Introduction
I have always felt lucky to have grown up in Michigan. I always bought into the state’s motto: “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” I spent my childhood looking about me: Higgins Lake, Kensington Park, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron (I think I only met Lake Superior when I was a bit older). The Detroit Zoo, Belle Isle, Boblo, Greenfield Village, Scotty’s Fish and Chips, Cape’s Ice Cream in Milford: the list is diverse and goes on and on. A few weeks ago, Tom and I were lucky enough to take a trip to the Lower Peninsula. Below are some photos of the trip.
Mackinac Island
Lake Huron
milkweed pod
rocks, trees, steps, Mackinac Island
Sleeping Bear
Lake Michigan
pine needles and fungus
shore, Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Detroit
at the Rouge Plant, Dearborn
from Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals, Detroit Institute of Art
Cotswold Cottage, Greenfield Village, Dearborn
at Scotty’s Fish and Chips
Close to the Ground: Living Inductively 
Very nice, Lynda. Thanks for sharing. This coming year we hope to make a long road trip that will allow us to explore the beauty of Michigan.
Hi, Richard, thanks for the kind words. I think you and Melody would love Michigan. Interestingly enough, for both Tom and me, the overwhelming beauty, presence, and power of the Great Lakes remind us of the Grand Canyon!
When my wife was growing up, her family took memorable summer trips to Higgins Lake, each season. As a youngster I had no idea of the place (we didn’t travel far afield) but I’ve always thought it was a neat bit of serendipity that it’s the headwaters for the Muskegon River (which I grew up playing along, though much, much further down in Muskegon County/Lake Michigan).
-Jason
Hi, Jason,
I remember from my earliest childhood how magical “up north” seemed to me. It still seems that way. In fact, I loved summer so much that I thought that it only occurred every few years!