he said there was a batch of pumpkin muffins in the back that were being frosted with cream cheese frosting if we were willing to wait.

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Let’s think about this . . . do you suppose we were willing to wait?

Well, we weren’t going to be able to get what we’d really been hoping for, no matter how long we waited, but we’d been waiting so long that we were willing to take a chance on what we could get . . . and we were happily grateful to discover that pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting are awesome too! They are very moist and full of flavor.

Poorrock Abby on the shores of Lake Superior, where the monks live

So often in life, we don’t really get what we anticipate, but that doesn’t mean what we do get is “bad.” This year has been very hard. My sister joked over Thanksgiving, “We’ve had nine months of COVID but all we’ve delivered is a turkey!” I grieve for all the people who’ve lost loved ones, jobs, financial security, friendships, and school experiences. However (at least in our family), I can honestly say that this has been a good year in many ways . . . not that we got what we wanted or expected, but that what we got was “good,” and I am sincerely grateful.

Another of the lovely roses at the Jampot, September 2020

 

Psalm 145
(English Standard Version)

I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
¹² to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Celebrated and Overlooked Waterfalls

Ever hear of Manabezho, Nawadaha, or Manido? How about Niagara? Ah! We’ve all heard of Niagara, and now you can probably guess I’m talking about waterfalls.

Manabezho Falls along the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains

There was a time when our children were young that we lived in Michigan’s upper peninsula. During those years, our kids sometimes got a little “ho hum” about waterfalls . . . I guess because we lived on fifty acres overlooking the Dead River, so going for a walk out our front door made us intimate with dozens of gorgeous, unnamed waterfalls that tumbled over granite boulders on their way to Lake Superior.

Purple Coneflowers

In those days, we sometimes had trouble motivating our kids to leave home and travel by car to experience some new waterfall or woodland path.

I guess when you live in a wilderness paradise surrounded by natural beauty, your senses can get a little dulled . . . or at least lulled.

Brown squirrel feasting on an acorn

But I think today any of my kids would jump at the chance for an enchanted afternoon meandering through green forests

Manido Falls on the Presque Isle River

or standing mesmerized beside torrential waters.

I’m hoping you would too, and since COVID (and now inclement weather) is keeping many of us home bound,

I thought you might enjoy taking a vicarious hike with Alan and me along the Presque Isle River in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park.

As I mentioned last week, there are nearly 90 miles of hiking trails throughout the 60,000-acre park.

But my personal favorite is an easy round trip from South Boundary Road down the west side of the Presque Isle River out to Lake Superior, then across the river via a scenic little bridge and back along the east bank of the river.

It’s only about 2-3 miles and is fairly level (but not completely, and not paved, although there are boardwalks at times), so it’s the perfect hike for families with children or retired folks!

Black-eyed Susans

I’ve probably talked long enough, so let me be quiet for a few minutes while you enjoy the trail—

Manabezho Falls

Fascinating sandstone bedrock beneath Presque Isle River

Manido Waterfalls

Nawadaha Falls

Bridge Across the Presque Isle River in the Porkies

Near the mouth of the Presque Isle River as it flows into Lake Superior

Clear, shallow waters of the Presque Isle River, golden brown from tannic acid

Geometric striation patterns in sandstone bedrock of Presque Isle River

Nawadaha Falls as seen from the west side of the river. Porcupine Mountains, MI

Nawadaha Falls as seen from the east side of the Presque Isle River

This stunning hike is so popular that it is celebrated by almost every traveler who comes to the Porkies, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are lots of other waterfalls.

Some are hard to reach, and I’ve never seen them, but some are just a few steps off the road and are too good to miss, although apparently they often are! For instance, “Overlooked Falls” is literally 100 feet off the road but doesn’t get much attention.

The Little Carp River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

If you take a trip to the Porkies, please take a few minutes to enjoy Overlooked Falls along the Little Carp River!

Overlooked Falls in Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park

I wonder, what do you suppose we are overlooking
on our journey along the path of life?

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

(I took all the above photos in Porcupine Mountain State Park.)

The Pristine Porkies

Two miles past the end of the earth, in the far northwest corner of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is Michigan’s largest state park.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (known by the locals as “The Porkies”) contains 60,000+ acres of pristine forested beauty nestled on the southern edge of Lake Superior.

This natural paradise has 90 miles of hiking trails (some as part of the North Country Trail) and 26 miles of cross country trails.

