Been there, done that

State Forest Campground near Whitefish Point, Paradise, Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Upper Peninsula of Michigan The land here still remembers snow, still feels the white weight of 200 inches a winter. The lush-green of the grasses, the fields, the deep marshes, none of this should be possible after the freezing winters. How can so much grow in so little time? How can the trees be so tall, the forest so heavy and deep? I can’t believe the intense beauty of this land. Breath-taking.

We stay in a state forest campground with all the other weekend family folk for two days. We swim and sun and walk the dogs a lot. At night the mosquitoes drive us into the van, but night doesn’t begin until after ten pm.

The moon rises our first night, orange and evil, half-pregnant, portentous, and the howling begins. I’ve only heard wolves howling in documentaries and movies, but never heard/felt it deep in my soul before. We can’t even howl back, . We hold hands and drop our mouths open. Holy Wow.