Up North Blog

Soaking In The Sun

February 16, 2023 — We had several days of perfect sun starting Sunday. In the afternoon, I stripped down to just some shorts and sat out in a protected nook on our porch. Steph had taken Hawthorn to a ski race and Colebrook was at an SAT test prep class. I was supposed to be …

Bacon-Bison-Beer Cherry Chili

Creating The Perfect Chili Winter is the season for comfort foods, home cooking, and nostalgia, and what better way to celebrate than by whipping up a pot of chili? This winter, Dan Buron, Executive Director of Goodwill Northern Michigan, demonstrated his culinary skills and won best “red” chili out of 8 and second best overall …

Savoring Winter

February 10, 2023 — We are in the midst of deep winter when it takes work to find fresh social and physical activities to keep us stimulated. I think back to all the summer vacationers over the decades that incredulously asked me what I did in the winter? It is a legitimate question. For a …

Mamma Moments

February 3, 2023 — On a beautiful spring day 30 years ago, I took my Mother on a hike to see the dramatic wildflowers in the sand bowl just east of Pyramid Point. It was a huge hike for her as I had no idea how dainty she was for a big trek like that. …

Halfway To Heaven

January 27, 2023 — This week, the northwind has been sending us soft snow. It’s filling our skies with specs of white and delicately covering all the earth’s things. It feels so much like what I know of January and the normalcy is especially nice to hang onto right now. My mother Mary has chosen …

Cherry Ol' Fashioned Jam Crostini

Lightly toasted crostini topped with creamy brie cheese, our new Cherry Ol’ Fashioned Jam and a sprig of thyme all come together to create the perfect small bite appetizer. This 20-minute crostini is quick and easy for when you need a dish to pass in a pinch! We love little appetizers here at Cherry Republic …

Embracing Cozy Moments

January 19, 2023 — Steph and I woke up to her phone with a robocall message calling out a snow day. It was 5:30 am, and she quietly went into both Colebrook’s and Hawthorn’s rooms and turned their 7:15 alarms off. She snuggled back into bed and the whole house slept while heavy moist snow …

No Off-Season For Cherry Farmers

Rolling acres of cherry trees blanketed in snow might lead you to believe that Northern Michigan farmers are enjoying a much-deserved rest this time of year. In reality, winter is when much of the behind-the-scenes work gets done. “While the winter months are less hectic, we are still humming along with our planning!” explain first-generation …

Things To Do This Winter

January usually finds Northern Michigan nestled under a thick white blanket — the perfect canvas for our favorite snowsports. And while getting outside and embracing the cold is one of the best ways to stave off the winter blues, what can you do when the white stuff is hard to come by and gray skies …

Skating On Thin Ice

January 13, 2023 — On Sunday afternoon, I had an hour before I planned to meet Steph and Hawthorn in Traverse City to run some errands. Sonny needed a walk, of course, but all morning as I did washing and housework, I studied the dark snowless ice on the shallow waist deep water at our …

Just Like The Otters

January 5, 2023 – The ice and solitude of our side of Little Traverse Lake have given safety for four otters who have taken to the little bit of open waters at the start of Shalda Creek. They fish and frolic and hang out on our dock and on the ice surrounding it. This furry …

Cherry Blonde Brownies: The Sweetest Treat

National Blonde Brownie Day is January 22nd! Add some dried cherries to this recipe and put a cherry twist on it. What is a Cherry Blondie? Blondies, sometimes called blondie brownies or blonde brownies are the non-chocolate version of a brownie! They are fudgier than a cookie with a bit of a chew factor. You’ll …

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