Fall Findings

While we're waiting for the leaves to drop I thought I'd share some of our most interesting fall findings. Last Saturday was so beautiful Jason & I couldn't resist taking a color tour. I suppose we should have been working in our own yard instead but sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment. Fall beauty is fleeting. We should all enjoy it while it lasts! We'll be buried in snow soon enough. ​We found this little lake off County Road 612 in Kalkaska County. Picture perfect, isn't it?

Jason made a curious find.  Do you know what it is? 

​It's called a "conk" - Inonotus Obliquus, a mushroom/fungus more commonly known as Chaga. It's a parasite on birch & other trees but apparently it's prized for human consumption for its medicinal qualities. I had no idea. But now that I do, I'll be on the lookout for more.

We still have blooms in our garden, mostly Hydrangea & Sedum now. Our Russian Sage & Black Eyed Susan are all but spent. Jason picked this beautiful bouquet for my 49th birthday. It was waiting for me next to the coffee pot when I woke up. It made me smile. At 49, who doesn't need a little reminder that old blossoms on the decline are still beautiful? It won't be long before we cut back our perennials but I plan leave the hydrangea blooms through winter.

Sadly, fall has brought more than just beauty to our area.

Lakefront property owners have been dealing with the effects of high lake levels all over Northern Michigan. Now, property owners along the coast of Lake Michigan are experiencing massive shoreline erosion. People are losing frontage, staircases, boat hoists, and more. The photos & video clips below were taken October 22, 2019 just a few miles outside of Eastport, MI. 

Each video clip below is under a minute long but they capture the powerful destruction of Lake Michigan much better than the photos.

 Coastlines are forever changing but it's sad to see it happen like this.