My grandfather suffered from terrible allergies, especially in the spring.  This was in the days before air conditioning so it was difficult for him to get relief.  His answer was to buy a summer home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on Lake Superior near Copper Harbor.  The air came off the lake and was generally pollen free, allowing him to breathe freely.

The UP – yoo pee – yooper – is a beautiful place, but it is hard to live there.  The winters routinely set records for snow.  Air conditioning is usually not necessary since it’s only needed several days out of the summer.  Best yet are the flies – every size, every shape, every type and they love human blood.

Lake Superior itself is a treacherous lake, from the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975 and the sinking of a Coast Guard cutter in 1989 as well as many other boats.

My favorite boy toy and I went up there when we lived in the Midwest.  One year was typical Yooper weather – rainy and cold every single day.  We did all the tourist things, then went home early.  According to the family neighbors, it still rained even after we left.

Do you like this postcard?  The family was surprised by it too when they saw it for sale.  That’s my uncle’s car and my cousin is hanging out the window to point at the black bears.  The bears were at that time a common form of entertainment – all you had to go was go up to the garbage dump for the nightly show.

Word for tomorrow – CONTEMPORARY.  If you prefer to work ahead, see the list for the week under “A Word A Day”.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula Lake Superior Michigan's Upper Peninsula postaday2011 UP