 |
| Mackinaw City Fort Michilimackinac and the Mackinac Bridge -- one half mile from our rental house. |
My husband and I have teased for years that if something wasn't within five miles of where we lived then it was too far! Then this summer, staying in Mackinaw City for a month to promote my new book My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island, we found a smaller perimeter! Within one half mile in several directions we could find all manner of wonderful places and people. Above, is Fort Michilimackinac, which is just a half mile west from where we were staying. Instead of a five mile drive, we had a half mile walk and passed several public parks along the Lake Huron shore by the Straits of Mackinac.
The church we attended, Church of the Straits, was only a couple of blocks west of the house. We were so delighted to hear The Calvarymen perform while we were there one Sunday! And we were able to enjoy the lovely picnic the church members had. I don't think we've ever been able to simply walk to church and back as a married couple -- but I did this all the time growing up, because my home church, Bethel Community, was only two blocks from home.
At the right is my handsome chauffeur at our rental house. He looks awfully comfortable, doesn't he? After driving almost a thousand miles, our truck loaded down for the month, he deserved a break. Have I mentioned yet that both an amazing bakery and numerous fudge shops were under a half mile walk?
If we were to go North from the house a half mile, we'd be out in the Straits of Mackinac/Lake Huron! Lots of sailboats went by in July, when both the Chicago to Mackinac Island and the Port Huron to Mackinac Island races happened.
Northeast of our rental were the ferry docks. And more public parks (often occupied by Canadian geese and gulls!) Several nights a week, musical groups performed in the amphitheater in the park just past the ferry docks. From Rock and Roll to Celtic Music to Band music, all could easily be accessed in less than a half mile walk!
Our son enjoyed the independence of being able to go off to Wawatam Park, across the street, as often as he wished. From this spot, the entire Straits of Mackinac can be viewed, from Lake Michigan and on the "Mitten's" and the "Eagle's" western shores to Mackinac Island in the Straits, to Lake Huron's coast down to Cheboygan. Notice the striation of water colors in the picture at the right.
GIVEAWAY: Box of Christian fiction books by various popular authors and publishers. Leave a comment answering this question -- what can you easily get to from a half a mile of your home? From five miles?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWithin a half-mile of us is the school and a state recreational area. Within 5 miles is Chinese, Culver's, Aldi (woohoo!), Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Burlington Coat Factory, Menard's, a movie theater, etc. It's very handy!
ReplyDeleteOoh, and Panera too! Lol
DeleteWow, sounds like you are doubly blessed, Karen!
DeleteI would walk the woods that abut my property. It's so peaceful walking along enjoying nature.
ReplyDeleteHow nice, Karen!
DeleteI am very lucky to live near a park. It's beautiful all year round. Feeding the ducks is always fun.
ReplyDeleteIn my neighborhood, I can walk a half mile to our community center. But what a blessing in Mackinaw City to have several beautiful parks all within a half mile along the lake!!!
DeleteWithin half a mile I can visit my Doctor's office and volunteer at the hospital. I can have a lovely cup of coffee and eat at my choice of several restaurants. There is a small park that is home to numereous geese, ducks and even some pelicans. Five miles allows me to shop at Aldi, Walmart and a number of other stores including our small mall. In that 5 mile radius, I can swim, boat, walk and even sit by more than 5 lakes.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to hear what was within half a mile of where you stayed, Carrie. Sounds like it was worth many lovely walks!
Another friend who is doubly blessed! Both your half mile boundaries and your five mile boundaries hold some great stuff! Wow! Yes, where we stayed inspired many great walks!
DeleteWe live "in the country" so within a half mile any direction there would be another home! Within 5 miles or so there is small town. We have to travel about 15 miles to get to a town of any size to shop, eat out, etc. As an avid reader, I would be delighted to win the books. Thanks for the chance! 😊
ReplyDeleteHi Van! We used to live in West Falls, New York and it was pretty much like that there! For us to reach a good sized grocery (Walmart) we had to drive a fair ways up North.
DeleteWithin a half mile I have all the stores I need. Within five miles is Lake Superior, Brighton Beach, Park Point and the lift bridge. Also my church as well as many wooded areas. It is a great place to live.
ReplyDeleteWow, Nancy, sounds like you are geographically spoiled rotten! That sounds fantastic!!!
DeleteHalf a mile would be my pharmacy a park and MANY food take out places! 5 miles the grocery store, the hospital, a different park, the middle school and lotssa doctors offices.
ReplyDeleteSounds like lots of helpful people are all around you, Serena!
