Hiking in the "pasture for the clouds," in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, it would have been an easy stroll of 2.2 miles if the altitude of the trail didn't start at 8,467 feet with an elevation gain of 320 feet!  Rated as a MODERATE level hike, the OSHA TRAIL is a popular destination for nearby residents and visitors alike!

Always a good idea to take a break when an opportunity presents itself, this collapsed tree was ingeniously cut and carved to be a comfortable and cute resting place! 

Cloudcroft, situated within the Lincoln National Forest rests at a breath-taking (literally!) 8,600 ft.  The altitude makes for mild summer weather and a cool break from the sweltering temperatures of the high desert communities footing the Sacramento Mountains.  Trains brought tourists starting in the early 1900's to the two resorts built to accommodate them, the Pavillion and the Lodge.  As automobiles became the more popular way to travel,  the rail line began to lose money and passenger service ended in 1938.  Behind us is the remnant of the rail line which has been partially dismantled on both ends to prevent thrill seekers from walking across it and possibly fall to their deaths.

We arrived at Cloudcroft on a special day, October 23, 2014, right at the time of a PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.  Sunspot, a nearby community, houses a SUN telescope which records sunspot activity.  But on this day, scientists from everywhere were at sunspot watching the eclipse!  Lucky for us, the concierge at the LODGE had a sun viewing box that he lent us to watch the eclipse.  I tried to photograph the event, but, my iPhone did not have the capability to capture the image in the direct sun!

Oops!  I didn't mention that we lodged at "The Lodge!"  Climbing the narrow staircase to the TOWER, we were rewarded with a 360 degree view of our surroundings!  The middle photo shows WHITE SANDS National Park in the distance!  Yes, famous people also etch "we where here" into things!  Judy Garland and Clark Gable visited this place.  By the way, CONRAD HILTON, a native New Mexican, born in San Antonio, was the hotel manager of the LODGE in 1930!

Not to mention that this place is HAUNTED!  In the early 1900's, a beautiful redhead chambermaid called, Rebecca, disappeared from her quarters after her lover found her in the arms of another.  Since then, guests and employees have seen her wandering down the halls, lights turning off and on, doors slamming, objects moving and the fireplace catching fire with no one else around.  She is not malevolent, just mischievous.

After receiving a coupon for a discount from the shop within the hotel called, "The Mercantile and Seasons," I decided to check it out.  Finding some cute apparel, I wanted to try it on!  This redesigned hotel safe was my dressing room.  Did I feel a little claustrophobic?  Yes, I did, especially when she closed the safe's door.  I had to knock on the door for her to open it when I was done, as I couldn't open it myself.  I'm glad that REBECCA didn't decide to pay me a visit while I was in there!  HaHa!  

The Lodge also has a 9-hole Golf course, at the altitude of 9000 feet, it is one of the highest in the world!

Named by FODORS as the # 3, "Most Overlooked and Underrated Destination Spot," in 2002, you now have the inside scoop where you can hike, golf, see sunspots, see a ghost, snow mobile, cross-country ski and just CHILL in a beautiful locale.

 If you were wondering if we saw Rebecca, NO, we didn't, but, we were expectant!  Well, maybe next time!  E Malama Pono! (Take care!)

Just two chicks hanging out together!  HaHa!  Standing in front of Zehnder's Famous Chicken Dinners Restaurant in Frankenmuth, Michigan, I was about to satisfy my hunger for delicious chicken.

Having 10 dining rooms and seating for over 1500 guests, Zehnder's is known as America's largest family Restaurant!   With servers dressed in traditional German garb, you can get the all-you-can eat dinner which includes; coleslaw, cottage cheese, buttered noodles, liver pate, sliced bread, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, chicken noodle soup, CHICKEN and ice cream for dessert.  Are you full yet?  I'm usually so stuffed, you have to ROLL me out!  HaHa!  Actually, I burn it off by shopping downstairs with the many curio shops and the bakery!

Wilkommen (Welcome) to Frankenmuth, Michigan!  Also known by the nickname,"little Bavaria" or "Muth," this place was settled in 1845 by Lutheran immigrants from Robtalarea of Franconia (now part of Bavaria.)   Still dominated by people of German ancestry, 53% still live there today!

My husband is standing on the Zehnder's Holz Brucke (which means, "wooden bridge") that spans the Cass River.  Though looking very rustic, this 239 foot long covered bridge, was built in 1979 and leads to the Bavarian Inn Hotel.

