Hey! We're In Charlevoix!

Antiquing in Elk Rapids

We found a great looking antique mall as we passed through Elk Rapids on our way to Charlevoix today.

So, on our way back, we stopped.

We were NOT disappointed.

This antique mall had fabulous prices and everything was so creatively arranged.

I found this great piece of Zells. It has a small chip on the spout, but was only THREE dollars.

And, this extremely lovely Dutch couple needed a home with someone who would love them. I cannot wait to introduce them to the rest of the Dutch people who stand around in a cupboard in my kitchen.

She's really not very photogenic. In person she is actually rather nice looking.

The little chick is a salt shaker. Too cute!

And, I'm always on the prowl for interesting pot holders.

I think we might head back to this place in Elk Rapids again tomorrow.

Today We Went to Charlevoix

It was hazy, hot and humid today. Although we hardly noticed, as it was very pleasant at the lake shore. THGGM looked very much like a tourist. He didn't start out that way. On the drive to Charlevoix he poured coffee all over himself. For those who dream that it will all be different once the kids are grown, guess again!

While I enjoyed the pier and the lighthouse, THGGM looked at a book of expensive real estate in the area.

He found the perfect island house for us. Only a smooth seven million.

Charlevoix

This art was in the park across from downtown.

Evening in Traverse City and the Mission Peninsula

Tonight we went back to our favorite restaurant (Schelde's!). We both had the wet burrito. It was VERY good!

From there we went back to our favorite beach!
It was lovely! Notice that I found the fish skeleton. It had apparently 'walked' farther up from the water.

I thought it was great to find it again, until we left, and I forgot where it was.

Yup. YUCK. You guessed it. While crawling into the edge of the woods to take a picture, I STEPPED on it!

Icky pooh. Inside, it was still slimy.

We ended our evening outing by going back downtown and spending a lot of money at Cold Stone. From Yuck to Yum.

That reminds me...

I need to go wash my foot.

Again.

Downtown Traverse City

We've done quite a bit of shopping on this vacation. Yesterday when we came back from our adventures we hit an antique mall we've never been to before, and a home elements shop that was in an interesting old brick building - both right on the bay.

This morning we went to Wilson's, a very large antique mall in downtown Traverse City. We stayed for quite awhile. THGGM and I both like to antique shop, but mostly we just drive there together. Once we walk through the door

we go our separate ways, each of us looking at completely different things.

It's nice that way. Then, when we are done looking, we met up and drag the other one to all the interesting things we've found. I cannot believe what I don't see that he does!

Wilson's has something for everyone. Although, being a frequent antique shopper, their prices are very high. I like that when I find things I already have, but not when I am looking to buy!

I found The Water Babies book there. It's in fairly good condition. It has a 'bookworm' hole in it that gives it great charm.

It was supposed to rain today, but it is hazy, hot and humid instead. THGGM is presently at the pool, while I am preparing to draw more robins!

Can't wait to find out what we are going to do with the rest of this day!

What I Am Reading

I brought four books by Christopher de Vinck with me on this vacation.

I absolutely love how this man thinks and writes.

Truly, it's been the PERFECT reading material for me.

About a month ago, on the day that my mom was so 'out of it' from the new medication she had taken, mom, Baby Boy and I were watching "Mr. Roger's". It is one of our favorite Thursday morning activities. Anyway...Mr. Roger's had the poet, May Sarton on. I was all excited about that because I love her poems. Then, who should appear in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood to take Ms. Sarton to her next visit at a school, but Christopher de Vinck! I was SOOO excited I nearly fell off my seat! Of course, this was a very old Mr. Roger's - from the 1980's I believe - but still.

The sad thing was, there was NO ONE I could tell, at least not that could care. I told my mom and Baby Boy all about how Christopher de Vinck found a comment I had left on another blog and contacted me. How he sent me three of his books, and how much I admire this man.

