Yooper outdoor art show in the snow

Dancing figures in the snow

 
This is a catch-up post, a summary of yesterday’s outdoor adventure.  After spending Friday night in Marquette after the dog sled races, Bertha and I decided to walk through Presque Isle Park and view the outdoor art exhibit.

First, some of you probably don’t know what a “Yooper” might be.  For anyone who hasn’t a clue…a Yooper is someone who lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U-P, yooper, get it?) .  There are certain folks (not me) who believe that those who live “down below the bridge” in Michigan are tame civilized ordinary folk…and those who live above the bridge are a unique breed of humanity known as “Yoopers”.  You know, more outdoors-y, down to earth, perhaps a bit more eccentric. 

I’m not a native-born Yooper, but our kids qualify (even though they don’t live here any more, go figure).  We’ve been here nearly thirty years but since we came from…below the bridge…we’re still suspect in the eyes of the locals.  We’re almost-Yoopers.  When we’ve lived here another ten or twenty years (or maybe when we die here) we might earn the honor of the title.

But, back to the art show!  Since we enjoy seven to eight months of winter here on the peninsula, the Yoopers have decided to sponsor events like the “Glacier Glide” Outdoor Art Exhibit on Presque Isle.  You have a choice.  You can showshoe, ski or walk around the isle, viewing all sorts of strange, wonderful, quirky pieces of art.

Colorful mosaic lady

Bertha and I opted to hike the two miles around the isle.  The blueish jutting ice of Lake Superior surrounds Presque Isle, providing interesting photo opportunities for those brave enough to venture out on the ice.  We stuck to the trail with only minimal slipping and sliding in spots.  There were less art exhibits than we anticipated, but the ones which appeared proved enjoyable.

Bertha walks ahead along the trail

We met about a dozen or more other walkers during our hike.  Everyone seemed in fine spirits, enjoying the opportunity to stroll around the isle.  It was snowing lightly and I internally fussed some about the weather.  I didn’t want to drive home in a snowstorm, no, no.  A passerby mentioned “lake effect snow warning” and I attempted to ignore the evil prediction.  Good thing, too, for the drive home later proved quite enjoyable with an almost snow-free lane for driving.  Lesson:  do not always believe weather predictions.

When we first drove on the isle, we saw a deer prancing around rather strangely near the following exhibit:

Barrel-stove deer

Hmmm…do you think the deer thought this might be a possible friend?  Confused as to why it didn’t move? 

We enjoyed the hike and art exhibit tremendously.  I would like to view it again another year. 

By the way, this is Day 64 of my outdoor commitment.  Isn’t the time flying?  Today I simply wandered around outside the house feeding deer, shoveling, scraping off cars, peering in odd nooks and crannies.  It’s been a fun weekend!

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