 

 Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, a store that is a city block in size, where you need a MAP to navigate, is "The World's Largest Christmas Store!"  My husband's pocketbook is in REAL DANGER when I enter this establishment.  Anything and everything related to Christmas can be found here, whether it be decorations ( indoor and outdoor), costumes, Nativity scenes, miniature towns, faux Christmas trees,  faux wreaths, Advent calendars and custom tree bulb engravings.

Not only do they have Christmas themed items, they also have Halloween miniatures and Easter items!  My creative juices flow here, as there are hundreds of themed, decorated trees everywhere with all the trimming for sale nearby!

With busted bellies and wallets as we leave with arms full of purchases from Bronner's and Zehnder's, and tummies full of chicken, we leave Frankenmuth in joyful anticipation for our return visit next year! (I need more ideas, you know!) HaHa!  Aloha! (Lots of love!)

Connecting the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, The Mackinac Bridge spans 5 miles from shoreline to shoreline.  Was I swimming to get this shot?  No, I was on a ferry to transport me to Mackinac Island.  Opened for traffic on November 1, 1957, this is a toll bridge on I-75 costing $4/car.

For the bridge buffs, the design engineer, David B. Steinman included stiffening trusses to support the bridge deck and an open-grid roadway to reduce wind resistance.  The road deck is shaped as an airfoil to provide lift in a crosswind and the center two lanes are open gird to allow vertical air flow, which fairly precisely cancels the lift making the roadway stable in winds of up to 150 mph!

Only open to pedestrian traffic once a year for the "Mackinac Bridge Walk," the 58th Annual Bridge walk, led by the Governor of Michigan will be held on September 7, 2015, starting at 7:00am from St. Ignace to Mackinac City.  I'm going to try to make it for this one and will wear my "the Walking Hawaiian" T-shirt!  This walk is free and requires NO registration!

By the way, this bridge separates Lake Superior and Lake Huron.  At this point, I was on Lake Superior!

 Hopping off the ferry on Mackinac Island, it was unusually cold for September and we had to bundle up in anticipation of our loop around the Island by bike! 

With an area of 3.8 square miles, a residential population of 492,  this Island is known for it's listing as a National Historic Landmark, State Highway M-185 being the only highway in the United States that is WITHOUT motorized vehicles, and it's delicious FUDGE with some confectioners operating for more than a CENTURY!  It also is listed as the second National Park, as Yellowstone was the first!

Of course, there are always exceptions to the NO MOTORIZED VEHICLE rule!  Usually, the Island can be reached by private boat, ferry and small aircraft. (There is a 3500ft. runway located in the  center of the Island!) But in the winter, you can use a SNOWMOBILE by travelling on an ICE ROAD on Lake Huron!  In addition, emergency vehicles and service vehicles are exempt!

Pausing for a photograph on our 8 mile perimeter bike ride, we stopped in front of "ARCH ROCK!" Soaring 146 ft. above the ground, this limestone arch is one of the most popular geologic formations on the Island.

Making their nationally, well-known FUDGE, yes, we did relent and indulged ourselves in this delicacy!

Starting as a habitation for Indians, then a fur trading center, turning into a Military residence, (Fort Mackinac), now a resort and a National Park, this Island has been through many transitions! 

Riding the ferry back to Mackinac City, we  spent the day recalling a past where life is unhurried, quiet, (no loud machinery or cars) and enjoying being with one another!  Remember what is really important!  A Hui Hou! (Until we meet again!)

Oh, what to do with that leftover grease from cooking?  Pour it down the drain?  Throw it in the trash?  How about instead to save it and make candles?  Now, that's recycling!  The photo above is a reshaped cotton ball (100% cotton) and some melted beef tallow!  Really!

These are three different ways to make a wick out of an extra large 100% cotton ball. The ROPE wick, the TOOTHPICK wick and the HERSHEY KISS wick!  

To make the ROPE wick, pull and gently lengthen the cotton ball to a long, skinny rectangle about 12 inches long.  Start by twisting in the middle until it curls on itself.  Pinch in place with thumb and index finger.  With other hand, continue to twist towards you and then overlap piece over to you, pinch down on this part and continue till you run out of material.  It should look like the object on the left! (Maybe even better than that!  HaHa!)

