Welcome to Pennsylvania! That will be $7 please.

I am a big fan of road trips.  Not much makes me happier than getting the dogs in the car and heading out on the open road.  So I was very excited to head out on our vacation yesterday.  After 5 and 1/2 hours of driving, we reached Pennsylvania, the state that thinks it's so awesome, they charge you $7 to enter.

As a mid-westerner, I'm not really used to paying tolls, especially as a Michigander. Other than the tolls we pay when traveling around Chicago and, of course, the the small price we pay to cross the Mackinac Bridge, we don't expect to pay to drive on our expressways.  Imagine my shock when I realized that after driving a bit farther, I entered the Pennsylvania Turnpike and additional tolls.  An additional $18.25 in tolls before reaching my destination for the night, to be exact.  By the time I reached my final destination, I had paid a total of $38.75 in tolls-more than I had paid in gas money to drive from Lansing to Chambersburg.  To add to this insult, the gas prices in Pennsylvania were 50 cents more per gallon than they had been in Ohio. 

So my Michigan friends, next time you are driving down our bumpy, pot-hole filled roads, be thankful!  I know I will be. 

September 28

On this day 5 years ago, I woke up knowing that your battle was over.  We spent the morning snuggling, and we spent the rest of the early afternoon on a blanket out in the sun like we had so many other times.  And then the time came and we gathered together everyone who loved you and I carried you to the car and you took one final car ride.  You were a front seat dog, sitting on your girls lap surrounded by love. We reached the vet's office and laid you in the sun...all of us around you.  I kissed that nose one last time, told you I loved you one last time, and held your paw as you took your final breath.  It was a peaceful experience, full of love and sadness.  But you were free of your pain, and after all that you had done for me, I was glad that I could be there with you until the very end.  

The pain has lessened over the years, but I still think of you often and you are always in my heart.  On this day, I still shed a few tears, but those tears remind me what a gift your life was.  My beautiful boy. 

Message body

Keeping the memory alive

As the seedum in my front yard begin to bloom and the bees return to feast upon them, as the leaves on the locust tree turn yellow and fall to the ground, and as the summer days grow shorter and the nights grow longer and cooler, I can't help but reflect on the past.  This final Sunday of the Summer season always makes me a bit melancholy because I know that with the beginning of Fall just a few short days away the time is growing near when I must put away the shorts and sandals and t-shirts and that those happy warm days I spend basking in the summer sun are almost behind us once more. But more than anything this time of year makes me think about the past...about loved ones lost and struggles that at one point in time seemed so hard to imagine living through,but now leave me with bittersweet memories.

Jake enjoying a treat

At this point in time five years ago, I was watching someone I loved slowly slip away from me and I was fighting as hard as I could to keep him here.  It was the first time in my life that I remember feeling completely helpless.  And five years ago this weekend, Jake gave me one last great weekend before the painful realization just a few days later that he was preparing to leave us forever.  So this weekend really gives me a whole bag of mixed emotions.

Playing in the hose

The emotions were triggered early this morning as I walked into the yard to see the bees swarming the seedum plants and  then triggered a second time as I poured my bowl of frosted mini wheat for breakfast.  For 9 years, as fall approached, I watched my great bee hunter stand for hours as those blooms brought in swarms of bees to stalk and hunt.  He got so much joy standing over those plants and watching those bees.  And in the end, feeble and frail, he was not deterred from his bee hunting.   It was as if nature was giving him one last great hunt before he left.

As he grew more and more sick and his desire to eat waned, there were always two things he would eat without hesitation....cheese and frosted mini wheats.  So it became our routine in those last weeks to sit together while I ate breakfast and I would happily share my breakfast with him.  I was happy to have him eat anything and enjoyed the extra time with my special boy.

All of my babies at the beach one last time

And although I don't like to dwell on the past, I do believe it is important to reflect and remember from time to time to keep alive in our hearts those who have gone before us.  So today I will remember Jake and the 9 great years he gave us by getting out and enjoying the last of these days of Summer.  For Autumn and Winter will come...for all of us.

Perspective

It happened last weekend as we spent the long Labor Day holiday weekend in the UP:  another lesson in perspective.  It always seems to happen when I travel there.  The lessons come from so many places.  Not only is it Mother Nature and all of her natural beauty that is my teacher, it is also the people.  Maybe it's the people more than the place that have helped to remind me of the lessons I have already learned...to remind me that there is a truth deep inside of me and that I just need to open my heart (and mind) and listen.  This trip especially, it was definitely a connection not only to the places, but to the people that make the places even more special.  And as an added bonus, I was given an additional gift in perspective from a complete stranger and an outsider...a visitor to this beautiful place that I have grown to love more and more and that has taught me so very much.

