A NorWester!

Howdy!

I get to write to you today!

When the power went out this afternoon, I thought all hope was lost. It's windy out there!

Check this out...

It's a screenshot from Windfinder.com. Since we have winds in the 30-40 mph range, I had to see why. 

Looks like all the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay are orange/red which, as you can find in the bottom chart, means the winds are definitely in the 30 mph range. 

In the big picture, we see a giant swirling system moving counterclockwise (producing a NW wind for the Keweenaw). Looking to the center of this storm, Attawapiskat, Ontario is in the eye. It's purple in color which means it's basically calm.

But look at that swirl of a system! Isn't it interesting? 

Weather has always fascinated me. Whenever I am perplexed by the amount of wind we are getting, I check this site to see what's happening in the big picture. It's fun to see what's going on all over the world even!

Man, it is windy out there! Eek!

B and I went to Hebard Park to check out the waves after school. If we were on a more westwardly shore, they were probably bigger. It wasn't too rockin' out where we were, but B said, "It's fine."

So we stayed for a bit.

Ha!

I'm trying to get this out to you before the power leaves again. Who knows what will happen out there!

I did want to thank all the people who purchased from the Copper Harbor Vitality sale. Thank you!

I've also been getting requests for people to get emails when this blog is published. The Feed Burner that used to do that automatically through this blog platform got bought out and no longer offers that service. So if you're wondering why you haven't been getting emailed, that's why!

If you would like, I can start a google group email for this blog. Once I collect emails of willing participants, I'll compile them and send you an invite to this google group. Then you can just accept and be in!

Nobody else in the group will be able to see your email address unless you respond to that email. But that could be fun!

Also, I won't share your email for any reason other than sending you the link to this blog.

If you're in, you can contact me through my CHV site. If you already have my personal contact, you can send it to me that way too. I'll give it a week for collection, then send invites next week.

Cool? Cool!

See you next week if we have power!

"Thankful"ness

Hi!

Are you getting some sunshine today? We are!

It's a welcome sight after a week of falling snow and grayness. I never thought we'd venture out to ski in the woods in November, but we did! What a treat!

I guess I can tell you Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that you have some loved ones to share it with. If you don't, I hope you give thanks for all you are given then eat gluttonously without guilt. If you don't, I hope you are at least grateful.

That you can do.

No matter what.

You can be grateful.

That's why I'm still here! Gratitude, my friend!

Feel it! Breathe it! Be it!

EVERYDAY! Not just when the holiday tells you to.

It's an everyday thing for better living.

I'm serious.

If you know, you know. And congratulations to you and all those who get to be around you!

If you think I'm preaching from a soapbox and you can't relate, well, that is out of my control. But the universe knows!

Gratitude makes a poor man rich. Thankfulness promotes kindness, and kindness will help save the world.

Okay, okay.

I'll get down.

But thanks for reading this far!

Can I let you in on something I'm super grateful for? I finally got my art studio set up. Here's a glimpse of my magical, inspirational world.

The new Copper Harbor Vitality Studio!

I work best while surrounded by a giant rainbow. Ha! I've been busy!

As a treat for being one of my punctual readers and reading this in the first place, I want to give you an early bird special to my Small Business Saturday sale.

The sale officially starts Saturday, but you can save now and get first peeks at the new art I've created in the past few weeks because you are so loyal.

Just go to Copper Harbor Vitality and shop around. Fill your cart and enter the code "Thankful" at checkout to receive 20% of all your new goodies! Orders over $25 ship for free.

If you want anything done custom, please let me know!

As always, thanks for reading. And thanks for being a good person. If you eat too much tomorrow, just be grateful that you can. Muah!

Change of Seasons

Hey! 

Happy Wednesday!

After the last post, it turned to winter. I was even out with the snowblower! I mean. It's really winter. The snow is building, and it doesn't look like we'll get a break. You can check the weather for 49918. It's either below 32 degrees F or snowing. Or both.

Ha!

So that's my hypothesis!

I'll let you know if we get one more burst of summer. Hahaha!

With winter here, I realized that somebody doesn't really like to run to school in the cold with his boots and snow pants on.

You guessed it.

Today I had to tell him to stay on the side of the road (half a block away), so I could run home and pick him up in the van. He just wouldn't go anymore!

What a stinker.

Oh well. Things could be worse.

And though he won't run in the winter,  I have to give him credit for running in the rain. Like a banshee!

It's pretty quiet up here otherwise. I think most people enjoy that for now. I sure have plenty to keep me busy, and I'm grateful! It's all good things -- even some great ones!

Before I close, I would like to take a moment to honor the late Sharon Smith. She passed earlier this month in her home. We used to be neighbors on the road to the lighthouse, and she was a fellow blogger. The longest standing blogger in da Harbor!

People would check her site A View from the Field, as it had the famous "almost live" webcam looking west across the harbor. She had other helpful Keweenaw links, photography and even her daily journal.

If you read the last couple journal posts, you may notice that it was becoming her time. Even her cat, Grayson, seemed to know.

May your soul rest in peace, Sharon. Now you have a different view from the field. We know your heart is here.

He Runs

So, not only do we have a hiker... we have a runner.

Oh boy!

Not my forté.

I might go for a jog sometimes for a quick workout, but I don't go too far and I certainly don't go fast. I never claimed to be a runner.

But Brady P is!

"Mummy, let's ruuuuuun!" he announces pretty much everywhere we go. Especially to school. 

Each morning.

Even when the weather is cold, windy and rainy, he wants to run to school. He absolutely refuses a ride. Even when the mornings looked like night time!

I just make sure to bring the extra layers he refuses before we leave... cuz he asks for them halfway through.

"Ah!" he shouts, covering his face with his mittens. "Mummy, I need my scarf!"

Luckily it's in my pocket.

He also likes to run on our walks around town now. Sometimes I'll appease, but these old knees don't appreciate bouncing down the pavement.

He gets upset when I don't run.

"Mummy, RUN!"

"I don't want to run right now, Dove."

"Yes, run! Please! Come on!" and he gets a little whiny. I try to encourage him by running with him most times, but, man, running just is not fun!

And this next part is embarrassing.

I think he can outrun me.

He bolts much faster than I jog, so I have to actually run, which I don't do for long distances. Ever.

I'm a sprinter. For a minute. Or to get away if something is chasing me, you know?

But he runs. Runs, runs and runs.

I know. This seems so redundant.

That is how our life is with this running thing. He just goes!

Although I'd rather hike or take him on a bike ride, I am really proud of his new sport.

He is a young man who is much smaller than most kids his age. But he runs.

He was born with two valves in his heart instead of four. He had heart surgery at four-months out of the womb to correct that. Each year I get a survey from the hospital, and one section asks about his ability to sustain physical activity. To me, that says that people who had open heart surgery might have a hard time sustaining a brisk forward projection.

But not Braeden.

He runs.

He can run! With longevity! He tires me out!

I can't believe it. But I'm so grateful.

I think I might have to start biking along side him instead, though. He's only going to get bigger and stronger.

I wouldn't be surprised if he ran a marathon someday. He never ceases to amaze me.

Don't let him catch you!