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!

Accepting Prayers

Hi!

Just a note to say that my sole purpose lately is to make sure B gets better during his current sickness.

Waiting room duo

We wore our red masks yesterday in the clinic lab waiting room. We will see the Dr. tomorrow.

Maybe just send him a prayer of healing.

Thanks.

Enjoy your day.

Always Learning

Aloha!

I hope you survived the latest storm. I don't think any state in the continental 48 was exempt from that. 

Da harbor was pretty much shut down, I heard. I wasn't even there to witness the winds and drifts building out of control. That's a weird, slightly helpless yet relieved feeling. 

I went to my parents' house where I got to meet my new niece, Ruby! She was born to my brother and his awesome wife. Ruby is 5 months old and so precious! I love those guys.

Brady was jealous I held her for a few naps though...

It was puzzling.

Here is something for you to ponder.

B can read at the third grade level. He can name more animal species than almost every adult I know. He likes his space picked up and organized.

He understands that every human is worth asking their name along with a hug or handshake. He is amazingly compassionate and helpful if someone gets hurt or is sad.

But what he can't yet do is recognize his own emotions very well.

When he is having a hard time, he either shuts down or acts out for attention (if that's what he was seeking) in a negative way. 

After dealing with his new, slightly aggressive behavior at my parents' house, we began to realize what was going on. I gave a little talk to everyone with him in the room.

Once we were all on the same page, his behavior changed. He would sit on our laps and snuggle with us for attention instead of throwing things.

Cuz the latter just ain't safe!

B has a great team throughout his family and school, and we are all trying to work through this. It's important to get it right because he is honing and navigating those emotional neural pathways.

It's interesting because he is a genius in some aspects, but a toddler in others.

We all learn a lot and practice patience.

Back to the family story, he was such a stinker that we told him Santa wasn't going to come. But Santa didn't get the memo in time, and he came anyway.

The big guy found us!

Thanks, Santa!

I hope you are in good spirits and ready for a new year!

But if you're not, please realize you shouldn't have to wait for a new year to make a change in your life -- if you need one.

You can do it any day you wake up. Or any minute you feel you've had enough.

Believe in yourself today, baby!

Somebody to Be There

Happy Winter Solstice!!!

It's one of my favorite days to celebrate. The days will now get longer (for all my friends in the northern hemisphere)! Out of the darkness and into the light. Whew!

Just a simple, but powerful thought for you this time.

Sometimes all a person needs is somebody to vent to. To tell their troubles. To say it out loud and feel heard.

If someone chooses to do that with you, all you really need to do is listen. It's important for their healing.

Sometimes you have a load you need to get off your heart. Or get the swirling thoughts out of your brain even if you think they are dumb.

Then you need to find a person you trust to vent to and find the courage in yourself to bear it all as honestly as you can.

That is also healing.

And sometimes it is all we need.

That and a deep breath.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Backlit frost at night

Wait! Bonus!

If you ever wanted to view my first cold water immersion experience in Lake Superior (besides the typical jump in and get the heck out!), you can check it out on my Youtube channel!

Limitless

This kid.

He never ceases to amaze me.

A couple days ago, we were playing the "guessing game" with his National Geographic animal cards. I like these cards because the animals usually have two or three words to describe them. They are often pictures and facts about a specific species.

Animals like: Mexican fireleg tarantula, Harlequin ghost pipefish, South American gray fox, Rock hopper penguin, etc.

All those animals are really neat. But do you want to know the neatest part?

Brady P. can read all those names.

*** MIND BLOW!!!***

I mean, sure, he has seen those cards dozens of times. Maybe he is memorizing some of the names, but we have at least 50 of those cards (can't have enough!), so he does rely on the words for cues. I can see his eyes roll over the words as he says them.

He is reading those words!

My heavens. The pride of this mama just swells  1,000% when he does things that might otherwise seem, well, impossible to others.

He is defying the odds.  Breaking boundaries of everybody's expectations. The maturing of this little man is truly a magical process to watch. I can't believe I get to be front and center every day. Though he can be a lot to handle at times, the rewards that spout forth from him are seemingly endless and limitless.

