Friday, November 7, 2008

Places I'll show you if you'll promise not to go there

There are some places we happen upon that are so pristine and so special, we hope no one else ever finds them. Selfish, I know, but that's what makes them so special. . .not many people have discovered them. No campfires, no beer cans, no human-borne flotsam to spoil their incredible beauty.



I call this "Mossy Glade". It is a place here on our island, not far from a park trail, but you have to be looking for it in order to find it. I like to pretend that I discovered it, but of course I didn't.



This is a scene not unlike any you might have seen somewhere else, but from this vantage point it's a one-of-a-kind. This is a place where we can watch Northern Lights. So far, I haven't been able to figure out how to photograph them, so for now I'll just treasure every fleeting moment of them.




This is a swimming hole on a river that flows into Lake Superior. It is one of those places that generations of people know about and come back to, but its location is guarded against outsiders. If you were truly observant you would see that the side of the road has been carved into a pull-off, and that every now and then a car is parked there, but nothing about it would make you curious enough to stop and check it out. Nothing to see here. Move along.


This is a boardwalk and beach at the mouth of the St. Mary's River. It is early spring and there are still ice floes on the water. Nobody else was there. Guess who was happy about that?



This is what is left of an old cemetery in the Keweenaw Peninsula. It is near what was once a thriving turn-of-the-century mining community. The ground is almost totally covered with myrtle and thimbleberry bushes, and the narrow, winding path seems eons old. The few headstones still visible are for people who came to this place from western Europe and the British Isles to start a new life during the copper mining boom. There is a small sign at the edge of the road, but most people drive right by. That suits those of us who make the pilgrimage nearly every year. It appears untouched and mystical and if we talk at all, we talk in whispers.


8 comments:

  1. Mona - I know exactly how you feel about protecting your special places! I loved all these photos - Michigan has such beauty - especially the U.P. which seems more untouched of course than lower Mich.

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  2. Hi Shelly, Love those quiet places. I seek them out wherever I go.

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  3. that old cemetery,... what a wonder place for the "eternal sleep." I agree that those places should remain away from the uncaring hands and feet of those that don't see the magic!

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  4. Cedar, I treasure that hidden cemetery so much, I really almost hate to draw attention to it at all! (Hence the title of my post.)

    But judging from its pristine appearance, all of the visitors over the years seem to have appreciated its beauty and fragility.
    Thanks for commenting. Glad to have you here.

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  5. Oh, I know exactly how you feel. I am torn between showing our wonderful mountains and yet not wanting to increase the number of people who come here.

    At least we get a welcome respite in the winter and can enjoy our favorite places by ourselves.

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  6. ncmountainwoman, I don't blame you for not wanting to share those NC mountains. They are gorgeous. We've stayed in Maggie Valley and Flat Rock/Hendersonville several times and absolutely love North Carolina. On the coast our favorite places are New Bern and Beaufort.

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  7. Oh but I understand why you would not want to share that beautiful place.

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  8. I appreciate your feelings about these places and I am so very jealous that you live where you do!

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