Believing, Still
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine|December 2016

The daydreams always circle back to one thought: at Christmas, so many hidden things—like breath to the air—are made purely clear.

Jaimien Delp
Believing, Still

One of the first Christmas gifts I have a vividly clear memory of is clouds. I woke that morning to find the pale blue of my bedroom transformed; afloat all around me were sweeping curves of white that appeared, in my imagination, to move throughout the entire room. At a time when most of my waking hours were spent leaping off the back of the sofa or jumping from swings into snow banks trying to reenact the scene in Peter Pan where the children learn to fly, Santa had opened the sky for me. It was the gift of belief.

This opening of worlds—the admittance into secret places filled with living objects only the heart knew how to find—surrounded my childhood, and Christmas was the apex. When we went to Caszatt’s tree farm every year, stepping into the beauty of snow-tipped pines felt like being transported into another world, and downtown Traverse City became a smaller version of the North Pole, with watchful elves hiding around every corner, a reindeer sighting entirely plausible, everyone thinking how best to bring joy to someone else. Even Britty, my childhood dog, appeared to see something more than snowfall while she sat, golden and intent by the window, looking out at the December nights.

Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.

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Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.

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FLERE HISTORIER FRA TRAVERSE, NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINESe alt
Camping With Your Dog
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

Camping With Your Dog

Bringing your dog on your next outdoor overnight excursion? Oh, yes! With a little planning, your canine companion will enjoy camping just as much as you. These Northern Michigan spots are perfectly pet-friendly.

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3 mins  |
April 2021
SWEET ON THE BETSIE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

SWEET ON THE BETSIE

JENA MATZEN AND GREGG TRAHEY WEREN’T LOOKING FOR A BIG HOME UP NORTH. BUT THEY DID WANT STYLE.

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3 mins  |
April 2021
REFRESH IN BLUE AND WHITE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

REFRESH IN BLUE AND WHITE

ASKED TO MOVE A HARBOR SPRINGS HOME FROM TRADITIONAL TO TRANSITIONAL STYLE, INTERIOR DESIGNER GEMMA PARKER BUILT ON THE FRESH, TIMELESS ALLURE OF BLUE AND WHITE.

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3 mins  |
April 2021
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Explore Emmet and Cheboygan counties by foot, bike or hoof, thanks to this scenic trail.

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1 min  |
April 2021
Please, eat the violets.
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

Please, eat the violets.

The wild violets that dot our forest floors are pretty enough to eat. Go ahead—let our six simple recipes fuel your culinary imagination.

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3 mins  |
April 2021
OASIS ON ELK LAKE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

OASIS ON ELK LAKE

ARCHITECT KEN RICHMOND DESIGNS A HOME THAT CAPTURES THE CARIBBEAN COLORS OF ELK LAKE WHILE FEELING COMPLETELY ORGANIC TO THE NORTHWOODS.

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4 mins  |
April 2021
LOSS AND NATURE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

LOSS AND NATURE

Leelanau's Cedar River Preserve provides peace and perspective.

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2 mins  |
April 2021
GO WITH THE FLOW
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

GO WITH THE FLOW

Celebrating an unconventional trout opener among friends.

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5 mins  |
April 2021
CHAMPION OF TREES
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

CHAMPION OF TREES

Archangel Ancient Tree Archive is the “most hopeful project on the planet,” says David Milarch.

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2 mins  |
April 2021
DINING OUT NEAPOLITAN, BUT WITH STYLE
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine

DINING OUT NEAPOLITAN, BUT WITH STYLE

American House—the Siren Hall spinoff—is making darn good pizza.

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2 mins  |
April 2021