Thursday Morning Along the Lake Shore

Yes.  It is true.  We went to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake  Shore AGAIN.

It's absolutely beautiful there.  Even though we had just been there in May, everything was so different.

In May there were lilacs EVERYWHERE.

In August, there were already leaves turning to yellow and orange.

I really think that you would LOVE visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes.

So much beauty.  So peaceful.  Even though in August there are a lot of people in the area, it still seems so very remote.

While we were on the  highway between Traverse City and Empire, bald eagles were circling over head.  I'd never seen that many in one place at one time.  It truly was a sight to see.

So go there.  Tell them Judy sent you.

Fourth Stop, Sleeping Bear Dunes

I took so many pictures here that it will take me until next year to properly sort through them.  But these were among my favorites.  I'm sure you can imagine how magnificently it smelled.  Lilacs were blooming EVERYWHERE.

We drove through the park once, taking our own sweet time, and as we drove out the sun came out.  So OBVIOUSLY we just had to go back through it all again.  So glad we did.  THGGM is so very kind to me.

Third Stop, Leland

By now THGGM and I had worked up quite the appetite.

When one goes to Leland, lunch at The Cove is a necessity.  The restaurant overlooks Fishtown, which is just a fun place to be.  And the food at The Cove is excellent.  THGGM had the Angus Burger and I had the Whitefish.  We were both very pleased.  This time we even got dessert.  Of course, we shared.  If you ever go to The Cove, get the Chocolate Cherry Cheese Cake.  You will not regret it.  Both of us only regretted that we had to share it.

Fishtown isn't on the bay, it is on Lake Michigan.

The lake was a bit hazy on Wednesday.  The water, sky, and faded gray buildings all blended in together.

You should visit Leland.

Because I said so.

Second Stop, Northport

Northport is a very quaint and friendly little town.

Who could resist going into a thrift shop called "Dead Peoples Stuff"?  I could not.



















Everything was in bloom and the entire town smelled amazing!

 This bouquet was just sitting out on a picnic table at an ice cream store that also had a cute little shop inside.

Look at those vines wrapped around that birch tree!

And they still had blooming tulips!

Oh, yes.  I LOVE it there.

And just look at that white tulip.

Doesn't it appear to be leaning out to look down the road to see what is happening on the bay?

Why yes.  Yes it does.

Fun TImes

THGGM and I did quite a bit of thrift and antique shopping this weekend.

Today we drove a very long way down our street (actually, from end to end). Less than 10 miles west from the southern end of our street is the Allegan County Fair Antiques Market.

It was THE perfect day for wandering around both inside and out (200 booths in and 200 booths out). I wish I'd brought my camera. You would NOT believe how BIG this antiques market is. Unless, of course, you have been there. And, if you have been there, why did you not tell me about it?!

I'll have to update my Simply Thrift blog AGAIN (http://www.simplythrift.blogspot.com/) as I did find something I've been looking for.

As much as I enjoyed the wandering around looking at old stuff I enjoyed the ride there and back. Rural Michigan is so beautiful this time of year. Lots of deer, lots of corn, sunflowers in nearly every garden, and a coyote ran across the road in front of our car.

I had fun. Hope you did too.

And The Day Improves

THGGM and I left at 4:00 for Grand Haven. Dinner was eaten at Snug Harbor, overlooking the channel.

It was another perfectly lovely day!

Since I'm not sure how the words will line up with the picture, I will tell you that I love the picture of the fishing line following the arch of the cat walk. Great fun watching the fisherman haul in a large steelhead.

One of my favorite things of being on the pier is seeing the difference in the water from Lake Michigan (on the left) to the channel water. And, I just adore 'vanishing points'.

This picture. Oooo. Could have been taken anytime in the past 100 years, maybe?

Our evening ended with ice cream at Temptations.

Good times.

Meijer Gardens Part 2

There were just enough butterflies for me. Not so many that my reflexes wanted to swat at them, but enough that they were visible wherever one looked.

Famke. She had a great time. I'm sure at her height she saw more knees than anything else. Her favorite phrases?

"I DO IT!"



Nice family I found at the gardens.

Jonge, more than likely pointing in the direction Famke is heading.

There really is an amazing amount of beauty everywhere you look.

So glad we took the time TO look today.

And On Thursday We...

...visited the lovely Wisconsin town of Greendale.

I just love it there.

If you are familiar with "Taste of Home", Greendale is the actual home from which the taste comes.

Several purchases were made at the "Taste of Home" store, but there is much more in the quaint town of Greendale.

"The Shoppe Around the Corner" and "Season's of the Heart" are my favorites. And, the bread at "Great Harvest Bread Co." - yum - too marvelous for words. As I type this, I am eating a slice of their onion dill rye. So far, it is the only thing I've eaten today that I could actually taste with this germ I'm harbouring.

Greendale, Wisconsin - you should go there.

These two books are what I've been reading lately.

I was going to suggest that you go to Amazon.com and buy yourself a copy, but - good grief - they are selling from $40-$60!

So, check your local thrift stores.

These books are excellent.

Although, so much of what people were able to do in the 1930's just isn't possible today.

I wonder if my city would change it's laws and let me keep goats and chickens in my back yard?

Hmmm. Much to ponder there.

Still, try to find these books. The personal stories about how people survived such devastating economical hardship will encourage you.

Or, you can come to my house and read mine.

I did not only read today. I also scrubbed my kitchen floor. It was so bad it took almost all day. It's clean now, but not shiny. I just do not know how to make a floor shiny. And, I cleaned out the bedroom closet. In doing so, I found an old wool sweater vest that I used to wear ALL the time. FOR YEARS. I felted it and turned it into several other things.

If you want to see what I made, go to www.simplythrift.blogspot.com .

(in a minute. i haven't posted there yet.)

On the Beach

This is the view as we came down the ramp to the beach.

Fog. Mist. Sand.

As I was cropping my pictures tonight, I noticed what looks like animals (fox, maybe?) on the near right coming out of the woods.

On a clear day it is a beautiful spot for seeing long distances down the beach.

On a day like Friday, it has a different sort of beauty.

Famke loved the water. She did not want to leave it.

Pake loves Famke, and did not want to lose her.




Hardier folk than us were actually IN the water.

We have gone swimming here as late as October 1st. We came for THGGM's birthday years ago, found it warm, and in we went ('we' meaning everyone but me).

Even on a clear day, you can't see Wisconsin.

There aren't whales, but they are fun to watch for anyway.

No brave souls out sailing.

Really. Those binoculars. Jonge LOVES them. He even brought them to church with him today.









This is the only posed picture I took.

Jonge wanted to say 'cheese' for me.

He is cute. Even with lunch on his face.







I'm hoping to enlarge this picture, trace it onto black paper and make it into a silhouette.