Michigan strong is a saying that lives up to its name. Northern Michigan summers are nearly perfect, with temperatures averaging seventy five degrees. Our lakes are refreshing on hot summer days. Bonfires can be seen, and smelled nearly every evening with voices of laughter and guitars in the distance.

Fall is beautiful with brilliant foliage colors of oranges, reds, and yellows. The fall sun provides a shimmer on the lake along with peaceful solitude in your heart that is difficult to describe.

Then, old man winter blows in with ice, sleet and inches upon inches of snow, with barely a glimpse of sunshine for days, sometimes weeks. While winter can be cozy, and the art that the frozen lakes, waves, trees provide is outstanding, the white knuckle driving, accidents and desolate feelings, leave even us Michiganders longing for flip flops, s’mores and the desire to be outside, more than in. Our winters make us appreciate the other three seasons.

Tourist are fewer, summer residents are packing for their winter homes in warmer climates, boats in the marinas become fewer, docks disappear one by one and the sound of the halyards singing in the wind can only be heard occasionally on land, but for now, I’m staying Michigan strong.