PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Today in North Bay, Ontario we decided to to slow down…to sit around… uncontested

to take it easy and pace ourselves…as our friend Chandra has suggested

We wonder if she was reminding us to pause 

to take tin the beauty that surrounds us….to contemplate…to behold 

or if she was worried we needed to rest because we’re getting old.

For whatever reason…today…for Chandra’s sake

we slept in…then with the sun’s blessing kayaked on the lake.

We paddled around Lake Nipissing…at a slow and easy glide

with a cool breeze on our faces and a family of ducks by our side.

Then we sat on the deck of our cottage…in the shade..a cozy nook

where the only thing we had to do was relax and read a book.

Today…like so many days on this trip…every day to be precise

we’ve looked around at where we are and have said how this is paradise.

From the mountains, rivers, lakes…the plains, the flowers the trees

to the sunrises, sunsets, clouds…every cool morning and afternoon breeze.

What we have discovered…and here I promise to be concise…

is that, at least for us, there will always be…two parts to paradise.

We believe finding paradise on Earth…is not a fantasy or a myth….

It’s a combination of the beautiful places we have been…

and the person we’re sharing them with.

Which means if we’re lucky…and so far this has proven to be true

the where is important to finding Paradise…but not as important as who. 

So thanks you Chandra for your concern…

now that we’ve had enough time to recover

we’ll be back on the road tomorrow…

we have more paradises to discover

Today as we traveled from Michigan into Canada

across the twin cities of Salt Ste. Marie….

on the 300 miles of this journey…we learned a little more history….

The name Canada most likely came from the Huron-Iroquois word Kanata 

meaning village or settlement…

A frenchmen used it to name the entire country 

before the Hurons could tell him exactly what it meant.

We are currently near Lake Ontario which also got it’s name from the Iroquois.

The legend says from an Iroquois chief’s daughter

who when she saw the lake said kandario…which means sparkling water.

We have been on Lake Superior…named Gitchi-Gami by the Ojibwe

this means Big Sea Water…and she is a beautiful lake

In Longfellow’s poem Hiawatha…he called it Gitchi-Gumi by mistake.

We have felt the waters of Lake Michigan…a little boat trip we did take…. 

the Anishinabe called it mishigami …which simply means…big lake

We have driven my Lake Huron another beautiful place to be.

The Wyandot called it karegnondi which roughly translated means

freshwater sea

.

And we spend the next 2 days on Nipissing Lake…meaning little water

A name the Ojibwe chose to keep

because the crystal clear waters of this lake are not so very deep

It seems all around us on this trip…we’ve seen and tried to understand

how we travel over the footprints or on the shoulders

of those who first walked this land.

We have gained a new appreciation…of all they saw

the mountains, the rivers, the lakes…the plains and the buffalo too

of how they lived…of their philosophy…and of all they have gone through,

We offer them our thanks 

we only wish we could go back in time…and change our history….

and we wonder if things had played out differently….

what kind of  beauty in our world the would see.

I woke up early this morning…not quite use to the change in time zones yet…

which was lucky as i caught the full moon just before she set.

And sitting on our balcony…adding to the moon’s surprise…

I was also early enough to watch the sun begin to rise.

I have found there are many beautiful moments in my life difficult to put into words…

and so many of them occur when I wake up with the birds.

Today we headed to Mackinac Island…a Ferry’s the only way

and I took this morning as a sign that it’s going to be a great day.

The ferry ride was wonderful…the sky and the lake were blue…

and we were both amazed when the island came into view.

We stepped off the boat into an island so sublime….

Horse drawn carriages, bicycles, home-made fudge…

It’s like we were stepping back…somewhere in time.

Somewhere in Time was Deborah’s mom’s favorite movie

she loved Christopher Reeve’s final farewell…

and it turns out that movie was filmed right here 

at Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel…

It was one of Deborah’s mom’s greatest wishes…for years she carried this torch…

to come to Mackinac Island and sit in a rocking chair upon it’s porch.

To look over Lake Huron, feel the breeze in her hair…and before she had to leave…

perhaps, if she was lucky…run into Christopher Reeve. 

Alas, she never got that chance before her life ran out of steam

so it was up to Deborah and I, on this day, to help fulfill her mother’s dream.

And that’s just what we did…we sat upon that porch in a rocking chair

looking out over lake Huron and feeling the cool breeze in our hair.