Sometimes life gets in the way of living.  Sometimes work and responsibility get in the way of dreams and passions.  This seems to have happened to me this year.   With all that has been going on here at home, I have sacrificed the frequency of my visits to Copper Harbor and all of the other places I love in the UP.  While I am still happy and I am enjoying life, I am not living to my full potential and I am not (to quote my awesome friend Bryce) 100% Trisha.    100% Trisha can only fully exist in the place where her heart and soul truly belong.  And while I may not notice it as much when I am here in Lansing, it is so clear when I finally get back to the Keweenaw.

I arrived on a rainy Saturday afternoon.  But even in the rain, I am happy to be there.  The original plan for Saturday was to attend the Great Sand Bay neighborhood pasty party, hosted by Marty and Koni, Bryce's neighbors, who have made me feel welcome at this Labor Day tradition of theirs for the last three years.  Like any good Yooper and Keweenawian, they symbolize all that is good about the people of this area-kind, friendly, help-out-your neighbor kind of people.  But

Mother Nature had different plans for us and, due to weather, the party was delayed by 24 hours.

This gave me the great opportunity to reconnect with some of the people who have become important in helping guide me along my path to enlightenment.   First there is Bryce.  Bryce is a guide and mentor in so many ways in my life.  No trip to the Keweenaw seems complete without a visit to Bryce and his trusty Zi.  But this year, I had gone an entire 7 months without seeing them.  They are my favorite Yoopers and the proof that if I work hard and sacrifice, I can get what I want out of life. Bryce has taught me many things that cannot be learned in books...things that require you to really stop and let go of everything you thought you knew.  He has taught me that it's okay to let go of societal convention and it's okay to just be yourself.  And that if you do those things, you can get everything you want out of life and can know true happiness.  He has also given me lessons in the importance of not dwelling in the past...and not worrying about the things you can't control.  The best lesson I've learned from him, however, is to pause, look up, take a deep breath, and just live right there in that moment.  To appreciate every moment because that is all we have...we just have right now-that's probably the best lesson I've learned from him.  Ask Bryce what time it is and he'll tell you "it's right now."

So the plan for the rainy afternoon was to meet up with Bryce and then drive out to Central Mine to see two other amazing Yoopers, Scott and Tom.  Scott and Tom are two of my amazing dog-loving, Keweenaw loving, photography loving friends who also made sacrifices and took a leap of faith and moved North to the Keweenaw.  Although I frequently run into Tom on my travels because he works right in Copper Harbor, Scott is a bit more elusive.  But this time, I knew exactly where to find him and I wasn't going to miss out on a chance to say hello.

On this particular day, Scott and Tom were at Central Mine for a special Keweenaw County Historical Society event and were being featured in one of the homes with all of their amazing photographs for sale.  The passion they have for this area they call home can be seen in their amazing pictures.   Scott also has a way with words and his love of the Keweenaw comes through in the things he writes as well, but it is when you speak with him that you can really feel the love he has for the area.  

Bryce and I arrived at Central Mine and spent some time talking with both of the guys, but it was in my conversation with Scott that I was truly moved.  As he spoke about the history of the house in which we were standing and the surrounding area, and especially as he talked about the people that had lived there, he just came alive.  I could feel the passion and love that he feels for this place.  It is in his heart, it is in his soul, it lives in every fiber of his being.  And that is an amazing lesson too. When you really, truly love something...someplace, others can feel the love and joy that place brings you.  Scott travels over 100 miles round trip each day to go to work so that he can live there in Copper Harbor.  To love a place that much, to make yourself and your happiness a priority, to inspire others to take that leap... That is truly inspiring to me.  And every time he shares his love of that place through his pictures and words, I feel like he's speaking directly to me...to remind me to live my truth, to live my passion, to live...and sometimes he actually is. (Thanks Scott-I am listening!)

