The season of awakening is at hand. The miracle of springtime is fast approaching as the trees and shrubs take on their leaves of green. The crocus, daffodils, and tulips are ready to burst into bloom. However, in many spots where it has been very sunny and warm, the spring flowers are beautiful and the landscape is a rainbow of colors. In the woodland below Grand Hotel, it is lovely to walk the trails. On the cedar pathways, peace and tranquility is found, along with an abundance of spring flowers. Let us also see their beauty on the hillside by the

Jockey Club. Below the highest tee on the Little Jewel, a carpet of tiny purple violets, which have blossomed for years, brings delight to all who view them.

The sign on the lower level of the entrance of Grand Hotel has read "Closed For The 2005 Season." This will change Thursday, May 4, as the beautiful hotel reopens for the 2006 season. Many folks have been busy getting everything ready for opening day. Grand Hotel is made more beautiful each year by the Musser families. Cadotte Avenue is getting busier each day with the arrival of employees for the hotel.

Jack's Livery Stable and Cindy's Riding Stable are busy getting ready to open. Many horses arrived Monday, May 1, for each stable. They looked very healthy and frisky.

A very happy birthday May 4 to Chris Szabo. Enjoy your day.

Mission Point Resort hosted "AWorld of Hospitality" by inviting friends to join them for their 2006 opening celebration Monday, May 1, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. There was a review of the resort and a tour of their new museum. A delectable assortment of hors d'oeuvres was served from the 2006 menu. We welcome John Jeanie Shulfelt back to Mackinac. Best wishes to Dave and Susan Sanderson, new manager of Mission Point Resort, as he starts his first season on the Island.

City Clerk Karen Lennard will celebrate her birthday May 2. Hope your day is special.

Bob Roach, Larry Rickley Jr., and George Wellington Jr. attended a fire fighting school in Indianapolis, Indiana, last week. It was a great experience for the members of the Mackinac Island Fire Department.

Early morning last week, the Mackinac Island Fire Department answered a call to the Harborview. It turned out to be a problem with their sprinkler system.

We welcome Fritz and Lindsay George back to Mackinac. Fritz is the golf pro at Wawashkamo Golf Club.

Cathy Szabo's pastry shop is open each day early in the morning with fresh coffee and goodies. Her shop is located in the Orphan Corner Mall.

We had the pleasure of visiting with my niece and nephew, Nancy and Jean La Borde of Appleton, Wisconsin, who spent the weekend on the Island. They enjoyed spending Saturday night at Grand Hotel. Jean is retired and Nancy will retire from the Appleton school system in June.

Great to have Rosemary and Joe Kompsi back home. Rosemary is busy getting her Indian Drum shop ready for the season.

Peggy Bynoe will be graduated Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. She will be joined by family members, her mother, Judy, brothers, Jamie and Rob, and sisters, Patty and family of Mackinac and Katie McKay and family from Chassell. Her uncle and aunt, Ron and Mary Dufina, will also attend the ceremony. Congratulations and best wishes to Peggy from Island friends. Peggy is graduating with a major in music.

Great wonderful news. Ann and Tim Timmons will arrive on Mackinac Friday, May 19, from their winter home in Palm City, Florida. Ann is doing well following recent surgery.

Good luck to Tony and Shannon Brodeur and Tony and Loretta Spata, new owners of Martha's Sweet Shop on Main Street, where delicious pastries may be purchased each day. Fresh cinnamon rolls, with their sweet odor, permeate the shop.

Happy birthday to Urvana Morse May 7. I'm sure that Dominick and Wyatt will help you blow your candles out.

Welcome back to Mona Carley of Sault Ste. Marie and Mac and Brenda from Canada. Great to see you back on Mackinac.

Keith Leverton, porter at the Iroquois Hotel, has returned for the 2006 season. Best birthday greetings to Mary Maurer May 4. Have a great day.

Pat and Alice Pulte with daughter, Mary, are at their lovely condominiums in Leslie Court, coming from their home in Ann Arbor. They're busy getting their Murray Hotel and Inn on Mackinac ready for the season.