It is here I have to mention something I noticed during our day on Mackinac Island:

Every place we went…it didn’t mater where…

next to us…wherever we were…there was always an empty chair…

An empty seat right next to us…even when stopped to sit upon a wall…

which made me wonder if that empty seat wasn’t empty after all.

As the ferry docked at the end of the day…and we were about to leave

I whispered into the empty seat next to me…

I hope you had a good time…and, please, say hello to Christopher Reeve.

We began the morning in Bark River Michigan 

watching the orange sun calm the waters of the lake

and listening as the sun and waves nudged the birds awake.

The geese began to sing…then a host of other birds added their voices to the tune…

and for the first time on this trip…we heard the elusive loon.

Next we drove along Lake Michigan…stop even now and then to hear her roar…

ending up in St. Ignace…on Lake Huron’s shore. 

Along the way we saw many lighthouses 

not only engineering marvels…but truly beautiful sights…

still in use to help guide ships through the dangers of the night.

It seemed everywhere we looked we saw lakes, and streams and rivers

If there was a body of water was out there…it was easy for us to spot her…

Proving what they say is true…

wherever you’re in Michigan…you’re never more than 6 miles away from water.

This leg of our journey took us across Michigan’s upper peninsula…

a quite beautiful place to be….

We found ourselves, like the natives, calling it the U. P.

Of course we are not natives…that is something we can’t claim…

but driving across this part of Michigan…we felt like Yoopers just the same

.

For instance we drank roadies in our car…ate vegetable pasties for dinner

and that’s not all…

We’re losing our Florida accent…saying Yous instead of y’all.

Yous see it’s not only infected how we talk…

but it’s found it’s way into this poem!

We only hope yous will be understanding 

when these two would-be Yoopers find their way back home.

Today we traveled from Bayfield, Wisconsin to Bark River, Michigan

We are staying at a beautiful cabin by the lake….

The 200 mile drive went smoothly…except for one slight navigational mistake.

We planned to stop at this 52 foot. statue of Hiawatha 

In Iron River…where…since 1964 he has stood.

In my defense…not knowing Michigan 

it’s easy to mix up Iron River…with the similar sounding Ironwood.

So…when we reached Iron River and Deborah read about the statue

I was half right …Hiawatha is his name

but he stands in the town of Ironwood…100 miles back the way we came.

So much for Hiawatha…and my map reading expertise…

but we forgot all about him when we reached our cabin…

nestled among white cedar trees.

We learned from Walt, the owner of our cabin, 

as we felt a cool Lake Michigan breeze…

how, to the Native Americans, white cedars are considered sacred trees.

In his front yard we listened…surrounded by a wide array of flowers 

while Walt told us how they believe the white cedars are imbued with healing powers.

How passed down from their ancestors…were legends such as these…

that there are protective spirits hidden in these trees.

He encouraged us to hug these trees… so we could feel their power too

which of course the two of us were more than willing and happy to do.

The white cedars are also called the tree of life…

because…lasting through the summer heat and the winter cold….

some white cedars standing today…are well over 1000 years old.

If we had to miss a 52 foot Hiawatha…by taking the wrong route

landing in thicket of 50 foot tall white cedar was a wonderful substitute

Stories such as these…like the one you have just heard…

prove once again how life is…and always will be…such a beautiful word.

Today we took a cruise to Devil’s island where the strong Lake Superior waves

from years of crashing on its rocks have created these beautiful caves.

The thunderous booms the waves made as they hit the rocks

led the Chippewa who lived there to proclaim:

This land on which we stand….Devil’s Island is its name.

In every state, city and town we’ve traveled to on this trip

(and I‘m sure as we travel more and more)

we have felt the presence of the people who walked this land before. 

We’ve seen many signs…like the names of places we’ve been…

(much more beautiful in their native tongue)

And again at this stop when we discovered a dear friend’s daughter 

worked at the very inn where we are staying…back when she was young.

Lena is her daughter’s name 

a member of the Bad River band of the Lake Superior Chippewa 

We’re sorry we never had the chance to meet her…

(If only we had power over time…and the past we could re-draw)

But knowing her mother, Monica, we know this is also to be true….

If she was anything like her mother…we would have loved her Lena too.

Knowing Lena worked where we are staying

greeted people with her smiles…walked through these halls and doors

makes this place even more special than it was to us before.

We are not always looking for sings…beside, in front…behind us

but we love it when, out of nowhere, a sign somehow will find us.