Tom - what can  I say about him.  He lives an amazing adventure of a life and I would be lying if I didn't say that I am a little jealous of him.  He is lucky enough not only to live in Copper Harbor, but to work there too...and not in the tourist industry.  I know that he knows just how lucky he is too...as he sits at his desk with Lake Superior just outside the window and his two trusty companions, Daisy and Dozer, by his side.  Tom can spend his lunches searching for agates on the beaches of Lake Superior or somehow is lucky enough to take day trips to old abandoned lighthouses or a million other amazing places...and through the pictures he shares, I am given yet another perspective on what life can be when you follow your dreams.  I run into Tom all of the time when I'm on my travels in Copper Harbor and I always love my conversations with him.  He may live there, but he definitely doesn't take it for granted.  I can tell every time that I talk to him how much he loves his life in the Harbor and how much he appreciates all of the beauty that surrounds him.

We spent the next couple of days visiting the places and people who have made Copper Harbor so special to us and even found some new places to adventure.  On our final day in the Keweenaw, we headed up to Brockway Mountain.  At one end of the mountain is a beautiful view of  Lake Superior and the hills, valleys, and lakes that make up this beautiful area.  On the other end is the view overlooking the town itself.  Somehow, on this Labor Day, I ended up at this look-out all alone.  As I surveyed the area, I realized that I was looking out at Copper Harbor in a whole new way.  In the past, I saw a beautiful landscape with a tiny town sitting in the center of it all.  Over time, I began to see the individual buildings and landmarks...I knew the place names and some of the significant landmarks and began to try to better understand the layout of this land.  But this time, as I turned to walk away...I realized that I was now seeing Copper Harbor not as a tourist destination, not as a beautiful landscape, not as my vacation spot. No, this time, I was seeing the people of Copper Harbor. Jill at Jamsen's, Karen's Brockway Inn, Amanda and Aaron's house...It was a whole new perspective for me.  And it felt significant.  This isn't just a place that I visit...this is a place that I know and love, it is a place where I am welcomed like a local, where the people know my name...or at least that I'm the GSP lady.  It is becoming more and more a part of me and I am beginning to claim my place there as well.  As I walked away with this new perspective, I just smiled because I guess my mind is finally figuring out what my heart has known all along.  And I felt an extra sense of appreciation for all of the lessons taught and inspiration offered from so many of the residents of this tiny little town.

Good bye, August

As Imke made her way outside for her last set of rounds for the night, I decided to follow her and enjoy a little time on the patio.  I love the scents, sounds, and sights of summer nights and we have far too few of those left this year.  I love to go out and sit in my yard and look up at the night sky; the moon, the stars, and the darkness give me a great sense of peace.  Add to it the sounds of the tree frogs, katydids, and crickets and it's like a night at the symphony.  I just love it.

But as I sat out there tonight, I noticed that there were things missing...the warmth of a summer evening and the flickering of the lightning bugs are gone. I know there may still be a few warm evenings, but we are entering the portion of Summer that makes me sad.  The flowers begin to fade and the trees begin to turn to shades of orange, red, and yellow.   My world of green will soon leave and bring with it cold nights and sweatshirt.  Fall is definitely in the air.

I can't believe it's the final night of August.  With September comes the end of Summer...the end of shorts and t-shirts and flip flops, the end of swimming and of driving around with the windows down and the top off of the Jeep.  I'm really not a fan of Septemeber, never have been.  I always just wish we could have a few more weeks of August.

But thankfully we have one more weekend...the unofficial end of Summer to look forward to-a few more days to soak in the sun and stick our toes in the sand and maybe even take a dip in Superior.  I will get a few more nights of gazing up at the stars and listening to the nighttime symphony that surrounds us.  Although I'll always want more because, for me, Summer is never long enough.   

  

Imke

About 5 years ago, I sat down to start a blog about my dogs.  I thought I'd introduce everyone to the pups in my life and then share stories of our lives together.  I started with Jake because he was my oldest at 14(nearly 15) and he was pretty sick at the time.  I knew he wouldn't be around much longer and I didn't want to forget anything about him.  I thought that writing it all down would guarantee that I wouldn't forget him.  It was silly to think that I'd forget him or take our time together for granted, but I was going to assure that I wouldn't forget his quirks and the awesome things I loved about him.  I know that when I wrote that post all of those years ago, I didn't remember to include everything about him.  I wrote it through tears.  He was lying next to me, thin and frail, loyal as always. I knew he was sick, but he'd had a good week and had given me a least a little hope that things were going to turn around and he'd stick around awhile longer.  Less than two weeks after completing that post, we had to let my little old man go.  It's been a long time since I wrote that.  I didn't share it with anyone, it just sat here published, but unread by anyone but me.  Finally all of these years later, I opened up the link to this blog and decided it was time to write again.  I read what I wrote about Jake and it made me smile.  I've posted several blogs since then, however,  I've decided that it's time to share a little about the girls in my life.

