Up north in sporadic rain

We're up north.  Santini and the Grandkids (and me) are at one of the primo Bed and Breakfasts in Pengilly. It's the lake home of the North Country Woman (NCW) and we here taking a nostalgia tour of Coleraine, Grand Rapids and places in the general vicinity.  Santini says it's on her "bucket list."

The sunsets on Swan Lake can be very pretty.  This one over the dock down on the beach is my favorite at the moment.  The yellows and oranges came through well, including the reflection off the lake.

Last night we spent some time by the lake, built a fire in the fire pit and made s'mores once the fire died down a bit.  It was a nice night with fireflies lighting up the lawn and birds singing.  The loons weren't among the singers, but I know they're out there somewhere, waiting for a quieter night.

Today we started the bucket tour.  We drove through Coleraine.  We didn't stop much, because it rained as we drove into town, but we saw the old Carnegie Library, Longyear Park, and our old home on Hartley Avenue in Second Addition.  We'll give it another try again later.

We visited the fire hall in Grand Rapids and the Fire Chief (NCW's oldest son) gave us a tour, including a ride around town in a 84,00 pound fire truck. This is a photo of the Grands and the Fire Chief with the memorial piece of steel from the Twin Towers that went down at the hands of terrorists on September 11, 2001. The GR Fire Department is one of the few fire departments in the country with a piece of the tower in which 343 fire fighters died.   Historical and touching.

Santini and the Grands at the Mayflower Resort on Deer Lake north of Grand Rapids. It's still a functioning resort, but the last time I was there was 1982, when Unky Herb was but a mere slip of a boy.

There will be merriment here in the next day or so. There will be a walking tour of Coleraine and probably some grilling and fire pit tending, especially if it stops raining pretty soon.