Old Mission Point Beach & Downtown Traverse City

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

Our weekend was going to be perfect: leave the house around 8:30am on Friday, get to Traverse City by lunchtime, have a nice afternoon and evening exploring before heading to the cabin in Evart… but things didn’t go as planned. Juan had to pull an all-nighter for work Thursday night into Friday morning, so he didn’t arrive up north until Saturday morning; it was just Linley and me for the first full day, and we still had a great time ☺️

Our first stop was Old Mission Point Lighthouse, which sits on the tip of a peninsula and provides visitors with amazing views of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Since it was a Friday afternoon, the beach below wasn’t crowded whatsoever and we essentially enjoyed what was a private shoreline. Linley had fun jumping in and out of the water, and I indulged in a dip or two myself!

After a couple hours on the beach, we decided to head into Traverse City. We hiked the surrounding trails a bit more and I snapped a couple quick photos before getting back into a hot, sandy car.

It was a toasty 88°F on Friday – which made for a good beach day but not necessarily optimal for walking downtown! Linley and I still managed to enjoy a couple hours of exploring prior to arriving at our Airbnb for the evening.

Our cabin was about an hour and a half away from Traverse City, and was the perfect size for the three of us (or the two of us that night!) Linley was a happy camper! I brought four of his favorite toys that he could play with before bedtime ☺️

Photos taken Friday, June 18, 2021

West Side, Best Side!

June 1, 2021May 31, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

If I were to tell you that I had the perfect holiday weekend, I’d be lying to you; seeing happy families – especially parents with their daughters or siblings playing together – hit my heart like a boxer punching their opponent. BUT it did make me smile when I was able to remove myself from my emotions, and I had a pretty great weekend with a dear friend and our pups!

On Saturday, I drove to Kalamazoo (on the west side of Michigan) to visit my friend Cass and their dog Meadow. I would visit them wherever they were located, but the west side of Michigan is quite beautiful and special in more ways than one. The four of us went to the dog park before Cass and I grabbed dinner and drinks at Taco Bob’s downtown.

Sunday was a lazy morning (at least it was by my standards!), and we headed for Saugatuck Dunes State Park for some hiking and beach time. Linley and Meadow enjoyed running through the woods and frolicking on Lake Michigan’s shoreline. As our dogs were smiling and living their best lives, we were too! Watching Linley jump in the waves and attempt to drag large branches out of the water and Meadow’s first time at the Great Lake put huge smiles on our faces. The little boy who kept coming back to pet Meadow and Linley while they were splooting in the sand also made our days! Feeling the sand between my toes, the sun kissing my face and the wind in my curls was the best combination of peaceful and whimsical.

Even though we all could’ve stayed on the beach for the entire day, it was time to explore the downtown area. Saugatuck is a charming beach town that screams quintessential Michigan: local cafés, boutiques and homemade ice cream galore. The best part of our downtown exploration was when the fire truck came by and Linley howled in unison (it was adorable!).

The last stop on our day trip with the fur babies was South Haven, because we had to see the lighthouse and have a little more time on the beach. We walked the pier, enjoyed time playing in the sand and grabbed some ice cream before returning to Kalamazoo.

The pups were tired, so Cass and I dropped them off and met our friend KayLee at One Well Brewery. The three of us used to work together in college, and I’ve been individually close with both of them even though they haven’t really hung out without me. We all relished in past work memories, exchanged profound conversation and shared several laughs! I love them both dearly and being around two of my favorite people meant the world to me. I hope us getting together helped KayLee and Cass feel better about hanging out more often (which I’m sure it did!).

Photos taken on Saturday, May 29 & Sunday, May 30

National Rescue Dog Day

May 21, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

…was yesterday and I wanted to thank Compass Dog Rescue of Michigan for bringing Linley and me together 🐶

Here are some of my favorite photos of the little guy!