Imke came into my life when she was just a 7 week old puppy.  We were purchasing our first house and I wanted nothing more than to get a puppy.  We got her the day before we moved into the house, a tiny adorable little puppy with big paws and floppy ears, my first German Shorthaired Pointer.  For her first two days with us, she was an only dog.  She was with us when we got the keys to the house-I remember pulling up to the house with Nicol and Imke in the car to get the keys so we could start moving.   She was just this sweet, timid girl who I am sure was just trying to figure out what was happening.  She was tiny and helpless and afraid to walk up or down stairs so Nicol carried her everywhere.  I loved her from the minute I saw her.  Little did I know how much more I would grow to love her all of these years later.

Two days after bringing her home, we rescued a gorgeous 6 year old male, our Jake.  They became fast friends.  He helped her gain confidence and she followed him everywhere.  I'm sure he was annoyed by her at times, but he was always patient and he was a great teacher.  She learned a lot about being a good dog from Jake.  I like to say that he did the hard work of helping us raise a puppy. With the help of her new friend, it didn't take long until that shy and quiet puppy turned into the wild and crazy, wacky girl I have grown to love.

I am extremely fortunate to have one of the most sensitive dogs ever (I believe that it is an important trait of their breed, but this dog is more sensitive than I have ever seen a dog be).  She understands how I am feeling, she knows when I need her, and she knows when I am okay.  She senses when I need protection and when I just need someone to cuddle with to make me feel safe.  And although she loves walks and rides in the car, she seems to understand that there are times when I have to make myself the priority and she is patient and expects nothing from me.  I really believe if she could, she would do more to take care of me.

I sit here tonight with my sweet old girl, her beautiful face gray with age, listening to her snore softly. As I look down at that face, I reflect on all of our years together.  We've had nearly 14 years together so far and they've been pretty good.  Mostly when I look at her, I see love...I see someone I love dearly and I see someone who I truly believe loves me more than anything and loves me more than anyone else ever could.  We have a special connection this girl and I .  She would go anywhere and do anything for me.  She is the definition of loyal-faithful, true and devoted to me always.  She loves unconditionally...despite all of my imperfections.

Imke has been with me through some really bad times and some really great ones.  I have suffered losses and gained insight.  I have gotten lost in life and I have found myself again along the way. And the whole time, she stood by my side.  Together we experienced the losses of our dear Spunky and our beloved Jake.  She watched with me as Nicol grew up, graduated from high school, went off to college, graduated from college, and moved away from home for the final time as she went off into the world as an adult.  The losses I felt, I did not feel alone.  She was there, sharing in them too. They were her losses as much as they were mine.

We have traveled from coast to coast, East to West and North to South and have even ventured into a foreign country together.  She has been there conquering fears and seeing all of the amazing wonders this country has to offer.  She has been with me as I rediscovered my love of the Upper Peninsula...which somehow I lost through some of the crazier years.  She is always up for an adventure no matter where it takes us and she has always been an amazing co-pilot.

She has been even more amazing in her support of my rescue work.  Sometimes she misses out on time with mom because I am off helping to save the world, but she doesn't hold that against me.  And she greets each new foster dog that I bring into our home with a wagging tail and a joy that is unmatched. She is welcoming to them all and willingly shares her toys, her bed, her treats, and her mom.  She is an expert at teaching them all of the lessons that she learned from Jake on how to be a good dog and how to enjoy life.

I am truly thankful for every day that we've had together.  I am thankful for all of the adventures and all of the quiet moments we have shared.  I am very thankful for all of the life lessons she has taught me through all these years. I had no idea all of those years ago when we decided to bring a puppy home just how much of an impact she would have on my life.  I feel so much love for her and get so much love from her in return.  I know there are people in this world who would think I am crazy to say all of these things about a dog.  But she is not just a dog...she is my four-legged, furry child and my very best friend.  I am blessed to have her in my life... I owe her everything  

I'd rather be Up North

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Michigan.  This great State has so much to offer and we have decided that this summer we are really going to take full advantage of living here.  So like any good Michigander should do in the Summer, the last two Saturdays we have headed "up North."

