Up north in spring

Last Thursday, as I chatted with the bakery ladies about the beautiful weather we were looking forward to having over the weekend, I realized that spring is not really the ideal time to head north. In the summer it's a cool break from hot weather, in the fall the vast spanses of trees provide a beautiful display of color, and in the winter the thick snow covering nothern pines brings a festive feel to any trip, but in the spring the thaw is generally behind ours here in "the south", the blooms come later, and brisk temperatures linger long after we have packed away our winter jackets at home. But spring is spring no matter where you are, and time well spent with family is always a boon to overworked spirits, so north we went for a long weekend in Harbor Springs.

Jon's dad once said that he felt a weight lift from his shoulders as soon as he was north of the Zilwaukee Bridge. My "weight lifting" latitude is a little farther north in Westbranch (that's where the traffic lightens and the distance between towns lengthens), but I fully agree with the sentiment. And when we got north we were met with a rather welcome surprise—an upgrade in the weekend's weather report from cold and rainy to chilly and sunny. We hadn't counted on spending time outside, but with such improved weather we found ourselves taking nature walks, going for outdoor runs, and even doing a little shopping in town. Jon got quite a bit of work done, since the long weekend was gained by promising some work "from home", and I completed a lot of sewing, and sewing lessons. We stayed up late watching home shows and movies, we napped and enjoyed snacks after mornings spent out and about, we ate good food, and we accomplished much. It may have been chillier than it was at home, but it was at least as beautiful, and the company was twice as good.