And The Beat Goes On

 Our Plan B vacation came to an end on Sunday.  Well, the driving came to an end as we made it home safe and sound and decided to finish our last days off doing just a few things around the house.  I got my Halloween decor all up and Jack helped do a few things I needed help with...like putting up a new curtain rod, cleaning out the last of the garden veggies and using those long arms where I can't reach!  He'll head back to the office tomorrow and I'm going to be hanging around while our new tub and shower combo gets installed.  Our chimney's were suppose to be fixed on Saturday but the fixer dude moved us to Monday.  I will probably head back to a few days of work if the hospital needs me next week.  So I'm glad to have had a wonderful travel time and home time to get caught up.  Family will be visiting in a few weeks so I will continue to spruce things up and get ready for a Halloween gathering in October!  Here's a few pics...OK, maybe more than a few of our September happenings:

Donning my mosquito garb I picked all the apples from our tree and they got made into some really delish apple sauce and a couple of pies as well as freezing gallon bags for later.  Last year we had none on that little tree so I was very happy to have a good apple year here at the Pines!  

We went to a few of Rae's soccer games.  #43!  She's never played soccer in her whole 15yr life and decided to try it as a Freshman.  She didn't play a ton at first but as the season has gone on she's improved and even scored a goal last week! 

My son Phil and Rae.  She has highlights in her hair that give off a little "devil" vibe.

You can see them here in her not happy, folded arms like Dad look! Ha!  I'll finish up here with some vacation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan pics.  

The front porch of the Grand Hotel. The largest covered porch in the world. 

The inside isn't too shabby either! Very elegant and I guess every room is done in a different decor.  Dinner there requires men to wear a suit and tie and women to wear dresses.  No Walmart attire allowed!

The flowers lining the Grand Hotel porch were stunning.

If we go back some day I would love to stay at this cute B&B!  The Grand would be lovely to stay at also but the $1000.00 a night is a bit pricey!

The horse drawn carriages were charming and even the work vehicles were charming! 

We headed back to the mainland on the ferry and bid a fond farewell to beautiful Mackinaw Island. Fun day! The rest of the trip was a delight and we saw:

Lighthouses

Sunny beaches

Tall bridges

Rocky shores

Lots of seagulls!

Nice sleeping accommodations on the lake shore.

More quaint towns like Frankenmuth and yes I did buy some Christmas ornaments at Bronner's!

And more horse drawn carriages in Frankenmuth.  That's another nice stop that you should go to for some fun!  

We said bye to Michigan and the colorful trees and hello to our Ohio.  It was nice to take in some places we've never been to and just enjoy our time together.  We didn't get the East Coast adventure we first were going to do but I'm glad we had this trip.  East Coast, we're heading your way next year in June! Watch out!  

Plan B

 This month is almost over and I've only posted once?  It's been a busy few weeks as we are finishing up projects and getting ready for family to come in October.  I finished painting the living room and I've gotten rid of at least 100 books!  I've donated many to the library and the church books have been taken to the church for others to enjoy.  It feels good to pare down and clean out.  I'll post living room pics when I get it all finalized.   But today Jack and I are on an adventure that was suppose to take us to Salem, Mass and Maine.  We decided to put it off until next year in June.  The storms that the East Coast has been having had us going to a plan B.  It's good to have a  plan B in most things and especially when traveling.  So where are we?  In the Upper Peninsula in Michigan.  We've been to different parts of Michigan when our kids were living there and for other things but never this far up. First we made a stop for lunch at a little diner called "Tony's".  The portions are a bit large:

Jack's BLT had a full pound of bacon on it. My Rueben probably had a full pound of corned beef on it. No we didn't eat the whole thing! Ha! We barely made it through half.  But it was a fun stop!  We stopped for the night in Gaylord, Michigan and then this morning we headed off to Mackinaw City and then to St. Ignes.  It was so foggy this morning that the drive across the huge bridge was a bit scary.  You could barely see the car in front of you and you couldn't see the water below at all.  That was probably a good thing since I have a little phobia about heights! But all went well and  We secured a hotel room in  St. Ignes before catching a ferry to Mackinaw Island.

A very foggy trip across the lake to the Island.

The ferry ride was fun even though the island was hidden for a bit!

Slowly Mackinaw Island came into view.  Once on the island the sun was shining and the temps were in the 60's and then the low 70's...perfect!

There are no cars allowed on the island.  Travel is either by horse, bike, or feet!  I guess even the undertaker goes by those rules! 

/The trees are starting to turn and we saw lots of lovely color.  My real reason for wanting to go to the island was to see the Grand Hotel.  So beautiful, so much history and one of my favorite chick flicks...Somewhere In Time...was filmed here.  I'm going to end the post for now and finish after our trip is over.  I have some lovely pics of this place that might encourage you to add this trip to your bucket list.  Bye for now!

 

It lived up to it's name of  GRAND!

