While I have a couple of hours respite and sister spends the day and afternoon with Mom, I thought I’d quickly throw together—ladies and gentlemen, I do mean in reckless haste—many of our best images with a sampling of cell-phone videos I managed during our Family Getaway this past June to Mackinac Island, Michigan. A teaser, if you will.
As you read on, please play this musical accompaniment to better set-the-ambiance of this magnificent island stuck in a most charming bygone time…
Why did I wait six-months to share these pictures and videos? It wasn’t intentional, I assure you. There are some days and nights on Mackinac which in my amateur production expertise (which is none) deserve a brief backstory and context. Along with my perfectionistic cinematic ideas, I have wanted to make this feature presentation as delightful, humorous, eye-popping, and as memorable, for Mom especially, as was possible and even accompanied by Victorian-Edwardian time-period music in the background. It deserves in my mind nothing less. Furthermore, since my high school days I have dreamt onto my Bucket List a trip to the Grand Hotel ever since one of my favorite 1980 romantic films, Somewhere In Time was released. I am and always have been a huge sucker for time-travel stories!
Obviously, six-months later this dramatic award-winning aspiration has proven more problematic for me than I first thought. I imagined I’d have significantly more free-time upon our return to create this Oscar- and Emmy-nominated short motion picture. It hasn’t happened. Grrrrrr, Murphy’s Law-firm: 6, Dwain: fat donut-hole. 😒
Without further ado, here is a quick Teaser of what I hope will arrive here sooner rather than much later…
Day 1 — on the grand veranda at The Grand Hotel after finally checking-in about 3:00am in the morning due to my brain-fart at the Detroit Metropolitan International Airport. More on that in the final production.
Day 3a — exploring the island after relocating to our second accommodations at Harbor View Inn. Our two nights at the Grand Hotel when all said and done ran a measly $1,799.82. Harbor View Inn was a welcomed relief on the pocket-book, hah!
Day 3b — horse-carriage ride into town to Main Street to grab a visitors map, then Astor St. for lunch at the Yankee Rebel Tavern. I had a remarkably good Summer Orchard Salad with Bell’s Amber Ale on draft, a combination I couldn’t get enough of over our stay, followed by a walk on Market St.’s shops and parlors.
More themed music for your reading, listening enjoyment…
Day 5 — the family splits up! What? Say it isn’t so Nellie! I want to visit the military fort and museum, Fort Mackinac, and for some unfathomable reason, the ladies had no desire whatsoever to steeply climb the walkway up to the harbor-side gate, watch a celebratory 6-pounder cannon fire over the town, and witness a 19th-century soldier reenactment firing his M1873 .45-70 Springfield rifle. Seriously? What could possibly be more fun than hearing a barrage of Springfield rifles firing in unison? Here is what they did, pffft…
Here’s what I did, furthering my vast historical, military, and cultural knowledge of northern Michigan and the old U.S. frontier:
I promised a few of you birding, butterfly, and insect enthusiasts a video of Mackinac Island’s Butterfly House & Insect World and I am delivering! Now, granted I am not a professional videographer, not even with my own Motorola moto e5 Go. In fact, I was sternly criticized by a dear female friend for two production-and-editing screwups: 1) what’s my malfunction with recording horses-asses all the time, and 2) “hold the damn phone sideways Steven Spielberg wannabe!” Case and point:
I will have to stop here. I know, I know… many of you are crushed by this. My sincere apologies, but I have run out of free-time. Sister has returned with Mom and she must dart off to her mandatory house-meeting before the Xmas weekend and holidays officially start tomorrow. Until next time when I finagle a bit of solo time, I will endeavor to work hard on the entire final, award-winning feature with full Victorian-Edwardian music accompaniment. It should be something Mom will cherish—at least that’s my hope.
Live Well — Love Much — Laugh Often — Learn Always
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The Professor's Convatorium 
Very nice! Loved the butterfly videos. That must have been quite an experience.
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It was Ark. Mom was euphoric most every day, delighted in all the floral fauna everywhere, the butterflies as well as the hundreds of insects, and of course the exceptional dining. All of us were in a dreamland in the mornings because all you could hear outside were the wildlife coming alive coupled with the faint sounds of horse’s-hooves and carriages. I swear, every morning, afternoon, and night we thought we had gotten lost in a time-warp surrounded by so much NATURAL noise! 😁
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Glad to finally see your Mackinac pics. I haven’t been on the island for years. It is awesome to be in a place with no motorized vehicles. And every view is magnificent, except maybe the horses asses. I’m probably one of very few people who’s only gotten there by sailboat. Never took one of the ferries.
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Thank you McBean. 🙂 It has been a serious challenge trying to put it all together into a treasured family presentation/scrapbook-on-disk or DVD. With Mom’s significantly progressing Dementia (Alzheimer’s?) it is proving to be quite difficult. Hopefully some day in the near future I will get some free solo time to work on all of it again. But…
the clock keeps on ticking, never stopping, does it? 😏
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Loved the butterfly vids though number 3 had me feeling a little woozy! Would love to spend a bit of time in a place like this.
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😄 Hahaha! Yeah, when I show that particular video to friends, etc, EVERYONE literally turns their head sideways, as if to put their right ears fully down into their shoulders. Or they just fall out of their chairs onto the floor trying so hard to watch it… all caddy-wonkus sideways. BWAAAA!
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