father’s day

I’m so glad to have this summer to work with my dad and Real Food/Blackbird Gardens, but it’s also great when we can relax. After a few long days of making food for other people, Father’s Day gave us the much-needed excuse to slow down.

So we loaded up the canoe, towels, and snacks, and arrived at the state park about an hour and a half after leaving the Petoskey marina. A family walked by with little girls, three and six years old. They helped us finish our strawberries as my dad visited with their mom, who he knew from yoga class.

Swimming ensued, then more relaxing in the sun while perfect billowing and wispy clouds grazed by. Carolyn, my dad’s partner, shared an observation about our day’s activities. She wonders if our society might enjoy slower leisure- like canoeing to a beach to picnic- given the economic downturn.

It has seemed to affect our slower catering schedule. And, time will tell how hard the tourism slump will hit the rest of our little lake-ridden paradise. It’s likely families in Detroit and Chicago suburbs may find it difficult to afford fuel for SUVs and jet-skis. Maybe they can carpool up north and borrow our kayaks and canoes as they practice the future of slow tourism?

on the menu:
a dab of leftover whitefish pâté with crackers and roasted cherry tomatoes
black bean corn chips
white cheddar and gouda cheese
trail mix and toasted sunflower seeds
strawberries
dirty bastard beers
a bit of sand, sun, and fresh air