30 Days Hath September

 Do you remember the 30 days poem? I used to say it when little so I could remember how many days in each month.  Now the days are flying by and the 30 days hath  September reminds me that it won't be long before November's 30 days will be upon us!   I do love this month as it ushers in Fall officially.  I seem to find projects galore this time of year.  Maybe it's the cooler temps that are trying to make it to us here in Ohio.  We've been blessed not to suffer the heat like many areas.  This past week was the hottest but that's not usual for this time of year.  Next week is looking more to my likes!  As I mentioned in my previous post I decided to paint the living room.  No biggie...or so I thought.  Turns out as I've grown a bit older, the painting isn't as quick and easy as in the past.   No worries though as it's almost done and soon I can get things back in order.  We joke that it's because we decided to get a bigger TV.  The old TV cabinet was given to a friend but then we had to buy another console to hold the big TV.  Jack had to assemble that. While doing that I decided to repaint.  Doing that had me rethinking debulking the book shelves...painting those too.  Well, my advice to everyone is never buy a big TV!   In the mean time, Jack has had his own projects.

When we had the sidewalk put in the porch steps had to go.  So Jack put in the new steps and will now get the railing on.  After each finished thing I always envision a big check mark...CHECK..another one done!   The garden is doing it's own project...growing, growing, grown!  I've been canning a bit and giving lots away. Along with working this summer and keeping up with the lawn and garden I've grown a bit overwhelmed.  I was hoping that next week the hospital wouldn't need me but I stupidly agreed to work 2 days.  That doesn't sound like a lot but it does dig into my time.  Oh well, I'll stop complaining and give you a little mystery I found.   I was taking Annabelle for a walk in our favorite place to stroll..the city cemetery.   I happened to look down as see this little headstone that I never noticed before:

It's hard to see in this pic but it says "ZOE".  That's it.  No date, nothing.  Is it the resting place of a child?  I don't think they bury pets here.  It's also pretty close to this tree.  The stone doesn't look new and tree is pretty old.  Anyway, it gives one cause to pause.  Any thoughts?  So as the 30 days hath September goes on I hope to complete my projects, go on a little trip in 2 weeks to the East coast, and just take some time to enjoy my favorite time of year.  I've been buying a few little items for our Halloween party in October and I couldn't resist this charming gentleman..

I'm in love!

. 

Chaos

 I'm not one fond of chaos.  I don't love drama in life and want smooth sailing whenever possible.  I do notice that some folks thrive on drama and chaos.  There must be some adrenalin rush for them.  Now I'm not saying I want boring...at least not every day!  However, we're doing projects around the house that have lead to some chaos in my book.  Speaking of books:

My dining room table and any other flat surface is covered in books for  now.  One of my projects is repainting the living room along with the bookshelves that surround the fireplace.

Everything has to be taken down, wiped clean, and taken apart to get ready for the paint job.  I know I'll be happy when it's done but I sure hate all the "stuff'"  laying around.  Plus I have to go through all the books that will be either donated, kept, or...gulp...tossed out.   I love books and frankly have collected way too many.  So it's a good time to downsize and have that chore out of the way.   Then there is the painting part.  The cabinets are a cream color but soon they will be white.  The walls that were supposed to be gray years ago when we painted them are going green.  The gray paint always looked blue.  

Swatches of color to see how it will look in different light.  The dark shade will be on one wall only and behind the bookshelves.  The light color will be on the other walls.  Final pics when all done and fingers crossed that I'll like it and it  will look good.  Time will tell!  Speaking of time, Jack turned the big 70 last Friday.  Now he can't say he sleeps with an older woman!  (I guess I'll always be those 6mos older though)  It was also Annabelle's birthday too!

9 years young!  We've had her. a year and a half but she feels like a member of the family that's always been here.  Love that sweet pup!  One final celebration this month is tomorrow when Jack and I celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary.  To celebrate I'll be working and so will he! Ha!  We're taking a little trip to Salem, MA, and Maine in September but Jack is doing that for me because I've talked about going there forever!  Not really in his wheelhouse but he's always up for an adventure! So good bye to August and on to my favorite months ahead.  With Fall like temps today, in the 60's it's easy to get into the Autumn mode.  But temps will rise this weekend and next week 90 will be the order of the day.  Oh well, it is still Summer!  Have a good rest of the week!

Life's A Beach

 Jack and I don't head to a beach very often.  Sand and sun are not his favorite things and even though we've traveled a fair amount in our lives we seldom spend time in the sand.  However, we went up to Lake Erie yesterday to meet with some of Jack's high school classmates at the lake house of one of his friends.  It was a picture perfect day here in Ohio.  Not humid at all, 72de, and sunny with a fantastic lake breeze to enjoy.  Jack and his classmates meet once a month for lunch and meeting for lunch at the lake was something they did last year that we weren't able to attend.  I'm glad we could this year.  Tom, who was our host, provided a boat load...literally...of fresh, fried on the spot, walleye fish and we all brought sides and desserts to share.  So much good food! Here's just a few pics of our day.

Beautiful deck across from the house gives beach access and a wonderful place to gather and eat.

Food and drink were set up on the sidewalk in front of the deck.  This just shows a little of the spread provided!

