Tis the Season

When it gets cold, the big lakes are warmer than the air. Although ice forms around the edge of the lake, away from shore the open water steams, almost boils into the cold winter sunshine. This is looking at the steam rising above Lake Superior in L'Anse Bay. Happy winter everyone.

While I was posting the "Simple Life" series, what I personally wanted to post was Houghton in the U.P. So I went looking for pictures of the U.P. and Houghton in winter which is the season of choice for me. Amazingly, I could only find a few winter photos of Houghton, either taken by me or on the web. How could a place that has snow from November through April be only photographed in the green old summertime? Actually, I should spend some time in Houghton in summer if I am really considering it as a place for retirement. I might not like and it wouldn't do to live in a place with 6 long months of spring,summer, and fall that wasn't desirable.


I do love the winter blue sky in the north.

The other interesting question is whether or not the housing value is still good in Houghton. After all, with the housing crisis, there are some really cheap properties elsewhere. That $19,000 fixer upper in Houghton from last year might not look so good this year. And that $45,000 comfortable older home in town might look rather expensive. After all, Bob says that there are condos and small homes offered in south Phoenix for as little as $35,000. And our own Steve Wentworth just bought a nice family home on 10 acres west of Chelsea for $104,000.


I'll just have to see how attractive Houghton looks this year. Maybe the long drive up there will convince me to stay a troll after all.

For those of not from Michigan, this is the Mackinaw Bridge. People who live north of the bridge, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are "Yoopers". Those of us who live "under the bridge" are trolls.