Adventures in Marquette 2015

Yet another year in Marquette for the 4th of July!  I didn't get near as many steps registered this year, as the weather didn't cooperate as well as it has in years past.  I spent extra time in the UP this year with the idea of spending some time up north, in Calumet, and some time in the woods.  While yes, I got to head north to Calumet, the nature-trailing wasn't as prevalent.  For two reasons.  First, just like Detroit, Marquette has gotten an amazing amount of rain this year.  In the woods, rains means bugs.  Giant, biting, bugs.  The mosquitos were like mini vampires!  Second, the temperatures took a turn for the worse while I was up there, and there was several days of very chilly weather, as well as some rain.  I still got some of my favorite spots on the calendar, just not as many.

My first couple of days in town were great!  My Mom and I went and sang some karaoke at one of my favorite dive bars, Flannigan's.  I ran into a friend of mine and made plans to walk along my Presque Isle fairy trail the next day.  It was just as pretty, but was filled with the aforementioned mini vampires!  Thank goodness that Brad travels with a bottle of 100% DEET.  Now, Im all for "no chemicals" health and wellness, but I tried the peppermint and lavender oil.  I heard the tiny laughter in my ear as they got drunk on my very flavorful blood.  It simply didn't work.  Like always, we were graced with a  few deer along the path, watching us with as much awe as we had in our eyes, as we slowly walked past, mere feet away.




The next day I waited at home, taking a nap with my mom's cat, Teemu, killing time while she ran errands.  Here is one of the pics I sent to her before she got home.  After which we immediately headed out to eat at one of our favorite dinner spots,  Vango's.  Mmm Chips and spicy cheese, greek salad, waffle fries, and wash it down with a cold beer!  Could you ask for more?



I was lucky enough to be in town for my Godson's birthday.  Happy Birthday Izaak!!!  And what did the coolest kid in the world choose for his special day?  Cliff diving off of a waterfall at Canyon Falls with his very pretty girlfriend, mom, stepdad, baby brother, grandma, and godmother.    SUCH a cool hike into the woods to a couple of waterfalls that I never would have found.  I really wish they were closer to me.  They have such a nack for finding really cool nature places!  I didn't actually jump into the falls (bock bock bock), but took some really cool pictures.  It started to downpour on our way back to the cars, which made for an adventure.  Check out these great pics of the trail and the falls!

After the falls, I followed them home to Calumet.  That night we went to dinner at THE HUT, where my Mom, and most other girls that grew up in the Copper Country, worked there as a teenager.  Great, local whitefish dinner!  No wine.  Bummer.

That night I headed over to my Aunt Mary Lou & Uncle Al's house for some sleep and a morning sauna. I love their sauna, their location, their sturdy wooden steps down to Lake Superior.  I wish it was warmer, because it was just beautiful!  Can you tell the wind was touching my eyeballs?  Welcome to selfie-land!

If you've never been in a true Finnish sauna, you're missing out!  This is not a stinky steam room.  This is super health, sweat out your toxins, enjoy yourself, SAUNA!  Followed but a tepid or cold shower.  My grandmother used to run out in the snow naked and do snow-angels.  Im not that brave.  This is how I got to start my day both days waking up in the copper country!

The next day was full of fun!  ML & Al took me to Peterson's Fish Market, which is the best fresh fish from a tiny restaurant made out of a trailer.  The food was awesome, even if we sat outside, and it was cold out!

Next my Uncle Al showed me his newly fitted salkie.  I had never heard of one.  Apparently it is a cart that used to be hooked up behind horses.  But he rigged it to go behind the 4-wheeler, so we had quite the ride!

That night was full of fun hanging out with my bestie, Sam, drinks, and some karaoke.  She sure knows a lot of people in town!  There were a lot of people who presently or previously worked for her.  We were amused by the girl running karaoke at our last stop.  We noticed she was getting visibly intoxicated (not sure if there was anything else involved), and she could hardly speak.  At one point, after announcing a singer, she grabbed her purse and ran out of the bar crying, never to come back.  Another local regular sat down and took over karaoke for the rest of the night like nothing had happened!  Only in Calumet ... or were we in Houghton?

For my last day in Calumet, we took a ride up to Copper Harbor for a quaint lunch and a ride to the top of a mountain with a beautiful view.  Who knew I would find my name at the top!  I see a lot of "Serena", but it was a rare treat to see "Serene", and so close to my hometown!  And they weren't lying - the view was gorgeous!  I also made them stop at a waterfall on the way back.  I don't know why - I LOVE waterfalls!  Notice my tiger shirt from the Detroit Zoo, another of my favorite spots.

