We're Moving!

Hi!

Gosh, there's so much going on that something new happens right after I write to you!

This next move was not planned. It sprung up, but I think you will adjust and realize it's a great idea.

We're moving!

Okay...Downs By the Bay is moving. Ha!

Not far, just to the Copper Harbor Vitality site. 

Whew! 

I've been putting links to all my new ventures at the bottom of this blog each time, so why not just go there first? It turns out, there is a spot for it already.

Look!

The new view!

Here's where you'll land when you go to the CHV blog. See the part I circled? That's where you can access all the new Downs by the Bay posts. Right next to the adventure posts! 

Booya!

Then, the rest of these posts will still be on this platform, but you'll see a link to the new spot. These posts will be an archive. 

Think of all the history you've been part of!

Besides getting everything streamlined, the pictures on the CHV site show up at a higher resolution. 

Starts next week, baby!

Other than that, it's a beautiful, calm sunny day. The last one for a while because it sounds like our St. Patty's Day storm is on its way. Right on time!

I think we'll make it through.

Her Majesty 3/14/23

This is what the harbor looked like just before the ice rolled in again. There's even a little splash for you! 

I sat there for quite a while and meditated on the splendor of being a part of this world.

Ahhhhh.

And here is proof that a storm is coming. Today's sunrise.

Sailors take warning!

Enjoy your day!

Sun Dogs

Happy Wednesday!

It's pretty glorious out there! Frosty and cold, but the sun sparkles on it all. And the lake is undulating all the pack ice that set in the bay. I'm not going out there today!

This past weekend was the Copper Dog 150. It spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning in Copper Harbor. Now, Brady loves animals, but he is afraid when dogs bark.

Can you imagine all the yipping we just had here?

I think he's desensitized for a bit.

We sat on a snow perch and watched some of the racers take off. It was pretty fun! He was into it, so it was fun. Ha!

On our perch - Photo by the legendary Steve Brimm

Boy, there were a lot of people in town. It was a little nuts with parking. I thought "How the heck does this town do it in summer time?" 

Then I remembered that most of the snowbanks turn into parking spots. Just like that!

We also went out for a little... adventure. I pulled him in his blue sled while wearing snowshoes (both per his request). It was the only way I could convince him. 

He is not a fan of winter, but when the sun is out, I try.

We went past the community garden.

He was outside, so I let him be lazy

Then we went down a path that must have been a snowmobile reroute. I couldn't tell, but it was heavily tracked. Then we swerved to where I thought the ski trail was. 

I love this view of the Nose of Brockway.

"Ski" path to the nose

But we did not make it too far down that path. I won't pretend that breaking trail on snowshoes while pulling an eight-year-old in a sled is a walk in the park. I sweated.

A lot.

But he didn't want to go too far, so we turned around and cruised through some more panked areas and went to see the horses. 

He loves the horses. It's his happy place. I have to drag him away from them each time. But I'm glad he enjoys it. They are peaceful to visit.

He is an animal man to the core.

So, I didn't think I'd have anything new and exciting to share this time, but I do. I just can't stop!

Link time!

I just uploaded a new video for Snack Break Sessions. I take you to "The Gap." But this time I also supplemented more content and photos on my adventure blog!

Yes!

I got the CHV adventure blog going again! Check it out and make sure you are caught up.

And here is the link to the podcast. I added a new one to the feed yesterday. This one dispels the common myth that we are all stuck in the Harbor in the winter. It's titled "Gregg Patrick: A Plow Master!" A very knowledgable guest, by the way. I hope you like it.

I still have two more exciting things to tell you, but not all at once. Oh, man. This is just so great!

I hope you have a lovely day!

Sunshine!!!

Hi!

We figured it out. Brady had influenza A. For two weeks! 

It was pretty rough for him. I even had to get him on antibiotics because he was spiking temps at 103 nine days after he had his first fever.

I won't stand for that.

Now he is back to his quirky, energetic self, and I am grateful.

Whew!

I was scared for a bit.

Thanks for the good vibes!

Ummm, don't tell anybody I told you this, but this winter has been weird. No freezing on the harbor from what I can tell. We had a couple wild blizzards, but not much for snow in between. 

My snowblower and I are not complaining. I am not one to complain because it's useless. Ha!

I just wanted to give you an honest report in case you were wondering. It's been either ice or slush between these blizzards. It's hard to believe it's January, but if you are looking for nice, quiet town to visit, come on up!

Cuz look at this sunshine!

Snow angel in the sunshine

Okay, we only got two days of sunshine, but we soaked them up for as long as little man would stay outside. We went for walks and watched the waves. It was fun to see people come out of the woodwork for a drive or a walk in the sun.

"Beautiful day," they would say.

B and I called it "Glorious!" I love how he says that word with me. Such a joyful lad.

I think and hope I will be able to unveil one of my surprises for you next week. Everything looks pretty aligned for it to launch. I think you will be excited! I get so excited that I shake!

Stay tuned for that.

In the mean time, be good to yourself. You deserve it!

Addicted to Rocks

There's no turning back now, baby!

It's rock throwing season!