One of the Porkies’ chief treasures is the largest expanse of old-growth hardwood-hemlock forest (31,000 acres) in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains.

There is enough to keep a hiker happy for a week or more, but first-time visitors will want to make a couple of “must see” stops to take in the sweeping panoramic views.

Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mt. State Park

First stop is the Lake of the Clouds Scenic Viewing Area, with its breath-taking views of untamed wilderness as far as the eye can see in any direction.

There’s a fully accessible overlook, making this spot one of the most photographed in Michigan!

The second “must-do” is a short half-mile hike to the Summit Peak Viewing Platform. At 1958′, it’s the highest point in the park. Michigan is basically a sandbar surrounded by the Great Lakes, so we don’t have any big-time mountains. The highest natural elevation in the state is Mt. Arvon (in the Huron Mountains to the east of the Porkies). Mt Arvon is 1979 feet, or 21 feet higher. BUT, I figure if you climb to the top of Summit Peak’s 3-story viewing tower, you’re standing at the highest point in the state! 🙂 (I am not counting the tailing pile from the Tilden Mine in Ishpeming, which is also 21 feet higher than Mt. Arvon, because who’d want to stand on top of a pile of rubbish?)

View from Summit Peak Viewing Platform in the Porkies

The day we visited was bright and the air clear. On such days, you can see all the way across Lake Superior to the distant shores of Minnesota and Wisconsin!

Alan and I were planning to head around Lake Superior to visit the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin next,

so it was fun to be able to look across the water and see the Apostle Islands on the far blue horizon!

Our family in the Porkies. Alan has our sixth child on his back
and our 3-month-old in his arms

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Park has been a great favorite of our family since our kids were little. This photo was taken when our seventh was just a baby! We backpacked in and stayed at the Mirror Lake cabin. We hiked in the three miles with all our gear on October 1—a warm, sunny day. The next day, it turned cold and rainy. That night it snowed! We took in a couple who were honeymooning (from Chicago; the poor wife had never been camping before). It wasn’t just the unseasonable snow, but a bear came and stole their food during the night, even though they had it suspended on a rope between two trees. This I tell you so that you come prepared if you decide to do some backpack camping in the Porkies! At any rate, we had failed to bring winter boots, so our three-year-old soon gave up trying to tramp his way three miles through the snow when it was time to leave. I figure Alan was carrying 80 pounds most of the way back to our van.

Nevertheless, as Alan always says, “What don’t kill ya makes ya stronger!” We went back many times over the years, and we almost always took the 6-mile trail across the mountains from Lake of the Clouds to Summit Peak Road.

My daughter, by the age of six, would hike the six miles without complaint, most often barefoot (of her own volition; the kids were like billy goats).

Sunset at Union Bay Campground on Lake Superior

Our favorite campground is on Union Bay, although we never had a “bad” campsite anywhere.

Back in the day when Alan and I were avid bicyclists, we used to take our tandem and do some biking as well as hiking on rare occasions when we had “honeymoons” by ourselves.

However, after zooming downhill at 45 mph on the back of the tandem, I decided that somebody needed to survive to rear the kids, and so we stopped being quite so . . . irresponsible!

Fascinating Sandstone Bedrock of Presque Isle River

Next week I want to share some of the best waterfalls in the Porkies, but I fear this post is long enough so will end with the thought that adventuring is fun, but it’s only safe if you’re prepared and can be pretty dangerous if you’re not! The most important provisions are an accurate map, food, and appropriate clothing. For day hikes, we always wear layers of clothing, and we try to bring a paper copy of a map as well as taking photos of maps with our cell phones.

Adventuring through this life to the next life is similar. Have you got a good road map? The Bible is my guidebook. It’s full of wisdom about how to avoid pitfalls and find the narrow, rugged path that leads across the mountains to heaven! It also explains how to carry within you the water of life and the bread of life, and where you can find shelter.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.
The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:4)

Bewabic and Beautiful Bond Falls

Now that the barren days of November are upon us, I’d like to brighten our hearts with a few reminiscences of autumn’s more golden days in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Alan and I spent two weeks earlier this fall celebrating his retirement (and as a last fling before my hip replacement). Due to COVID concerns, we waited until the last minute to do our planning and were disappointed to find that many of our favorite campgrounds were booked solid—which is really unusual.

