Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Reading





“You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the books you read and the people you meet.” -Charles Jones





Here's to lots of good reading and traveling and meeting new people. Of course we all know that we do not need to really travel to meet new people. We just need to have an open mind to what others have to share. Never judge a book by the cover. Give people a chance- you just might be surprised now and then by those you meet. I know I have been over and over again. Keep reading . . . the daily paper, magazines, books, poetry, trade journals, it is endless. I am currently reading Journal material on Shoulders, a new novel called: Base Ten by Maryann Lessert an author from Michigan- bet you can't guess where i picked it up. So far it is very good. Reading Quilting for peace by Katherine Bell and to one of my kids The Cape Cod Witch and the Pirates Treasure by PBean Palmer
So read on . . . get lost in a good book without ever leaving home.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Thoughtful Thursday


Taking Cats to the Vet, as one meowed in the car the whole way- What was he saying? What do they think when we take them to the vet? do they hate it as much as we hate going to the doctor? our cats hate the car ride but once they are there they are happy and content and all around good kitties.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Fall is Here We love it!




It is official today is the first day of fall.

What things do you look forward to?

We look forward to . . . . .

Pumpkins
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Apple pie
Apple Crisp
crunchy leave to walk through
Grape Pie
Mulled Apple cider
Crisp apples
Apple picking
Squash soup
Starting the stove
extra quilts on the bed
Cool nights warm days
walks in the woods
Mums
Soup on Sunday
Going to the Pumpkin Farm
Picking up Chestnuts
decorating for Halloween
Making Halloween costumes
Making Pumpkin cookies
Pumpkin pie
Raking leaves
Jumping in leaves

Monday, September 21, 2009

It's a bit spooky in the Air


Well it is that time of year when the witches, bats and goblins all come out of the basement to adorn our Casa. We put up these cool orange lights in teh entry way with some new cling on bats.
About every other year we have a big Halloween bash with friends - always a good time. This year we will travel for Halloween to spend it with cousins but that is about 6 weeks away.
Onward to the fall and spooky decorations.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Wondering Wednesday



I wonder all the time . . .

What will this winter be like?

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Michigan Part 4


Michigan Part 4

Sleeping Bear Dunes as seen from Platte river Beach

Hiking to Lake Michigan

Big Red- Holland's Lighthouse

Windmill Gardens De Swan Wind Mill brought over from Holland to the USA

Camping at Holland State Park

As one can see the weather deteriorated for this stretch of the trip. No blue skies, terrible wind, rain, and then a Thunder storm and torrential rain right before we were to go to bed.

We drove from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Holland State park it was 3-4 hours. Much in the rain. We stopped and climbed Port Bessie light house and we all made it to the top!!
We stopped in Manistee Michigan- home to my Seymour cousins but we did not get a chance to connect with them due to time.

When we arrived at Holland Sate park in between Thunder storms and wedged between 2 large RV's we made ourselves a home again. We figured out how to fit in our tent and dining fly and accommodate the pre-established Fire pit. This was an urban campground as beyond our bushes was a sidewalk with runners, bikers, talking walkers. It was all very interesting.





Big Red was majestic and after being windblown and sand blasted we searched out a Dutch bakery for tasty treats and headed into Holland. We ate our treats in Central park which had lots of lovely flowers and I can just picture it when it is full of tulips. It must be Breathtaking!!! We have some great doughnut eating pictures but they are not for the blog!





We then headed over to Blustery Windmill Island. We watched girls dance the Klompen and got a tour of this big Windmill- another height for us to conquer- some of us are height challenged. The outdoor flowers here were outstanding as well!!! again spring must be fantastic.







Then back to our Campsite 99 the great one- home away from home for Foot long hot dogs, smores and packing for an early departure in the AM, then right before bedtime as mentioned earlier a terrible storm hit.
Water in the tent, but not to bad- we were all glad to get in our sleeping bags and finish the Read aloud book
Lost on a Mountain in Maine
Up and off in the morning without a hitch! A lot of hours in the car and a stop at Cabellas and we were home!

Michigan part 3


Hoeft State Park - swimming in Lake Huron
Petosky State Park- Swimming in lake Michigan Little Traverse Bay
Fishermans Island State Park - great rocks and campsites right on the Lake
Leelanu State Park- Great views- Grand Traverse Lighthouse rocky shore
Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

So we crossed the sate to the Michigan side stopped at Petosky Beach for swimming and fossil searching. We also stopped at Fishermans Island State Park- good rocky shore wonderful campsites but we did not camp here. Toliets are vaulted but it is worth the view.

