Little House in the Big Woods

We moved into a new house! It's been very quiet around the blog lately.  The move is the main reason why that's been happening.  Our new rental house was only about 1000ft from our old rental house (it's literally right around the corner), but it still took a ton of work.  We are finally all moved in though!

Our main reason for moving was because our old house was totally furnished, which is nice, except that you are constantly tip-toeing around other people's stuff.  And when I say furnished, I mean furnished down to the last dish, blanket, towel, and even cleaning supplies.  It was a great house, but we've outgrown having other people's stuff around.

One HUGE bonus to our new house is the wood burning stove! We paid roughly $300/month for heat last winter, which we weren't super keen to do again. This year we are lucky to have an (almost) brand-new stove to heat the house.  We've already started using it, which is awesome because we got our first snowfall this weekend.  Yikes!

Things are still in the "unpacking" phase at our house.  As soon as we get things a little more settled I will post pics of the inside.  It's a very cute house and we are excited to be living in it!

Your turn...What is your favorite thing about your house?

Currently listening to...Hold On - Alabama Shakes

Things to Do on Beaver Island: The Big Rock

One of the many, many exciting (and slightly silly) things to do on Beaver Island is visiting the Big Rock.  Seriously, it's on the map.

My dad was the first one to make it to the top.

Only 20% of the rock is actually visible, so it is a really big rock. Locals and tourists alike cruise out to Fox Lake Road and attempt to run up the side of the rock. It's usually accompanied by going on a boodle (aka a drive around the island that occasionally involves adult beverages). Boodle is a commonly used phrase on the island.  It's typically a summer activity, which often involves putting a picnic table in the back of a pick-up truck.

Jenny (step-mom) pretending to move it.

Dad and I on top of the rock.

Big Rock is a favorite cruising destination for islanders.  It's fairly far out and requires driving down some of our more interesting roads, which is saying something since all our roads are sand/gravel.  The roads out in this area are fantastic for cruising because they are narrow and heavily wooded.  Picturesque tree tunnels line the entire roadway. It's a great place to spend a leisurely weekend afternoon.  There's never another soul on the roads and you can set your cruise control at 5mph.  Perfect weekend cruising.

Currently listening to…Honey Won't You Let Me In - Tallest Man on Earth
Your turn…What are some of your favorite cruising spots?

Sunset Sunday

Little Luna

World, meet Luna.  She is the newest member of The Middle(tons) of Nowhere.

Luna is a three month old Australian Cattle Dog mix (the same as Specks) and she came to us from the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society (LTBHS).  Before LTBHS, she was living a pretty rough life that alternated between the streets and death row at an Illinois kill shelter.  I've been wanting to adopt a companion for Specks for quite some time.  We've even gone to meet potential adoptees, but Specks is an extremely passive dog with no tendencies towards aggression, prey drive, or even barking.  Because of this, we've been holding out for the perfect brother or sister for him.

Luna (formerly named Joplin) seemed like a wonderful fit.  She is awfully timid right now, but she is already shyly curling up next to Specks and sneaking kisses to Cody and I.  The three of us are positively smitten with her.  We decided to change her name to Luna in honor of Luna Lovegood (from Harry Potter).  Luna Lovegood has always been one of my favorite book characters and I think our new, baby Luna will live up to all of her silly goodness :)

Your turn…Have you ever adopted a pet? 
Currently listening to…Can't Feel My Face - The Weekend

Weekending: 9/18-9/20

It was another beautiful weekend on the island. Chilly temps followed us around most of the time.  I actually considered turning on the heat at one point because it was only in the 40's outside.  My stubborn side prevailed though and I am still holding out for October to run any heat.  Instead, we beat the chill by going for coffee and donuts at the local bakery.  I say "the local bakery" because it's the only one.  It has semi-limited hours, but Dalwhinnie Bakery is a must if you are on the island.

Specks and I did some serious walking this weekend too.  It was perfect weather for long strolls out into the wilderness.  I caught this picture of our shadows on Sunday morning, just after sunrise.  We were strolling at the beach near our house.  I'm going to miss these early sunrise days soon, but the days are getting shorter all the time.

Here's a little proof of the shorter days to come from one of our nighttime strolls this weekend. I'm sure the darkness will just keep creeping in until I am going to work and coming home in the dark every day.  Such is the pattern when you live in the north woods.

We wrapped up the weekend with some homemade chicken and dumplings, courtesy of Cody's grandma and her super-top-secret family recipe.  Cody spent a ton of time learning to make them with her and now he makes them a few times a year.  I don't eat them because of my meat aversion, but I do always help make the dumplings.  It's a fun project that we love doing together from time to time.

Your turn…What did you do this weekend?
Currently listening to…Across the Universe - Fiona Apple

Sunset Sunday

This is actually a picture of a sunrise, but I loved it too much not to share.  If you look closely you can see a small boat pulled right up next to the shore.

Things to Do on Beaver Island: Little Sand Bay

Beaver Island is a downright mystery to most people.  They ask where I live and when I reply the responses range from…

"Are there beavers there?" to "Never heard of it."  to "Why?!?!"

I thought that if I started doing a Things to Do on Beaver Island segment of my blog people might be a little less confused…or not, whatever works. You'll probably notice that most of these things involve just (insert outdoor activity here) around in nature.  Honestly, that's just the majority of what there is to do here.  There are a few community events sprinkled throughout the year, but nothing super crazy.  For all of you outdoor enthusiasts though, it's a paradise!

Little Sand Bay Preserve is one of my favorite hikes on the island. Right past the airport there is a two-track trail that you can drive your car down.  A sign marks it for what it is. You drive a little ways back into the fields, but don't worry your car won't get stuck.  Another old, painted sign shows where to park.  I've never seen any other people out here hiking, so I don't imagine you'll be fighting for parking ever.  Next to the parking is an awesome abandoned house.  The house is from the original Mormon settlers on the island.

The trail is mostly a dirt path in the beginning and you'll traverse through some tall dune grass and abundant apple trees (feel free to snack).  The trail then heads into a winding, swamp-like section of the island.  Boardwalks dot the trail to help with the high water in some spots. It is very mossy with lots of fallen trees, which makes it seem like the Pacific Northwest or SE Alaska for a stretch.  Finally, the trees part and you are out on a huge, sandy beach with endless wildflowers.  It's pretty stunning to walk out of this dark and wooded trail only to be blinded by Lake Michigan. 

This trail comes highly recommended by me, especially if you are wanting a look into the islands many ecosystems.  It is also a popular birding trail and beavers are often seen building in the swamps, which is very cool!

Your turn…What are some of your favorite beach trails?

Currently listening to…New Slang - The Shins