A Great Visit to a Vintage Lodge
We got invited to a friend’s family lodge up north this past weekend. One of those last vestiges of empire types of lodges. A magnate’s place. Ancient log homestead with big creek behind and nice spring, plus a big ole swimmin hole with majestic dive platform. Flagpole and concrete furniture gathering place for family singalongs. Huge porch overlooking the creek and bridge. Oh, the roof of lodge was what put it past anything else I’ve ever seen. Cast concrete tiles with colored mortar. Several bright old colors. Built by oldtimers who made a statement. We don’t have marble to cut here in Michigan. But there’s still some nice lodges. Cathedral ceiling inside with loft with central position held by piano. 400 acres of forest and huge ancient white pines.
I guess the family is a bit split on how to handle it in the future: heritage or cash. What will the moderns choose. Anyway, really a big reason I mention it is this story our friend told us. This lodge of course was a great place for bon vivant pals of the hunting and fishing and horses stripe.
So one of the pals back a few years was going off to Vietnam. They had a last good old pals bash up there for him. He was a oldtime bowhunter. (Back before it was done much.) After the party he knelt down in the entry way and shot a hunting arrow into the rafters. It stuck. Where it would stay until he came back from war. The arrow is still there. –JP
