Leelanau Roots Run Deep
We layered on our winter garb and hiked up Empire Bluffs last week. The ten degree temperature was almost pleasant. Until we reached the summit. Where the wind off the lake cut into us like an ice cold knife. Still, the view from the Bluffs is always worth the pain. Frequent squalls covered the forest and dunes with a cotton-like layer of snow. It's remarkable that the trees and other vegetation survive in this harsh environment of shifting sand, wind and bitter cold. Nature has fashioned roots that run strong and deep to anchor and nourish the Lakeshore plants. And so it is with us, companions in hiking and life. Despite the travails of daily living - the inevitable loss and heartbreak - we survive ... and even thrive. Because the Author of Nature has given us the roots of inner strength, caring friends and loving family - roots that run strong and deep. To anchor and nourish us against all odds. And like the trees on Empire Bluffs, the more inclement the weathe