Lake Michigan - Mishigami

As we moved toward the Eastern shore of Lake Michigan we had somewhat mixed feelings;  we were there at a time that pretty much guaranteed that there would not be large crowds along the way but it also meant that we would not be able to see the area at it’s busiest.  I guess that normally it wouldn’t make a lot of difference – I mean, we seem to be able to find beauty and fun just about everywhere – but the fantastic vacation homes we saw seemed lonely and forlorn without their summertime inhabitants.   But – that was only a fleeting thought.  Heck, we can cheer them up!!  We cruised around Crystal Lake and edged our way back toward Lake Michigan when all at once we saw some really cool residents!!!  Swans!!!  The neighborhoods were quite attractive and peaceful and we would have really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know some of the folks who lived there but we had a lot of miles to cover.  Interestingly, at certain points the highway almost leaped into the air, rising hundreds of feet to give us a broad panorama of the lake.  As we paused to take in the breathtaking scenery at the rest area shown in the picture to the right we were joined by a couple who were celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary with a trip up the coast of Lake Michigan.  Years ago, when they first met, they took a trip along this highway and when they reached this point our new friend decided that this was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with - so - he proposed.   Each year they try to make it a point to be in the area around this special time and, when possible, they come to this spot to remind themselves of the things they felt - and said - so long ago.  Obviously a special place!!!!  Anyway ......  we could not help ourselves - everytime we saw one of the many roadside parks - especially those that surrounded the tiny "jewel-like" lakes - we just had to stop for a bit.  (Did you know that Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes????  Wow!!!)  I suppose we should confess to the fact that as we have hung around this planet we have come to realize the value of every minute we spend here and I suppose everything we see winds up being "wondrous" in its own right.  Sorry for the sentimentality but - hey, get over it!!!  As you can see by the pics, we saw a lot more swans and their graceful forms and regal bearing seem to demand that they be photographed.  However, we also found this other strange guy as evening was coming on.  We realized it was a "goose" of some kind but we had never seen one quite like it before.  As you know from past posts and stories, we have a lot of Canada Geese that visit us down South and Snow Geese are occasional visitors as well.  But - these fellows were "strange!!"  We finally found a local resident to ask about the geese and learned that several years ago - during a very stormy fall - the "jet stream" dropped to unusual levels and somehow a pair of Chinese Geese hitch-hiked their way into the Michigan peninsula and have been here since.  It is a beautiful but very unusual bird!!!   We feel fortunate to have made its acquaintance during our trip.  Of course, unusual weather phenomena in the Wolverine State are not out of the ordinary and some of the photographs we saw of this area during the heart of winter were absolutely awesome.  Now, I've gotta confess a bit here....  Linda noted that I seemed to have a kind of "special" feeling for Michigan during our travels.  Well - years ago my grandmother did some research into my "family name."  She turned up the fact that the "coat of arms" for our family had a "Wolverine" as the central figure on the shield.  I'm not sure about all of that but - I have to admit, for many years I have felt a kinship with that fierce little creature who is the namesake of the state we were visiting.   And - while we're talking names, remember when we talked about the term "Gitchi Gami" used to describe Lake Superior???  Well, legend has it that the name "Michigan" comes from the Ojibwa name for the huge lake that lies at the center of the state.  Mishigami - or - "Great Water" is the name given the lake by the early residents and it has come to represent the entire region.  Lake Michigan is about 118 miles wide at the widest point.  (Roughly the section that lies between St. Joseph and Chicago.)  On occasion, the lake has frozen for the entire 118 mile distance and people have traveled from St. Joseph to Chicago - completely by "ice."  I'll try to share some pictures of the lighthouses as they look during the winter to give you a better idea of the harshness of the winters here.  But - for now we'll let you warm up a bit and rest.  Oh - and by the way.... I don't hear from too many of you out there so if you have any questions for me - or you would like for us to expand on some aspect of our travels - please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail.  We would really love to hear from you.   We'll be back to continue the southward trek soon.  See ya.