Summer is Coming

The sun wakes me up every morning.

It rises early these days. Just after 5 am.

Lots to think about early on a May morning. Time for a walk. It’s cold, just above 35 degrees. The sun is slowly warming things up. Birds are making noise. Tulips are shedding their frost.

Today there is a south wind; the stripes on the American flag are flying straight, and its stars are in full view in front of the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.

Summer is coming, but without many of the traditional festivals and celebrations that so many of us have grown accustomed to. On May 12, more changes were made. More events were canceled. There will be no community fireworks and no parades for the Fourth of July this year. 

Twenty-five years ago on May 24, the Peninsula Pulse published its first issue. We started to tell the stories of our neighbors, our friends. The stories of the who, what, where, when and why of the Door County community. We have learned so much about – and from – all of you. We have done our best to record our time together.

In that process, all of you have become family. We have celebrated together, mourned together, laughed, stood by one another and overcome some enormous challenges. When times get difficult, this community comes together, solves problems and moves forward.

It is an honor to tell your stories. 

Door County started to host visitors and families in the late 1800s. Visitors traveled here for the open space, the cool air, the water, the innkeepers, the orchards, the fresh produce, the people and the fun. Over time, those visitors have become part of the Door County family.

We may not have festivals in 2020, but we have each other. We may not have large gatherings, but we know how to keep people safe, how to entertain, how to build relationships. We are consummate hosts, and our home has so much to offer visitors. We have beautiful parks, outstanding artists, fantastic food and incredible people.

Soon we will be welcoming back our extended family. We will find a way to celebrate together. We always do. It will be different, but we will find a way together. It is what we do best. 

Tomorrow it is supposed to be a little warmer, and the day after that a little warmer. We are once again looking forward to summer and telling the stories of our friends, our neighbors, our family, our community. We are looking forward to telling Door County’s stories.