He is a good problem solver too. The other day we went out for a walk/run, and he stopped down at the Jamsen's Bakery/King Copper beach. There was too much snow on the rocks to throw them, so he threw snowballs instead!

Ready to launch!

He usually finds a way to have fun. I am still learning from him. Especially when it comes to animals. And how much a hug can mean. And the power of absolute silliness.

But he is also learning quickly from me too. For me to not teach him something because I don't think he'll learn is only error on my part.

For instance, I watched him set his eyeglasses on the table with the lens side down for over a year. I winced each time and silently flipped them over. But then I thought, "well, what if he just set them with the bows down himself?"

So I told him it's better for his glasses when he sets the bow side down. He remembered by the second time I told him that. It took almost a year to get him to set them down nicely instead of throwing them, so I just tolerated the lens side down, I guess. 

I settled.

But again, that is my error.

Never settle. The possibilities are endless!

Brady doesn't settle. He likes to be helpful. He likes to do things the "right way" once he knows why. He likes to put things where they go and back where he found them. I feel so fortunate to have a child like that!

So we will keep teaching each other. Patience is a virtue, and love is key. But pushing the envelope will help us change the world.

Anyone can do it.

All the power to you, my friend!

Through the Gray

Hi there!

I hope you are doing well!

I am busy, but busy with really good things! I will unveil one of them soon. I think you will be excited too!

And now I leave you in suspense.

Ha!

Here are a couple pics for you to enjoy the almost current moment in da Harbor.

From the Lighthouse Overlook beach on Monday

From the West end of Lake Fanny Hooe on Tuesday's sunrise

It's snowy and windy out there now, but that's pretty much the norm these days. And do you see a color theme?

You guessed it.

Gray.

Not my fave, but we all do our best to make it through the gray times. Luckily, there is lots to do!

If you're around next Saturday, there is something for you to do too! 

Winter Wonderfest, baby! 

Saturday, December 17th! Head to the Mariner North any time from 12-6pm for a Copper Harbor bake sale and a room full of local artists (including yours truly) hoping to sell you Christmas presents! 

I think Santa might show up sometime too. Wink.

And the most spectacular part of the day? The lighting of the Donny Kilpela Jr. Memorial Park and firework show! 6pm! Don't miss it!

I'm serious. It's got some good energy. One of my favorite winter events!

Thanks to everyone who signed back up for the blog mailing list. I know a few people had trouble accepting and they received an error message. If this was you, try clicking through on a different browser or device. If that doesn't work, forward it to me, and I can sign you up.

I want to keep you in the loop!

Well, thanks for making it to the end of another Downs by the Bay post.

Brady P. says Hi!  Muah!

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!

Hiking the Estivant Pines

We have some big pine trees up here. And now that we have a hiker, we got to go to the Estivant Pines!

Saturday was pretty glorious, so B and I hopped on our motorcycle and pedaled up Manganese Road. We met our darling Esa at the beaver pond on the way up and pedaled the rest of the way together.

I wasn't sure how Braeden would feel in a new forest. Would he be intimidated by the trees or a new trail system? How would he feel about the terrain?

My worries were moot.

B sat on a log while Esa and transformed from bikers to hikers. "Ready to hike?" I asked the little guy.

"Yep!" he shouted and sprang up, leading the way. He was fully in charge like he built the place. What a little man.

He announced all the bridges and fallen trees for us. He told us which order we should walk in across the bridges. He is a true leader, but he can also be a bit bossy at times. Ha! We play along.

B picked the Cathedral Loop to the right, so right we went.

"Mummy, let's hug it!"

Inside a tree trunk!

I was hoping he would make it on his own two feet the whole way. He had a snack half way through the loop, but he sat down to play in the leaves a couple times.

We saw three other couples that day. What a treat! B made sure to meet the people who were not on a mission. (I am trying to teach him the difference between people who want to stop and talk and people who are busily on their way.)

People give him energy, so he carried on for a bit.

He even got to follow the leader!

Stretching like Esa!