The TOOTHPICK wick requires a sturdy toothpick and make sure that the pointy end will be at the bottom.  Take the cottonball and gently pull and stretch till its in a flat square shape.  The shape should be longer than the toothpick as the extra length will be on the top.  Put the toothpick on the edge of the cottonball with excess on top and the pointed end of the toothpick showing.  Roll tightly like a sushi roll till you get to the other end.  Twist the top to make a pointed end and twist bottom to secure.

The HERSHEY KISS wick is the easiest to make as all you need to do is flatten the cottonball a little, then pull up the other side and twist.  Super simple!

Use any heat resistant container (use your imagination!) and some pliable wire for the rope wick and the toothpick wick.  For the rope wick, twist wire to hold the twisted end of the rope and coil the rest of the wire to hold the wick high in the container and to stabilize the wick.  

For the toothpick wick, coil the end of the toothpick with wire to stand vertical and coil the rest of the wire to stabilize the toothpick in the container.

The hershey kiss wick should be placed in a low container as the top of the wick needs to be free of the fat.  Just place the wick inside and you are ready for the fat!

The fats that you use can be beef tallow, bacon grease, butter, lamb fat or any fat that solidifies when cooled!  You're thinking that it must smell awful when burning!  Actually, I don't really smell anything until I blow it out!  That's when I cover it with a lid!  HaHa!

Fat solidifies in three sections.  The top contains impurities, and the bottom is sediments.  So, the middle area is what you want to use.  Scape into microwaveable container.  Microwave until the fat becomes liquid.  Pour melted fat over the wick in the container and fill, but don't cover the wick top.  Light with lighter.  I have learned that the pointier the wick, the easier it is to light.  

Enjoy what you have created with your own hands and feel proud that you have made use of materials usually thrown away!  Are you seeing the light?  HaHa!

 

The largest city in NW Michigan and also the largest producers of tart cherries in the United States is this hidden gem called, Traverse City!  The Montmorency cherry or "pie cherry,' is the largest variety here.  Other cherries also grown include the Ulster (sweet cherry) and the Balaton!

We just missed the "National Cherry Festival" which was held in the first week of July!  2014 was record breaking as 500,000 tourists and locals alike participated.  I would have enjoyed competing in the pie eating contest, not with the intention of winning, but, just to eat some cherry pie!  HaHa!

This is one of the centers of wine production in the Midwest!  The sandy soil and sitting close to the 45th parallel (a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes) makes it perfect for viticulture.  Seven wineries on the Old Mission Peninsula and 21 wineries located on the Leelanau Peninsula gives you lots of choices of wine tasting to enjoy!  My favorite was a Chardonnay at Chateau Chantal Winery.

It makes a lot of sense to combine the two products and make some "Cherry Wine!"  This wine was made of the Balaton cherry which is a flavor between the Montmorency and the Ulster cherry.

 Interesting shops lined the many tiny towns along the Leelanau Peninsula which is between the east side of Lake Michigan and the west side of Traverse Bay.

At every tip of the peninsulas was a lighthouse.  Though not in use since technology now uses satellites and GPS, they have become museums with information of it's past.  Even my lamp at the hotel had a "lighthouse" lamp with the nightlight looking like a lit lighthouse!

The western edge of the Leelanau Peninsula contains the "Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore."  I want to show you a trail that takes you to the shores of Lake Michigan.  This video demonstrates that it is a L-O-N-G way down!  Not so bad going down, but expect at least two hours to get back up.  The sand is very loose and every step you'll sink to your knees.  We hope that the people trying to get back up made it before nightfall as the sun was about to set when we took this video!

The TART trail system runs through this part of Michigan and is conducive for road bicycling.  We biked about 18 miles along the Dunes and various towns in the Leelanau Peninsula.

Traverse city, voted one of the "10 best places to retire' in 2012, is also a "foodie" enthusiast capital.  Here we were enjoying a demonstration of  making "spanish coffee."  We were "lit up" in more ways then one!  Delighting our taste buds at the end of an exhausting touring day, was so rewarding.  At "Folgarelli's." I had the most delicious sandwich called, "The Godfather," and have decided that it is the best sandwich I have ever tasted in my WHOLE life!

 As the setting sun ends the day, we had to end our stay here to move on to new places.  Awash in wonderful memories and the hope that we might return sometime in the near future to the 45th parallel!  A Hui Hou! (Until we meet again!)