Please contact me for more information on Compass Dog Rescue, or if you have any rescue-related questions 🙂

Another Outdoorsy Day

May 17, 2021May 19, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 5 Comments

Last Saturday was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. As dramatic as that sounds, I mean it.

What could be better than spending over seven hours in one of your favorite cities with one of your favorite humans? Not much. And on top of that, my friend and I even brought our fur babies along.

Cass and I met at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor a little after 12:00pm, and took Meadow and Linley on a long walk. They were as happy as can be when they reunited (it’s been a couple months since the four of us spent time together) and continued to act excited on the trails. While Linley and Meadow sniffed around and took some potty breaks, Cass and I caught up on all things work and goal-related, and shared some profound words of encouragement.

After spending some time at Gallup Park, we ventured over to Zingerman’s Roadhouse for an outdoor lunch. Aside from some excitement from the pups, they were on their best behavior and the four of us enjoyed sitting outside as we chowed down on some delicious food! Once the wind made it too cold to tolerate, we returned to the car for some more hiking at the Nichols Arboretum.

During quarantine, I discovered the arboretum as a plan B birthday destination. I’ve been there several times now – with and without Linley – but there’s something special about this place that makes it feel brand new every time I’m there. We were hiking in and out of the deep woods for another couple of hours at minimum.

Cass and I both LOVE being on the water and wrapped up our day kayaking on the Huron River. Meadow had never been kayaking before, but she did a great job and I never would’ve guessed it was new for her (Linley, of course, was acting like he owned the river)! We barely made it back to the park for kayak rentals in time, but we loved how our spur of the moment decision paid off. After another two hours well-spent, we returned to shore, returned our kayaks and returned to our cars.

I was tearing up on the way home (as was Cass). We’re both going through a wide variety of changes and turbulence right now, and being able to support each other unconditionally and spend the day bs-ing was something we desperately needed. We always pick right back up where we left off, and we’re already looking forward to our next adventure 🙂

Photos taken on Saturday, May 8, 2021

P.S.: Ann Arbor is so good, that I took Linley kayaking at Argo Park this past weekend!

Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 3 Comments

…from my beloved pup Linley and me 🙂

Nature Haiku: Arboretum in the Spring

March 15, 2021March 15, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 2 Comments

Linley scurrying

Sticking his nose in the dirt

Looking up at us

Wind in our hair

Sun shining on our skin

Wanting to be spring

Trees moving about

Creating outside movement

That is much needed

Linley loves water

And he starts digging in it

To find something new

We all need newness

During these uncertain times

But now there is hope

Walking with Linley

Is the most underrated

Joy in this great life!

Dog Days of… January?

January 31, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 8 Comments

Some of us are excited for what 2021 will bring. Some of us remain uncertain and are maybe even afraid for the future. I’m almost certain that no matter which bucket you fall into (if not both!), you’re ready for some normalcy. And one of the only beings in my life who is loving all of this is my pup, Linley.

Snuggles with Linley, inside and outside!

Salty about me cleaning the mud off his paws…

For Juan and me, January has been filled of some quick (and safe) visits with friends, tons of work after hours, and the occasional date with just us two; but mostly it’s filled with Linley-related quality time.

Linley even received a postcard from his friend in Australia! And he was salty about another selfie with me…

Lin even enjoys some playtime at doggy day care

The pupper loves his car rides and cuddles in his pink blanket!

Linley gets groomed once a month, and I’ve been experimenting with temporary hair dye

I hope that the remainder of 2021 involves more time with friends and more traveling, which includes more adventures with Lin!

I promise that Juan wears his mask right 99% of the time…!

“Hindsight is 2020”

December 31, 2020January 2, 2021 / Cate Tracey / 6 Comments

Last year, one of my closest friends from a past study abroad adventure stayed with us for ten days. We visited the Niagara Falls, enjoyed some live music in Toronto and went to a roaring 20’s New Year’s Eve party hosted by one of my dearest friends. It couldn’t have been any better!

