Fireworks!

     To start off the holiday week we attended the Dayton, IN firework display with Mark and April Moore.  The event was held at Dayton United Methodist Church. (This is the church where Patrick and I were married!)  Earlier in the evening the church had a huge party complete with food, games, face painting, and a concert.  We came just for the fireworks, but we were able to snag a few free water bottles leftover from the party. 
     Ruby tagged along too.  I know many say that dogs and fireworks don't mix.  Believe me, I got several frowns as we were walking through the crowd.  We came prepared to make the show a training opportunity.  I was armed with a cut up hotdog and was ready to use it to teach Ruby that loud noises, such as fireworks and gun shots, are not scary.  As the show began, she received a little piece of hotdog every time there was a BOOM.  She flinched at the first few super loud explosions, however; after a while she looked like she was having a grand time!  It is important to Patrick (and I) that she is well socialized. 
    The display was super enjoyable and it was a neat event.  Our seats were perfect, right in front of a quaint little pond.  The only flaw in the evening was that we parked in a fenced in field across the road from the church and it took a LONG TIME to get out and back on the highway to head home.  In the future we will think twice about our parking choices!

Enjoy these photos of Patrick and Ruby watching the pond.  I didn't even try to take photos of the actual fireworks - it is way to difficult for me to capture those lights and do them justice!

Elmwood Softball Game

    This summer Patrick's shoulder is all healed up and was able to play softball on the church team.  He really enjoys it!  Here are some photos from the game today.  The team did well, but they didn't win.  It was actually a double header day and they did win their second game! Yay!  I wasn't able to stay and watch the second game because I had to go help set up for the Little Star fundraising event at the Knickerbocker.  Patrick also hit a home run in the second game.  :)

Patrick showing Derek Dixon his new tattoo.

Patrick and Derek sitting out this inning so that everyone has a chance to play.

Patrick SMILE!

Go Elmwood!

It was a beautiful afternoon for a game!

 

Throwing a ball back to the dugout.

Patrick at bat.

Venison Steaks

     After work I helped my co-worker with some planning/prepping for our event at the Knickerbocker Saloon in Lafayette on Saturday.   I didn't get home until 6pm or so.  This amazing dinner was waiting for me!  Patrick is a really great cook -- and an EXCELLENT grill master.  I will try to get him to post his marinade recipe.  The steaks are SO GOOD.  I bet most people wouldn't even be able to guess that they were venison which is a huge deal!  He also grilled some onions that he glazed with his marinade.  Steamed green beans rounded out this perfect meal.  My husband rocks!

Cost breakdown:

Green beans: 99 cents/lb at Payless

Onions: 99 cents/lb at Payless?

Venison: free (cost for hunting license $60 from fun money, ammo from Christmas presents)

Various marinade ingredients: probably around $2?

Total: $4-$5 for the whole meal!

 We enjoyed a Ginger Beer that we bought in Manistee, MI with dinner.  It was really strong!  Lots of ginger!  Neat to try, but I don't think I would ever buy it again.  

Pine Lake - Day #4

   Rain had been in the forecast all week for Tuesday, so we decided to make our annual trip up to Benzie County to visit Benzonia and Beulah.  The cheery Cherry Hut restaurant is in Benzonia.  They have a wide variety of cherry products and dishes - from cherry chicken salad to cherry salsa to cherry BBQ pork.  I tried the cherry cheeseburger (I really couldn't taste the cherry in it at all. At first, I thought there had been a mistake and that I had gotten a regular burger.) and I always love the cherryade.  

   Next we drove to the next town over, Beulah, to wander around Gwen Frostic. Gwen was an artist and a naturalist that used wood block printing as her medium for her art.  She passed away in the 80's or early 90's (I need to check on that) but her prints and legacy still live on at her store.  I always love buying the stationary and cards, but this year I just chose a small 2015 calendar. 

The store overlooks the printing shop.  This man is working a press that is printing Gwen's artwork.  The papers go trough one at a time and each color has to be printed separately and lined up perfectly.