Overall, he did pretty great, and we all had a good time! We were so grateful to be in such a sacred place in the fall sunshine.

But alas, the little man wanted a ride out of the woods. Luckily we were on the downward slope by then. Esa and I took turns giving shoulder rides.

It is pretty eye-opening to see how Breaden takes charge in new territory. I don't think it matters where we are... if we are hiking, he somehow knows the way and will announce the terrain changes.

I can see this roll over to other parts of his life. It makes my heart swell to see him be so bold and confident. Even though he is small in stature, he has a big heart, big ambition and a strong will.

Maybe he can offer nature tours someday. Hikes with Brady P... hmmm... sounds like a winner to me. As long as someone has snacks!

Here's to your next adventure!

Wind and Waves

Boy, these past few days have been wiiiiiiindyyyyyyy!

But we did not get half a foot of snow like the forecast predicted. It's still fall!

When the wind is up, the waves are up -- when it blows from the north... which it did!

We had to go check it out. 

Where's a good wave watching spot? Hunter's Point!

We bundled up, found an elevated spot to perch on and stared in awe.

It was super sweet moment. I sat on a rock platform and B sat on my lap. We kept each other warm as the waves pummeled up -- sometimes even past us!

We shouted and squealed when we saw something really massive. I couldn't believe how high the waves were splashing out in the lake, even! 

It was quite a sight, and we were happy to be a part of it.

Here are some pics from our venue.

And of course, Mr. Explorer had to venture out to see if he could get a little closer. Luckily, he stayed dry!

Remember to breathe. And stay warm!

Mountain Man

Last week we had a fiery tunnel, now we have a golden highway!

My pictures don't do justice

The trees up here are pretty spectacular... still! 

Brady P likes to kick the fallen leaves on the trails as he hikes along.

And he loooooooves to hike!

It started a couple years ago when he would start following a trail for curiosity's sake. The thought of what would be around the next corner intrigued him so much that he would not stop until he was bushed -- sitting in the middle of the trail until he finally threw his arms up and whined, "Carry me!"

If you've ever hiked in the Keweenaw, you know the trails are not flat -- terrain or elevation-wise. 

So during much of those couple years I tried to curb the places he could see because he would just take off. I would shout, "Nope!  Stop! Turn around! Remember, once you stop, you still have to walk all the way back. You are too big to carry that far!"

But he would go.

I had three choices: Carry him back from far away, chase after him and carry him home before he got too far or not take him by trails he liked to go on.

That is not the life we wanted.

But he got stronger, and so did his love for nature.

Now I just bring snacks and water, and we can hike off into the sunset!

Oh my heart!!!

I am now adventuring with my own flesh and blood! My little sidekick is really kicking it! Over the rivers and through the woods!

I think he could easily cover a handful of miles. I'm planning some new destination routes for us... hopefully we can get to a couple of them before it turns too wintery.

But, what a great hiking buddy!

When he looks up from the bottom of a tough climb, he'll make this grunting sound (like I do) and hold his hand back to me (cuz he likes to lead!) and say, "I'll do it by myself!"

You better believe he does! Sometimes he even takes the harder ways like over a tousle of roots or atop a rock spine.

When we get to the top of a gnarly descent, he'll take a deep breath and remind me that he can do it by himself. At the bottom he'll shout, "I did great!"

"Yes, you did, Dove!" I'll echo.

Getting down a steep bridge by himself!

He also likes to read the trail signs. Well, I often read them the first time past, but he sure remembers them. 

Yesterday we doubled back on the Red Trail. We passed a sign that said "Caution Brigde."

"That's right!" he said.

I laughed at his confirmation to the sign. Like, the sign just knew!

He loves watching the water as we cross bridges. He delights in bridge and rock features. He tells me all the animals he sees. He remembers the names of the trails, the lakes and the special places we name ourselves. Here he is having his snack on our newly dubbed P. Pie Peak.

P. Pie Peak!

I am so pleased that this little man's strength and stamina has finally matched his passion and curiosity for roaming in nature. I see a fun, adventurous future in store for us!