Draft Horses and Shakespeare

So, among the many job applications that I've been working on, I've had time to hang out with friends, including (on a couple of particular occasions) Miss Jenny "Marquis" Whitener.

On Sunday 22 October, we headed to Michigan State University for the final day of their Draft Horse Show. Though I'm not much of a draft horse afficianado, it seemed like a fun way to spend time on a Sunday afternoon. Jenny (the major horse fan who was super excited for the show), Trace, and I went to the show and spent much of the time chatting instead of appreciating the parade of large mules and horses. The show was quite fun, but more in the sense of the company, the very patriotic organist playing Americana classics, and the delicious fresh cheese curds. After, we headed for a delightfully scrumptious meal of cider and fish and chips at the Claddaugh Pub, purused the stores of the mall, and giggled ourselves back to our respective automobiles. All in all, it was a surprisingly enjoyable afternoon. (photos: Jenny just that excited about draft horses; mules doing their thing with all the avid spectators doing theirs; and Jenny and Trace just that excited about the cheese curds.)





That following Thrusday, I went to Ann Arbor at the very last moment to visit Jenny and to attend a wine, cheese, and cured meats tasting with the Royal Shakespeare Company (who are doing a residency with the University of Michigan). Jenny has become a huge fan of the RSC and aggresively urged me to come to A2 for the event. I met her in town at a small boutique with a very strange but friendly Turkish proprieter as Jenny picked up some emergency "vamp" tights before we went to the Power Center for the reception. The event itself was very pleasant, though we were some of the only non-RSC/non-academic staff present... and it showed. We did our best to attempt to mingle, which we successfully did after a man suggested that Jenny looked like the daughter of the president of the University Musical Society. He introduced us to a couple of the RSC actors and we chatted briefly but pleasantly before the event ended. After, a bit giddy for various reasons, we postponed our trip to Ashley's (a local pub, for those that may not be familiar) and instead attempted to go to a movie. At Ashley's later, we saw more members of the RSC, which made Jenny even more exceptionally giddy. Little did we know that next to us sat two members of the company, one who was playing Julius Ceasar in the company's production of the same name, and we chatted over pints and a pizza. The evening ended with Jenny and I still giggling as we went back to her swanky Ann Arbor pad and both getting up very early the next morning. (photos: Jenny pretending to not be super excited about Patrick Stewart and the RSC; wine, cheese, and cured meats at the Power Center; Jenny and me upset that we couldn't see the movie "The Queen"; at Ashley's with the c. 50 different beers on tap; Jenny trying to hide just how excited she was about the RSC people behind her and her friends; and the ad in the bathroom, for those of you that would appreciate it...)

Season(s) of Mackinac

Since I had my cute little camera with me quite a bit this fall, I took quite a few pictures... often of not much other than the foliage. Anyway, here are a few selections from this fall on Mackinac...

(photos: Hiking between the two parts of the Pontiac Trail stairway; campaign season; blustery day working at the Lighthouse; the Fort in the fall, looking just a bit different that; and British Landing Road near Wawashkamo and the dump.)






(photos: What I spent most of my days in the South Sally booth staring at -- view #1 on a sunny day; the perfect spot to people watch; view #2 on a dark and cloudy day; the Fort as seen from The Beanery; and some color behind the Indian Dorm.)






(photos: View #3 on a particularly (and v. oddly) foggy day; Fort and trees in the fall on an apparently slow day; the lake from Arch Rock; Crooked Tree Road; and at the airport.)






(photos: Garrison Road; Main Street from Biddle/Windemere Point; freakish snow storm and the trees outside my window as I woke up; Mission House a bit later; and even later.)

Fall on the Island

So I again appologize that it's been a while since I've had an update. Really, a month is a bit ridiculous, but I'll do my best to at least put up the amusing pictures to make it worth your while.

Well, since Labor Day weekend and the Rennaissance Festival, both quite a bit and absolutely nothing has happened. We had a special Haunted Fort tour event at the island fort that involved Katie and I making really creepy noises and trying to scare those on the tour. The same night, we had celebrated the Mexican Independence Day fiesta at Ste. Anne's (all involving delicious Mexican food and avoiding salsa dancing on a full stomach).

The house had a variety of mini-events, such as a Chili Cookoff, expeditions to free food buffets in honor of Monday Night Football, etc. We had a surprise birthday "party" for Bruce (really just surprise ice cream), roasted marshmallows at the fireplace at the Gatehouse, and had multiple visits downtown for eating, music, and such.

Fall was fantastic on the Island, especially all of the leaves changing. I was really excited to shuffle through the leaves on my walks and spent the greater part of post-season craving hot cider. I had my little pink camera with me at work and compiled quite the collection of photos documenting the changing seasons from my little ticket booth window.

The final week on the Island featured a few hikes, the Fort Fright event at Michilimackinac (haunted house event that was hugely successful!!!), returning staff coming to play, and the Grand Hotel's island employee appreciation dinner. Just before leaving, it actually snowed a ton (well, a few inches) during an early snow! Now, however, I'm back in Lansing temporarily well I'm continuing the job search and am looking for a job with a museum or National Park Service (or the like)... But for now, here are some photos:

(photos: Fr. Rey, Katie, and some of Boyton boys at the Quince Fiesta; salsa dancing at the Quince; Pat and Lee enoying chili; tearing down the old Silver Mine building after it was condemned; and some park employees hard at work (Gerry, J.C., Jeremy, and Trace.)






(photos: Bruce's surprise 40th bday ice cream; Lee, Trace, and Kris as you'd be most likely to find them in the post season; Bruce really, really enjoying his bread pudding at Astor Street; Jim and Trace as voyageurs at the Fort Fright thing; and the boys on the last day of the fort being open- please note the awesome fall trees and leaves, and that Craig is "on campaign" with his gaiters and that Geoff is looking fierce with his sword).)






(photos: Much of the post-season Fort Staff; Trace and Bertram (aka "Baldy" or "Hot Dog Man"), our favorite hot dog man/tea room waiter; what Katie and I do in a Cigar Bar; Katie and Brian in Brian's Teddy Roosevelt Suite; and Andrew and Rhonda having a good time with a fedora that came Rhonda's way.)






***Scenic/seasonal photos to come soon***