While walking along, be sure to admire the beautiful yellow daffodils in full bloom in the corner of Marquette Park near Doud's Mercantile. They display the true spirit of spring.

Happy birthday May 4 to Carolyn May. Enjoy your day.

Father Rey Garcia, S.J. of Ste. Anne's is enjoying a two-week vacation with friends in Costa Rica.

Happy birthday to Mike Gamble Jr. May 5 and to his dad, Mike Gamble Sr., May 9. Hope your day is special.

Students home for the summer from college are Josh Carley from Saginaw Valley State University, Blisse Beardsley, Sarah Porter, and Lindsay Allen from the University of Michigan, Emma Chambers from Ferris State University, and Richard Chambers from Northern Michigan University.

Star Line and Shepler's ferry service have started operating for the 2006 season.

Enjoying their summer cottages over the weekend were Kathy and Tom Lewand of the East Bluff and Kristi and Alex Graham of Trillium Heights. Nice to see you back on Mackinac.

Mary Callewaert is busy getting Mary's Bistro open for the season and many of the Ryba fudge shops.

Diane Neyer is doing her spring planting at Metivier Inn and Hart's Haven, which is very attractive and beautiful when everything is in full bloom.

The dinners at Ste. Anne's for the employees will begin Thursday, May 4, at 6 p.m. Horn's Gaslight Bar will provide the food. All employees are welcome to attend.

Debra and Sandra Orr have returned from their winter home in Naples, Florida, and now have their Seabiscuit and Pub Oyster Bar open for the season as well as Orr Kids Bike Rental.

The opening of Grand Hotel's newest restaurant, The Gate House, proved to be loads of fun with much laughter. Patrons and friends joined together and were welcomed by bright orange doors designed by New York designer, Carlton Varney. Orange tables with colorful chairs and waiters attired in orange shirts added to the opening. Manager Andrew Doud greeted the many customers wearing a bright orange tie. Jason St. Onge's band called "Trickey Dickie and the Spoonmen" entertained at The Gate House opening weekend.

WJR Radio will be broadcast live from Grand Hotel's Cupola Bar early Wednesday morning, May 3.

Maryann and Pat Shannon of Sault Ste. Marie spent the weekend at their Trillium Heights cottage.

Friday, April 28, some Grand Hotel employees were married by Armand Horn. They celebrated their wedding dinner at The Gate House.

Mimi Musser Cunningham of Lansing has been getting Grand Hotel's shops ready for the season.

Frank and Joan Nephew with daughter, Nancy Porter, and granddaughters, Annie and Sarah, are vacationing in France for two weeks.

The grounds at Mission Point Resort are just beautiful with a variety of colored daffodils. It is truly a magnificent sight. A new attraction at Mission Point are their museums. They're very well done and they tell the story of Moral Re-Armament on Mackinac, Great Lakes shipping, and lighthouses. It's a wonderful display and very interesting.

Folks seen enjoying the opening party at Mission Point Resort were Wes and Mary Maurer, Pat and Dave Ramsay, Tom Pfeiffelmann and Linda Bennett, the Mark Wilks, and Karen Gould of St. Ignace, Frenchie LaJoice of Sault Ste. Marie, and many people from Cheboygan and Petoskey. Everyone had a very enjoyable evening.

Phil and Val Porter have returned to Mackinac from their winter home in Cheboygan.

Pat Chambers of Muskegon visited Ed and Nona Chambers Monday, May 1.

Margaret Kappa is recuperating from a broken hip at her home in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. She would enjoy hearing from her friends on Mackinac. Her address is: 207 Azalea Trail, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986.

Businesses open for the season are Mission Point Resort, Island House Hotel, Murray Hotel, Chippewa Hotel, Lilac Tree, Main Street Inn, Iroquois Hotel, Grand Hotel, Market Street Inn, and many shops on Main and Market streets.

Horn's Gaslight Bar opened for the season Thursday evening, April 27. Everyone enjoyed the live band.

Enjoy the signs of spring on Mackinac.