There are some nice sunsets over the big lake

Michigan's cold days don't get quite as frigid as St Paul, but it was about 43 here at the beach this morning. Most of the day was spent with small tasks - getting a needle to inflate the soccer ball, kicking the ball around a while, and an recreational trip to D&W to get some vittles and olive oil. We also had a talk with the Daughter of Norway via iChat from her latest adventure in Norway. She had some stories of her audition for the choir at the grad school. She had to answer some questions, wear a funny hat, and at the end sing a song - her rendition of "Danny Boy." She seems to be thriving and making friends with international students from lots of the well known corners of the globe.

We had this sunset a couple of nights ago. Tonight we have clouds, so this photo has to stand-in.

Yesterday we were at Saugatuck Dunes State Park a few miles south of here. It's a nice wild, natural area with a mature forest growing on top of sandy dunes. We walked to the beach, about six tenths of a mile. Santini, Unky Herb and me. We could see Big Red, the lighthouse, far off to the north. Unky Herb is shown here near the beach dressed for the weather and with the necessary photographic equipment.

The woods provide shade for Santini. It was an area filled with oak trees dropping their acorns, and beech trees, some scarred with the initials of carvers from years gone by. It was a pleasant walk, sometimes through very sandy patches on the path, testament to the location on ancient dunes.

This evening we took a walk around the neighborhood. We ran into a guy who stopped us and asked if we were residents. Santini nodded. The guy said that he is renting a place here and was frustrated because he was unable to find his mailbox. Santini suggested that it might be among a cluster of them up on Orchard Street. The neighborhood is the kind where the trees and bushes might just camouflage a mailbox. He went on his way and we wished him well in his search.