Happy Halloween

A few weeks ago we went up to Charlevoix and Petosky area to see the color and Bob saw a house that he found interesting.  Today we took another little ride north and stopped in for a closer look.

Yep, that's Bob looking in the window - if only my hubby had money to equal his ideas!!   This house is a couple blocks off the lake.

We walked down to the water, but didn't stick around long, it was COLD!!
Before heading home we drove up into the Old Mission Peninsula. It was VERY pretty, can't believe I had never been there before.

Quite a few barns had quilt block designs  - this one was perfect for cherry country!!

The views were beautiful - the farms, orchards, and vineyards with the bay as a backdrop.

We visited the lighthouse.  The perfect spot for a chorus of "Stuck in the Middle With You" :)

Then home to receive our trick-or-treaters ---both of them!
Happy Halloween!!

20 Years

In memory of my dad

Mearl S .Teachout

born June 1, 1915 - died Oct. 14, 1990

My dad loved growing flowers - taking movies - riding his bicycle - spending time with his grandsons -

But I think his greatest enjoyment came from dancing - preferably POLKA dancing!

These images were taken from a video shot in April 1987 

at my parent's 50th wedding anniversary celebration -

That night was the last time I danced with my dad.

Sadly that dance was not recorded in a photo,

but it is recorded in my memory and  in my heart

The lyrics from Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross

says it perfectly

If I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him

I'd play a song that would never end

'Cause I would LOVE LOVE LOVE

to dance with my father again

Quilt Blocks

Today I entertained myself by going on a Quilt Trail Color Tour -

I stopped in Evart for a map and I was on my way

roaming the countryside

in search of quilts and color!!

The quilt block designs can be found on many different buildings -

but most - and my FAVORITE -

are displayed on barns!!



So there are a few of the "quilt blocks" I saw today -

Too bad our barn is falling down,

I have an idea for a block of my own!

ARTPRIZE 2010

Today we went to Grand Rapids, where over 1,700 hundred artists

 have their artwork displayed all over the downtown area.

It was warm and sunny - the perfect day to stroll along the river walks.

We went to the Public Museum, the Art Museum

 and the Gerald R. Ford museum - were we visited President Ford's final resting place.

So many pieces of art, we only saw a small fraction of them.  Many were so big and heavy we could only
imagine the challenge of getting them set up in their venues.
It was all very cool and here are just a few of the pieces.
(More are posted on FB)

This lovely lady is made out of toothpicks ~

                                This guy was made of nails that had been welded together.        



And this penny is made of ...pennies of course!!

Now this one somehow spoke to me.......

jars and jars and more jars of stuff...

lots of little toys, I guess just things that somehow inspired the artist.

So why did it "speak to me" ?????

Yes, I also save things in jars -

like my grandma's tatting, shells, rocks, sand, dirt......

YES, I also am an artiste :]

Mini Pumpkins

Today we "harvested our crop" of mini pumpkins ~

For the second year in a row, we have an abundance of the little guys without planting a seed

One pumpkin patch is in the side yard...

This is our mulch pile...

covered with vines

the reason we end up with pumpkins in the most surprising places.

And so.. here is our crop!!

Doubt I would have ended up with this many if I had tried :)

Also today, I made the first apple pies of the season!

One regular size, 2 mini pies and an experimental tart -

DELICIOUS if I do say so myself ;-)

A Ride in the Country

A beautiful almost Autumn day - perfect for a little ride in  the country...

We saw some beautiful farm land -

We even saw a wind farm....

LOVE this time of year!

Truce!!??!!

This morning while driving down the road - Bob spotted the swan standing in the field.  He backed the truck up, got out, crossed the creek and got between the swan and the pond where it has been living for the past 7 months.
I drove home, grabbed my camera and waited by the window. 

Soon I saw them coming....Bob steering Nice Swan to our pond.



I went outside to see what Nasty Swan would do.....I could tell the second he saw them coming! 

He was all pumped up - in his fighting mode...

But today he was much calmer -- he started swimming toward the other swan, 

not charging toward him like the 2 previous times Nice Swan has tried to come home.

And took a little bit of a round about route...

While Nasty Swan did do a little hissing at this point...it was nothing so aggressive that Nice Swan had to run.

Soon it looked as though they were again buddies, at least until those hormones start raging again!!

 We are so glad to have our swan home --- and we are hoping this truce lasts :)



STUFF...Something We Have Way Too Much Of!

So this past week has been about finding stuff, sorting stuff, and trying to find a place for....STUFF.
We had boxes in the garage that had been there for over 5 years!  There were things I knew I had and wanted to find...and then there were things I had forgotten about...

My wedding flowers.  I knew they were out there, pleasantly surprised that they looked like new!

This is a little frying pan that I had painted and added a sunflower decal, it is the smallest of a set of three.  The other two were here when we bought the house - this one was given to me by my mom. 

When she was a little girl her grandma used this little pan to fry her an egg for breakfast!

My Barbie doll!!!!   This was also one of the items that I knew was here....somewhere.

I must say this little chic looks pretty good for her age!!

With her was her little sister Skipper and friend Midge -

Unfortunately they have very few outfits ...

and only 4 shoes...not even one pair

how bazaar!!

 I found a box of plates....

these I had forgotten about - they had been packed away 16 years ago

 and then moved from one place to another

the pink and blue edged plates were always hanging on mom's kitchen wall

when I was a little girl...

the flowered plates belonged to my grandma... my mom's mom

they are cracked and chipped and discolored,

but to me they are BEAUTIFUL!

and another surprise....

This little blanket was made by mom for little Ronnie Dean

when he was just a little guy

(about 38 years ago)

the print is of all the different fairy tales..

I really was surprised to see it after all these years!

So it has been somewhat like Christmas for me lately....

...finding all these treasures.