Zoe reporting to you from Leelanau Peninsula and beyond…
Once we left Elk Rapids, we stopped along Lake Leelanau in a campground with our site right on the lake. Usually I love being right next to the water. I found out soon enough, though, that Lake Leelanau in October isn’t anything like Myrtle Beach in July. Are you getting the picture? First of all, it was COLD and really windy. I have only my short coat to keep me warm and when that gets wet it’s just too much to bear. Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind having to walk in the rain. But, one morning when Papa walked us down by the lake, I decided that I wanted to see over the short wall beside me. Well, I jumped over and immediately ended up in this freezing lake. I don’t know why I did it. I just wanted to. Phaedra sometimes calls me clueless! I thought there was a ledge on th
e wall – not just a plunge into the lake. I though Papa would have apoplexy when it happened. You should have heard him! Anyway, Papa scooped me out of that water as fast as he could say Jack Rabbit and hustled me off toward home. Phae was really mad that I had spoiled her walk time!
We had a visitor. Cousin Audrey came to stay. I loved jumping on her in the morning before she woke up. I was actually encouraged to do it by – 
guess who – that’s right, Papa. He laughed every time I woke her up. I like Audrey! She never stopped throwing me the ball. We even got to go “lighthouseing” and exploring with Papa, Mama, and Audrey. We went to Frankfort, Manistee, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Point Betsie, and Empire, ran on the beach, and had picnics in the truck because it was raining outside. We sat in the back with Mom and she and 
Audrey talked and talked. They also got us lost at night, Papa says. I think he really took a wrong turn and so do Audrey and Mom. You probably haven’t seen dark like it is up here! There were no streetlights and no moon since it was really cloudy and really windy. It really was easy to get lost – even with the GPS! We got lost in Cedar – that place only has one blinking light, too! We spent most of our time lost. But, we had a great time!
The night we got lost, we had gone out to dinner. First we went to Cedar. Everything was closed. Everything! Then we went to Lake Leelanau and everything was closed. By this time, we were all hungry. We kept driving. We ended up in Glen Arbor. The only thing open in that place was Art’s Tavern, but all of us were really hungry. So we stopped. Guess what – Phaedra and I had to stay in the truck! When everyone else got back, Phae and I learned that the power was out over most of the Leelanau Peninsula. This was the only restaurant within 30 miles that had a generator. Every visitor in the whole area found his or her way to this place. Also, it happened to be the only place in Northern Michigan that had real vegetarian food for Mom. How lucky is that? . The people in the tavern told Papa that this is what they call a Nor’easter. Papa said that this was just a gentle wind compared to what a real Nor’easter really is! He’s right, too.
There are lots of wild things up in these woods, too. Mom got scared of the dark and wind one night when
we were out for a walk. All I saw were Wild Turkeys and Wild Apples!
Too soon for us, Audrey had to go. But, we only had one 
more night along the little lake. This morning we packed up and are off to Mackinac City and the UP. I hope we don’t get lost along the way!
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