Before COVID closed schools and cultural attractions in the lower part of the state, autumn was considered a great time to travel . . . no crowds and lower prices. This year, there were plenty of people in the more popular parks who were trying to get away from “people” (COVID) and enjoy the great out of doors. Sadly, this has resulted in the present distress of Michigan’s highest rates of COVID so far (along with much of the world).

Bewabic State Park on the Shore of Fortune Lake

On the bright side, being forced to try new campgrounds had the benefit of introducing us to many lovely places that we’ve never been before!

Bewabic State Park log and stone structure

For instance, the first night we camped at Bewabic State Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places for it’s CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps)-related architecture.

Why had we never explored this gem of a state park before? We would definitely visit again!

Bond Falls in September, 2020

Among our numerous new experiences, of my personal favorites was discovering Bond Falls. By some, it’s considered the best waterfall in the western U.P. and others suggest it’s second only to Tahquamenon Falls as “best falls in Michigan.”

Bond Falls. Photo credit: Planetware
(All other photos on this post are mine)

Planetware lists Bond Falls first in their list of Michigan’s top 15 waterfalls! At any rate, no matter how you cut it, it’s a wonderful series of waterfalls!

Upper cascades of Bond Falls on the Ontonagon River

We visited on a brilliant September day and were completely bedazzled!

Bond Falls is in the Porcupine Mountains on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River (Waypoint: 46.40889N 89.13278W).

I’m guessing that unless you’re a Michigan native, you’ve probably never heard of the Ontonagon River, but it runs through the heart of the western U.P. and drains an area larger than the state of Rhode Island!

The water was abundant in mid-September when we visited, but at its peak run-off in the spring, it can drain over 4 billion gallons of water per day!

Bond Falls

The main falls drop about 50 feet across a 100+-foot waterway, and there are easy-access wooden walkways to make viewing very pleasurable and handicap accessible.

If you can handle a simple footpath, there are also walkways on both sides of the falls so you can enjoy not only the big fall but a beautiful series of smaller, cascading falls as the Ontonagon River splashes its way to Lake Superior.

Visiting Bond Falls wasn’t on our agenda, but we couldn’t resist exploring this “rabbit trail” after seeing a tempting road sign. The falls are just a few miles off the main road, and as we discovered—totally worth the time and effort!

If I had it to do again, I’d have allotted a couple of hours to explore.

In fact, I’m already daydreaming about bringing our kids and grandchildren up this way next summer. If you live in Michigan and enjoy hiking, I highly recommend your checking out Bond Falls sometime!

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we are most often so focused on our work that we rarely take time to explore any byways of life—physical or spiritual.

May I suggest that God intends for us to take time to rest and be refreshed—actually, one day out of seven: a sabbath rest each week. This isn’t just a command for retirement; it’s a huge gift and blessing for all who will accept it at every stage of life! Taking time to meditate on the Bible in a special way can fill you with surprising joy . . . like finding a beautiful, new waterfall of life in your soul—providing such insights that you’d like to return again and share it with your loved ones!

You might not have time for a big vacation, but you probably wouldn’t have to travel far to go for a walk in nature and spend some time just reveling in the beauty and goodness of God’s wondrous creation! What do you think? Can you stop and take a restful walk with God this coming sabbath?

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11).

Cornish Pasties from the U.P.

Don’t you love pasties? Our family fell in love with them thirty years ago when we moved to Marquette, Michigan, although we usually bought ours from Jean Kay’s Pasty Shop rather than making our own. However, here’s an authentic recipe for Cornish Pasties shared by a native “Yooper” (born and reared in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula), my friend Grace Truman.

Cornish Pasties
(Makes 6 large pasties . . . each about a pound!)

For the filling, combine in a large bowl:
2 lbs. cubed raw beef, chicken, pork, or venison
4 pared and cubed medium potatoes
4 pared and sliced carrots, or equivalent rutabaga if you prefer
Sprinkle on salt, pepper, onion, parsley, basil, and oregano to taste. (*See notes below for suggestions.)

Stir well.    

For the crust, mix together:
4 cups flour (Grace uses organic, unbleached King Arthur)
1.5 teaspoons salt
Cut in 1 C soft butter. 
Stir in 1 C water, more or less, to make a moist, but not sticky, dough.  (Kathi: I found that 1 cup was just about perfect.)

Divide dough into six pieces and form into balls. 

