“I had forgotten how rich and beautiful is the countryside – the deep topsoil, the wealth of great trees, the lake country of Michigan handsome as a well-made woman, and dressed and jeweled. It seemed to me that the warmth was generous and outgoing here in the heartland, and perhaps the people took a cue from it.”
—John Steinbeck
I have greatly enjoyed our travels, all the landscapes we have traversed, all the people we have met, all the wonders we have seen. But I must say that it is good to be back in territory so similar to my home. Michigan, at least around the shores of Lake Michigan, is a land of small towns, small farms, and small businesses. The people we’ve met are warm and friendly, from Vivian who we met yesterday at the Michigan Welcome Center, to Dorothy at Coveyou Scenic Farm Market in Petosky where we shopped this morning, to Allie and Bill and Hailey and Hiro who hosted us at various wine tastings on Old Mission Peninsula. Even people walking along roadways waved at our car as we drove by.
We’ve talked more than once on our trip about how we simply can’t experience everything. We need to just pick a place and let ourselves sort of sink into it, absorbing everything we can. Today we spent several hours just soaking in Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, Michigan. And the few hours we had weren’t nearly enough. I didn’t want to leave, and I’m looking forward to coming back.
Old Mission Peninsula is nineteen miles long and 3 miles wide. It divides Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay into eastern and western portions. It is covered in (mostly) small picturesque lake houses at its southern end and farms of cherry orchards and vineyards over its northern half. There is a lighthouse and park at its northern tip. Water is visible from almost everywhere on the peninsula.
Spring has just begun to arrive on Old Mission Peninsula. Daffodils and tulips are in bloom. The cherry trees are just starting to open their blossoms. And dandelions are in full bloom in the vineyards between the rows. Viola Shipman wrote, “If I had to describe the scent of Michigan in spring and summer, it wouldn’t be a particular smell – blooming wildflowers or boat exhaust off the lake – it would be a color: green.” Yes!! I was struck many times today by the brilliant spring green of the fields and orchards.
The area is known for its cherries. They won’t be ready until July, but folks in this area have preserved their cherries in every conceivable way to be enjoyed all year long. There are the usual collections of cherry jams, jellies, and preserves, on their own or mixed with other fruits, along with salsas, sauces, and dressings. Cherries are dried and mixed with blueberries, cranberries, and nuts or covered in chocolate. Cherry condiments are plentiful, such as the cherry honey mustard I picked up at the farmers market. We sampled cherry wine, cherry port, and cherry cider. I even bought a bag of potato chips coated in cherry barbecue sauce. Delicious! My list just scratches the surface of amazing ways cherries are used here.
The landscape and its bounty have made me ponder, once again, the incredible generosity of our God. He doesn’t have to bless us with such beauty. He doesn’t have to feed us with such delicious food. But He delights to do so.
I stumbled across this quote from Lynn Austin that seems to sum up what I am thinking as my day near Lake Michigan comes to a close:
“I’ve seen spring come to the orchard every year as far back as I can remember and I’ve never grown tired of it. Oh, the wonder of it! The outrageous beauty! God didn’t have to give us cherry blossoms you know. He didn’t have to make apple trees and peach trees burst into flower and fragrance. But God just loves to splurge. He gives us all this magnificence and then, if that isn’t enough, He provides fruit from such extravagance.”
—Lynn Austin
