It's a Way of Life . . .

Do you think you could live on an Island? Do you have what it takes to be a member of a rural community accessible only by ferry, plane or boat?

Here's a bit of a test to find out if you have the right stuff . . .

Do you flash your Rolex, brag about your car, name drop about who you know, or what blue blood schools your kids attend?

Getting noticed . . . do you dream of a huge house and a garage full of cars designed to impress others? Think you are special, put on earth to be awed, sought after for advice and your presence?

Do you have an ego needing stroking? Have an attitude needing attention? Are you a gold digger? Do you want to live in a gated wealthy snobby community and is your life about money . . . only money?

Think you were always destined for greatness? You don't strive to keep up with the Jones . . . that you are the Jones.

Translation - you are NOT built for living on Drummond Island and being part of it's rural, close-knit community.

Impressing others and having the latest material items is not what living on Drummond is all about. It's about helping others, serving your community, not calling attention to yourself.

Drummond Island, simple, real, honest living.

Outdoor campfires, picnics, paddling a kayak. Snowshoeing the ledges or cross country skiing through a silent glade. Folks on Drummond get excited hiking a shoreline trail and seeing three deer drinking from the lake. Enjoying a sunrise on Potagannissing Bay with a mug of hot coffee. A family of loons paddling by. Island people attend and get excited to help out at a church bean supper for a family that was burned out or struggling with cancer.

It is not about who you know . . .  it's not about being exclusive. It's about others. People come for a day, stay a life time. You don't need alot of money . . . that's not what impresses people in "Vacationland". On Drummond they help others, check on the elderly, coach youth sports. Teach Sunday school.

It's a way of life . . .

Getting Here . . .

The rhythms and rituals of life on the Island are sacred – the ceremonial arrival and departure by ferry; Bayside dinners with terrific food and breathtaking views; the unspoken decree against high heels (although I must admit that I am guilty of ignoring that one out of sheer vanity); and the generational parade of robust kids, running, swimming, squealing, sledding, and coming of age in the woods and on the waters of Drummond.

But getting to Drummond means that your business must first come through the ferry dock – with a tempo and hierarchy unlike any other place. Everyone and everything is on display as vehicles come and go and wait. Everyone’s stuff is on view piled in a backseat, a bed of a truck or stacked high on a trailer. You know what stores people shop at. You know who is getting new furniture. You know what books, magazines and papers people read to pass the time. And you also get a glimpse into each other’s relationships as passengers are dropped off, picked up and said goodbye or hello to.

The ferry also marks the passage from one world to another. The pace of the Island has always been intertwined with the coming and going of the ferry. And life on the Island is a reflection of this marvelous relationship. “Island Time” means a more relaxed way of life – and the wait for the ferry is the first step into a mood and pace that is always of an unhurried nature. This distinctive lifestyle and its gentle easy rhythms are as much a part of the landscape as are the waves lapping at the shore. Waiting for the ferry makes for a wonderful chance to practice patience . . .

Patience is the best remedy for every trouble and Drummond is the best medicine for dealing with the stress of life off the Island. Mahomet once said, “Patience is the key to content.” And I have often been known to exclaim that I am the most content woman in the world when I am back “home” on Drummond.

And so every trip across M-134 brings with it a peaked sense of anticipation – the wait for the ferry always putting extra emphasis on what it really means to get here.