Roll out each ball to dinner plate size. (Kathi: I found it helpful to roll the crusts out on top of saran wrap so that it’s easier to flip over and transfer later. It also helps to flour the surface and make the crust as smoothly circular as possible before rolling.)

Top each crust with 1/6 of the filling.  (Kathi: I found this to be almost exactly 2 cups)
Top with 1/2 tbsp. butter.  (Kathi: Or 1 tablespoon of butter if you can afford the calories)

Moisten dough edges and fold in half, bringing the crust up and over the filling to make a half circle. 

Seal edges. 

Brush on milk and cut slits in the crust. 

Bake 1 hour at 400°F. until brown. 

(Kathi: I noticed that the areas where I’d brushed the pasties with milk turned a more golden brown, so next time I’ll be sure to entirely cover the surfaces with a light brushing of milk.)

Pasties are HUGE. I used to eat a whole one without batting an eye, but I suppose that was back in the day when I was chasing kids around and hiking in the hills! I should have only eaten half of mine! At any rate, it was delicious. They are a “meal in one” although I served ours with some fresh berries for dessert and a glass of (non-alcoholic) wassail punch.

Alan is also a native Yooper and loves pasties, so he told me I should take a picture demonstrating just how yummy they are! He ate every bit of his with delight!

Notes: Leftover pasties may be frozen. After they are baked, let them cool completely, and then wrap them individually in aluminum foil and freeze. When you’re ready to eat them again, pull them out of the freezer and bake them at 350°F. for 1 hour.  Grace mentioned that some people like them with gravy, although Alan and I always use ketchup with ours.

Notes: When I made them, I tried to measure the spices to get a feel for “how much” might be “to taste.” This is what I did, and it turned out well:
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder (not onion salt)
1 tablespoon dried, crushed parsley
1 tablespoon dried, crushed basil
1 tablespoon dried, crushed oregano
*2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt; this wasn’t in Grace’s recipe, but we love garlic, and so “to taste” for us needed a little garlic powder)

Also, Grace mentioned later to use parchment paper underneath them, which would be a good idea. I didn’t think of that, so one of mine stuck rather badly to the bottom of the cookie sheet. If you have a cookie sheet that can withstand a metal spatula, then they come off pretty easily, but don’t try too soon, or the crust will crack and break up. I think it’s best to let them rest about 10 minutes before serving them.

“And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?” (Luke 12:42; Oh, to be a faithful and wise steward!)

Home Along the Dead River Falls

Have you ever thought about the fact that some time may be your last time? When our children were little, we lived in a beautiful home on 50 acres of pristine woods that abutted the Dead River Falls in Marquette, Michigan.

Our six sons and little girl spent endless hours playing among the ferns and foliage in that somewhat paradisal setting, and so when we took our two oldest and their children on a Roots Tour of the Upper Peninsula last month, it was important to us (and them!) to hike their beloved Dead River Falls with their kids.

Foxgloves (from our old home), ferns, and a little boy

I had contracted a miserable cold and felt feverish that morning, so I slept until after noon while the kids took their hike, which broke my heart in a way, but I was too sick to participate. So . . . what are you going to do??

They didn’t want to disturb the present owners of our old home (with nine rambunctious children), so they parked along the power line (on property which had been taken away from us by “right of public domain” . . . so we felt justified in still using it) and retraced what had been a very common and extremely pleasurable hike.

Wild strawberries and wild blueberries ripening at the same time
in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

In the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan), it is so cold and the growing season so short that all the flowers and fruits that are going to grow have to grow quickly, and you can often find more than one crop of wild berries ripening at the same time!

Scrambling up steep rock faces along the Dead River Falls in Michigan

If you’re ever in the Marquette area, a half day adventure climbing the Dead River Falls is well worth the effort! According to “Great Lakes Waterfalls and Beyond,” this is “one of the best waterfall adventures in Michigan,” and I totally agree!

In a 0.7-mile stretch, the Dead River drops 90 feet on its way to Lake Superior, tumbling over a wonderful series of waterfalls.

Three of the waterfalls drop over 15 feet, but there are dozens of merry falls cascading down the rocky river bed.

Shortly after we moved to Marquette, Alan and I took a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands, and we felt like Maui’s “Seven Sacred Pools” were no more beautiful (albeit a great deal more well known)!

Seven Sacred Pools by Eric Chan, Wikipedia Commons

(In truth, it was very dry when we visited Maui, and just googling for images of the Seven Sacred Pools now, I see that when they are full they are bigger and more spectacular. Still, there aren’t as many waterfalls, and they are less cloistered, so I think thirty years later I still prefer the Dead River Falls!)

