Brother Mark

We are at the cabin this weekend and both Michael and I are still struggling to process the loss of brother Mark Ahnen Nolan. I know each of you are also struggling with lots of emotions. The cabin is a place Mike and I feel renews us. He is fishing right now with friend Dennis Carney. I just finished an hour long kayak upriver with a float back down.

The solitude of kayaking is wonderful. I had lots of thoughts and want to share a few.

Beautiful day, sun, wind and flowing water.

Wind thru the trees but no leaves on the trees yet. Rustling and blowing. The sweet smell of spring and new life in the air.

Hendricson flies in the air and the trout are slurping them up. ..I hope Mike catches a fish.

Woodpeckers...tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...don't they get a headache?

Songbirds with sweet songs...are they building nests?? Is Mr bird chasing Mrs bird in the air.

New trees in the water from the winter storms and the current of the river changes, paddle harder here and don't let it turn you sideways.

No wildflowers yet, we need rain, daffodils are beautiful in my cabin garden.

Lots of bubbling brooks coming into the river...bringing fresh water and musical notes to the air.

Back home at the cabin...I love it here so much and feel so lucky to be here ..we are blessed

Brown eyes and a wet nose...Riggs knows hurt when he sees it and always gives an extra hug with his nose. He is such a comfort

.Silence...but it is never really silent in nature...life is everywhere.

We will miss Mark so much...I will always think of him here at the cabin and how much he enjoyed kayaking with us two summers ago. It is a memory I will always cherish.

Love and hugs to all of you...Kathy...and Mike but he is still fishing!

New Quilt, Great Muffins and Fishing??

Spring is trying to come to northern Michigan but as usual it has a sense of humor. Mike and I spent 3 days at the cabin and Friday morning it snowed 2 to 3 inches...and stayed for over 24 hours. The tulips are up and the trees are almost blooming but had to slow down a bit with the cold temps and snow. We are to get 60's next week so I hope things can finally bloom.

I used the cold nasty weather to start a new quilt...a Log Cabin Quilt...for our bedroom..I have never made one before and pictured here is the first of 80 blocks. It is a labor intensive quilt that will take me some time as I will only work on it at the cabin. Love the colors.

Mike and his friend Dennis Carney could not resist the lure of the fish and floated on Saturday in 40's temps. No fish but a good time was had by them. Notice Riggs looking longingly from the dock as the guys took off on the river!

My new muffin recipe worked out wonderful...very delicious!! low calorie and used items that I do not usually cook with....see recipe below.

Blueberry Muffins 130 calories each makes 18

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp orange zest

2 cup fresh blueberries

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 T canola oil

1 T orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix flours, Baking Powder and soda, salt and O zest. add blueberries and toss gently. this will help keep the BB suspended in the batter instead of falling to the bottom. (it works!) In another bowl mix eggs buttermilk, brown sugar, canola oil, OJ and vanilla. It will be lumpy. Pour into dry stuff and mix. Muffin pans with liners...bake 400 degrees for 12-14 min. makes 18 muffins

Try and I think you will enjoy them.

Kathy and Mike

St Patrick's Day 2012

St Patricks Day 2012 was a one of a kind!! The sun was out and it was in the 80's...unbelievable for March. We celebrated at Northpeak Brewery and that is where the parade kicked off with tons of people participating and lots of spectators along the parade route. Never has a St Patrick's Day had so many people in attendance or had such fantastic weather. Usually it is raining,sleeting, snowing, blowing or doing all of the above at once!!

Heather and Patrick joined us along with Heathers brother Jim for the parade and festivities.

Mike was one of the Hibernians of the year along with Tim Smith and his father Lou for their work in getting permission to hold the Father Fred Dinner from the state of Michigan. A great feather in all of their caps as it took lots of networking and strong talk. (and a few cigars)

We had our annual party with the group of friends that have been getting together for the last 28 years and enjoyed happy hour on the deck...definitely a first...and lots of laughter with our Irish Auction. Pictured is Colleen (Clancy)Zanotti with "the parrot hat" that has made several appearances as a gift. She says she will be wearing it at next years parade!!!

