Our First Fall at the Lake (October 2018)

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? One could argue that sound is merely one of the senses – like smell, sight and taste – that make up the human experience. Does nature hear sound? Or know the beauty of a glowing golden tree in the fall as it is dying in preparation for winter? We were in awe of the stillness of the forest and the sand and the water, as if all are quietly preparing for the winter ahead. Visiting a forest once a month, or once every other month, allows us to experience these fascinating micro seasons that we do not notice day-to-day. Every sense is heightened when you stand in the middle of a forest. You notice the different sounds of the birds, the lightness of the leaves as they trickle down to the forest floor, the new smells. Driving back to the property involves a long and bumpy trek down a dirt forest road. This trip we were struck by the juxtaposition of the beauty created by nature when you leave her alone, against the development of the land that will allow more of us to enjoy her beauty. Concrete trucks passing through the glowing golden arches that cover the road. Construction signs dot the entrance of the once unmarked road. We can only hope that those humans who choose to develop in this remote place will respect it in the way that we do – or least how I hope that we do.

Our cove in the fall.

Fall is by far our favorite season up here. Undeniably beautiful, glowing in color, crisp and still. Oh so very still. Except for the sound of the falling trees. The tragic necessity of development is the sacrifice of trees. Although we are trying our very best to be delicate. We started down the path of our first big project at the property. Cleaning up the downed trees, including one of Old Scratch’s dens – or some animal’s den – a giant of an old elm tree that likely fell years ago and raised up roots that could hold an entire family of bears. Did it make a sound? We have enough firewood to last for years, along with plenty of large trunks that will make for great fire pit seating.

Lifetime supply of firewood courtesy of Roman Empire Trees.

This required a crew of bearded Michigan lumberjacks and lots of heavy machinery, which I suppose is not at all delicate. But necessary. Jesse Roman and his crew at Roman Empire Trees (great name!) are fantastic. Tom was up bright and early to meet the crew, who were already hard at work before 8am. This trip was also the one year anniversary of our first Michigan camping adventure at the property. Fortunately, this trip did not involve strangers in the forest after midnight, shining lights, hatchets and getting the pants scared off of us! Looking back, we are pretty sure Louie (the neighbor just to the west of us) was checking out these strangers (us) camping in the woods. We opted for a warmer, more civilized lake cottage as our home base this trip. On the south side of Upper Hamlin is a quaint collection of tiny cottages on an inlet called Grace Cottages. A nice change in perspective and perfect for snuggling with the pup kids and watching movies. It also gave us an excuse to wander the country and forest roads along the lake and learn more about the area. We are still searching for our “Cheers” and Ludington Bay Brewing is a strong contender. It has a rustic beer hall feel, with good food, a fireplace and outdoor area with lots of their brews on tap. And of course Tom came home with a t-shirt.

We also continue to refine our vision, for now dreaming of a simple, one room cabin with a wood burning stove tucked into 3 or 4 feet of snow all around it. Okay, so we know that Michigan is not Vermont, but we can dream. I’m pretty sure Tom pictures himself covered in fox fur splitting wood in the snow. I will settle for a book next to the wood burning stove. Lots of plans to be made over the winter for next spring. We are even talking about a miniature rendition of the cabin we hope to build next year. With the views to the lake opening up and the clutter on the forest floor removed, we can see the potential for The Cove (aka the mosquito pit, but hopefully not for long). Plans for a cabin, tree house, hammocks, sheds and docks are all in the works. (Bob, if you are reading this, Tom needs to take a sabbatical!) Looking forward to visiting this winter and witnessing the cover of snow and a frozen lake! Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are in our future.