Due to all the crazy developments of our second season on the island, you might be wondering what our winter was going to look like. Just like anything in our new lives, the plan changed about a million times as the summer continued. Before I landed my new job, we had already made the decision […]
Fall leaves and Snow Flakes Read More »
It’s October 10, and I’m getting paid to have breakfast with a former German ambassador to Poland at the Grand Hotel. How the heck did I get here? Let’s start from the beginning. We arrived in Michigan in early April, about 10 days earlier than the previous year. We enjoyed a wonderful Easter week with
A Writer, an Ambassador and an Emily Walk Into The Grand Hotel Read More »
As you can tell from the past few blog posts, I love Mackinac Island. I loved it from afar for many years as a daytime visitor. After this summer, I can say I also love it as a seasonal worker and resident. Seeing it up close every day for the past six months only deepened
October: Good Bye, Mackinac (For Now) Read More »
Throughout August, our friends and co-workers kept telling us, “Just wait for September. It is going to be so slow and wonderful.” By this time in the season, we were all growing a little weary of peak tourist season. Lucas and I both looked forward to this “Slow September.” Before we could judge September for
A (Not So) Slow September Read More »
We learned early on in our time here that August has a reputation on Mackinac Island – Angry August. Who is angry and why are they so angry? We weren’t sure but we were very curious to find out. The month started very busy, with many visitors to the island and the fort. On August
August: Angry or Awesome? Read More »
I could feel the change on the island on July 1 – peak visitor season was officially here. July 1 is a special day for everyone at state parks for another reason…its Canada Day! Over the years, it has become a park seasonal employee tradition to host a big cookout on July 1. Adrian, the
July: It’s Heating Up Read More »
We have now been back in the world of employment for a few months, so I thought it would be fun to talk more about our many jobs and then outline a typical week in our Mackinac Island life. So first, a summary of our jobs: Emily’s Jobs Alternate Lead – Guest Service Representative (GSR)
A “Typical” Mackinac Island Week Read More »
Peak season on Mackinac Island starts Memorial Day weekend and goes through Labor Day. With that in mind, I was prepared for a very busy Memorial Day weekend on the island but the northern Michigan weather didn’t really cooperate. It was a chilly 60 degrees and rainy, which kept most of the tourists at bay.
June: Lilacs, Lucas and Love Read More »
Mackinac Island is the furthest north we’ve ever lived. Lucas has had a little more trouble than I have adapting to the cool northern Michigan spring. He keeps saying that his body is acclimated to more tropical climates. Good thing we packed his flannel-lined jeans! This northern latitude means that spring is very delayed compared
May: Our First Taste of Mackinac Magic Read More »
We arrived in Mackinaw City the following morning, it was cold but beautifully sunny. A perfect day for moving onto an island in Northern Michigan. We both had forgotten how crystal clear the waters of northern Lake Huron really were, the water at the ferry docks was the clearest water we’ve seen since the Bahamas.
Moving from Boat Life to Island Life Read More »