Kids examining a garter snake along the Dead River Falls

Besides, there are no snakes in Hawaii,
and what would a nature hike be without snakes?

(What, you say you’d like that??!?) 🙂

If you’d like to use your GPS to find the lower trailhead,
it’s located at: 46.56841N 87.47839W

Picnic Lunch along the Dead River Falls
(You have to wash up in the river afterward and pack out all your trash. It’s rustic!)

Before making the somewhat arduous trek back to the top of the falls, they stopped for a picnic lunch. Major Armstrong’s army skills and strength came in handy, as he packed and carried ALL the supplies for a scrumptious lunch (along with his youngest son in a front pack).

The Dead River Falls were such a magical part of the kids’ growing up years that I wrote a mystery story for them called The Dead River Diamonds. A GR publishing house expressed interest in it, although they wanted me to cut down the number of children from seven to four, which I couldn’t imagine doing! How could I ever “cut out” any of my kids? Maybe someday I will improve it and find a publishing house who will consider a mystery series based on a such an unfashionably large family. 🙂

Father, sons, and grand children along the Michigan’s Dead River Falls

I have every hope of returning to the Dead River Falls again some day, but as I write, I’m grieving with a young friend who just lost her precious husband, who is the age of my sons.

One of my sons dated her older sister when they were teens. It occurred to me that I may never live to hike the Dead River Falls again. In fact, my sons and even my grand sons may not live to hike the falls again—what a horrible thought!

Looking back, even long lives seem short; how much shorter those that end before their youthful beauty fades? “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth” (Isaiah 40:6-7).

Family enjoying a day at the Dead River Falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

It is my earnest hope and prayer that my family—and everyone who reads this—will enjoy a long, healthy, active life. But, I have to ask: Are you as prepared to die as you are to live? “Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:13-14). “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). Are you saved? If you’re not sure, all you have to do is ask Christ to save you: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Romans 10:9-11).

Sweet and Savory Crepes Like a Pro (Without Being One)

Although Crêpes Suzette were popular in France over 100 years ago (and even 60 years ago when I was a budding wanna be cheffette),

I think in the past 10-15 years crêpes have crept from the Continent (of Europe)—likely aboard luxury cruise liners—across the Atlantic

and are now on trend in American menus!

Crêperie in Annecy, France. Note the HUGE Nutella jars!

In France four years ago, we were delighted to find little storefront crêperies everywhere vending both savory and sweet crêpes as fast food options—both as meals or for snacks.

It was with great relish that our team stopped to test both types, carrying them off to a local park to savor for our picnic lunch.

However, I was more than impressed to see that there are now crêperies springing up in Michigan, not only in Lansing (our capital), but even in our tiny little hometown in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, right across from the Soo Locks!

How fun is that? Of course, we had to stop in for breakfast the next morning after we visited the Soo Locks!

“Nutella and Fruit” Crêpe at Oh Crêpe and Coffee

We sampled everything from their “Farmer” (stuffed with egg, bacon, spinach, tomato, cheddar, and hash browns) to a traditional Nutella and strawberry crêpe . . .

and even their “Birthday Cake” which included cream cheese frosting, waffle bits, and sprinkles.

Now, just for the record, I’ve been making crêpes for years, and they’re not really very hard to make, so I think it’s time to share what I’ve learned over the years!

Sweet and Savory Home-made Crêpes

Early attempt: Too thick and turned out more like a pancake

Crêpe Batter

The hardest part is to make the batter light enough. I’ll give you two recipes. The first is the “legit” way to make them, but I’m usually running behind so usually “cheat” by using pancake mix, which seems to taste and crisp just as well. The traditional method also includes letting the batter rest for a half an hour (or two . . . or even overnight, if you’re really organized and able to run ahead of schedule). If you have time, great! If you don’t have time to let it rest (and how many of us have time even to rest ourselves at such times as we’re likely to go to the fuss of making crêpes?), then you can do what I do and just whip up the batter and spread in on your hot, well buttered pan.

