People who live in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan will lift their left hand to show you where they hearken from. I live in Charlevoix, a lovely little resort town cradled between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, and graced with its own natural harbor, Round Lake.
It is an idyllic and beautiful place, endowed with three sublime seasons(with no Spring to speak well of; pocked gray snow, gray skies, horizontal gray sleet and mud. Those who can, escape to warmer climates during the unspring.) Our Autumn is a celebration of vibrant red, orange, and yellow with skies so vividly blue, they will take your breath away. Winter here is the quintessential wonderland, pristine and exquisite. Our summers are our coup, our glory, and our joy. With the yearly migration of ‘fudgies’ or ‘cone-suckers’; our usually affectionate terms for the tourists that flow into our small town from downstate and Chicago and other more southern locals. Their destination: ‘Up North’.
This is where I grew up.
The population of this burg is almost entirely Caucasian, conservative and Christian. If the townsfolk have been tolerant of me, my art and tarot and my liberal politics and esoteric world view, it is because I understand the necessary evil of keeping up appearances. Discretion is of paramount importance. Every family had their secrets, and methods for hiding and deceit. My family was no different, and yet as different as we could be. We hid well our mother’s psychosis and our brand of dysfunction.
That is all about to change. With the publication of the books and the launching of this website, much forbidden truth has been (and will be) revealed. As a child, I made up stories about faeries and mermaids and gnomes to entertain and distract my three younger brothers. As a young mother, I carefully toed the line for the sake of my children. Jake and Lily are now grown. My children are creative, defiant, free spirited individuals. They are supportive of me and my work, and my desire to stand in the light and speak my truth.
The three of us lived together in a funky chalet in the countryside near Charlevoix with our Jack Russell terrier and an array of pets. We enjoyed visits from wildlife, good friends and good uncles. The chalet is now the House of Rue and my art studio. I continue to be inspired by the magical beauty of nature, and the nature of Love.
It is an idyllic and beautiful place, endowed with three sublime seasons(with no Spring to speak well of; pocked gray snow, gray skies, horizontal gray sleet and mud. Those who can, escape to warmer climates during the unspring.) Our Autumn is a celebration of vibrant red, orange, and yellow with skies so vividly blue, they will take your breath away. Winter here is the quintessential wonderland, pristine and exquisite. Our summers are our coup, our glory, and our joy. With the yearly migration of ‘fudgies’ or ‘cone-suckers’; our usually affectionate terms for the tourists that flow into our small town from downstate and Chicago and other more southern locals. Their destination: ‘Up North’.
This is where I grew up.
The population of this burg is almost entirely Caucasian, conservative and Christian. If the townsfolk have been tolerant of me, my art and tarot and my liberal politics and esoteric world view, it is because I understand the necessary evil of keeping up appearances. Discretion is of paramount importance. Every family had their secrets, and methods for hiding and deceit. My family was no different, and yet as different as we could be. We hid well our mother’s psychosis and our brand of dysfunction.
That is all about to change. With the publication of the books and the launching of this website, much forbidden truth has been (and will be) revealed. As a child, I made up stories about faeries and mermaids and gnomes to entertain and distract my three younger brothers. As a young mother, I carefully toed the line for the sake of my children. Jake and Lily are now grown. My children are creative, defiant, free spirited individuals. They are supportive of me and my work, and my desire to stand in the light and speak my truth.
The three of us lived together in a funky chalet in the countryside near Charlevoix with our Jack Russell terrier and an array of pets. We enjoyed visits from wildlife, good friends and good uncles. The chalet is now the House of Rue and my art studio. I continue to be inspired by the magical beauty of nature, and the nature of Love.
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