Neither of them seemed to understand my excitement.

Oh well. The two of them often say things that I don't understand, yet I listen respectfully and nod.

If you like contemplative reading that really 'says' something, go look for his books. I love them. I think you would, too.

Fishtown

I almost deleted this picture of the wharf in Leland.

It was so over-exposed I couldn't even tell what it was.

I tweaked it a bit, and now I love it!

I think I'm going to print it and frame it when we get home.

Leland in the Afternoon

We drove up the coast from Empire to the charming town of Leland.

This was the view we had while we ate lunch at "The Cove".

I thought our lunch was great.

THGGM was not impressed. He gets whiny when lunch is expensive.

He is a good man, and let me shop to my heart's content.

We bought nothing. Every time I found something, he would say "Well, we COULD have bought it, if lunch wasn't so expensive!" Sometimes he's a load.

Leland is another of our favorite places to visit.

From there we drove through Sutton's Bay again.

We cannot get enough of the scenery around here. It truly is spectacular!

Sleeping Bear Dune's

This morning we drove to the town of Empire. More gorgeous lilacs all along the way. The whole outdoors smells amazing! On our way we passed an Iris farm. The colors were fabulous.

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is something we always experience when we are 'up north'. It is different every time. Today was a bit hazy. Hazy can be beautiful too, we learned.

Just For Me

Tonight after dinner we drove up the Mission Peninsula to our favorite beach.

I'm always so surprised that on a national holiday in a resort town we have the beach all to ourselves.

Well. Except for this large fish skeleton.

THGGM would not let me keep it.

Sometimes he is no fun.

What I did before and after the beach is up on my Inky Finger's blog. www.judyh58b.blogspot.com

This Morning

After breakfast at Cracker Barrel we drove to Sutton's Bay.

It's a cute little town on the west bay.

We didn't buy anything, but came away with many new ideas!

It was sunny and cool, my kind of weather!

I love to head north at the end of May, because I get to enjoy another week of lilacs.

The air up here smells like lilacs. Entire yards are hedged in with lilac bushes taller than some of the trees. I LOVE that.

This horse posed especially for me. He even trotted ahead to get into a better position.

Happy Anniversary to Us

Today is the 29th anniversary of the day THGGM became "The Husband God Gave Me".

We are presently in our hotel room in Traverse City watching the Detroit Tiger's.

But first, we went to our favorite restaurant for dinner. Then, took in the view of both bays. And, of course, went to Murdock's for fudge.

We are here due to the kindness' of our family. Oldest Son and Daughter-in-law are staying at our house. Oldest Son has several job interviews this week. Daughter and Daughter-in-law have a day of marathon house-hunting going on this week. Daughter and Son-in-law are helping us out too. And, I've arranged with Daughter to sneak into our closet and get more pictures of the baby robins before they fly away. Youngest Son's lovely girlfriend graciously used her influence in hotel management to get us a discount on our accommodations.

Wow. 29 years ago on this day, none of these wonderful people even existed.

Even More Robin Pictures

They are growing up!

They stretch and wiggle.

Mom's of toddlers could do well to learn from the robin parents.

Sit on them!

Here they are in 'duck and cover' mode. There is a squirrel in the tree that is giving the parents fits. It is chattering away.

My presense doesn't seem to bother them. They actually seem quite pleased to show off their babies.

Cards

Daughter took me to a "Stampin' Up" party for Mother's Day.

My order came on Friday.

One of the things she got me was a pad of patterned papers.

I've been having a great time making cards with these!

I'll post them individually on Inky Fingers at www.judyh58b.blogspot.com

A Backyard Picnic

We chose the table with the view of the birds.

The lovely yellow wildflowers on the table were weeds freshly yanked from my hosta beds.

The only trouble was, the wind kept blowing the table cloth over Baby Boy's plate.

I had a hard time convincing him that I do not control the wind.

