Project Michigan: Bringing it All Home

"Guess I've got that old travellin' bone
Got a feelin', won't leave me alone
But I won't, I won't be losin' my way, no, no
Long as I can see the light" --Creedence Clearwater Revival

It began as a weird day in the Mitten, though I should hardly be surprised. Here it was, the second week in October and I was wearing a tank top to fend off 70+ degree heat as I drove along M33 Friday afternoon. Go figure.

The destination was Michigan's Thumb, the last major region of the state I needed to hit to essentially have my cross-state journey completed. Known for it's rich, sprawling farmland, the Thumb is not as breathtaking as the UP or as quaint as the Sunset Coast, but it's still beautiful in its own right and it's agriculture is just as essential to the state as anything else.

Along the drive, we passed through multiple small towns and I was so relieved to see despite their size, they were in full bloom, bustling with people and 'open' signs in the shop windows. Maybe it was just an effect after seeing so many vacancies in the UP, but it was a great feeling to be hard-pressed to find for sale signs and that even these pint-sized areas had punches of personality, like Comins.

"The ghost town with a lot of spirit." / Samantha Franz

A quarry outside of Comins. / Samantha Franz

My first destination was just above the Thumb in Alpena, a city along Thunder Bay that was holding it's annual Lighthouse Festival. Though the festivities in town were not in full swing in the early afternoon, the selling point of the celebration is for guests to drive along the shoreline and stop at the various lighthouses dotting the map that have served as beacons to Michigan's sailors for generations. But, first things first: there is a small winery that does something special for the festival that I just had to check out, so I made tracks to Stoney Acres Winery.

Founded in 1999, the winery began as a supplier for home brewers and winers before branching off into Michigan's ever-growing wine producing industry. I knew it was a good place when I was met by an official greeter. Her name was a Sugar, a plump Chocolate Lab that eagerly waited for us to get out of the car so we could pet her. When she perched herself on my lap and waited for me to scratch her back, I felt like I was back home with my own Golden Retriever.

Stoney Acres Winery / Samantha Franz

What was really cool about the winery was their commemorative wine bottles in honor of the Lighthouse Festival. Every year, they bottle just 200 units of a wine inside glass bottles that look like a Michigan lighthouse, with the bottle and wine changing every year. Part of the proceeds go toward funding the preservation of the state's lighthouses. How cool is that? This year's was the Round Island Lighthouse that housed a red raspberry wine.

Afterward, we made the descent down the Lake Huron shoreline toward Caseville, where some very good friends of the family (heck, practically family for that matter) were letting us stay at their cottage. Along the way, we decided to stop at a few of the lighthouses along the route in the spirit of the festival.

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse / Samantha Franz

Tawas Point Lighthouse / Samantha Franz

The drive home was pretty uneventful, though my senses were enriched with several things that reminded me why not only is a Michigan fall my all-time favorite season, but also why October might arguably might be my favorite time of the year (well, except for Christmas).

The small town of Harrisville had the that fallen leaf smell in the crisp autumn

air that brought back memories of high school football

games and late night bonfires. / Samantha Franz

Another one of my favorite things about fall is football. Many of the small towns we drove through had all kinds of best wishes messages to their high school team in their shop windows and with the Michigan/Michigan State game looming the next day, everybody's allegiances were on full display. The energy was contagious and I couldn't help but feel giddy as we continued on the road.

When we did arrive in Caseville, we were pleasantly surprised to see my dad and my dog up there too! I always had a hunch that my dad was kind of bummed that we always had to work when these Project Michigan trips took place, so he took off the weekend to spend some time with us. All together now: awwwwww. :)

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The following morning, it was off to the Port Austin farmer's market, probably one of the nicest ones I have been to. The town square was jammed packed with vendors selling crafts, hand woven baskets, antiques and, of course, locally sourced produce. The whole family went, even Auggie who sopped up the sun, wind and bustling atmosphere like a fuzzy, four-legged sponge. Everybody stopped to say hello to him, pet him and make comments about his enormous paws and head. We, meanwhile, filled our market bag to the brim with goods, including Amish noodles, potatoes, peanut butter dog treats and even a 1959 Michigan license plate. With the Backyard Brawl a few hours away, school colors were everywhere, and even if you fell on neither side of the battle line, there was plenty of other schools represented, including Central, Eastern, Western and, of course, my own Oakland.

Fall goodies

All kinds of homemade goods to sample

These are awesome. If you're ever in the area, highly recommended.

Gourds.

Handmade baskets

Everyone's fall flower of choice: the mum.

Auggie enjoying every second of the

market. / All photos by Samantha Franz

Afterward, we made a pit stop at Walt's Meat Mart to pick up some pork steaks to barbecue (which Walt came over and cut for us personally), then we dropped off the boys to head out to Bad Axe. We stopped back in Port Austin on the way for lunch at a small mom and pop place called The Stock Pot (Best. Chicken soup. Ever.) before continuing on.There's a really neat antique store in Bad Axe that is more like a small village, with several buildings on site that house home goods and decorations so immaculately, that you'd think you were looking at a magazine photo shoot.

All photos by Samantha Franz

But our time was short, since only one of the biggest college football games of the season was kicking off at 3:30, so we made our way back to the cottage in Caseville.

You know, throughout Project Michigan, traveling has been nothing short of a whirlwind. I have been trying to fit as much as possible into a few days at a time to truly experience everything Michigan has to offer. That day, things were a little different: for the first time since July, I went to my home base and stayed there. It was comfortable and relaxing and I felt like I could truly relate to all the people I have spoken with during my thesis. Whenever I asked the question 'Why do you remain in Michigan," the most popular answer is a close variant of the following: "This is my home. Why would I want to be anywhere else?"

So that Saturday afternoon, I stopped looking at Michigan as a tourist and instead, as a resident. The fuzzy feelings of home came flooding forth as we all watched Michigan State defeat Michigan, as I shot a BB gun rifle in the backyard with my dad and as I ate a home cooked meal with my family. That sense of belonging and that reassuring feeling of comfort is what truly makes someplace your own and it's no wonder so many people are staying put. Michigan has so much to offer that it is easy to make it a home.

~*~*~

The following morning, we loaded up our respective cars and made the journey back to Warren, my own home. Here's a photo highlight reel of the trip back:

Outside Leipprandt Orchards in Pigeon

Mmmm apples.

Point Aux Barques Lighthouse

Harbor Beach Lighthouse

Fall color. :) / All photos by Samantha Franz

In the coming days, I plan to spend some time in Detroit and of course, I will have my camera and video recorder on hand. In the meantime, some parting shots from the Thumb: