Ever Desolate Lake Michigan

You won’t find too many of the expansive beachs of the Ludington, Michigan, area today. Definately no swimmers! I, though, even in the winter, love to hike the shores of Lake Michigan in my parka. Even in the winter those swirling winds coming right off the lake make it bone cold so my visits there don’t nearly last as long as in the better weather months.

Yet once you cross the nearby sand dunes the bite of the wind eases off as the sand dunes act as a blocker to the winds. At that point I can jump back into my car, get the heater going, and then head down shore for another brief encounter with the shores of Lake Michigan before heading home to the Scottville area.

A Campfire by Big Bass Lake

On any given camping trip, I think my favorite time was that first campfire. This was really the first time the Marion Boys Club kids experienced darkness settling upon Big Bass Lake and when fully dark the kids huddled around the campfire and got really silent for a few minutes.  For many of them, this was their first real camping trip away from their parents.  The sense of the unknown was all around them.

I recall Calvin glancing at the safety of his tent just a few short yards away from our fire pit.  Kevin and Eddie had turned around to focus on the dark shrouded Haunted Island where they would be heading to at midnight on another night on that trip.  Johnny was focusing in on his marshmallow dangling over the fire making sure it was just right before consuming it. 

Then I started in on a song, Row, Row, Row Your Boat and all the boys joined in as many moved their eyes to where I had docked our rowboat for the night.  Kevin remembered diving off of it in our early evening swim.  Some laughter followed his remarks.  The boys, both black and white, were sharing some of their feelings about that first dark night.  One was concerned about going to the portable potty before going to bed which also got some laughter. 

As the fire settled down to just a few embers, one by one the boys got ready for bed and other things that needed getting done before that time came.  The last boy who settled down that night was Johnny as he must have consumed twenty marshmallows that night.  Not a bad first evening campfire!