Warm Clothes

We left sweltering days behind. The wild sunflowers in the front yard had stopped growing. The spring tomatoes had barely bloomed, and Trudy pulled them up by the roots just before we left. The highs were around 105F.

That's what we left behind.

And with great anticipation, we packed warm clothes for Michigan. Warm clothes, we told ourselves again and again, because at 105F, warm clothes are nigh impossible to imagine. Long-sleeved shirts. Sweatshirts. Jackets. Over and over we reminded ourselves: pack warm clothes.

So what greeted us in Michigan? Rain and cold weather. Not just cold from a Texas point of view, but objectively cold weather even for the native Michiganders. The forecast on our second night was for lows in the 40s. We scrounged for extra blankets to put over our sleeping bags. And we lit the wood stove to keep warm.

40s!? Blankets!? Wood stove!? Oh for heaven's sake.

Um, we didn't pack enough warm clothes.

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By the Water

On the morning of the first day, I wake up not so early and walk down the steps to the lakefront. A breeze has come up, so the water isn't particularly still, but the morning is quiet.

A turtle is swimming among the lily pads by the canoe beside the dock. The White Pine trees at the water's edge are laden with pine cones. They've been prolific this year.

It's been a long since I've been here, three or four years I think since I've been here in the summer. A very long time. A couple steps need repairing, but I have plenty of time.

7:30:25 AM   permalink: []   feedback:   comments: []