Option One (Traditional)

In a mixing bowl, whisk together:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons melted butter

Crêpe Batter with bacon bits added

Non-Traditional (but quick and easy) Crêpe Batter

In a mixing bowl, whisk together:
1 cup pancake mix
1.5 cups milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
(When I make batter for savory crêpes, which is what I posted above, I often substitute 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings for the melted butter and sometimes add bacon bits)

The second hardest part is learning how to spread the batter thin enough and cook them fast enough and hot enough to make them very light and crispy without burning them. Professionals have large, smooth cooking surfaces with no edges, but most of us mortals can’t afford such a luxury. However, having a batter spreader is very crucial to success and a luxury almost any of us can afford.

Using a batter spreader to make the crêpe thinner and more even

“Fearless Leader” (as I affectionately dubbed our church team leader during our trip to France) went to great pains to help me find this simple tool, which was not (at least four years ago) sold commonly in kitchen stores in America but goes for 1E everywhere in France and can be bought very inexpensively from Amazon now as long as you know what search for: “crêpe batter spreader.”

If you have a flat, 9″ cast-iron skillet, that’s ideal, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Start by making sure the entire surface area of the skillet is lavished with butter (that has melted). Over medium heat, pour about 1/4 cup of mix onto the steamy surface, smoothing the batter out as much as possible, and fry the crêpe until it bubbles, which should only take about a minute. If you want your batter a bit thinner (and this one above is pushing the edge of too thick), you can add just a touch of water as needed.

Once the batter bubbles, loosen the edges with a spatula and flip the crêpe over. As you can see, I didn’t do a very professional job of flipping mine, and it didn’t end up centered properly, but in a few seconds you can usually coax it back into a more centered position. Also, make sure your pan is squarely over the heat. The far edge of this one was not equally close to the center of the fire so was underdone.

Making crêpes “hot and now” is really a full-time job, so it’s great if you can pursuade someone into being your sous chef. Thankfully, my son is an excellent cook in his own right and always willing to help, so while I pump out the crêpes, he fills and serves them. If you have to work alone, you can stack them with parchment paper in between and keep them in a warm oven, but I can’t make oodles of these fast enough for a sit-down breakfast so prefer serving them one kid/adult at a time, as they emerge from their sleepy beds. (If it’s just Alan, Joel, and I, we can make enough quickly to sit and eat together.)

Although you need to prepare your fillings first so that all the meats and veggies are fully cooked (just keep the pan covered and warm while you make your crêpes), I’m going to discuss the fillings last, because you fill the crêpe hot off the press if possible. This one has sausage, cheese, red peppers, mushrooms, onions, and potatoes, but the options are legion and depend totally on your taste and what you have on hand.

Just think ahead about what you want to use so that it’s fully cooked or else ready to be added. Any meat, veg, or cheese that you enjoy in an omelet will taste great served in a savory crêpe!

The other super popular types of crêpe are the sweet ones. On cruise ships, you can usually pick your own toppings. The morning I took this photo, I added Nutella (almost a staple in Western Europe), cherries, blueberries, and whipping cream.

I’m a huge van of all things sweet, but if you think you should have some protein, you can always add it as a side (or an under!). 🙂

Or, you can make crêpes as a “part” of a balanced breakfast, along with eggs and bacon (or whatever).

A Traditional Sweet Crêpe: Filled with Nutella and banana slices,
sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar with a side of whipping cream

For banana lovers, you can go whole hog with an entire banana inside!

(Yes, an entire banana is inside this crêpe!)

For sweet crêpes, my grandchildren’s favorite is the one above, but whatever you like on toast can work: not only Nutella but peanut butter and all sorts of jams (or fresh fruit, which will stick nicely in the Nutella or peanut butter).

If you haven’t tried making crêpes yet, I hope this inspires you to try . . .

or at least to look around for a local crêpe shop where you can stop by for a bite!

If this is new to you, start easy, but have lots of fun!

The Doxology
(Written by Thomas Ken in 1674)

“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

Top Cultural Attraction in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: World’s Busiest Lock System!

If you ever go to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, be sure to take time to visit the Soo Locks, which is the single most significant cultural contribution the Yoopers (“folks from Michigan’s upper peninsula”) make to American heritage.

Alan and I grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, so we sort of took the Soo Locks for granted, although we loved sitting together by their lovely fountain even 50 years ago!

However, since traversing the Panama Canal a couple of years ago, we now have a new appreciation for the importance of the Soo Locks, so on our recent “Roots” tour, it meant a lot of us to be able to take some of our kids and grand children there and tell them “all about it!”

