Writing Up at Christie Lake

I’m up in Michigan this weekend with the hubby and kids, visiting my parents and sister.  I love the view in the morning from the kitchen window– watching the mist on the water evaporate when the sun comes up.  I usually miss this as I sleep late up here, but the oldest kiddo woke me up early– asking where I packed his glasses. He almost never wears them, but this time,  I remembered to bring them along.   Both boys took off in the pontoon to go fishing.

I always enjoy writing in the kitchen and looking out at the lake.  Dad has several bird feeders in front of the window and we’ve seen so many different varieties of birds.  I especially love watching the cardinals, yellow finches and the occasional woodpecker.  Every now and then, we’ll get a visit from a blue jay.

When we arrived yesterday, I noticed that my Mom’s peonies were in full bloom.  There’s a bit of a story behind this particular peony bush. 

One year, Mom decided to move the peony bush to the edge of the property.  She dug up the bush, taking care to keep the root ball intact, and planted it in a different spot.  The following year, it died.  It didn’t make it through the tough Michigan winter. Mom later learned that she chose the wrong time of the year to move it, and peonies don’t move well when they’re dug up.  Mom resigned herself to the fact that she wasn’t going to see those pretty magenta blooms ever again.

That spring, Mom noticed a tiny sprout in the old spot.  She must have left a little bit of root from the original bush in the ground, and there it was, growing back again.  She can now enjoy the stunning blooms again each year.

 I guess there’s a lesson in here– always make sure you have a backup if Plan A fails.