Summer is almost over

Here's a preview of my next column, which will appear in Monday's edition of The Morning Sun newspaper:

It’s about this time every year when I quip about the end of summer being upon us.

Sure summer didn’t officially begin until three and a half weeks ago, but once Independence Day is behind us, the rest of summer flies by.

High school sports are just around the corner, though classes don’t begin until the Tuesday after Labor Day.
However, not all Michigan families get a reprieve from the end of summer.

Most collegians, including those at Central Michigan University, will head back to campus for another year of partying and studying (or is it the other way around?) a good week or two before their younger siblings hit the books.

This means now is the time to get out of the comfort of air conditioning, get a folding chair, pack a picnic basket, grab this newspaper and head to your closest beach for a day of fun before it's too late.

Want something more than just a day at the beach? You can’t find a better destination than Michigan in the summer.

The National Cherry Festival, a tradition for many families, is being held this week in Traverse City. Now if cherries aren’t your thing, consider a trip to Marquette, a four-season destination about six hours away by car from Mount Pleasant.

Marquette has picture-perfect views of Lake Superior, a great downtown, stunning architecture, including one of the Michigan’s most beautiful county courthouses (where the 1959 film "Anatomy of a Murder" starring Jimmy Stewart was shot), and an incredible system of trails that takes you from civilization to wilderness and back again.

The full column will be posted once the newspaper publishes.

— Dennis Lennox