So many prints to choose from! All original print blocks were hand carved by Gwen.

This is a photo that has hanging up in the shop of the famous Michigan native.

Paying for all our purchases!

   Back at the lake, we took Ruby on a long walk since she had been in the kennel in the cabin while the rest of the family was out.  Patrick went herping in the woods off of Pine Lake Road and found several differnt species of frogs including a Norther Leopard Frog (photo below) and wood frogs.

 A scarlet tanager was also spotted on our walk.  We didn't end up finding any salamanders, but we did see eggs under several logs.  

Ruby had an AWESOME time running in the woods!

   Of course were had to put on buckets of bug spray to keep the bugs at bay as we were out in the woods and Ruby was filthy from running through the vernal pools, so a dip in the lake was in order.  Ruby and I splashed around by the bank while Patrick swam several laps out in deeper water.

Ruby seemed very concerned about Patrick out there and spent a lot if time watching him.  

After we dried off, Patrick made a fire.  It took a while to get started.  When it was finally burning, we roasted hotdogs and grilled sausages for dinner.  It was a perfect calm evening.  

   

After dinner, Patrick took the boat out, but those fish were just not biting.  I think our count so far is just 1 keeper.  That is only 2 fillets for the freezer.  We need to pick up the pace!

   After dark when I was back in the cabin, I really struggled with feeling like our cabin was dirty and smelly.  (Which it really is! I mean, carpet in a lake cabin?! Seriously?)  I began to despair over this fact and meltdown!  I had to spend some time cleaning and shaking the sand out of everything.  Eventually, I just had to spend some time in prayer and realize that it was my attitude that was rotten.  After all, attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.  Next year I have amended my packing list to include more cleaning supplies and a change of sheets and towels for the middle of the week.  Live and learn, right? Right. 

Pine Lake 2014 - Day #3

   Monday morning we were up bright and early to pack for our canoe trip.  Towels, sunblock, water, beer, snacks, dog treats, binoculars, and bug spray - lots of bug spray - we're gathered together and put into my bag.  Alison, Will, Patrick, and I left at 8:40 and arrived at Horina Canoe Rentals a little after 9.  Mr. Horina was extremely nice and personable, even when Ruby jumped up into the front seat to stick her head out the window! (Patrick was supposed to be watching her.)

We dropped off the truck at the unloading sight and then made our way to our drop off point, Coolwater Campground.  The canoes were really nice, fiberglass Old Town canoes. 

The trip was beautiful.  The Pine River is so pristine.  We saw four or five houses and only passed under one bridge during our 3 hour trip. We saw some bank swallows and their nest burrows in one if the rock/sand banks.  It was another bird we can add to the "Big Year" list.  Patrick also ID'd a warbler by the call, but we did not get a visual. It was also really fun to spend some time with Alison & Will.  We all agreed that canoeing is a great marriage/trust building activity.  You have to trust your partner and contribute to the well being (AKA staying upright on the water) of the relationship or you will flip and sink!  Here are some photos from the trip:

 

Patrick had the camera so most of the photos are of the back of me! Glad he got a selfie in though! See how Ruby is dry in the fist couple and then wet all of a sudden in the last one?  Yeah she jumped in.  It was a grand experience for all!

   After the trip we were totally wiped out and took a 3-hour nap. We had a scrumptious dinner of chicken enchilada casserole that Gail made.  Dessert was leftover ice cream and cake! 

Yummm!

   Since the evening was so beautiful we took the boat out of some fishing.  Patrick had a couple of bites in the reeds over by the eagle's nest. No fish made it in the boat though.

This nesting pair of eagles has been present at Pine Lake for years.  It is so majestic to see them fly across the lake.  The loons are still my favorite, but the eagles are a close second favorite. 

Pine Lake 2014 - Day #2

Our first morning bat the lake was perfect.  Patrick went fishing early as Ruby and I slept in.  We had a family Father's Day breakfast in Alison & Will's cabin.  We gave Joe his present, a Captain America t-shirt.

