Remember that great Michigan pillow I posted about a while back? It can be yours in exchange for a love story. That’s right. Circle yes is having a pillow giveaway this month. Respond by July 30 with your favorite summer love story and you might be chosen. It’s fun to take a drive down memory lane, isn’t it? Click here to learn more and enter the contest.
How’s your summer so far, lovelies? Are you beating the heat? Is this expected to break soon? Please say it is because I don’t want to run ten miles in this on Saturday. Yuck. Here’s hoping for 70s again… Cheers!
Back to the grind, anyone? Need a colorful pick-me-up after a fun holiday weekend? Look no further than my friend Sandy‘s getaway nest. It’s featured in the current issue of Midwest Living. Here are a few photos from the article. What do you think? Isn’t it funky, fun and inspiring?
Sandy’s cottage is located in a smart development called the New Neighborhood in Empire, Michigan.
Want to see more pictures and Sandy’s budget-friendly, creative decorating tips? Click on to the full article in Midwest Living, lovelies.
Isn’t Maurice Merlin’s piece from the late 1930s timeless? I spent a few moments between work e-mails and phone calls perusing the Library of Congress WPA posters in their digital collection. Now there’s a fun place to get lost for a while! Have you ever found yourself there? When you have a few minutes, click on over.
When I typed in “summer,” it revealed this lovely poster, which tugged at my heart strings. The illustration of the children. The idea of FREE art classes, including lithography!? Sniffle. Excuse me while I grab a Kleenex. Enjoy your afternoon!
Hey all you Michigan lovers, don’t you just heart this Michigan pillow? I would put the heart a little further north and west, but that’s just me… what do you think? Where would your heart be sewn?
Love, California makes all sorts of state pillows in custom colors. Check ’em out! Kitschy and fun, no?
Happy Summer Solstice to you, dear readers. It’s decidedly summer here: 75 and sunny and the bikinis are at the beach. We had a fun beach day yesterday to celebrate Father’s Day and I was very concerned about Wren’s precious skin so she was generously slathered with sunscreen, but I neglected to do the same for my own skin. Result? The season’s first (and hopefully, last) sunburn. Oops. Sigh.
Because I’m a list-maker and my Spring Forward list kept me focused on enjoying Spring’s delights, I will do the same for summer. So here goes…
Oh my, I could go on, but I better stop. If I think of more, I’ll add them later… What do you look forward to this summer?
Happy longest day of the year, lovelies! Any fun pagan rituals planned for tonight? Enjoy!
First things first. I’ve been chuckling ever since buying this ‘Lake Michigan Morning Blend’ Michigan coffee the other day. The clerk at the grocery store said, “Wow! I like, didn’t know that coffee was even like grown in Michigan! That is like sooo cool!” Of course, the know-it-all that I am responded with, “well, it’s not actually grown in Michigan…” His eyes started to glaze over when I rambled on about the coffee being imported and then roasted in Michigan, blah blah blah.
I don’t even know how it tastes yet, but I was won over by the packaging. I’m a sucker for all things that boost Michigan’s image. Doesn’t this make Michigan look pretty dang cool? Michigan represent, woot woot!
Here are some of their other Michigan coffees. Cool, right?!
I’m partial to Lake Michigan so that’s the one I grabbed, but I’ve always wanted to go to Isle Royale so maybe I’ll try that coffee next. What about you? See any other cool Michigan stuff lately? I know Michigan needs a bigger boost (jobs, anyone?) than a few well-designed products, but it still makes me feel proud of this beautiful place we call home. All year!
Happy Monday, mushroom lovers!
How was your weekend? I happily crossed off a couple more items from my “Spring Forward” list yesterday, thanks to a sunny Mother’s Day hike at the Treat Farm. Cool but sunny meant a spring wildflower hike was in order. And maybe a meander into the woods for some morel-hunting if we were feeling ambitious. We were greeted with a forest full of trillium (some turning to their late Spring light purple hue already), jack-in-the-pulpits, columbine, forget-me-nots, purple and white viola, a few remaining dutchman’s breeches and other lovelies courtesy of Mother Nature.
Through the woods, across the meadow and out to the bluff…
On the way back, Chris wanted to cross the meadow and he spotted these. Have you ever seen such large, woody asparagus? Crazy!
Then we stumbled into the woods in search of morels, but instead we got some quiet moments and some leek-filled breaths. Somewhat dejected, off we hiked back to the car. Until… are you ready now for some virtual mushrooming, dear readers? Give it a shot!
Don’t pick them just yet. Wait until everyone has had a chance to “find” them…
OK, now you can pick! How’s that for a fun fun fun-guy adventure!?
Now what will you do with your bounty? I don’t like to *do* too much to them because the flavor is so delicate. My favorite partner for morels? You probably guessed it. Butter. Cleaned and lightly pan-fried in butter with a dash or two of salt and pepper. And some fresh asparagus… Sounds like we’ve figured out dinner tonight! Whew.
It’s decidedly Spring in northern Michigan when the rhubarb’s thigh-high (remember, I’m short) and the local asparagus decides to pop its happy, green head through the sandy soil. At today’s windy, cold (36) first outdoor farmer’s market of the season, we giddily found both. The smiles of the farmers in spite–or perhaps, because–of the weather, made the outing worthwhile. OK, the down coat helped too. And the hot coffee from Morsel’s on the walk home. And being with my family. So I hereby dedicate this week to the tastiest harbingers of Spring, rhubarb and asparagus. Follow along on some tasty adventures with me this week! Rhubarb crisp and asparagus frittata, anyone? Or maybe some cream of asparagus soup to warm you up? What are YOUR favorite asparagus and rhubarb recipes?
Got plans for next weekend already? Of course it includes a trip to Empire for the 7th Annual Empire Asparagus Festival, right? Rain or shine, asparagus-lovers unite to celebrate the mighty green stalk. Even roasted asparagus beer. Yes! You will find it courtesy of Traverse City’s Right Brain Brewery. And lots more spear-ited fun! Hope to see you there.
In another wee nod to Earth Day, I wanted to share my joy over the lovely cherry blossoms in our part of the world…
This photo was taken near Empire. I love the carpet of grape hyacinth, don’t you?
These last two shots were taken in downtown Traverse City today. Happy Earth Day!