{who knew Michigan had mountains?!}

It appears I disappeared for a couple of weeks again.. how did that happen? The month of August was a whirlwind of traveling, working extra hours/extra hard, and celebrating my {28th} birthday. Last time you heard from me, I had just returned from my beautiful trip to Maine and was about to road trip to da U.P. {Michigan's Upper Peninsula} with hubby. Well even though it's old news by now, there's no way I could refrain from sharing photos of our trip. We really love the U.P.; we've been there every summer since we started dating. But we just started to really explore it last summer, finally taking in Pictured Rocks. This year, we ventured all the way over to the Porcupine Mountains (with lots of waterfalls stops on the way). So worth it.

Lake of the Clouds, Porcupine Mountains State Park. can you imagine this place in the fall?!

highest point of the park | mighty Lake Superior | waterfall bathed in sunlight during an epic hike | Presque Isle River

We did a lot of hiking at Porcupine Mountains State Park. It was invigorating! Between this trip & the hiking I did at Acadia National Park earlier in August, I have suddenly gotten way in to it. I hope to live somewhere one day {perhaps within the next year :o} with lots of pretty hiking options nearby. I'd choose it over running any day!!

We stayed at a friend of Joel's cottage, which was a totally last-minute God send. It was literally in the middle of nowhere.. I have never felt so isolated from civilization in my life! There were no lights or sounds to be heard {nor was there electricity or running water.. can you spot the outhouse on the left?} The first night we stayed there, my heart was beating out of my chest as I tried to fall asleep.. I kept picturing a bear trying to get in, haha! I knew it was totally irrational, but it was just such a foreign feeling for me.. I'm using to falling asleep with the glow of street lights and the sounds of cars and drunk people stumbling home. We never did see a {black} bear though they are quite common up in those parts. Perhaps next time..

Sunset on Lake Superior. Can you see why i often call the Great Lakes oceans by accident?

It is pretty incredible all of the beauty that our Mitten State has to offer, especially the U.P. There is just so much to explore, it is unreal. Plus it's the most peaceful, easy-going place (it contains just 3% of MI's total population!) And the stars... I have never seen a night sky like that in my life. I even saw the Northern Lights for the first time! It was breathtaking {despite the irrational fear that a bear would approach us at any moment, haha}.

Love the rocky shoreline of Lake Superior. It is my favorite Great Lake despite its frigid temps.

Because there is still more to see, because we have never seen it in the fall, and because this may very well be our last fall living in Michigan, we decided before we even got home {because I could barely stand to leave} that we would return in early October for a fall color tour. I can hardly wait. I've talked about it an unhealthy amount & had it planned out within a few days of our return... I'm a bit obsessive. But what can I say, I love da U.P. {and traveling}!