We have had the kind of Spring in Michigan that can only be described as inconsistent, except we all know Michigan weather. Mother Nature cried with rain through early spring and now it is more like summer, with temperatures ranging from the 70s to the 90s! We arrived in mid-May from Florida to the trees leafing, but a preponderance of blooming trees, lilacs, and early blooms. The Maqua weeds had not grown too tall and the gardens look lovely. We are dealing with whitecaps, wind, and hazy smoke from the Canadian wildfires at the moment.
We thought we had a helper this year, but at the last minute, our oldest son Kyle had to cancel. He will visit later in the summer with family members. We missed his strong self, but his house remodeling took precedence. Opening the lodge is always a week-long adventure, tidying up from the winter, unpacking the items that have been tucked away, and removing the screen tarps that keep the snow off the porches. This year we tried to keep them up longer to keep the pine pollen away, but with company coming, our porch of dreams needs the views and the breezes. Pollen will gather like yellow snow on the porches.
Hut one survived another year, but not without a huge carpenter ant infestation. Goodbye to ants! We have not seen the groundhogs or bats that plagued the lodge last year, but a Maqua neighbor had a bear sighting! We are now reluctant to install the bird feeders they love and wonder how long it will take to break open the compost bin. 
The Camp Maqua Association members are busy fixing up the common property near the lake. The craft hut and Brownie need some work to ready for the 100th anniversary of the camp on this property next summer. Soon, we will announce our plans for this ticketed event, which will be sometime in June 2024. The Bay City Historical Commission has agreed to loan us some of the archives in their possession. It will have a similar format to the last two reunions with food, boat rides, and a campfire with singing.
Our summer includes a great deal of company with family and friends, but soon we are off to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to England, Scotland, and Iceland. It is predominantly a rail trip to see old friends from my high school and college days, a wedding in Scotland for a cousin, and a quick layover as a tourist in Iceland. The next post will be after Independence Day, so enjoy your summer!