Source: Unknown. Found at http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/SooLock.html

Begun back in the early 1800’s and opened in 1855, the Soo Locks was one of America’s great infrastructure engineering feats, making it possible to ship the resources from the Lake Superior region to the rest of America’s Great Lakes (and beyond).

Michigan Survey Map. Wiki Commons
(mauve-colored areas to north and east are Canada)

The project was heroic, as it meant forming a lock to accommodate the 21-foot drop in water level from Lake Superior to Lake Huron via the existing rapids along a 1000-foot-thick sandstone river bed on the St. Mary’s River.

Poster at Soo Locks Visitor Center, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Although the Soo Locks are one of America’s National Historic Landmarks, they continue to be a vital part of the modern shipping trade, receiving ships from around the world, and by cargo tonnage they are the busiest locks in the world!

Soo Locks, Aerial View. Wiki Commons

They consist of four individual locks that allow between 7,000-10,000 ships carrying more than 80 million tons of cargo (including over $500 billion’s worth of iron ore) per year to pass free of charge through their gates.

Photo from Soo Locks Visitor Center

The locks are powered entirely by gravity, and each traverse requires 22 million gallons of water to fill the lock.

View of the locks from a walk across the International Bridge Alan and I took in 2013. https://kathrynwarmstrong.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/walking-the-international-bridge/

A complete transit takes about 9 hours through the St. Mary’s River system.

Because they are part of the transportation system from Duluth, Minnesota all the way to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway, cargo ships may be on a 2,342- mile trip when they traverse the Soo Locks, although ships from around the world have passed through this port.

The biggest freighters that come through the locks are up to 1,013 feet long (which is more than three football fields!), but the morning we visited, we got to see the Joseph H. Thompson pass through.

Joseph H. Thompson passing through the Soo Locks

Although the Thompson is only 706 feet long, it is one of the Great Lakes’ most historic vessels.

It was originally built in 1944 and has served both on the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, during wartime and peacetime!

Although impressive to watch, even for youngsters, it’s really helpful to go to the Visitor Center, where there are excellent explanations on the history and technical aspects of how the locks work.

Soo Locks Visitor Center

The most fun (and educational) exhibit for kids is a hands-on display where you can “open” and “close” the locks and let the ships go through.

Observation Deck at the Soo Locks

Obviously, you want to be out (or better yet, up on the Observation Deck) when a ship is passing through the locks, but if you have time beforehand, I almost think it’s better for people with young children to see the Visitor Center first so they have a better understanding of what it is they’re seeing.

Reflecting on our trip, I couldn’t help but think about how much we humans take for granted. Alan and I—as young kids fifty years ago—enjoyed the ambience and lovely gardens around the locks as just “the garden in our backyard” without any deep appreciation for the significance of the locks. Our grandchildren had a similar response. They had fun running around watching the big freighter come in and exploring the park, but they reacted with a simple acceptance of what “is” without any apparent wonder over the locks’ complexity or significance.

Another photo from our bridge walk in 2013. This is of the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario side of the St. Mary’s River. There are twin “Soo” cities, and the locks are on the border between the U.S. and Canada, although the four U.S. locks carry the commercial trade.

My grandchildren remind me of myself! In so many ways, I am completely oblivious to the vast complexities of both God’s creation and the world’s civilizations. I find myself taxed trying to figure out how to use and care for the material blessings in my life—everything from turning on our video system to caring for the flowers in our garden—but I couldn’t begin to make a video system or create a flower! Could you?

However, like a child, I want to learn, and experiment, and grow in my understanding of what’s around me, and I am thankful for the wondrous world God has made! I’ll never learn everything, but I want to understand the most important things about life, and for that, I turn every day to the God’s Word! 🙂

“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Highlights of Biking Around Mackinac Island (and Life)

July is the perfect time to visit Mackinac Island!

And, the eight-mile road around the island on Highway M-185 is the perfect venue for taking young kids on a big biking adventure, because it’s the only highway in America where no cars are allowed!

So, a couple of weeks ago we headed north with our two oldest sons and their families on a U.P. “roots” tour, including a trip across the Straits of Mackinac on a Shepler ferry boat to spend a day on Mackinac Island.

Horse and buggy in front of Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island

It was a picture-perfect day, and we were all in very high spirits!

Although the nine grandchildren are living in suburban California and Belgium now (read that, no easy, safe places for long bike adventures), they were all up for the challenge, so the first stop was to get fitted on bikes.

