The Last Day

This is the morning view that we see from the dining table in the big room of the Cook House. This is a view I will miss so much as we drive out tomorrow morning and begin our three thousand mile trek home. The water was cold this year - only the children were brave enough to swim, except Aunt Ada joined them once, exclaiming that to put her head underwater gave her a headache from the cold! On the rainy days the kids did crafts, and a boat ride to Cedarville for ice cream after dinner was often a special event that encouraged the kids to "clean their plate". It's been a wonderful summer for all the family, and we look forward to next year. love Liz

Lost Tooth

It's traditional.  Every child loses at least one tooth at the Island, but six year old Hannah O'Connor (Angela and Derek's daughter) raised the bar.  When I was her age, my dad tied a thread around my very loose tooth, tied the other

end to the door knob, positioned me the appropriate distance from the door, said, "OK, on the count of three.... " Then, on the count of two for the surprise factor, he slammed the door.  The tooth was left dangling by the thread on the door knob.  Fast forward a generation, and I supervised the same event on one of Jeff's teeth, and yesterday, yet ANOTHER generation, I assisted Hannah in liberating a loose tooth by way of a door knob.  Many cousins were there, and Hannah was hailed as the brave soldier she was, and we will all remember the day Hannah lost her tooth.

Love Liz

The Cook House

The Cook House has a life of its own.  Located  about the distance of half a football field from the Main House on a winding wooded path, this house was built over one hundred years ago as one of the first homesteads in the

Upper Peninsula.  It was dragged across the frozen lake to its present site in about 1908, and has served as the place where the family cooks and eats since then.  Heated with the wood cooking stove, the kitchen is the warm morning site of everyone, as they make their way to the coffee pot, the toaster, and the hot cereal or eggs.  Each family group is "on their own" for breakfast, left-overs or sandwiches are offered for lunch, and family "teams" take turns serving the sit-down dinner meal on the historic Blue Willow china

each night.  This house is where we watch all the sailing yachts go by; the endless shopping lists are developed; where the plans for the day are decided; where countless birthdays have been celebrated, and memories are made. 

Love, Liz

The Boat House

OK, OK!  I have been getting hints and requests and complaints that no blogs have been forthcoming, and my disclaimer is that life here on the island, with all 16 of us here, is so full of activities that I have not taken time out for writing.  Today I will attempt to make up for it!  Let's start out with the boat house.  

The attached picture was taken this morning, while the lake is at peace with itself.  On the horizon you can make out the shape of a freighter out on the "big lake", Lake Huron.  The freighter is headed up to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie ( pronounced "Soo Saint Marie) where it will be lifted up to the height of Lake Superior to continue its journey to ports in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Meanwhile, back at the dock, the kids have been fishing with worms for little fish who hide under the dock crib.  The fish  are easy marks for catch and release, and I think the kids have more fun with the worms (who is brave enough to put the worm on a hook, who can tie one in a knot, etc.).  In setting up the drop lines so that each of the 7 kids could participate, I accidentally dropped my fishing pliers off the dock and into the lake!  After a word of exclamation (which I had to apologize to the kids for saying) my granddaughter Katelyn offered to go swimming to get the pliers.  That would be a kind offer to the ears of any Grandma, but considering that the lake has only been thawed out for two months, and is COLD, that  made her offer all the more generous.  So Katelyn climbed down the dock ladder, entered the water, went out to the site of the lost pliers, and was able to bring them up with her toes!  she is my HERO!! My 18' Boston Whaler stays tied inside the boat house, and is a boat that Dave bought years ago for all the generations to use and enjoy.  As I am writing this, generations four and five are out on the lake in the boat. Stay tuned for more on "Life on an Island". Love, Liz