Back in Marquette, I got to do some of my favorite things:  I had lunch at one of the best food trucks in America, Dia De Los Tacos.  I sat down at Serene Point on Presque Isle (if you don't know what this is, read previous posts!).  Unfortunately, it wasn't long because of the mass havoc of flies that I had to endure.  And those little suckers bite!  I had the beer sampler, plus an extra pint of blueberry beer, and whitefish chowder, and The Vierling.  I visited the local gymnastics clubs, Peak Gymnastics.  Very cool club.  My mom and I also went to a fundraiser for them while I was there.

Which brings us to the fact that I went to my 20 year high school reunion.  I know I know, I don't look old enough.  Oh STOP!  You're making me blush!  But yes, MSHS Class of 1995!  I really had a great time catching up with friends of long ago - where they've been, what interesting things they're doing, and who they are now.  I had a great time!  I forgot how much I liked these people!  And of course because it's me, I had to dress a little sassy.  Just because I've been out of high school for 20 years doesn't mean I have to look the part!  Blue hair and all!  And I even got some old friends to make funny faces with me!  Thanks Kristie P!

For the 4th of July, my brother was in town, and my friend Bri and her 2 boys.  We had a blast walking down to the parade, with a stop at Blackrocks Brewery.  The pirate ship was actually pretty impressive!  

We then headed down to the lower harbor and our version of an INTERNATIONAL FOOD FEST (pizza, pasties, and a couple of chinese places).  But the bands are pretty good, and it's a good place to hang out.  Bri also made angry faces with me.  Don't we look good in our patriotic wear?

Other events of the weekend:  Birthday BBQ for Uncle Dougie, complete with a water balloon fight!  Swimming, climbing, and watching divers at our favorite cove on Presque Isle.

Before I left town, I visited some favorite, and new to me, stores in town.  Spice Merchants was VERY cool.  Rows and rows of teas, bulk spices, spike mixes, dip mixes, and so much more!  I couldn't leave town without some new tea!  Michigan Fair had some cool stuff for yourself or for gifts.  I bought this "She shoots.  She scores." For myself!  And of course you have to stop at Doncker's.  It has been a Marquette staple in this very spot since 1914, although it has been a store since 1896!  Not only is there really cool stuff to buy, awesome candy and chocolate (dark chocolate salted caramel is my favorite), but they have a kick-ass restaurant, where even Obama ate at when he was in town!

Last picture of the blog - randomly catching up with old friends because I heard she was in town.  She missed the reunion, but I had the pleasure of spending just a couple of hours with the famous Amy Fuller before our lives took us to opposite ends of the country.  And the 3rd and final brewery in Marquette (and within a mile of each other), The Ore Dock.  Miss you lots, Miss Amy!

Now go catch up with old friends.  Visit your hometown.  Tell me about your class reunion.

Peace.  Love.  Serene.

Adventures in Nature & Food - Marquette, MI (Part 1)

First off, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!  I hope everyone had a safe and fun weekend.

I'm very sad to read some of the fireworks-related accidents over the weekend, and I can't stress enough that these are not toys.  They deserve caution and respect.  I don't even know why the average consumer is allowed to operate the huge fireworks that are on shelves today.  I remember hearing about injuries even when we could only buy sparklers & snaps!  (those little white twisted things that you throw on the ground, and they make a loud POP).

I spent last week in my hometown, Marquette, MI.  Most of the week was spent in nature and relaxing.  Towards the end of the week friends and family started arriving, which is when I had more beer and less sleep.  It was an amazing week!!

I've made the pictures large in this blog because they are so good, I want to show the great details!

I'll start out with this pic because I love it - 

WELCOME TO MARQUETTE, MI!

I'm not going to lie, the drive isn't an easy one - it's 7 hours with no traffic, and minimal bathroom breaks.  I had the thought that I didn't really have to arrive at any particular time, so I put my feet up and kind of took my time.  I stopped at Old Navy (ok, 2 of them), and bummed around the Outlet Stores and West Branch and Birch Run a bit.  I bought a cool new water cup, and my favorite tea that I've been looking for FOREVER!

 I had this plan to stop at ALL of the scenic turnouts.  Guess what?  They're all pretty much the same. Especially in the UP.  A whole lot of views of the bridge!  But I did stop at a few, and this one had a pretty cool trail up to a viewing deck.