DeleteHaving had both knees replaced since April, I'm not really trying to walk anywhere very far quite yet, but I am blessed to be in an area that has everything I can want (from our church to craft stores and lots of restaurants, not to mention my doctors and hospital). Almost everything is within 3 miles or less and although I can't drive right now because of pain meds, I have several friends who willingly taxi me wherever I need to go. I'm not used to not being mobile, and I have a new appreciation for those who not only are far from places they need to go but lack the means to get there. Thanks for asking us what was close to us; I didn't realize how very blessed I was!
ReplyDeleteYikes, Sandy, both knees replaced, wow! Praying you are soon getting around great. That's so wonderful that you have lots of things close by and friends to get you there!
DeleteLiving in the country, the only things I can walk to within a half mile are a few homes, a sports bar, and a plant nursery. Thankfully the nearest village is within five miles, so then we can reach the hospital, the school, our church, and many businesses.
ReplyDeleteBest of both worlds, Mallori!
DeleteWithin a half mile of my house is the home of my three precious grands and on down the road is the school where they attend and the church building where we all attend church. I am blessed!
ReplyDeleteYes, you are so blessed, Melanie! I have a new grand dog so now I have two!
DeleteOh, wow Carrie! What a fabulous place to stay, even if it was only temporary! I'm afraid our mailbox is a 1/2 mile from our house. LOL!! We do feel somewhat civilized now, we've recently gotten a Food Lion, Chinese restaurant & dry cleaners about 5 miles from us! :) Our church is about 10 miles away, so it's not so bad. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow, Robin -- your mailbox is a half mile away? And that's fun you have gotten some new establishments nearby!
DeleteWithin a half mile from my home I have a restaurant (family cooking--where I can smell breakfast cooking on my early morning walks), a strip mall, and a gas station. Then within a mile, I would be connected to several more stores--2 pharmacies, grocery store, coffee shop, my bank and another restaurant. I enjoy walking to places and have gone to the grocery store on my morning walk carrying my few groceries home.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy walking while praising and thanking God for nature, sunrise or sunset, and so many other blessings.
Your trip sounds so awesome, relaxing and a month of fun filled adventures. God bless.
m
Sounds like you live in a very special place, Marilyn! I don't know how I'd deal with smelling breakfast cooking! That sounds as tempting as the Bakery was down the street from us! Blessings!
DeleteEven though I live out in the country, I can get to our son's house from half a mile away. The city has now come to the country and it is 5 miles from my house to the hospital.
ReplyDeleteIf I walked the 5 miles, I would probably wind up in the hospital for sure.
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Janet! We've lived in the countryside in New York state and it certainly had its delights! That's so nice your sonny is nearby! Haha about walking the five miles and ending up in the hospital -- I understand that! Blessings!
DeleteWell Janet, I couldn't find who I sent a box of books to, so I'm drawing another. Per random.org you won so I'll be sending you a box of books that I bet you'll donate to your church library. Congrats!
DeleteWow Carrie! The more I hear about and the pictures I see of Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island the more I want to visit! Thanks for sharing and the beautiful pictures. Sounds like you and your family had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteWe live in the country with a few houses scattered around. Walking down our road in one direction we run into the river (about 1/2 mile) and going back up the road in the other direction, is another country road which our road is off of. That road eventually leads to town (over 5 miles away, not sure how far). If you go down the country road about 5 miles from our home there are stores and restaurants and a very busy intersection.
Blessings, Tina
Wow that just sounds perfect, Tina! In the countryside, near a river, and then easy access to town! Blessings!
DeleteI don't know the exact distance, but I live in a small town so I'm guessing that within a half mile or slightly over, I could walk to the clinic and hospital, my church, and downtown, plus to the elementary school where I work. I don't think the whole town is five miles in any direction so within that distance, I could also go to the grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, local college, either of the parks, or anywhere else in town I wanted to go.
ReplyDeleteHi Pam! It sounds like everything is there within easy access! That's a huge blessing! Hugs!
DeleteWithin a one half mile of my house I can visit the historic Neosho National Fish Hatchery. It is the oldest Fish Hatchery in Missouri. They have very active breeding programs. They have been working to breed and enlarge the population of fish breeds that are close to extiction.
ReplyDeleteWithin five miles of my house, I can visit the Neosho square where the county courthouse is located. On the second floor of the courthouse is a mural depicting the history of the town.
Within this five miles you can also visit the birthplace of Thomas Hart Benton. There are murals on several buildings in town and at the Missouri State Capitol created by Thomas Hart Benton.
Sounds like you live in a wonderful location, Kathy! That's cool about the fish hatchery! Blessings!