Thursday I asked my mom how it was that she managed to prepare so many picnics for us when I was a kid. She said it was A LOT of work, but everyone seemed to like it, and it didn't cost much.

If I had to go further than out my backdoor, I'm not sure if I would do it.

Seven Months Until...

CHRISTMAS!

In case you think I am obsessive compulsive about being prepared for Christmas, I will have you know that I still haven't properly stored away my decor from Christmas past.

I'm still a wee bit freaked out about where that bat came from.

And, since I will get it all out again in six short months, it hardly seems worth the effort to tightly pack it away now.

Although, someone disagrees with me on this idea!

More Birds

This one is from yesterday morning.

It isn't all that clear of a picture, but it certainly shows what it means to 'stick your neck out'!

Sometimes they remind me of little change purses.

Today, they seem to be totally covered in soft feathers.

Makes the nest look really full!

The forecast says it may be windy and rainy tonight.

I hope THGGM realized this means that he may have to climb a ladder to offer his assistance in protecting the nest.

Cheap Fun

Memories of my own children's toddlerhood come back to me.

Doing things in the right order makes for an easier time.

We started with a picnic lunch. Peanut butter sandwiches, apples and cheese!

For dessert we had an ice cream sandwich.

Then, we blew bubbles.

After that came water-play time!

Clean up was a breeze!

I've many many many pictures of this wonderful warm summer day, but I haven't yet figured out the quick downloads on dial-up.

Like I always say, 'a picture is worth the fifteen minutes it takes to download it'! Yeah, I always say that. Now.

How Quickly They Grow!

Today, their eyes opened!

How cool IS that?!

So, How Have You Been?

This week I have taken a serious inventory of what is wrong here.

A lot. Yes. A lot is wrong.

I remembered that when one finally surfaces from feeling depressed long enough to look around and notice that there are still lives going on in one's proximity, it is best to go back to what worked before to bring one out of it.

Already I had unearthed my "Inside Out" book. This is a painful bugger of a book to read. I first read it in the early nineteen nineties. In the book I actually found a copy of the building request form I had filled out when four friends and myself set out to work through this book together. Two of them I know FOR SURE WITHOUT ANY DOUBT would NEVER read this book again. Not that they didn't like it. It's just not an easy read. Another would never read it again because she just could not believe that there wasn't an easy answer for everything. I think she only joined our study to try to help us poor little things out with her vast array of religious cliches.

I found the book life-changing.

It was also at a point in my life when I underlined everything I found helpful as I read. This time through, I'm seriously wondering what caused me to underline some of the stuff I did. Today, if I was still into underlining - and I am not - I would be choosing totally different things.

So, I'm one third of the way through, and from there I will move on to "Finding God", by the same author (Larry Crabb). Then, it's on to Leanne Payne. On top of this, I still have "My Utmost for His Highest" at hand - my beloved 'coaster' copy that is underlined, highlighted. dog-eared and nearly falling apart.

I must also add to my reading list something about the death of hormones, as I seem to have either misplaced mine, or they died. Does this cause one to feel like one can no longer find oneself? I've been looking, but I do not know where I am. Maybe I will pick up clues from what I underlined in the past.

I've also quit drinking vast and copious amounts of coffee (it has always been easy for me to give up that which i have thrown up). I would like to think that is helping too. That leaves me tired, which is a side effect of my medication. But, since it is SUPPOSED to do that, drinking coffee was working against it. Or, so it would seem.

Tonight I am fighting with a migraine. I refuse to give in. And, I refuse to take the medication for that, which is about the same as coffee, but without the bitter after taste.

Some people believe there is a God when he appears to answer their requests for things.

I know there is a God. He sent a robin family to nest outside my window. Right where I can see them.

Me, the one with the blog about having an empty nest.

He knows me.

The Full Nest

I'm not sure what caused the change, but we are now allowed to view the babies.

Apparently, we must seem harmless.

Let the cat out, and the tune changes!