Fast forward to December 31, 2020: another beloved COVID test, watching Portlandia and snuggles on the couch…

I hope 2021 is full of more adventures, quality time with friends, reading and career advancement. I also wish for less social media/screen time and self-doubt this year.

Happy New Year 🙂

Giving Tuesday: Top Four Charities

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 / Cate Tracey / Leave a comment

As 2020 comes to a close, this is a great time to reflect and donate to a local charity or two. With many nonprofit organizations’ funding being eliminated due to the ongoing impacts of the global pandemic, there has never been a better time to help amazing charities in your area.

While there are many charities I care about, there are four that I have either participated in, heavily benefited from, or have grown to admire over the past decade. If you are interested in donating time or financially to any of these charities, please use the affiliated links or contact me for more information. And most importantly: thank you for your donation!

Big Brothers Big Sisters

I immediately tear up when I think of how much BBBS of the Great Lakes Bay Region (Michigan) has impacted me. Aniya and I have been matched for six years and to see her grow has been one of the greatest gifts I could’ve asked for. Aniya is gracious, strong and has truly grown up to be a phenomenal young woman. She is the sister I never had but always wanted. There’s no doubt that I’ve learned more from her than she’s learned from me! Please consider becoming a Big or donating a gift a money to: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E246618&id=1

Compass Dog Rescue

I’m pretty sure my first word was “dog,” and I impatiently waited 23 long, ‘’miserable” (😂) years to finally rescue one. Compass Dog Rescue is based in Royal Oak, Michigan but rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in southern states. My little guy Linley was saved in 2017 from a high-kill shelter after he was dropped there during Hurricane Harvey. This pup has helped with my anxiety and depression more than I could’ve ever anticipated, and your new best friend could be waiting for you at Compass! To donate or even rescue/foster a rescue dog, please visit: https://m.facebook.com/compassdogrescue/

The Camilla Foundation

Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the Camilla Foundation is focused on helping those in need at both local and global levels. Their global mission is to empower and grow the stability of an orphanage in Uganda. They are currently approving the salary of 20 amazing caretakers and funding self-sufficient food security for our growing children through the entire year. To donate, please visit: https://camilla-foundation.org/donate

The Barn Sanctuary

As a vegetarian transitioning into a fully plant-based diet, I want to end animal cruelty, live a healthier lifestyle and protect the environment from the dangers of climate change. Animals are friends, not food! To learn more and donate to the Barn Sanctuary, please visit: https://www.barnsanctuary.org/donate/

“Surprise Summer”

November 13, 2020 / Cate Tracey / 2 Comments

November 2019 in Michigan: snow, snow and even more snow…

November 2020 in Michigan: 70° sunshine!

As coldness and winter approaches, I encourage all of you to spend more time outdoors (safely of course) 🙂

The Arboretum, Again…

October 30, 2020October 30, 2020 / Cate Tracey / 4 Comments

I took my beloved pup to the Ann Arbor Arboretum again for a multitude of different reasons.

1) It’s getting colder and the leaves are falling like crazy here in Michigan.

2) COVID cases are spiking and yes, I do believe in science and that staying home slows the spread!

3) There’s a likelihood that I’ll start a new job next month and won’t have the same amount of free time as I do now (stay tuned!).

4) There’s also a likelihood that we won’t remain in the area next fall and wanted to soak in the Michigan foliage (again, stay tuned!).

I believe every fall color makes an impact in its own way…

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue…?

I invite you all to take a seat and enjoy nature 🙂

Our Pup’s Birthday/Gotcha Day!

September 9, 2020February 21, 2025 / Cate Tracey / 2 Comments

Three years ago today, three-year-old Linley was dropped off at my parent’s house. After a rigorous adoption application process consisting of filling out a packet and researching animal health problems, multiple reference calls, a meet-and-greet and a final home inspection, Linley instantly became my best friend!