Just for those of you who wonder what a
Yooper is, I'll tell you: it's someone living in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan. Look on a map for that!
We have a cabin there, so for a week or more each summer, we become Yoopers, too.
Having just been there, I thought a Top Ten list would be appropriate as to why we enjoy being temporary Yoopers.
10. Yooper Merchandise
Let the pictures speak for themselves!!
9. Time Out
Cell phones and internet won't work at our cabin!! This forces us to entertain ourselves with games and projects. We learned how to play Mexican Train this year! Fun!
8. White Stag
Though we have to drive at least an hour from our cabin to get here, this restaurant is a family tradition and well worth the trip! Many birthdays have been celebrated here, and their steaks and pork chops are divine!
7. The Wild Berries
It's not quite time for picking yet, but the wild raspberries and blueberries are the best. We make pies and they are gone before you know it! So many many tiny berries need to be picked to make just one pie, but it's well worth it.
6. The Locals
I enjoy hearing the local folks conversing. "Eh" is often used at the end of a question: "We're having a beautiful day here, eh?" "About" is pronounced "a-boat" or something like that. There are other words, too, but I am not going there.
Now, just to give you a flavor of U.P. talking, I'm going to tell you about what the senior grand-stand announcer at the 4th of July parade had to say about firefighters when asking for folks to donate to the Fire-fighters Fund:
"Folks, I want you to think about our firefighters. They are a lot like toilet paper. When you need 'em, you really need 'em. But, when you don't need 'em, you don't even think about 'em. So, donate to our Firefighters Fund today!"
5. Iron River - Small Town U.S.A.
Folks jsut seem to know each other and come out in droves for summer activities like Rodeo Days and the 4th of July parade and picnic. We were lucky enough to get to go to the parade and fireworks this year, and veterans, trucks and scouts are given top billing! And I saw something at the parade that was a first: a cement mixer pouring water over screaming kids on the parade route!
4. Covenant Point
This is one great camp for folks of all ages! Both Anne and John have been campers and counselors there.
(John is wearing his CP shirt - I don't have an actual picture to post of the camp.) For the past five summers, John and Anne have hosted staff get-togethers at our cabin and it's one hoppin' place on our peninsula!
3. Water
Not only do we have our beautiful, clear lake right out our front door, but we have lakes so close by...James Lake, Tamarack Lake, Silver Lake to name a few. And waterfalls, too!
2. Wildlife
We often see deer nearby. Bears are reportedly around, but I have yet to see one. Little zipping chipmunks often race across our deck. But my favorites are the dragonflies that are curious enough to stop by when we swim, boat and sit. And the frogs that hang out by our dock. Elusive fish. Turtles are around, too.
(There are flies, oh, there are biting flies...and mosquitos, but they aren't on my list of Top Ten!)
1. Our Cabin
It's on a beautiful lake many miles from the nearest town. (Not Hagerman Lake.) It's small, homey, with only neighbors on either side of us...good long-term friendly neighbors. We share tools, water, missing grocery items, our sauna, their swing, fishing tales. Life is good here.
Once again, we headed off to Millennium Park, this time with Elin (a visiting Swede and former roommate of Anne's at SVF) and John. Anne and Jed were unable to be with us as they were attending a wedding.
Of course, we had to take Elin on a tour of the park! She enjoyed the squirting faces at the Crown Fountain, and the Bean.
The concert we attended at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion was amazing, to say the least.
The Gerardo Nunez Quintet, along with Flamenco dancer Carmen Cortez were performers extraordinaire - Melissa, I thought of you!
On the way over to the lakefront, we were greeted by a policeman perched on a horse. I thought it would be really really cool to have Elin and John pose by a horse in this blog, but unfortunately the lighting is poor, so you'll just have to take my word for it that there is a horse in the background...and a rather cranky officer in the saddle.
Wes found us quite a good location for viewing the Venetian night festivities.
Waiting for the Venetian Night parade of boats is quite entertaining, especially when Elin and John got their glow sticks! (here they are acting as St. Lucia!)
Fireworks and hordes of people...oh my!
Taking the train back to our hometown after a big night in the city...worn out but well worth it!