On Sunday I was lucky enough to visit with my second family, Samantha, Alex, and my God-son Izaak.  It was Izaak's birthday so after breakfast we got to watch him win his hockey tournament (GO IKE!), then a visit to Sam's mom's house for ice cream and this AMAZING birthday rhubarb cake.  It was so good that Im going to include this not-healthy, not-organic, super yummy rhubarb cake recipe:

Grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Set the oven at 350 degrees.

Spread out 3-4 cups of chopped rhubarb

Pour over it 1 cup sugar

Then 1 3 oz package of strawberry jello

Then 1 package of yellow cake mix

Mix 1 cup water & ¼ butter, melted

DON'T STIR!

Bake for 45 minutes.  Seriously.  That easy.  And it was amazing!

After they headed back to Calumet, the first part of the week was spent letting my brain decompress - I went out to Presque Isle quite a bit, and just walked around town.  I breathed in the air, let my muscles relax, and just did whatever felt natural.  

While out there, I decided to stop on this trail that isn't really marked, but I thought I would try it out. It goes into the middle of the peninsula.  I kept calling it the fairy trail because it had this great canopy of trees that tinted everything green.  The path was covered in moss and baby grass, making it feel like a fantasy land.  I almost expected tinker bell to come out and start chatting.  When I mentioned this to my friend Michelle, she said there is a fairy trail in Ann Arbor where there are fairy houses along the way.  I kind of dig this idea!  There was also a lot of really cool, really old, fallen and decaying trees.

If you have read my blog before, you know of Serene Point.  No, it is not actually called that (maybe I should start a petition!), but it is where I go to reconnect with the earth's energy, the water, and the way things should be in my life.  This spot literally changed my life, and was the birthplace of this blog.  I would go every day and sit and read "Eating Well" or "Organic Gardening" and time stood still.  Or I would close my eyes and feel the warm rock underneath me and hear the splashing of the waves over the rocks on 3 sides of me.  The best part is the solidarity of that spot.  And when I am through, I stand up and look around and realize there are 20-30 people on the rocks above and behind me, and I couldn't hear any of them while sitting at Serene Point!

One of the beautiful sites from Presque Isle

One day after my time on the island I also stopped at the entrance of the park at the bog walk.  Cool little "almost one mile" jaunt around the bog.  Apparently there is sometimes an abundance of birds and wildlife.  That day I saw a momma duck and her ducklings, and a couple of crabby old geese!  I had to take a picture of the iris - how can it just grow out there??  SO COOL!  I love the boardwalk - it is what I really wanted at the cottage on our path out to the sauna.  And the last picture just felt really magical to me (I guess theme of the week?), like I was going under this canopy to a different dimension.

After all that exercise, I set off to find the best food truck in town!  Meet Dia De Los Tacos.  No, they aren't mexican.  I read an article about owner Mike Walker (who I went to school with), and he said "I just really freakin like tacos"!  Would you turn this down?

I also visited with family that I don't get to see very often, and had some great laughs with them.  I also took over the microphone and sang songs until I saw them yawning.   Im so glad I got to hang out with Uncle Bud, Aunt Dodie, my cousin Dave, and Gidget the Midget (a tiny attention-loving dog).  My mom and Uncle Doug were there too!  Unfortunately, I have no pictures of that night, but I think that may have spoiled it anyway.

My very good friend Michelle arrived late Wed night, making it very necessary to go to the Sweetwater Cafe for lunch on Thursday.  Of course we started the day with a Belgian Peach Beer, which was actually very sweet.  And this very tasty tomato & pesto grilled cheese.  Why don't I make these at home??

We then went and walked the break wall - we even went off the "smooth" part and onto the boulders that are technically off limits.  There was a couple of times the Coast Guard put on their sirens (they are located near there), and we were SURE they were coming for us!  We made it about ¾ of the way out, but turned back.  We had gone a really long way, and the rocks seemed to have more slippery spots than the earlier ones.  The second pic is playing with filters. I love this one.  I didn't know it looked so cool until I downloaded onto my computer!

On our way back we stopped to look for a couple of geocaches - this one was our favorite tucked away in the trunk of a tree!  There was also a deer right next to the road.  They are very used to people, and very tame, so this is not all that unusual, but still really neat! 

And this is the end of Part 1!  Check back for party 2!

Peace.  Love.  Serene.