Dear Snowbirds: Nope

I can tell from the search terms that you snowbirds want to know just one thing. Has it snowed yet? Well, no, not yet. In fact, today’s a nice sunny day. But I’m not going to show you that, because I have a lot of other things to show you that backed up while I was having Internet Issues. For the moment I can upload photos and edit posts, so let’s get to it before things go south again. Oh, wait, you think that’s a good thing. Never mind.

It was quiet in Elk Rapids earlier this week. Very quiet.

The boats of summer were all tucked away in their blue shrinkwrap overcoats.

You might think we just fade away into a winter dream while you’re gone.

You would be wrong. We may be Closed for the Season but we are busy. While the Summer People are Away we can finally get around to stuff we’ve been meaning to do. Like fix the roads. (Note: I took this photo in Boyne City two years ago. The whole project is long since finished, but this is a perfect picture of what we get up to when you’re gone.)

On St. Venison’s Day we break out in blaze orange and fill our freezers with meat for the winter. OK, sometimes we just go to deer camp and eat jerky and potato chips and tell stories about the buck that got away. Sometimes we just go shopping. And, um, we eat too much chocolate. And probably drink too much schnappes, too, but I wouldn’t know about that.

On Friday we’re going to dinner in Ellsworth. Alana Haley wrote to say:  The Front Porch Cafe will be holding a Fall Fundraising Dinner on Friday, November 20 at 6:00pm. The dinner features roast beef donated by the Charlevoix Senior Center which will be served with mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable, homemade roll, dessert and beverage. Reservations are required at 231-588-2000. 

If you’re going to be around I hope you’ll come too. The Front Porch is unique, in my experience. It offers wonderful meals made from scratch with love. The menu shows the Suggested Price. The diner pays whatever the diner is moved to pay, and one way and another everyone is fed, body and soul. Those of us who are hungry for ways to do something practical about the woes of the world can keep a cheerful little spot open for those of us who are just hungry. And no one knows, looking at the happy people who fill the place at breakfast and lunch, which of us is which. Um, if you’re not going to be around, it would be perfectly OK to send a check to the Front Porch.

On Sunday, reliably informed that there will be excellent treats, we’re going to the opening for the Members Holiday Art Sale at the Jordan River Arts Center.

The next weekend there’s a lovely, fragrant Wreath-making workshop at Pine Hill Nursery. Now aren’t you sorry you left early? No? Hmm.