Congratulations were abundant for Patrick and Heather with their recent announcement that a new Nolan is on the way.

Mike and I feel so blessed to have great family and friends here in Traverse City.

Love to all of you...Kathy and Michael

Springtime and a Denver wedding

This last weekend Michael and I traveled to Denver Colorado to a wedding. Mikes cousin Dennis Ahnen and his wonderful wife Carol had a wedding for their daughter Gina and her new husband Andy. We went for a 3 day weekend and really enjoyed seeing family and friends in the Denver area. Carol and Dennis have 3 daughters, Megan and Nicole , and they are the bridesmaids seen in the picture with Dennis.

We also met up with Quinn Carney in downtown Denver to walk around, have lunch and go to REI. It was a sunny day and in the mid 60's to 70...we enjoyed seeing where the Platte and Cherry Creek come together, a park with lots of outside activities going on...kayaking, biking,walking,dog walking and just plain enjoying the weather. We got back to TC with no problems other than an early flight and not enough sleep. I am having a St Patricks Day party tonight for my PEO sisters and we will have our friends party on Saturday...the actual day of celebration. March came in like a lion here in Traverse City with the snow storm of a week and a half ago...18 to 24 inches. Lots of people did not have power or heat for up to a week. However today is in the mid 50's and the flowers are starting to pop up their heads. The first flower in my back yard...an adorable crocus!!! I hope we do not have more snow to cover up natures attempts at spring. March is usually a sunny month that we appreciate so much after winter.

Kathy and Michael

quilts

I have been busy the last few weeks with quilting projects. The quilt on the bed is for the wedding in Denver we are going to next weekend...Gina Ahnen. It is made from batiks and beautifully quilted by my friend Lynn. It makes me want to make one for myself!! The baby quilt, bag, burp pads and duck is for a friend at work who had a baby girl a few weeks ago and

we are having a shower tomorrow.

The weather has been very winter like the last few days and we are to get a big storm tonight and tomorrow. We are ready!

Cat Island get away

We have taken a week vacation on Cat Island in the Bahamas..the opportunity was one we could not resist...fishing and a quiet beach. The Carney's invited us to join them and we had a great time. Pam and Dennis have been friends for 30 years and we had fun relaxing and fishing together. Mike and Dennis fished for bone fish in the flats area of a river that was near our Banana Wind cottage. They did the hunter gatherer thing and they had to figure out for themselves where the fish were...they had moderate success with the fishing but a great time trying. We went out on a fishing boat into the ocean with Reynold, our guide, and caught about a dozen fish that we were able to eat for the rest of the week. Great food and drink ...the local Kalik beer...were the standard for the week.

The Banana Wind was isolated on a beach and faced south...Cat Island is thin and about 50 miles long ...and we had a cooling breeze, temps in the 80 range and saw fishing boats as well as cruise boats. The people are very helpful and friendly. We saw a different lifestyle.. a poor island with not much going on except tourism and some local craft business. We drove around the island in our beater van (praying each time that it would start)...on the other side of the road as it is a British colony.. and saw amazing beaches, ruined stone houses and a very beautiful views. Pam and I walked for several hours in the morning and then relaxed and read till the boys returned for lunch. Then we took off on our afternoon adventures.

Our trip home took two days because of delays and missed connections ..we stayed the night in Atlanta and finally got home to the snow and sunshine of Michigan. It was a great trip! Kathy and Michael

Winter is back

Well it is snowing today and winter is back in northern Michigan.  We have had some nice warm (30's) sunny days which has been nice for getting around and ones frame of mind.  However it is not good for the economy of norhtern Michigan that depends on snow for so many activities.  The White Pine XC Ski race was cancelled last week and it was touch and go for the Vassa this weekend but I think they will be fine with the temps in the 20's and the couple of inches of snow we are getting today.
Mike has been in Washington DC doing Cigar Lobby work...I call it that...with the national board that he is on...he returns today.
Weather update...No Mike at the airport....they flew to TC but could not land and went back to Detroit.  His flight is cancelled so he has to rebook.  The joys of living in northern Michigan!!  Stay tuned.  Kathy