An Important Weekend

Took MandaFern up to the Porcupine Mountains, since she'd never been there, and it's someplace my family has been going to since about ever...

We started up at the overlook, because if you've never been up there you do need to at least see the Lake of the Clouds from the escarpment.

Graceful as Always

After that we went down to the Union Mine Trail, because it's a mile long loop with educational markers and beautiful scenery.

Good aspect ratio for widescreen wallpaper... ;-)

After that we headed down to the Summit Peak trail, went up the tower, and looped up to Mirror Lake.  A good 6 mile hike or so.  Not a long hike, but the elevation changes will kick your butt if you're not in shape... like us...

I can see Canada, eh! (actually it's one of the Apostle Islands.)

After a good breather and lunch we headed down to the Presque Isle unit of the park, because who doesn't like waterfalls?

Manabezho Falls... absolutely beautiful view...

I had been slightly nervous all day.  Manda had commented, but I passed it off as only having had a single cup of coffee before heading out.  She didn't, however, notice that I had made sure to not ask her to get anything out of my pack for me...

I made sure we lingered a bit overlooking Manabezho Falls.  Shortly we were the only ones standing on the platform, and I knelt down next to her...

"So, I've been thinking... since I'm heading overseas and all, and you're very important to me... ...and there's people. Awkward..."

Another couple we coming down the stairs behind her, and didn't notice me next to her, so we moved back and sat on the bench and waited for them to take their pictures of the falls.  As they turned to leave, they noticed my camera and asked if we'd like our picture taken in front of the falls.

Behold the awkward!-

So after a brief conversation about my shoes, I got back on a knee and continued...

 I don't think either of us really remember what I said (other than "I want to be with you for a while... a long while... like, forever.") but the important thing is that she happily accepted the tiny object I had been hiding in my bag all day, and everything that goes with it, including me.

I've got more photos from the weekend, and they'll get posted eventually, but they just don't seem as important as these today.