"We all get to that point, when the day takes away more than it gives. When the to-do list gets longer than the "I want to do" list. When the daily routine starts to become the weekly and monthly routine. The cure? Just add water." (The Pure Michigan ad campaign was well over one year and several commercials into production before I recognized that voice. Tim-the-Tool-Man Taylor? Brilliant!)
Okay, so I was so there last week. Ten thousand things to do in a day, 99 percent of which I most definitely did not want to do. So when my cute-as-a-bug nephews (who, at 8-years-old, would have issues with the descriptive phrase "cute-as-a-bug", so let's keep that our secret but I digress...) So when my very handsome and manly 8-year-old nephews needed to enlist some volunteers to go along on a hike to earn their Bear rank for Cub Scouts, I happily left housework behind and pulled on my hiking shoes (aka my shoes) and headed to the trail. My house may be in Michigan, but fifteen minutes from my house? Pure Michigan.
We ended up walking a trail along Stony Creek. It may not be as big a body of freshwater as Tim Allen had in mind, but it is Pure Michigan.
When we came out of the woods, we were greeted by wildflowers in a meadow. All I can think about when I see this picture is...
The flowers in the very first frame of the Little House on the Prairie theme? Pure Michigan.
In fact, I could have sworn we had been transported back in time to the prairie, until I saw...
The only sign that modern civilization is close at hand.
Gorgeous Pure Michigan sky. There's even something beautiful in that electrical tower.
We hiked through the prairie and back to the woods again.
Nephew on the left and 13-year-old son on the right heading down the trail together.
Being able to experience this together on a random Friday? Pure Michigan.
And just in case you thought that I had forgotten this was about returning to the water....
Sunset over the lake captured while walking with my older daughter on Sunday.
Yep... Pure Michigan.
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UPDATE
Would you believe they are all still here? Not that I can blame Tommy's family. They've been travelling for the past two weeks, making stops and sightseeing on two different continents on the way back home to Pure Michigan. A 28-hour flight home left them too exhausted to deal with the trip back home, so they're taking a couple of days to recuperate with family down here before hitting the road. We've got Tommy for an extra day. He'll be on his way home tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that we can get a sedative in him.
I spent some time at Petco on Monday night to help facilitate the adoption of a very special brother/sister pair. Frankie and Johnnie came out of the same hoarding house that my fearsome foursome were from. Another little lady in residence in the store also came from that house. I met Tika on Saturday. Every moment that I've spent with her has reminded me of Henry. Very similar facial features, brown tabby, about the right size, and those eyes! And then she did this...
Miss Tika is a climber and an explorer. She's a rock and roller. She's been known to end up on the roof of the pet display (and heading to the other side to the store... Can't really blame her. There's toys and treats over there!)
She met Willow, our adult lady cat in residence.
She chased a feather teaser with Lucy, an amazingly gorgeous tortie who is nothing but a blur on camera.
Tika looks more like Henry than Eloise does. Tika acts more like Henry than Eloise does. They came from the same house. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure she's a member of the family. Barring her adoption in the next couple of days, she will be reunited with her brother Henry by the end of the week when he moves in with her.
Oh, how I will miss this grumpy little face.
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Tomorrow: We begin the up-close and personal biographies of our little ones who will be leaving us far too soon.
Kelly-You keep making me want to visit Michigan. I loved Little House and the theme song was great. I learned to play it on my recorder when I was younger. Keep us updated on all the Washington's please. The Adams come next-you'll be sure to use names like Morticia, Herman, and Talulah I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteThe babies who are likely to become the next residents are already named (by their current foster mama). I may be tweaking the names or renaming them for blog purposes though to keep my naming themes intact. ;-)
DeleteHave you seen the Purr Michigan videos? http://opcatchat.blogspot.com/2012/08/purr-michigan-michigan-humane-societys.html
ReplyDeleteI had not seen Purr Michigan yet. That is absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this with me! :-)
DeleteBeautiful shots! I'm waiting for the visit to Holland, MI though (still have my wooden shoes that we got there when I was small!).
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see how Tika and Henry react to each other. She looks like a little fireball!
My mom was born in Holland(MI)! I haven't been to the tulip festival in over 30 years. Perhaps it's time to go back (although that would make the Holland visit roughly next May... which might happen anyway since it's a good 3 hour drive away)
DeleteI had wooden shoes too. No idea where they are, though. My two oldest kids got wooden shoes in actual Holland when we were stationed in Europe. I do know where those are.
Love that face!
ReplyDeleteIt's a most excellent face. One that he's happy to use against me often.
DeleteThis the part that makes the rest of us hesitate to foster. But nice to think that sibs are waiting & ready to get into trouble together..
ReplyDeleteThanks for MI hits. I jumped on to YTube & found a bunch of great old (and a bit neglected) buildings in Detroit area. Not quite beach front but it’s easy to see the glory in those crusty old homes.
I'm just glad that I already know where my next litter is coming from (and that I'm desperately needed more by other kittens), otherwise I might have bigger issues in saying goodbye. Kitten adoptions have picked up to a fantastic pace right now. My babies shouldn't be lingering long at Petco... and I imagine I will be visiting daily until their forever families find them.
DeleteI get so engrossed in the photos of those buildings. Such history... grandeur and sadness mixed together.
You are the best ambassador for Michigan yet, Kelly! And belated thanks for the Norm update. Ever since he first found his way into the Love & Hisses comments, he made his way into my heart. Thanks for giving the excellent fellow the ideal home!
ReplyDeleteMore Norm updates will be on the way shortly... promise. Our house will be much emptier in a matter of days, which will create ever so many more photo ops for the old man (whether he wants them or not!)
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