DeleteCARRIE, these photos of Mackinac Island are so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteI live in a town of about 10,000. The library is a block from home. The junior college is within a mile. Sadly, we have to travel at least 45 minutes to shop at a mall.
psalm103and138 at gmail dot com
The sky is so blue in day and pink at sunset and the water is so many striations of blue, too! That sounds like you have a lot of great places around you. I think malls are overrated lol!
DeleteOne of my fave areas - such a beautiful area. Thanks for the tour, Carrie!! There's a beautiful connecting 4 park system with walking and riding trails, small water park, wildflowers, picnic areas, etc. within 5 miles of me. Nearest larger body of water (Ohio River), Churchill Downs, and wonderful historical areas would be 15-20 miles in Louisville.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you live in paradise, Angel Bonnie! So many beautiful locations near you plus your family members! Hugs!
Delete1/2 mile - a museum and 5 miles A Homestead Park with a museum :) both so worth the time to visit. It looks like a wonderful time you had Carrie!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds awesome, Deanna! Yes, I had a great time!
DeleteWithin half a mile I can walk to my church (actually it's not even a block away), our recreation center, grocery store, dollar store and gas station. I live in a small community that years ago was an Air Force base so we have several churches and businesses here. Within five miles I can walk to our county fairgrounds and race track.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry! You have what sounds like a really lovely community!
Delete1/2 mile is a shopping center. 5 miles is Mary Moore Searight Park with Slaughter Creek running through it.
ReplyDeleteHi Perrianne! If you come back please leave your email address!
DeleteI have a McDonalds, White Castle, WaWa, the cemetery,grocery store, 2 hospitals, fire, police,train and bus station. I do not have to leave my town for anything. It is a very convenient place to live.
ReplyDeleteHi Sonnetta, you have tons of stuff around! Hugs!
DeleteThere are fast food places, hospitals, fire and police station, train and bus stations, grocery stores, churches, and everything in between. I do not have to leave my city at all. I could come from the hospital and live my whole life here and be buried here on the same highway.
ReplyDeleteAll withing 5 minutes: I can easily get to beautiful Stillwater MN, a quaint, beautiful town on the St. Croix River, our church, and most of the stores I need to run errands to :)
ReplyDeleteWow, this sounds like a great place, Jeanne!
DeleteWe live out in the country, so not much. A local restaurant and the post office may be within a half mile from our house, but I'm not sure. Otherwise, it would be my neighbor's house :-)
ReplyDeleteWe live in a very rural area, so within a half mile, all I can do is go on walks by fields & streams (very peaceful) and visit a few neighbors! :) Within 5 miles, though we go to church, school, and visit various friends and family members. We do feel quite fortunate, to have some nice cities only about a half hour away, where we have unlimited dining, shopping, and more.
ReplyDelete1/2 mile...hmm entrance to a freeway, maybe 7/11 and a restaurant but they are probably ¾ of a mile. Now 5 miles we can get to anything pretty much other than a hospital. There are some walk-in clinics though. Kroger Costco Meijer strip mall w/ Penneys more 7/11s hairdressers (galore!) church Joanne's Target several Starbucks lots of restaurants. I'd say I'm sittin' pretty good! Your pictures are gorgeous. Didn't God give us a beautiful world 🌎 to enjoy???
ReplyDeleteAnd I forgot on the other side of us are two lovely parks, one a huge metropark with lots of walking trails beaches and a water park. The other is a state park with beaches too
DeleteA half a mile away from our house is a local park that is always busy with many events and lots of people. Within five miles is a little peaceful serene lake. Sometimes we see different birds who visit. We also have a rocky beach that has beautiful sunsets too. Its a glimpse into Gods beautiful natural creation.
ReplyDeletemarypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
Maryann
We are surrounded by woods so I could easily wander in there and immediately get lost. I'm sure I will see interesting animals .
ReplyDeletejhdwayne(at)peoplepc(dot)com
We live outside a small town. It's 3.8 miles to the main traffic light. 5 miles would get us to Wal-Mart and some small eating places. In the other direction 6.2 miles gets us to the interstate and the eating places there. At the interstate is also a Battle of Shiloh Park
ReplyDeleteThe only thing within half a mile from me is a small creek, farmland and a few skunks. My nearest neighbours live one mile away. I'm almost halfway between two small towns - they'd be around 6-7 miles away from me. Our church and my husband's place of work are in the one town. My daughters' school is in the other town. I commute 40 minutes to work.
ReplyDeleteArletta
I love being on Mackinac Island for that reason - everything is walk-able distance!! From where I live now there are only fields and farmland. :) I love this too.