He looks great!  After breakfast we had some friends over -- Joanne Volenec, Jay  Graham, and Scott Graham -- to play Yatzee.  It was a fun game!

   After a leisurely morning in the cabin, we took Ruby with us on a quest to find a canoe rental on the Pine River.  (It was incredibly windy.  Not good weather for fishing.)  We found one that was pet friendly only 15min away.  Horina Canoe Rentals was the cheapest option, $40, and the owner was the most friendly.  One of the businesses that we inquired about told us "9 out of 10 dogs don't come back" and yet another said "dogs don't enjoy" canoeing.  Obviously those folks have never met Ruby!!! We were glad to find one that was both pet friendly and affordable.

   Dinner was a Father's Day feast!!! I got a chance to call my dad and wish him a happy Father's Day while I made the asperagus and corn-on-the-cob.  Alison cooked some awesome steaks (in the pouring rain I should add) and Gail contributed some French fries to the meal.  It was difficult to save room for dessert, Jones' ice cream and chocolate cake!  

   After dinner Ruby and I went back to the cabin to read and relax.  We did go out to check out this large snapping turtle.  We think she was up on the bank laying her eggs.  

 

Mollyann thought she looked like a dinosaur.  I agree with her!

   Patrick and Joe took the boat out for some evening fishing and then jitterbugging.  No fish for Patrick, but he enjoyed the clear calm night.

Pine Lake 2014 - Day #1

   We had an awesome first day of vacation! It started bright and early at 6:20am.  Ruby usually wakes us up around this time. Most weekdays it is a good time to wake up. Most weekends, we would rather sleep in! Today however, it was a perfect time to get moving and we were all so excited to get to Pine Lake ASAP! Our goal was to leave at 8.  We pulled out of our parking lot at 7:59. The morning was super relaxing because we had packed most everything the night before. I used a list and made an effort to be organized! It really does work!

   Our first pit stop was at Bass Pro Shop in Portage, IN to get bait and run Ruby a bit.  Dogs are actually allowed inside the store, which was fun for Ruby.  I am glad we made an effort to socialize her as a puppy, so she wasn't sacred or crazy inside the store.  Patrick saw a dickcissel (a bird) in the prairie grasses on the property. He hasn't seen that bird yet this year and was able to add it to his 'Big. Year' list. 

Are we there yet?  Ruby was a trooper in the car.

   We also made the traditional stop for ice cream at Jones' in Baldwin, MI. Patrick had butter pecan on a cake cone, while I chose a sugar cone with the special of the day - Oreo! Of course the ice cream was incredibly delicious. 

   Once we arrived at Pine Lake Villa, we paid for our cabin, and began the process of unpacking. It didn't take too long. I wish I would have packed some febreeze because our cabin is carpeted.  Lake water + sand + years = smelly cabin. There were plenty of spiders and a cobwebs, but they were easily felt with thanks to the paper towels and Clorox wipes I packed.

   After fixing up the cabin we chose a boat and took a spin out on the lake. It is SO BEAUTIFUL.  The motor that Grandpa Ruhl let us borrow works great and the boat does not leak. 

   We still needed groceries before we could settle down for the week. The Dublin General store is right down the road and has a selection of jerky that is famous. I was proud that we stuck to our list for our menu plan. We did splurge and get one package of jerky.

   Later that night Patrick took Ruby and I out fishing.  Ruby had a grand time jumping all around in the boat.  Surprisingly, she didn't scare all the fish away and Patrick caught a keeper bass.  

He then got a cast stuck in a tree and so he pulled us closer to shore (and to the tree to retrieve the brand weed less worm!).

Ruby took this opportunity to launch herself out of the boat!  She splashed around the shore while Patrick freed the from it's leaf entanglement.

After we got the lure back and Ruby back in the boat, Ruby and I went back to the cabin to dry off and get ready for bed.

   I am so glad with our decision to get our own cabin this year!  It is very relaxing  and great to have a quiet space to retreat to.  The price of cabins did go up this year.  We will have to be more conservative for the rest of the trip. No shopping in Manistee for me.  I think it is well worth it though!