Helen and Jon

My friends Helen and Jon left for home just an hour ago.  They drove up from Detroit on Monday for a three-day mini-vacation.  This was our first extended time together since they returned from China, where they taught English at the university level (Jon) and to young children (Helen).  Both want to go back to China if suitable positions can be found.

Monday was mainly devoted to fixing dinner and catching up.  After the meal I sent them off for ice cream at the Portage while I attended the monthly meeting of the Township's Board of Trustees.

On Tuesday we drove up to Rogers City to do some shopping and in particular to buy whitefish for that evening's dinner.  The lady at Gauthier and Spaulding told us their boat was scheduled to dock before too long and that we should come back after 3:30 p.m.  I made a second trip to Rogers City later that afternoon, only to be told that "the fish is on the way."  Forty-five minutes later I returned to G and S to learn that the truck had a flat tire and its arrival was in doubt.  No fish for dinner.  We had smoked pork loin from Plath's instead.  Good... but I was really in a mood for whitefish.

Helen meets Anna for the first time.

Anna gazes off toward the rear range light and the home
she occupied for more than two decades.

Jon and Helen at the Range Light beach.  Presque Isle's
Old Lighthouse is on the point of land behind Helen.

Yesterday morning we toured Presque Isle, stopping first at Range Light Park.  Jon and Helen saw our newly installed and dedicated statue of Anna Garrity, Presque Isle's famous female keeper.  I also showed them the swimming beach at the Range Light — one of those rare spots on Lake Huron where the beach has a sandy bottom.

From there we headed to the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse (built in 1840) to see the museum and the statue of Patrick Garrity Sr., Anna's father.  We didn't climb the tower, but I'll do that later this month, before the lighthouse closes for the season, to get some photos from that vantage point.

Helen admires Patrick Sr., who was keeper
at both the Old and New Lights.

Patrick was appointed Keeper at the Old Light in 1861, by
President Abraham Lincoln himself.

Our next stop was the New Lighthouse (vintage 1870) where we checked out the Fresnel Lens display and chatted with Jeni, artifacts chairperson for the Presque Isle Township Museum Society.  From Jeni I learned that work will soon begin on repair of the window glass in the lantern room at the top of the lighthouse's tower.  This will involve use of a high-lift crane, and that in turn opens up the possibility of getting photographs of the New Light Park from a very unusual perspective.  But, to be honest, I don't like heights.  This ought to be interesting!

Helen demonstrates the dangers involved in use of our
cement steps at the New Light.  They were poorly built
and are a slip-and-fall danger.  I want them replaced ASAP.

Jon and Helen went with me to the Alpena Farmers' Market
where we bought tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and potatoes.

From there we headed into Alpena where we shopped the Farmer's Market.  I especially wanted to find some locally grown tomatoes.  The tomatoes we bought were good, but not nearly as tasty as those Helen and Jon grew this year in their Detroit garden.  They specialize in heirloom tomatoes — the varieties that people used to grow before corporate seed peddlers decided that a half dozen tomatoes were all anyone needed in their gardens.

Heirlooms are a wonder!  Look them up!  They come in lots of colors (not just red), and they are incredibly tasty.  But they don't ship well, so you are unlikely to find any in your local supermarket.  Or even at your local farmers' market.  We asked a couple Alpena vendors if they grow and sell heirloom tomatoes, and they didn't even know what we were talking about!

After lunch we enjoyed a happy cup of tea with Richard.  More about that in my next post. •••