God is in CONTROL

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Light Houses on Lake Michigan - Day 8 Great Lakes Tour

 
One of the things I hoped to see on this trip was coastlines dotted with light houses in various colors and sizes with from different eras.  Despite the fact that several ports talked of how many ships wrecked off their shores we didn't see that many.
 
Last week -- we came upon this well-know tourist spot -- featuring a well-know lighthouse that was erected after there were 29 shipwrecks one November -- NO way could you just drive by and take a few snapshots -- no -- it was a tour and $36 thank you very much.   They had that light house so obscured the only pictures would have to be from a fly-over.  


We passed on that one because we needed to get on across the border before bedtime and I was feeling a little cheap!  There is a lot of history on this particular coast that is certain.






There was a four hour light house boat tour in Sault Ste. Marie that we could take for almost 100 bucks -- PEOPLE -- I just wanted to see a few of these nautical beacons of light that had kept ships afloat -- but four hours on the lake -- don't think so --

So today -- I had my hopes up to actually get close to a light house  as we drove down the Lake Michigan Coastline.  Lake Michigan -- Thank you!!!!  I got a couple of good pics -- never mind that one was a souvenir  shop.



As we came inland -- we left fishing for farming.   I have discovered where all the grain, cheese and milk in American come from!!!  Such beautiful farms with lots of barns and silos -- one careful observation:  9 out of 10 farmers in Wisconsin paint their barns red -- wonder why???  These farms are huge operations and so well-kept -- 200 miles of farms on I-43 after we crossed into Wisconsin.



















Throughout the week Terry has been teaching two on-line courses and we've had to make certain that each night we had wifi connections so that he could connect with his students and continue their on-line discussions.
McDonald's -- Iced Mocha and Good Wifi Connections

Yay!! Finally found another snowmobile crossing sign -- 500 miles further and on a different  coast.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Crusing Through the Soo - Day 7

We decided to make it a two-day stay in Sault Ste. Marie so we could do the Soo Locks River Cruise -- We've had two long days of driving and wanted to have some down time b/4 a longer drive tomorrow.
It was 44 degrees and mostly cloudy -- we're going to remember this when we're back in Tulsa and it's a blistering 101~
Does this guy look relaxed or what???

It was so cold we had to set below -- met some nice folks from Indiana and learned about a must-see vacation for next time -- Mackinaw Island!


Loved "talking school" with another high school teacher  














This ship we passed -- and it was 1000 ft long



 heading through the locks


Lots of sea gulls on this trip --

The locks closed behind us to shut off waters from Lake Huron and raised the level 21 feet to the height of Lake Superior --






By the time we docked - the wind had picked up and nobody was on top --


Lots of new goslings on the lakes learning to swim

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Black Bear, Black Bear, What Do You See??? I See Two Crazy Tourists Looking At Me- Day 6

 My favorites of the day --


Lots more drizzle and fog as we left Wawa (I found out in an aboriginal language that means big goose) --hmmm--- the reason for the big geese everywhere in the town.  It cleared and we were able to see much more of Lake Superior.  This is a land of thousands of inlets and lakes and the view is unbelievable.  My plan was to get some much-needed lesson planning for Kids University which starts Monday -- but the sights are breathtaking and I haven't been able to take my eyes off the road.


While I DID pick up the books this morning as we were inland away from the coast -- Terry spotted a black bear -- nothing would have it but he backed up and the old critter got pretty curious about us --




 OK - OK -- I did put a lot of pics in of the bear -- but remember we don't see these guys in Tulsa!



Today's critter count is one humming bird, one deer, one black bear and Moose sighting #3.



 

Whenever we travel in another country I collect signs Here's a few from trip

I missed a snowmobile crossing sign that we saw North of Lake Superior
Down this low???  Who could see this one? Wouldn't you have hit the speed bumps b/4 you see it?


Wish this were clearer -- It ways "Old Woman River"


Saw lots of these  . . .


Been to all of 'em on this trip except the top one


Everything was in French as well as English

Don't know if the extra checks really help as a warning . . .



On a busy street -- what person in a wheelchair would venture out in this traffic?

this sign looked the BEST to us!!!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Mining and Moose Sighting in Ontario - Day 5


 We left Thunder Bay about 9:30 Tulsa Time and drove about 440 km today -- or about 300 miles on two-lane highway -- The view was beautiful as we circled Lake Superior -- even driving right along the shore line a lot of the time. There weren't many towns -- and those that we did find were not bigger than 1000 people.  We didn't see schools or many businesses. It's all pretty dense.
   
 



As we started planning our vacation we didn't know it was part of an actual Lake Superior Circle Tour




 For a minute we thought we were back in OK -- with the orange cones and construction workers -- This guy posed just after Terry took his picture.

It's been a rainy drizzly day starting early morning.  -- One thing  in the travel brochure that caught my eye was the Amethyst Mine about 40 km from Thunder Bay -- We drove in a foggy mist to get there and the mist was so dense we could hardly see the place -- For a fee we could dig through what they brought out of the mine -- IT was too much fun! --Of course we had to bring home some smaller pieces for the garden.

















  We learned that amethyst is formed in crevasses of quartz rock -- mud mixed with iron flows in and the quartz crevas closes.  Over time the beautiful six-sided stones are formed.  This particular fault line went for many miles and was discovered in the 1950's
This stone costs $1000!

 It was a sea of purple stones -- While we were there they brought up a muddy scoop  from the mine and we had fun digging them out of the wet dirt.
Out there in the foggy mist is Terry mining for stones  for the yard.

We were a little wet for wear --  but a bowl of soup at Tim Horton's (the Canadian version of Panera) was just what we needed for the chill.





 
This weather is everything T wanted for a vacation -- -- his vacation requests were simple:   cold weather, (rain was an added bonus) and to get to see a Moose. (The rest of the family has seen Moose when we go to Canada -- he's moaned and groaned about it since our last trip to Prince George in 2004! ;-) 
ALL OVER CANADA WE'VE BEEN SEEING MOOSE SIGNS BUT NO MOOSE

Closer to Wawa Ontario we saw this huge sign -- guess they mean business



THEN TRAFFIC STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND ONE CROSSED THE ROAD -- T'S DAY WAS COMPLETE!!!


Had to stop at White River Ontario which boasts being the birthplace of Winnie the Pooh.  Took this picture for Campbell.
Hmmm thought it was 100 Acre Woods -- this place would surely qualify.

 Tonight we're staying at the Wawa Motor Inn in a log cabin overlooking a lake --sort of a hunter's / fisherman's paradise right on HWY 17.  Most accomodations around the lake aren't this nice.









Gitche Goome
 
Rain has been pounding on the roof -- it's a good night to turn in early.


I did a search - I knew amethysts were mentioned in scripture somewhere..
I found them -- they're in the 12th foundation of the City is Amethyst (Rev. 21)and  in the breastplate of Aaron and his sons. Ex. 28

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