This weekend Brady P. and I took our first bike cruise of the year to the lighthouse lookout.  I pedal and he rides in the "Chariot" behind me.  With his whip.  Yelling, "Faster!  Faster!"

And yesterday we took our second trek on the bike.  I gotta tell ya.  I love riding a bike.  Even pulling Braeden the dictator.  I just think it's such a smooth, quiet, fun, fulfilling way to get around this town.

So the mouth of Fanny Hooe Creek and the harbor are open enough where we don't have to sit on snow or icy rocks anymore.  It's pretty great right now, actually.  I never thought to start out at the mouth of the creek before, but the shore line certainly isn't giving in yet.

Down by the Harbor Haus beach, we've got a little spot.  It's pretty sandy and wet still, but for a quick fix, I'm down.

And yesterday B-man got his fix all right.  We went to the Harbor Haus beach on our way home from school and threw for about half an hour.  Then around 3pm I spun us to the lookout.

Luckily I brought the Bike Instructor Certification manual for the class I'm taking next month (to get certified as an intermediate level instructor!!!) cuz I got a third of the way through that.

Then I took a little rest lying in the rocks and daydreaming... in the glorious sunshine...

Then I decided to look for rocks myself because I have new art projects to work on.

During all this time, I asked Braeden intermittently, "Are you ready to go home?"

"Uh-uh," he said.  That means no.

He was having a ball.  I honestly don't know how he does it because my arm rebels after like 15-20 minutes of throwing rocks full bore.

 

Rocking my sunglasses

But three hours later...

Yeah, three hours later my tummy started to rumble, and I knew he was getting hungry because he ate three fruit strips in a row and wanted another.

I say no to that.  Time to go home for dinner.

"Three more rocks, Braeden."

"Uh-uh.  Ten!"

"Okay then.  Ten more rocks."

But ten was still not enough.  He would not budge from the beach.  So I picked him up and carried him up the snowy trail and plopped him into the Chariot, so he wouldn't run away.

Then we rode home singing one of the Sesame Street ABC songs.

What a lovely afternoon.  Our faces are sun burnt!

Match Maker

Braeden and I usually find some magic in our day, but one experience last week was quite surreal.  

We walked down to Third Street Dock (the beach with the stairs, as I call it for Braeden).  Upon settling my bum into the rocks, I noticed how warm they were.  Ooh, what a comforting feeling on a breezy spring day.  The sunshine sparkled on the surface of Lake Superior, making her look even more majestic than I already knew she was.

Sploosh! went a rock from Brady P's hand.  He looked and me and clapped.  Sploosh! went another.  That boy has a great arm for throwing rocks.  He's had lots of practice over the last year.  We sat pitching different sizes and colors of smooth stones that the lake tossed up.

Then I heard a noise coming from Porter's Island -- just across the Harbor.  It was the calm cooing of a loon!  

I didn't realize the loons were still around at that time.  "Braeden!  A loon!" I told him excitedly.  "Listen!"  But the loon was silent, so I took a turn.

I never polished my loon call.  It was pretty subpar, and not quite believable, but I let it rip.  It was a combo of a whistle and a hum to produce one of their wilder calls.

All the sudden the water splashed at Porter's Island.  I didn't have binoculars, but I knew it was the loon thrashing by the shore.  It let out its calm coo again.  "Braeden, the loon!" I shouted as I aimed his little face toward the opposite shore.  I don't think he was as fascinated as I was because he continued to throw rocks at his usual pace.

The next thing I knew, a loon two docks east of us was calling back to the loon on the island!  Wow!  They had a short conversation, but I wasn't done.  I whistle-hummed my call again, and the loon on Porter's answered, being echoed by the one on our shore.  "Awesome, Brady P!" I high fived him and we threw some more rocks.

The loons were quiet after that.

A few minutes later, I saw the loon from our shore swimming past us, toward the middle of the harbor.  "Braeden, the loon is swimming!" I pointed, hoping he would get a glimpse.  Soon it dunked under and he looked at me as if to ask, "Where did it go?"

"There!" I pointed again once it resurfaced.  By this time, in my line of sight, I saw the island loon making its way toward the middle of the harbor, too.  Were they going to meet?  How cool would that be?  I made a wish, and told myself it would come true if the loons found each other.  I kept track of their progress in between trying to skip rocks -- a skill I really need to work on.

Soon I caught a glimpse of them both again.  Together!  They swam and dunked beside each other in the chilly waters of the Big Lake.  "Aw," I thought.  "A match made in heaven."

I breathed in the sunny, cool, fresh air and thought about how grateful I was to be there at that moment.  The streets were quiet.  The sun was waking up the trees, the flowers and our spirits.  My job as a stay-at-home mom was pretty unbelievable when the days were made up of moments like this.

I watched little Brady P do his thing.  His surfer blonde locks glinted in the sunlight.  His heart was so at peace out here on the shore.  His busy little mind and body launched one rock after another.  He would always shout, "Ah!" when he wanted me to look at how big the rock in his hand was.  "That's a big one, Brady P!"

He would smile and chuck it as far as he could.  Then clap again.  So proud.