For those of us who live along the western edge of Michigan, the lake is in our back yards. I’ve never lived more than five miles from the lake (for long) as the water pulls me to it. Beyond the water though, the sand dunes act as both a buffer to any weather that comes at us from across it eastward and as a warm-up to climb before getting to the reward of the water. People who live here accept the dunes and water as a complementary pair.
Unless a hiking path is going over a major one, most curl and weave through them and forests that clothe them, at least on one side. Most are half-dressed, exposing half to the water, the sun, and the wind. This side is vulnerable to the elements. The other half is covered by beech, maple, evergreens, and undergrowth. The flora and their leaves, which turn to humus, help stabilize the slippery sugar sand. It’s much easier to walk on stabilized paths.
Firm footsteps climb shade
to breezes and open blue –
joy reels with the gulls.
Frank J. Tassone is today’s host at dVerse. Frank says:
Whatever your pleasure, today, let us write haibun in which we use the word “hike,” alluding to whatever context we find most meaningful. For those new to haibun, write a prose paragraph or two, followed by a haiku, in which you include a seasonal reference, and a complement of divergent images that provokes insight.
Tao Talk 
I love the thought of water and dunes being a pair… it feels like the water is even better after the effort of crossing the barrier, maybe the beaches that are a little harder to reach are always better.
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Exactly.
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Today’s prompt is like a ticket for a round-the-world-trip from the safety of the computer. I know nothing about Michigan, but you have taken me there, Lisa. I have always been drawn to lakes, as much as to the sea. Lakes have trees and other features that beaches don’t have. I love the idea of joy reeling with the gulls.
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Thanks, Kim!
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As a kid we spent a week every year in Western Mich, up close to Travers City. We spent most of our time on a small lake, but did go to The Lake at least once a year, and often to Sleeping Bear Dunes, so I kind of get this. I grew up within a couple of miles from another Great Lake, Erie, so have that need to be close to water.
Nice haibun.
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Traverse City is a beautiful place, even more so because of the bays and the peninsulas that make them. It’s grown up a lot in the last 20-30 years, with big hotels lining a lot of the water and many fine dining establishments on Main Street and dotted amongst the wineries on the middle peninsula. Glad you can understand that need to be close to water, Trent. Thanks.
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I’ve only been as far as Wisconsin and would really like to explore the coasts of Michigan. The dunes, in your words like “slippery sugar sand,” sound magical.
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Wisconsin is our neighbor across the water, and also the home to Manitowoc (sp?) where “The Making of a Murderer” is set (netflix series.) You can’t beat the beaches of West MI, and to the north are mostly deserted. It is magical.
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‘joy reels with the gulls’ lovely!
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Getting to the top of the dune path, where it opens to the water, does make me reel with joy. Thanks, Jane!
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I can imagine!
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Another locale to hike one day! I love how vividly you portray this scene, Lisa! Excellent!
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Thank you, Frank. In my area there are a couple of really nice state parks to hike that I know like the back of my hand. I hope you have a chance to hike the dunes one day. (Note: most dunes aren’t as huge as the mountains you are probably used to.)
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Luv how the water and sky coloured your haibun
Happy Monday
Much✏love
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Thanks much, Gillena 🙂
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Terrific sharing, brought each of us to your side. I only visited the Western edge of the Great Lakes, which are truly an inland sea; fascinated by the huge Lake Boats, and the terrible storms. I live near Puget Sound, but ikt’s like a mud puddle in comparison.
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I’m looking at a googled map and see a couple of things right away. You have a Mountain (McKinley?) in sight, which is danged cool. Another is lots of land surrounds the sound. Where are you on the sound (same side as Seattle or on the other side?) That’s some mud puddle!
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A unique shoreline capture, both visually and haibunically. This hermit is grateful to you and all the other hikers for bringing him along.
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Thanks much, Ron, and glad to oblige.
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Sounds just beautiful Lisa. Excellent post. 🙂
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Thanks much, Rob. It is a beautiful place in all seasons.
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Thanks for the lake hike! An enjoyable journey.
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Thank you, D, glad you enjoyed it.
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Great post and haiku. There is nothing like standing on top of the dunes. We have been to the dunes at Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills, NC. They don’t have the shade you mention in you Haiku~
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Thank you, Dwight. There are some dunes that are like deserts along the coast, including Silver Lake and Sleeping Bear. I’ve been on Silver Lake dunes with a group on a commercial dune buggy as a kid a few times and it isn’t something you soon forget.
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sounds like fun!! Nature has some great gifts!
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Living where I do it’s hard to believe that is a lake…with our lakes…you see the other side! That looks more like the ocean.
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We have lots of lake lakes around here also.
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Beautiful imagery.
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Thank you, Sadje.
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You’re welcome 😉
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kaykuala
This side is vulnerable to the elements.
The other half is covered by beech, maple,
evergreens, and undergrowth.
A discernable contrast between the 2 sides would make a spectacular scene to appreciate and admire, Jade! A privilege in fact!
Hank
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Thank you, Hank. You can see some of it in the photo.
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Thank you for sharing your view of Lake Michigan, Lisa. How I would love to visit the Great Lakes! We also live close to a lake shore but it’s very different. Sand dunes remind me of childhood seashore memories. How delightful to have lake and dunes combined! I absolutely love the line ‘joy reels with the gulls’ as well. It fits perfectly with the mood of the writing.
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Ingrid, thank you. We have inland lakes that are very different along the shore also. So glad you enjoyed the poem.
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Lovely write, thank you – such an interesting dual nature in this place, dunes half clothed in forest, half bare; the water and sand as pairs, the heat and the shade – an elemental place (and a terrific haiku).
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Thank you for the idea of it being an elemental place. Never thought of it that way before, but yes, I guess it is.
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Nice to hear more about where you live and particularly love the haiku and the pic … is that slope manmade or natural … looks too uniform 🙂
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natural. what was there before were sloped dunes, but as the water rises, it cuts away at the shore. In other places the wind blows the sand away from the water and heavy equipment has to haul it back.
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ah sounds like the perpetual issue here too … altho most of our shoreline hassles stem from manmade additions like rock walls
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Home owners here are trying that also as their homes are being threatened with falling in (and some have.)
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ha same here when they have to build right on the tide mark … it’s their fault for being idiots! Those who build well back are safe with assured views 🙂
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Amen!
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Your description is so detailed – I love it. The haiku is glorious.
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Sarah, thank you!
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I grew up in Waukegan, Illinois….Lake Michigan is right there. Many a summer morning I arose very early and went to the pier with my father and two bamboo fishing poles to fish for perch. Newly married, my husband and I would often go to state parks along the Lake…..tent camp and enjoy the trees and then the walk over the dunes to the lake. You’ve described it so well. ” slippery sugar sand” I especially like these words 🙂
Thanks for bringing back memories!
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You are very welcome and very glad it brought pleasant memories back to you, Lillian.
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I love the Haibun and the haiku! I can see the place you describe…Joy reels with the gulls. So beautiful
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Thank you and glad you enjoyed the armchair adventure 🙂
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Enjoyed reading 🙂
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The description of the half-dressed trail spoke to me. It is balanced in words and images. I too am drawn to water but have never lived near it. Thanks for sharing this beautiful part of the world.
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You are very welcome, Ali. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Thank you for sharing your landscape. I’ve never been there. I’m also drawn to water. I was thinking about that the other day–it’s weird because I’m not a swimmer at all, but I love to walk by water–streams, rivers, oceans. . .
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I don’t swim either, but it hasn’t stopped me from being in and on the water. Favorite Lake MI activity is body surfing the big waves. So glad you are bonded to the water, Merril ❤
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