I’ve always been reluctant to label myself as an Aries, despite by April 4 birthday (smack dab in the middle of Aries season). Everything you hear about Aries is competitive this, fiery temper that, and I never really related to those traits (or many other Aries signatures outside of impatience). Instead, I read my horoscope for my moon sign (Pisces) and generally considered myself to be an astrological reject.
But not anymore. I decided that whether or not I seem like an Aries, I am one, and I should embrace the energy that comes along with it. After all, as my sister tells me all the time, Aries is the superpower of the zodiac. Who wouldn’t want that?
Now, you might be thinking Lisa, first it was tarot, then you dabbled in numerology and now we have to hear about your zodiac opinions? Yeah. It’s the Pisces moon in me.
This dawned on me as I was walking into work the other day. I was dealing with some contractor issues which caused some conflict between Michael and me. Admittedly, I spent the ride to work crying to my mom and feeling sorry for myself, insisting there was nothing I could do to make this project go right. But I had to pull myself together. So I ditched the sniffling, walked inside and thought You are a bad bitch and a problem solver and you are going to make things go your way. That is some Aries thinking if I ever heard it.
So now I’m thinking that I shouldn’t shy away from the take charge, go get it energy. I need to embrace it and channel it in a way that works for me.
Plus, Jonathan Van Ness (of Queer Eye fame) is an Aries with a Pisces moon (thanks to @notallgeminis for that intel!). So if I can embody one percent of that energy, I’m down!
Heading up to Bayfield, Michael and I didn’t have much of an agenda besides see lighthouses and go hiking. Well, that and visit Apostle Island Booksellers. We did minimal research on our destination, but this was one shop I knew I wanted to visit. Michael and I love books, so why not pop in?
Before we even got into Bayfield proper on our first day we stopped at Seven Ponds Winery. It’s situated in the Fruit Loop which is what locals call the string of orchards on the hills surrounding the town; I obviously love this name.
My favorite food the whole trip was a late dinner at the Fat Radish. This felt pretty serendipitous since I had my eye on the place but when we walked by previously, they weren’t set to be open for dinner during our stay. But wouldn’t you know it, when we went to peep the menu, it was open!
OK, so as we were strolling around downtown LaPointe, Michael and I saw what I assumed was the city dump. It looked like a junkyard – tents, car parts, metal sheeting. Then we got closer and realized that it was a bar. We walked in, and honestly, I can’t describe it to you; it’s a mess but in a good way. It looked like the kind of bar you’d build after getting shipwrecked on an island. But we settled in for a drink and had a good time chatting up the locals.
Last, but in no way least, I’d highly recommend the bed and breakfast where we stayed. It’s always difficult to book a place based on a few pictures and some reviews (no matter how glowing), but I’m so glad Michael and I choose this inn.
This winter, as we sat home in the midst of another snow storm, Michael and I dreamed up our third-anniversary vacation. After spending our first all the way in Jamaica (so much fun) and our second just over in Madison, we decided we’d stay closer to home but visit somewhere entirely new to us. Within an hour we booked a stay in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
I’ll get into all the charming local haunts in another post, but I wanted to dive in right away with how downright beautiful Bayfield and the Apostle Islands are. As we cruised down the hill into the town, we saw Lake Superior and Michael and I were truly in awe. Living in and growing up near Milwaukee, we are both very familiar with Lake Michigan and how it can definitely feel closer to a sea than a lake. But, honestly, from the second we got up to the shore, there was a major difference in how different Lake Superior felt. It’s massive and dark, and while the waters are churning, there’s definitely a sense of stillness around the lake. My friend told me prior to this trip that when he visited Bayfield, he felt like something was watching him. I didn’t get those vibes precisely, but there’s definitely something unique about the atmosphere.
But, I’ll be honest, what I loved the most were the lighthouses. I’ve been interested in lighthouses since I was young so indulging in a lifelong curiosity was pretty fun. We got to see the Raspberry Island and Devils Island Lights from the boat, and I really really loved it. And I loved how Michael shares my enthusiasm for them (we’re thinking about visiting again for a special tour where you get to go inside!).
After the tour, our interest in the islands was really piqued. Right after we disembarked, we turned around and got on the ferry to Madeline Island, the biggest of the Apostle Islands (and the only one with any inhabitants). We poked around in La Pointe, the village on the island, for a little bit before we made our way over to Big Bay State Park for some hiking.
This felt a lot like Cave Point County Park (for you Door County folks), but ten times bigger and a hundred times more serene. Michael and I spent a lot of time just listening to the waves and the loons. It was a good place to meditate or at least have a few moments of introspection. But it wasn’t the only state park we were visiting on this trip.
Also on this little jog, I got to see two more lighthouses – Wisconsin Point (in Superior) and Duluth Harbor North Breakwater Lights. That’s four lighthouses in one trip. Pretty darn good.