Mike pulled the baby in a Burley, and Grace had a trail-a-bike for their four-year-old. Actually, trailer bikes (which have wheels for pedaling while allowing the parent to control the balance) are recommended for the 4-7 year-old set, but our two seven-year-olds opted to ride their own bikes, which was very brave of them!

A Bicycle Built for Two. Mackinac Island

Alan and I took a little razzing from the attendant for what he must have considered a non-feminist approach to modern cycling, but we opted for a bicycle built for two. After (literally) more than 50 years of riding such bicycles around the island together, we weren’t about to be talked out of our old-fashioned favorite.

Burley and trail-a-bike on Mackinac Island State Park, Michigan

There are many advantages to riding on a bicycle built for two! You’re always together; you can hear, talk, and be super close to each other at all times (very bonding).

Roadsides full of wild, pink roses on Mackinac Island

The other advantage, at least for me, is having total freedom to take photographs of all the gorgeous scenery as we pass by!

Highway M-185 is full of flowers on both sides of the road all through the summer, so all you have to do is avoid horses and other people while soaking in the beauty!

We did take numerous stops along the way to enjoy all the byways, including a little wetland walk, where we learned that there are over 415 varieties of wildflowers on the island!

Monarch caterpillar on a milk weed

We have lots of budding (and grown) botanists in the family, so the kids stopped to check out many of the flowers and captivating critters.

Golden coreopsis and purple harebells on Mackinac Island

I’m not sure if it was the flowers, the the gorgeous water, or too many cousins riding too close together, but one of the seven-year-olds took a bad spill at one point!

I’m sure Judah was in a lot of pain from the bad scrape on one leg, but after taking a breather to regain his shaken confidence, he was willing to take off on his own again. It’s good to be tough!!

Thankfully, it wasn’t too much longer before we reached the halfway point! Whew!

We stopped for lunch at British Landing, where lots of seagulls as well as people hang out.

Just in case you’re wondering, the seagulls are not only beautiful and interested in people, they LOVE good food as much as humans!

Hungry biker eating a Cannonball at British Landing on Mackinac Island

We stopped for hotdogs and hamburgers at the Cannonball snack shop.

Everybody was “starving” by the time we got there, so it was a really welcome break.

(Of course, some of us are still pretty insistent about what we like best for lunch!)

Other highlights of the bike adventure included skipping stones,

riding beneath tree-lined canopies of fragrant cedars,

The Island House, Mackinac Island

enjoying all the spectacular hotels, homes, and gardens that line the island,

and our long-standing tradition of stopping at “The Devil’s Kitchen,” a series of limestone caves. (Can you see the Devil’s eyes and nose?)

When Alan and I were kids in the 60’s, and when Aaron and Mike were kids in the 80’s, we were free to scramble up the rocks, and that’s exactly what kids do if left to their own devices, but today there are signs prohibiting such pleasures. 😦

However, nobody can stop a child
from having fun and being just a little scared!

I think everybody was happy to return victorious from our big ride. (Aaron and his oldest had to go an extra two miles to qualify for a boy scout badge, but they are also extra tough!!)

After returning our bikes, we wandered down Main Street, checking out all the possibilities for an afternoon treat to celebrate conquering the trail.

When our kids were little, I usually made fudge to bring with us (to keep down the expense), but this trip our generous (and rather more affluent than we were) sons bought a little fudge and then let each of their kids pick a treat of their own.

Despite being dead tired, I didn’t hear any complaining as we waited for the ferry!

Waiting for the Shepler Ferry on Mackinac Island

It seemed like the perfect end to a perfect day, although I was a little worried about Judah and wondered if his spill on the bike had traumatized him. So, I asked him what his favorite parts of the day had been.

His response was unequivocal: “The trip to the candy store . . . and the bike ride!”

That made me super happy, but it also made me think about my own life. I’ve been on a journey. Most of it has been really great, but like Judah—I had one bad fall near the beginning and got pretty scraped up! However, wouldn’t it be sad if we let our hurts and pains and accidents make us too skiddish to keep trying? And, isn’t it wonderful that we have a Father who watches over us, encouraging us along, and who promises to reward us at the end?! Do you know Him? Are you trusting in Him? God is good. Life is good. It’s not all picnics and vacation days, but it’s all good for us when we let God be our Father and never stop trying!

“Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast” (Psalm 36:5-6).