Leelanau Up North

Empire  Beach - Sleeping  Bear  Dunes  National  Lakeshore We tend to think of the liquid surrounding us here in Leelanau as "our" water. After all, this big lake is right outside our door.  We fish it, swim it and drink from it as if we own it. Though it may be our personal pond for awhile, this vast inland sea is truly water for the world. I n the fullness of time, the sparkling water at Empire Beach will flow out of Lake Michigan ... Through the Straits of Mackinac, Into Lake Huron, Down the St. Clair River, Into Lake St. Clair, Down the Detroit River, Into Lake Erie, Down the Niagara River , Over Niagara Falls, Into Lake Ontario, Down the St. Lawrence River, ... And into the Atlantic Ocean. Whew! Travel time for the freshwater off Empire to reach the saltwater off Prince Edward Island: About two hundred years. Well, Worth, the Wait in New Brunswick ... for a drink of Cold, Crystal, Clear Michigan water, ... eh?  ...

My father died on the last morning, of the last year, of the last decade. And Leelanau - no longer the Land of Delight - appeared to mourn his passing. The woods were dark and brooding. The water was murky and still, with ice creeping in. The dunes were shrouded in a thick, gray mist. Everything good and beautiful, it seemed, had left this place. The breeze, ... and the sun, ... and the water's blue - all gone ... In search of the living. Riposare In Pace, Papa. Your Loving Son, Chris

Bay  At  Empire  Bluffs  -  Courtesy  Of  Randomspace Everybody wants something from you.  Right? They want your time, … your money. Your friendship, … your love. Your attention, … your allegiance. And more. To some, you gladly give. To others, well …. But there is One who asks absolutely nothing of us. Sitting on this windswept dune, high above this great lake, I finally feel free of the countless demands. Indeed, I am now the recipient of countless gifts from She who expects nothing in return. Like the gifts of white capped waves on a soothing blue inland sea, ... A crisp, pine-scented breeze, ... The cool morning mist drifting over forested hills, ... And more. And for all this, ... She wants nothing from me. Nothing. See You In Leelanau Up North, Chris                     Visit A Leelanau Landmark:  The Homestead, "America's     ...

November  Blow  At  Empire  Beach Here they come. Stripping the last autumn leaves from the trees. Blowing the stinging sand around the beach. Whipping the surf into a whitewater frenzy. Hold onto your hat.  The Leelanau winds, the 'witches' of November, are back - with a vengeance. But what exactly is this invisible force that so alters the landscape?   What is ... wind? The learned ones in science say that it all begins with the sun, which heats the earth unevenly, due to the uneven topography - of mountains, deserts, oceans, etc.  The result is  cold (high pressure)  and warm (low pressure) pockets of air all over the globe. And the rush of air we know as wind is caused by atmospheric gases moving from high to low pressure areas, aka diffusion - nature's way of evening things out. This time of year, diffusion is especially intense in and around Leelanau, as cold Canadian air collides with warm Gulf air over the ...

Woodlands  At  North  Bar  Lake                                                                                                                                                                                   Leelanau is a land of trees ... And they talk to each other.  Nicely. "What's shakin'," asked the Pine.  "Nothin' but my leaves," said the Maple.  "And that's on account of the breeze." Okay.  The conversation isn't quite like that. Seriously though, researchers have discovered t...

View  From  Pyramid  Point Here is something I've always suspected - but had no actual proof for ... Until now. Living in the vicinity of a Great Lake, or numerous inland lakes, is good for your mental health. A recent study reported in PLOS One, the respected, peer-reviewed scientific journal, concluded: "We found a protective effect for Great Lakes, whereby living closer to a Great Lake was associated with lower anxiety / mood disorder hospitalizations." The study further noted that the same protective effect was conferred by close proximity to an "abundance of inland lakes."  The effect was small but statistically significant. And here we are in Leelanau, with its 27 inland lakes ... all surrounded by Lake Michigan. The scientists surmise what the locals (and visitors) know - that the expansive vistas of water, as well as its sound, smell and feel - all contribute to a distinct feeling of well-being. Moreover, when we're around t...

Willow  Vineyards  On  Suttons  Bay Leelanau wines ... Fruit of the vines and work of human hands. And what spectacular handiwork it is: In a national poll conducted by USA Today, the Leelanau peninsula was rated the Second Best Wine Region in North America for 2019.  Ahead of such famous California appellations as Mendocino and Paso Robles.  (Finger Lakes, NY was number one.) Yes, my friends.  We're no longer your father's Muscatel. Owing to a happy confluence of ideal conditions - including soil, topography, climate and lake effect - Leelanau grapes grow abundant and flavorful. Indeed.  The best things about the Land of Delight … gift wrapped in a grape skin. And great grapes produce great wines. Like the Leelanau Cellars 2016 Dry Riesling (Gold); Blustone Vineyards 2016 Pinot Noir Rose' (Best of Class); and Chateau Fontaine 2017 Pinot Blanc (Double Gold). Drinking these wines is like nourishing your body with the very...