July

Yep, here we are in a new month. I guess I just have to roll with the waves because things are just weird. I did get the front page to my Bullet Journal done. Boris Bigfoot and what may be his camping adventures for the month. Yep, Bigfoot goes camping.

Last week was my birthday week. One friend took me out to breakfast. Another friend took me to Port Austin, MI on my birthday and it was wonderful. Such a unique little village that is pro-artist and musician. The waterfront is beautiful and there's a lighthouse close by. You have to take a boat to get to it but I did see it in the foggy distance.

Public art.

The Bank is a restaurant in an old bank.

Port Austin Lighthouse. This is the type of lens used in the lighthouse and the miniature model that was made of it. It's in the Visitor's Center/Chamber of Commerce.

This was an old barn that has been turned into a living space and studio/gallery for the artist in residency program.

And this is art town. Another program for artists. If you think you want to have a brick and mortar place, instead of spending tons of money to see if it will work, you can rent a shanty for the summer and give it a go.

Even though it was overcast and sprinkled a bit, it was a great birthday day and gift.

2019

Day two on this calendar. It's 2019 y'all. No pic for this post because I just wanted to get started. Lots to do, lots I want to do and so far, I've gotten a decent start. First off, last year. 2018. I did do a few things.

• was a vendor at three doll shows
• finished 25 projects which included 52 pieces
• designed and made a doll for a theatrical production in North Carolina
• designed Halloween embroidery for a friend
• made my second trip up north, seeing another lighthouse and the Straights of Mackinac
• started a new doll making technique
• wrote a little, very little on my novels

That's what I did. What I accomplished and I'm pretty proud of myself. It wasn't all that I had wanted to do. But I did do some things and this year will be a lot better. I'm in a different place in my mind right now and I've got some exciting things coming my way.

With this new technique I will be doing more standing figures. Some will be cute, some funny, some a wee bit scary. But I believe it will help me grow as an artist. Making my box just a little bit bigger. So stayed tuned. We've got a new slate for the next trip around the sun.

Catching Up

Yes, catching up, yet again. For the past three weeks I've been running around like crazy. After a sudden heatwave, we now have fall temps and the leaves on the trees are starting to change color. My favorite time of year.

So I will start with three weeks ago when I went up north with my friend Kristi and her friend Abbie who is probably my new friend. We started out at Spicer's Cider Mill. Got cider, fresh donuts, apple pie, and wine. Did I mention that this was a ladies getaway? Yeah... Then we went to Ossineke and saw the roadside attraction Jurassic Jesus, the one who protects the dinosaur park.

That's me in the green. And the next pic is of a postcard from the dinosaur park. We also got fudge from Joann's Fudge. Actually, I got truffles.

We then went to a small waterfall and onto Posen. We took a nice walk on the property and got pizza at the town's party store.

The next day we went to Mackinac City. We visited Fort Michilimackinac.

And this poor guy waiting for visitors to come around so he could talk to them. In the back you can see the Mighty Mac aka Mackinac Bridge over the Straights of Mackinac.

There were several large gardens (at the end of their days) that had to feed everyone in the fort.

My new new friend I met. We talked about costumes and costume books.

We left there and I went to Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. It was around closing time and I was part of the last group to go up into the lighthouse. 51 narrow steps and an 11-rung, eight-foot ladder through a narrow hatchway. I did it, I went all the way to the tower. So glad there were only 3 of us. Really got a chance to talk to the guide.

The original Fresnel lens is on display in the light keepers area. I also got a quick look at the Shipwreck Museum. Very interesting and continued my talk with the same guide. He was pleased when I started talking about Michigan shipwrecks and U-boats of WWII. It's really nice to talk to people who love and appreciate history and they don't make you feel bad if you don't know everything they know. I wish I had time to buy him a beer and just talk. So if you're ever up north in the lower peninsula of Michigan, go see the fort and lighthouse. The Mighty Mac and the Straights of Mackinac. The best time is off season. No crowds. A little on the chilly side but still very cool. The last thing we did before heading south was to have pasties for dinner. Yum. Pass-tees. Until next time.

More Pics

I've been busy with a commission and I'm just now back to posting. Sorry about that. I will continue to work on it. But here are some more pics of my mini-vacay up north. Below is one of the inns on Mackinac Island.

St. Anne's is one of the churches on the island. They moved their cemetery to the preserve part of the island because the space on the main strand was needed for tourists.

This is the three horse carriage we took into the preserve part of the island. The whole island is a State Park. The other carriage ride we took had two horses. There are 300 horses on the island and three veterinarians during peak season. Only one doctor for people. So you know where you stand on the island. Horses first.

Circle Rock is a nice draw. In Victorian times they were able to climb onto the top. I can't imagine being a woman in a corset and long skirt doing that. But they did. It's gated off now. Right down in the center is a beach and road that goes all around the island. Eight miles.

I hate taking pics but I had a blast. You can see the top of the rock. It's a good ways down and wouldn't want to give it a try if I could.

Part of the marina looking out to Lake Huron.

There is a fort on the island. Fort Mackinac. Let's see... natives owned it, then French, then American, then British, then Americans again. I think that's the order. Close to it. These guys gave the last rifle demonstration for the year. The man in the front is in everyday regulation uniform and the one in the back is in dress uniform.

This is not on the island but on the coast of Lake Huron. Next to a lighthouse that I can't find where I'd written the name. Very pretty and relaxing.

And here's the lighthouse.