We found ourselves driving down Fruit Alley much like Rte 104 by lake Ontario as we traveled to Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

It always seemed our travel days were the sunniest.

Anyways once at Sleeping Bear we had to site hop the next day- yep walk your tent down the road to a new site. The campground was really nice. Quiet and mostly tenters where we were. We climbed the dunes- thankfully it was not a hot day- boys loved running down the Dunes. We did the scenic drive, went to a few more rocky beaches looking for Petosky Rocks. We did find quite a few but none big like you could buy!

We had a few more simple camp meals, Ham, rice,salad wedges, Blue berry buckle in the Dutch oven. pancakes and omelets one night. Mornings were cocoa and toast for the most part. Mornings were cold you can see your breath!! Days were very full of being outside and together. We hiked to Lake Michigan from our campsite and built a sand city. There was a lazy river here that you could boat or float down, if we had more time that would have been great!!

On to Part 4

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Michigan part 2






Sturgeon Point Lighthouse
NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Museum
Hoeft State Park
Mackinaw City - Bats and Fudge!!
Colonial Michilimac
Mackinaw Bridge

Next leg up Lake Huron side we visited cool NOAA Museum and understand about Great Lakes Shipping and shipwrecks better. All Great lakes Shipwrecks are well preserved due to fresh water adn cold water. We learned the boats would pass close together in order to exchange mail. Shipping was on the rise in 1825 when the Erie Canal was completed in NY

The Mackinaw Suspension Bridge 5 miles in length was completed in 1957 to connect lower and upper Michigan.

The day up the coast was Sunny and bright and we paused to look for Petosky rocks while at Sturgeon Point. Our day in Mackinac City was wet, windy and wild. Excellent Fudge was to be had and we found these little bats hanging out on the Stucco walls everywhere.


Mackinaw bridge is where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Tie Dye Summer Fun


This was our end of Summer Hurrah with our Cousins. We tie dyed shirts, socks and underware. Spirals, bulls eyes and folded flowers. I think this year they could all pretty much do most of it themselves. We are growing up .

Michigan part 1






The beginning of a trip around the Mitten State 2009

Twas Point State park
Hoeft State Park
Sleeping Bear National lake-shore
Holland State park

We stayed 2 nights in each one. We arrived late in the day set up. The next day we did something in the area, then we would pack up and travel onward to the next location.
This put us 4 nights on Lake Huron and 4 nights on Lake Michigan. We fit a lot in to say the least. In this installment you see Twas point light house that some of us climbed. We also were able to walk out to it at night right form the campground. That was pretty cool. We saw a bunch of Blue herons while here. The camping was wall to wall RV's which recinds my previous entry about Camping being all about it being simple . . . having your RV in tow you have most all of your comforts with you! It was cool and blustry while here and we did a cool driving tour of the Ausable River area and history of Logging in the area.

The sand Dune in this picture to the right is where they would stack up and then let loose logs that would roll down to the river. That is why it is barren of vegetation. We learned what a Wanagan is. They re-forested this area with 7 million red pines.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Tomato Harvest


Well here we are at the end of a fruitful summer. Our tomato's are pretty good. I know many people did not have a good harvest. We are eating lots of Tomato cheese open face sandwich, I am going to roast some and freeze them as well. Tomato Stilton soup, chilli, and tomato's with sugar are a few other favorites.



Forget not that the Earth delights to feel your barefeet, and the winds long to play with your hair. Kahil Gibran




Enjoy your many Garden Harvests, the sweet pleasures of life abound.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Love the Ordinary






"Normal Day, Let me be Aware
of the Treasure you are.
Let me learn from you, love you,
Bless you before you depart.
Let me not pass you by in the
quest of some rare and
perfect tomorrow.
"
-Mary Jean Irion





How do we define Ordinary? Perhaps this is individual, perhaps not. I believe it is the simple everyday things we take for granted that are ordinary and in times of stress become extraordinary.How many times has someone heard me complain about laundry? . . . . until the day I cannot do it because of family crisis or injury. It is during those times that we are thankful for the ordinary for the health to do the simple things to take pleasure in them. For it is in doing the ordinary and being at peace with it that the extraordinary can happen. Take time to enjoy your ordinary.

What are your Ordinary's?
Laundry, doing dishes, moving shoes from the entry way, pet care, vacuuming. watering plants, making food, self care, reading to kids, . . .the list could go on and on Be thankful for the ordinary in your today.