Lake Michigan Squalls & Lunch

The winds whip wildly off Lake Michigan this time of the year.... up and over the dunes creating white caps on the inland lakes, many of which have dredged access to the "big" water.  Such has been the weather the past couple of days, but that didn't keep me away from an estate sale yesterday providing vintage treasures.  I don't admit to many people that I get up before dawn, drive for an hour in a storm, sign up for a number to be issued in another hour securing my rightful order in entering the houseful of treasures, then wait yet one more hour in the rain for the sale to begin!  It takes some kind of nut......

The rewards are great, however.  I found two wonderful old oak school chairs, vintage skeleton keys, sewing notions, a fantastic vintage recipe file box chock full of hand written recipes.... can't wait to read through them all and try a few.   And to top off the morning I had an early lunch at the Blue Slipper Bistro Cafe at the end of the lake.... Chicken Curry Eggplant Soup to thaw me out!! Awesome Greek- influenced menu.

Harvest Moon and Pumpkin Spice Cake

If it isn't too cloudy where you live, check out that gorgeous moon.   I walked onto the end of the dock last night before bed and there it was shining down.   It's a special time of year.  The leaves are beginning to turn colors.  The squirrels are extra busy stashing acorns and raiding the bird feeders.

The autumn fruits and vegetables are in ample supply at the farmers market.  They make lovely centerpieces.... a good reason to display my vintage Vera tablecloth with the red ladybugs scattered through the brown and gold leaves.


The cool days have inspired me to make spice cake... what smells better than an apple pie or pumpkin spice cake baking?

If I am not baking, then I am sewing.  I just made some "candy corn" from quilt weight fabrics and perched them with pip berries in old vintage bed springs.  You can find them for sale in my Etsy shoppe.

Finding Tranquility

What a couple of weeks it has been!  A dear and talented neighbor/friend who was a genuinely careful and experienced motorcyclist had a car turn in front of him unexpectedly.  In spite of modern medical surgical miracles, he passed away as a result of his injuries.  Please watch out for bikers ~ both pedal and motor.   Thankfully, during this sad time,  I have had my granddaughter's corgi ~ the middle dog ~ to baby sit.  He gets along really well with my two dogs and there hasn't been a dull moment... a good distraction.

During a recent morning I heard the old-fashioned sound of a single engine airplane motor.   It was still and quiet with the lake like glass.... a perfect day to practice take-offs and landings.  And that is exactly what this little yellow sea plane did for a couple of hours.  I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the "thinking" bench by the shore and watched for quite a long while.   Hence, the tranquility I was looking for.