Some of the gang sitting and enjoying the relaxing sound of the waves and catching up with friends.

Catching Jack in actual sun! 

We couldn't have asked for a better day. Beautiful beach!

I took a stroll down the beach.  Can you see Cedar Point amusement park in the distance? 

No sea shells at this beach, just rocks that have been tumbled smooth. I like to find the ones that look like hearts.  I did find a few interesting ones.  It was a fun day to get a way and do something different. Jack's classmates are all really fun to hang with and I have to smile because I swear, most of the gals are named either Kathy (with a K) or Deb! That's the 50's for you!  Well, enjoy the fleeting days of August. This month has only a week and a half before it's September.  With the cool day yesterday and even cooler night I have a feeling Fall will be here before we know it.  Have a good weekend everyone!

Dog Days Of August

 This first week of August has Jack and I tripping over our guests.  We took on the request of our son to watch their dog, Kip.  He's 100lbs of Golden Doodle!  

Remember him?  This isn't our first rodeo with the Kipper.  He's a good dog and so far so good this time around.  He's just a tad bigger than Annabelle!  Plus, like people, dogs have their own routine when it comes to dinner times, pooping times, sleeping times and places.  We've learned to make sure no food is on the counter and also for Annabelle to eat her food in a guarded place or he will help himself.  Then the other day my sweet Granddaughter, Summer, asked if we could keep her dog for a few days this week.  Being the YaYa I am I couldn't say no.  So we welcomed little Happy to the group.  Happy weighs about 5lbs.

Here's Kip lounging around with Happy.

I guess you can call this a real "3 Dog Night"!  

Kip will also take a quick nap with Jack.   So I guess we can call this week the dog days of  August.  Our furry guests will leave tomorrow and Annabelle will be back to being top dog again.  Whew.  They've been good but like last time we dog sat I'll be happy to be a one dog family again.  

You might think this is the reflection of the sun behind me but I'm going to believe it's my halo for being a good Mom and YaYa to man and beast!  

July On The Fly

 I thought I'd better check in with my blog as this month has truly flown by.  This last week of the month will bring the warmer weather that many of the southern and western states have been dealing with.  We've really had a fairly nice, normal summer.  We'll get the first real hot weather starting tomorrow but I think it's suppose to slip back into regular temps after the weekend.  I have been busy doing the garden and yard work and thinking about the projects I'm supposed to be doing! We're going to be redoing the living room and painting is involved.  I'll post after pics when I actually get it all done.  I found a couple of people that will take a corner TV cupboard that we've had since we first moved here.

It's a big piece of furniture and it doesn't come apart.  Moving it will be interesting!

You can see it holds a fairly small TV compared to what most folks have these days.  Our boys have been kidding us that it's time to move up!  Since this cupboard doesn't hold anything bigger we have a new console waiting to be put together that will hold a large TV.  As for me, I was fine with this but I guess it's time to move on.  I was given some ideas as to what to do with this piece.  Like making it into storage or a coffee station.  Since we don't drink coffee and I don't have another place big enough for it I'm giving it to a friend. I told her to bring lots of strong men to help move it...and a truck!  We'll see how it goes I guess.  In other news from the Pines the garden is slowly producing.  I froze peppers and blueberries and I know more is on the way.

I like  having the peppers already sliced and ready for recipes.  Those blueberries will taste great in pancakes or perhaps a pie?  Speaking of recipes, I made homemade pop tarts:

They were fun to do and they tasted pretty good. I would modify the recipe if I do it again by adding more filling than what it called for.  Other than that it was a fun experiment!  We finally got to the farmer's market and I got a new wreath for the front door that will go on in August.

One of the nurses I used to work with makes wreaths and other things and sells them at the market. I think this will be good on the front door as we slowly slip into Autumn.  I know, I know, it's still Summer but once July is done I start thinking of  the next season.   But Summer is the time for reunions and we had a reunion over the weekend of folks that used to go to our Church over 20yrs ago and have moved away.  We had a group that came from all over to gather and reminisce.  Most live out of state and some were just kiddos when they left and are now grown up with kids and even grandkids of their own.

This is my friend Carol who was the one that suggested we do this.  At first she wanted to do it in 2024 but I said we need to do it this year.  As we age you never know what we will be dealing with in another year.  It went off great and we had a good time laughing, sharing stories, sharing photos of our kids, and just having a good time as if we hadn't been apart for all those years!

The silly selfie! Can you find YaYa?   

Jack (on the right) had a nice time with his good buddy, Tom. They used to do scouts together and I know he misses his old friend.  I'm glad he and his family came.  Even his oldest came up from Florida with his family.  So good to see them.   So this month is drifting away like the many balloons we've seen in the air lately.

These were last weeks.

This one was  up tonight, even in the murky air! Not a great shot but you can see how the air is not so good right now.   One last pic that will remind us that Autumn will be here soon:

I took this pic the other day in the cemetery. See the red leaves? Already!  Plus I found a few things to get for our Halloween party in October.

Isn't she just adorable? Ha!  Merry Christmas in July everyone!