So many signs have found us on this trip…some subtle…some quite loud

license plates with our initials, four leaf clovers…angels in the clouds.

To these, with her mom’s permission,…(Monica, we promise not to make a fuss)

we add Lena to the angels in the clouds we believe are watching over us.

And every morning from now on…as we greet another day

we will repeat this simple message Lena loved to say..

We will smile…think of Lena..then whisper how life is a pretty word.

We only wish from her lips these words we could have heard…

For today’s easy drive from Duluth, MInnesota to Bayfield, Wisconsin

as is our nature we took the scenic route

ready to discover what Wisconsin is all about.

We stopped often along the way…(we never drive anywhere straight )

so we could experience first hand the beauty of this state.

We paused at a windmill, an old jail, a covered wagon school bus

and to learn lessons the Ojibwe teaches.

We stopped to admire her trees and take a few walk along her beaches

As we continue on this road trip…we learn a little more each day 

like how Wisconsin…just like every other state is beautiful in her own way.

As we settled down into our old Victorian inn 

which for the next 2 nights will be our home

forgive me while I change the subject 

as well as the direction of this poem.

I’ve noticed in most of my pictures since we’ve been on the road

In my bright colors and by my tie-dyed hat…

I’ve been in full tourist mode.

Which means I’ve been excited when I wake up…

happy to greet the sun every time she rises

excited for the things we’ve planned 

and delighted by all the surprises.

But when I think about my life…in living day to day

I like to think this is exactly…how I approach each day.

Whether in colorful clothes and hats…

whether on…of off the road…

I hope every day I am alive…

I am in tourist mode.

Let me tell you about Duluth…one of the many highlights of our trip

She has an aerial lift bridge (which from our hotel room we could view)

where the entire road is lifted up so the big ships can float through.

It’s Interesting when a ship is through the channel 

it gives a horn sequence of two long and then two short toots

which the bridge operator repeats…completing the salute.

Duluth is a beautiful city…from our hotel it was such a thrill

to see the waters of Lake Superior as well as the houses on her hills

We took a scenic ride up into those hills…paused to enjoy the summer flowers

then stopped to visit atop Enger hill…a place called Enger Tower.

In the park where Enger tower sits…(the wonders of this trip never seem to cease)

there is a Japanese Zen garden and a huge bell…dedicated to peace.

The gardens are quite beautiful…peace is a beautiful thing

and in the quiet of the gardens you are encouraged to make the peace bell ring. 

he USS Duluth took Ohara-Isumi’s, original bell in World War II…after Japan’s fall

and gave it to Duluth…where it was displayed in their city hall.

Years later Ohara-Isumi asked that it be returned …hoping for a good deed

to which the city of Duluth wholeheartedly agreed.

So long after a devastating war was over…Ohara-Isumi, gave Duluth a call

they put their differences aside and became sister cities after all.

Ohara-Isumi gave Duluth this  peace bell…a replica of the one they had returned…

reminding us when it comes to war and peace…we still have a lot to learn.

As together Deborah and I made that bell chime

we thought of the men and women who fought and died all those years before

with the hope that ringing a peace bell could help stop all future wars.

We made two long then two short chimes on that bell

as a salute to those men and women who fought and died following their commands

praying one day peace will ring out

 in every household, 

every city

every corner of every land.,,

 Since leaving Banff we’ve driven 1200 miles 

(as a nod to Deborah’s dad we drive only during the day!)

and we’ve stopped for the night in 6 different spots along the way.

So after driving 260 miles today…we were happy…that’s the truth!

to be spending the next two nights in a hotel in Duluth.

Today, just like the other days when it came to roadside attractions we got our wish.

We stopped at the biggest ox cart in the world…and stood inside a 65 foot long fish.

This wonderful trip we’re on which is now only halfway through

has been interspersed with a host of surprises and many spectacular views.

We’ve touched the Pacific Ocean…where the mountains meet the sea

It was too cold to go swimming…on that we both agree!

We drove around and over those mountains…saw a hundred or more trains

Then headed eastward on our trip to where the mountains meet the plains. 

Today we again drove over the plains…wherever we stopped the sun was shining 

and we were cooled by a summer breeze 

Today’s trip took us to into Minnesota where the plains give way to the trees.

As I reflect on the 4200 miles we’ve driven on our Great Northern Road Trip

I wouldn’t change a thing….

And I can’t wait to see what what the second half of this wonderful trip will bring.