Usually up North for me means the Upper Peninsula, but we are really lucky here in Michigan to have so much more "North" to explore.  From my experience, once you are North of Clare, the Northern experience really begins.  And the bonus is that I can be there in less than two hours. With fewer people, more wildlife, and a pine forests lining the expressway, heading to the Northern Lower Peninsula offers a quick day trip or weekend get-away for me when I need to get into the woods for some peaceful reflection and don't have the time to get to the U.P.

Claire, Eddie and Shauna with Maddie, Imke, Wynona, Annie, Jesse, Dylan and Joey

Last weekend, we had a special visitor, my Aussie friend Claire came to town. So it was decided that we would head North to visit our friends Shauna and Eddie and their pack.  We met up with them at Hartwick Pines for a great hike with the dogs.  It was a really nice afternoon for a hike in the woods-not too hot, not too cold, and almost no bugs.   And I was even more excited to get out for a hike since, after suffering with knee issues for the last several months, I was finally feeling no knee pain and I was really going to be able to enjoy the hike.

We hiked the Ausable River Trail which has a good mixture of Red Pine and Cedar and crosses the path of the river.  It is amazingly beautiful and there isn't much that I love more than a river running through the woods.  Maddie was excited to see the water and jumped right in.  She was joined by Imke, Jesse and Joey.  I think Jesse would have stayed in there swimming all day, but we had more hiking to do.  

Claire and Wynona were having a great time enjoying the North woods!  Wynona is Shauna and Eddie's foster dog and she was an excellent hiker!  

Claire and Wynona enjoying the hike.

Annie was loving our hike too!  Annie is living with Degenerative Myelopathy which has caused her to lose usage of her hind legs, but she doesn't let that stop her from living life!  Annie has her own set of  wheels-it's a cart that works to allow her the freedom to roam around on her own and explore the world, but because this hike was so long, she got to ride in style like a princess instead.

Annie!

I think that Annie's smile really sums up  how we all felt after our day on the trail.  It's pretty amazing what a good day out on the trail with good friends can do for you!

After a great time in the woods last weekend, we were ready for some more time in the woods this weekend.  When my original plans for this weekend fell through, it gave us the opportunity to get out and explore a new area of Northern Michigan.  And I jumped at the opportunity.

After a quick look at the map and a short "planning" session, we jumped in the Jeep and we were off! This weekend, I was determined to get out on the North Country Trail and make some progress toward my 100 mile challenge.  I'd been wanting to explore the Jordan River Valley portion of the trail which is just South of Petoskey.  So we were off to explore.

We arrived at the parking area for the Pinney Bridge State Campground and we were off up the hill and into the woods.  The sun was shining and it was another beautiful Summer day in Northern Michigan.  My goal was to complete a four mile hike and to reach the 45th parallel.

Imke loves a good run in the woods

But as is the norm with my daily life, the girls reminded me that life isn't about meeting a goal or reaching a destination; it's about living in and enjoying the moment.

Life is about stopping to splash around in the water.  It's about enjoying the company of your best friend.

It's about stopping and standing still...alone in the forest and hearing nothing but the wind rustling through the leaves, the birds chirping in the distance, and your own heartbeat.

And when you do reach your destination or goal, you should take a moment to reflect on your journey and appreciate all that it brought to your life. And spend a little time basking in that moment too.

We should never be too busy to stop and enjoy the moment we are living right now.  Because when you aren't paying attention life is passing you by and you could miss something beautiful along the way.

And there is beauty all around us if we just open up our hearts and minds and take the time to notice.

Imke and Maddie on the NCT

As we returned to the Jeep, the girls were still enjoying every minute of our hike.  Because even though we had been down this path before, there is always something new to be discovered.

Taking a swim

We had a great time together in the woods, but I had promised Maddie a trip to the beach so it was time to head to the Jeep and do some more exploring.

Pinney Bridge

After a slight adjustment to our plans, we found our way to the Lake Michigan shoreline to end our perfect up North Summer day.  Because we all know that no Michigan adventure is complete without a trip to the beach! And it's even better if that beach touches a Great Lake.

Enjoying some time at Lake Michigan

As we prepared to head home, we were all happy for the moments we had spent together.  I'm always thankful for the life lessons these girls teach me every day and for every minute I am blessed to spend with them, no matter where we go!

My girls