Missing Mackinac

My parents are fortunate enough to spend summer and fall each year on Mackinac Island. Mackinac is a charming little island between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. Only 8 miles in diameter and no motorized vehicles are allowed. That means that the only modes of transportation are horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. Mackinac is a historical tourist attraction with Victorian charm and several resorts, but it also contains some of the most breathtaking views of the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Huron.

My mom sent the boys some Mackinac sweatshirts before leaving the island for the winter.

It made me think of all those lazy summers I spent on Mackinac Island in my childhood, riding my bike along the shore with the wind whipping through my hair, going to Monday night movies at Mission Point Resort, and seeking out "prime perchin' spots" with my dad. It's a logistical nightmare to get there now with young children; a five hour plane ride, a four hour drive, a ferry ride, topped off with bicycling 3 miles to the cottage while hauling suitcases, baby gear, and portable cribs. Our trips to Michigan therefore have become few and far between. But I do have a special place in my heart for this place. And someday when the boys are older, they will get to experience the charm and beauty as well. A photographer that I love, Alicia Bock, featured a collection of vintage shots of some of the lesser visited places on Mackinac. I would love to hang up all of her prints! I love her eye for the beautiful simple charms.