Cabins in the Woods - Not far from the cottage I mentioned in last week’s post sits a curious collection of tiny cabins, dotting a corner of the island. Belonging to a family for the last several decades, the compound has slowly expanded with each generation; deliberately, consciously. Each cabin is deftly designed and built by the hands of the […]
Branching Out in Rustic Paradise - A few weekends ago I had the immense fortune of spending a few days in Northern Michigan – the Upper Peninsula for those familiar with Michigan geography. On an island off the coast, to be exact. But not too exact, should readers be tempted to go looking for this slice of Eden and overrun the […]
More Than an Electric Forest: A Festival Story - Packed full with camping gear, food, and clothing to last five nights and four days, the truck looked ready for anything. Which is good, since all I knew was to expect the unexpected. A good time, sure, but past that was anyone’s guess. 
Northern Michigan By Air - One benefit to my extra-long blogging hiatus is that I’ve had plenty of time to catch up on my reading – which means lots of reviews and other bookish content soon to come, but those are a little tougher to write. [Read: they take more way more time.] In the meantime, I thought I’d share […]
Evening Flight - About two weeks ago, Ryan and I took my mom up in the plane for her first small-aircraft flight. With the days getting shorter in a big hurry, it ended up being primarily an evening flight. The night was crystal clear and chilly; the kind that really signifies fall is drawing to a close. We flew […]
Epic Birthday Adventure (Belated) - I’m belated in writing this post, the birthday wasn’t. The birthday was right on time. You know how I was dreaming of going back to Mackinac Island? Mission accomplished. And as luck would have it, the weather was perfect for flying. We saved about four hours of driving and a ferry ride. Oddly enough, the […]
Houseboat Adventure (Part 6) - This was our sixth year manhandling the manatee of a floating cottage around Lake Cumberland, also known simply as “Houseboat.” I refer to this annual trip with just a title like it’s spring break, or Vegas, or Cher. As in “when is the conference call for Houseboat?” And I have to say, it gets a […]
Movement Detroit - Most people who know me know I have a special love affair with concerts and live music. So you can imagine my delight when Memorial Day weekend rolled around, and we were able to make our annual pilgrimage to Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit for Movement, an electronic music festival. What’s special to me about this […]
First Flight - Over the past summer and fall, Ryan earned his pilot’s license. He’s talked about it on and off for a few years, and something just made him take the next step last July. It’s a pretty lengthy process, and especially in Michigan, where the weather is extremely temperamental. I kept making jokes like “It’s a […]
Kayaking on the Platte - It would seem from my posts that I’ve spent a lot of time up north this summer. And while it hasn’t felt like I’ve made a hefty number of trips, my photographs and calendar might suggest otherwise. Well, add one more to the list. Last weekend was my birthday (my birthdayyyy!) and I wanted nothing […]
Lollapalooza Love - You may have noticed a slight gap in my posting – and by slight I mean kind of gaping. My tardiness is warranted, I promise. We’ve been on the road, Thursday through Monday – busy dancing and gallivanting around Grant Park in Chicago for Lollapalooza. But I don’t just say that as a casual fan – […]
Houseboat Adventure (Part 5) - Does an annual vacation still count as adventure? I think so, especially if it involves nature – both human and earthly. I say human nature because of the social-experimentation feel this trip sometimes takes on. Cue movie trailer voice-over: “What happens when you isolate 14 people in floating living quarters for a weekend excursion? Houseboat. […]Girls Weekend, Lake Michigan Cottage, Take Two - Girls weekend, second annual edition, was a success. So much in fact, that I didn’t do nearly the exploring on the property as last year. Full disclosure: Instead, I sat in the hot tub overlooking Lake Michigan, and then shot air rifles (in a lady-like cardigan, of course). On Saturday morning I got up early […]
Art Festival - I love a good art festival. Heck, I even love a sub-par art festival, the untrained eye doesn’t exactly know the difference. I enjoy putting on something fun, walking around in the weather, people watching, and maybe even taking home something I can’t live without. And there is always good carny food at art festivals. […]
Up North - While I sometimes lament the fact that my parents live so far away, I should also be thankful that really they’re only a three-hour drive, and are living in (arguably) the most beautiful part of the state. And, I can go visit them whenever I want. For instance, just the other weekend, as a combination […]
alisonspencer.com 