SCENES ALONG THE WAY

SCENES ALONG THE WAY

The landmarks roll by

like scenes in a familiar movie

each

with its own set of memories.

What once was a beautiful home

has a lawn long since gone to hay

sagging roof

windows shattered and gone

someone’s flaming dream

now a slow fire.

Hog Island General Store

fudge

smoked fish

jerky

pasties

ice cold beer

all under one roof.

A sign in a farmer’s field

DREAMLAND MOTEL

EASY ON-EASY OFF

we always laughed at that one

easy for the one on top.

Naubinway, Beaudoin’s Café

good food, cheap

a great view of the Lake

we loved it

the kids hated it

no Big Macs and fries there

Dead tamarack swamps

give way to cedars

then pine

balsam

hardwoods

charred grass and tree stalks

where fire came through

last summer. 

All the beaches

Top of the Lake

National Forest Campground

it’s a hot day

let’s go for a swim

hang towels in the windows

change clothes in the car—

since we’re by our self. . .

We pass by

a lone man

on a bicycle

bags hanging everywhere

looking for somewhere

to spend the night—

as I am now

at home in winter

remembering.

John A. Bayerl, December 20, 2011

These recollections are of one of the many trips Gwen and I took from Ann Arbor to the U. P. in the summertime.  Sometimes, when we were a young family, we would be in a station wagon jammed with luggage and four children.  No seat belt laws for children  then; they just found a comfortable spot and settled down. . .that is, until someone intruded on someone else's territory.   Later in our life we made the trip alone, just the two of us, enjoying well-earned peace and quiet.  It was a long trip, close to 500 miles.  We managed to break it up with stops at favorite rest areas, restaurants and beaches.  We knew the route by heart, and had no need for maps and itineraries, the landmarks along the way told us where we were and how much further we had to go to Birch Creek or Gaastra.

It will be nice to have all the children home this Christmas.  Mike and Deann arrived last night, Jeanne, Bob, Nick and Izzy will arrive today, and Anne will be in on Friday. We'll all get together with John, Amy and Brooke this weekend.  Gwen's presence will be everywhere.

They're only landmarks, Dear, but they were so much more than that when we saw them together.  You added meaning to everything in my life.