ReplyDeleteI can get to the post office in just over half a mile from my home. I can also go to either of my daughter's home in five miles. Opposite directions but I am neatly tucked between the two of them.
ReplyDeleteI love the dark blue of the water! The library is within a half mile of our condo. Getting to the library is important, right?
ReplyDeleteWithin a half a mile of my house you can get to the post office and the biking and hiking trail. That's about it. It looks like you had a wonderful time. Enjoyed the pictures. Thank you for sharing. Hugs
ReplyDeleteHalf mile? Three neighbors' houses. Five miles? The Amish bulk grocery store and the Amish bakery. :)
ReplyDelete1/2 mile from cattle farm, 2 miles to a lake, 1/2 mile to a river, 5 miles from a sweet little B & B on a farm, just a couple miles from the world renowned Heifer Project Ranch, 100 yds from a high school football field, within sight of Petit Jean Mountain, five churches, 1 mile to the county library, and two miles to the Ouachita National Forest. I could go on & on as I love my small town living.
ReplyDeleteWithin half of a mile from our home is a good friend's house, a man-made lake with a trail around it's perimeter (which takes you way past the 1/2 mile point) and a park honoring veterans of all branches of military service as well as civil servants. Within 5 miles, I can visit my mother-in-law, shop at a wide variety of stores (including LifeWay and Barnes and Noble as well as JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby) and select from many restaurants (including Texas Roadhouse, Cheddars, and McAlisters).
ReplyDeleteIn the TN countryside where I live, within a half mile I could visit about 12 neighbors or visit a church and cemetery but I mostly walk in the woods and make pictures of interesting things I find.
ReplyDeleteHmm. Within half a mile, we have our elementary school, the hospital and office building where I used to work, and a reservation/park. Within five miles, we have our entire town, the next four towns that border our town and everything in them.
ReplyDeleteJust outside my window is a beautiful lake! It is a great 2 mile walk around it.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely, Vicky!
DeleteFortunately I live in the country nothing close by..nothing but woods.stores are five miles away
ReplyDeletei live outside of our veruy small town, about a mile and a half. the only places within, less than, a half mile, are two unts an uncle and 3 cousins.All of whom are all kinda close, not only in proximity. whwn my parents and grandparents were living and i was young, town people called our area Vena - ville. my maiden name. because so many of the family lived within the 1/2 mile.
ReplyDeleteHalf a mile: Gas Station, Catfish house, Case Outlet, an " antique " mall. Church, fitness center, dentist.
ReplyDeleteFive miles: lots of fast food and groceries, library, more gas stations, dollar stores, thrift shops, V F outlet mall.
Small town! Post Office, police station, Fire Station, Couthouse. Probably within 5 miles.
Sounds like a fun town, Paula!
DeleteFrom 1/2 mile-Bing Crosby stadium. A baseball stadium originally funded by Bing Crosby after a visit to our town.
ReplyDelete5 Miles-The northern entrance to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park.
In between-several Civil War sites.
And I know one of the guys in the Calvarymen Quartet, back from my Michigan days. I would be surprised if he remembers me, though.
That is really cool, Kathy, about you knowing one of the Calvarymen! And sounds like you live in the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley near where my ancestor Johan Adam Rousch lived!
DeleteCan't get to much within half a mile except neighbors' houses. Different story within five miles: church, several grocery stores, school, and more.
ReplyDeleteCarrie. if I walk less than 1/2 mile, I can see the beautiful banks of the Licking River and I can visit 5 different neighbors. If I walk a mile I can visit an historic cemetery that has monuments dating back to the early 1800s. Within five miles, I can find a grocery, a bank, my church, the elementary school that my husband and daughter both attended, a fire department, an auction house, a post office, and a tire shop/garage. I do live in the country so I am actually surprised at what all I do have within 5 miles!
ReplyDeleteConnie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Wow that all sounds amazing, Connie!
DeleteHmmmm. a half mile - just about make it to a neighborhood park. Go a little further, more like a mile to mile and a half, is a grocery store, bakery, coffee shop, several churches, a gas station, a couple restaurants and fast food places.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lot of amenities nearby!
DeleteWe live in rural Minnesota. I could go to the neighbor's house or my mailbox or into the woods or field in a half mile! I could almost make it to Walmart in 5 miles.
ReplyDeleteWe have schools, a park, a laundromat, fast food restaurants, a grocery store and the Sundial Bridge within 5 miles of our apartment.
ReplyDeleteAll that sounds really handy, Chappy Debbie!
DeleteHm...let me think..."Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Within .5 or 5 miles, He is always with Me :) Isn't it great?
ReplyDelete