From the other side

Sunset over Lake Huron from Goderich, Ontario.

Hotel

I attended the Lighthouse Symposium at Ferris State University in Big Rapids last Friday and Saturday. I was a reluctant to spend part of a summer weekend indoors, but when I heard the weather forecast I was thankful to be staying over night in an air-conditioned hotel room. 

Gardening

According to Libby, I planted my zinnias as thick as radishes. I didn't have the heart to pull the little plants out of the ground so Libby thinned them for me.

Weed

This is a weed--a terrible, prickly, invading weed. Yet, it's a terrible, prickly, invading, beautiful weed.

Baby Jimmy

Zucchini

Leaves

Evening

Housemate

Libby is doing an internship at a Michigan company that supplies eggs to grocery stores and restaurants, including all of the McDonald's east of the Mississippi.

Due to biosecurity measures, she's not allowed to have any contact with outside birds. She can't visit the zoo. She can't feed the swans at the park. And, she can't go home on the weekend since there are chickens on our parents' farm.

So, for the six weeks of her internship, I have a housemate on the weekends. 

Blueberries

 It's time!

The Bluecrop berries are fabulous this year! They're the best that we've had in the past couple of years. The branches are loaded and the berries are large and full of flavor.

Since I'm working full-time, I'm not able to put in many hours at the Berry Barn, but I've still been over to the patch to pick a bucket every day or two so that I can eat handfuls of berries as I sit in front of my computer in my office. 

Zucchini blossom

 Logan can't fathom why anyone would be remotely excited about zucchini.

Living on the Edge

Or is it life in the Edge?

I really need to stop for gas sooner.

Garden

Sunday dinner

We had a quintessential dinner on the front lawn. It wasn't quite perfect, though, since I thought mom was making the cherry pie and she thought I was making it.

Lace

Kayaking the Sturgeon

The secretary told me about kayaking down the Sturgeon River with its fast current, twists and turns and fallen trees.

"I would like to do that," I said.

"Oh, you don't want to do that," she said, telling me about getting stuck between logs and her daughter nearly tipping over.

Two days later, we scrounged up  enough canoes and kayaks for eleven of us to go down the Sturgeon River, which is the fastest river in Michigan's lower peninsula. We put in at the Old Railroad Bridge and (most of us) got out at Upper White Road (Aaron and Lauren Mae missed the landing and at the next road.

It was a trip!

It was fast, challenging and thrilling. Everyone made it to the end with minimal bumps, bruises and close calls. The tight curves and fast current made it very difficult to maneuver the canoes and my parents ended up crashing into more than one log pile (and mom was afraid of being decapitated once or twice).

It was an exhilarating trip. I would love to go again. Though, next time we will leave the canoes behind.

Daisies

 Remember the books pulled from the dumpster by the library, and the flowers stuck in a recycle can? Well, here is one of the centerpieces that graced the tables at the retirement party of one of our full-time ESL instructors.

Kids' night off

 On Wednesday evenings my Dad leads a Bible study at the prison. While our parents are gone, my siblings, who live at home, come to the Cookie house for "kids' night off."

Pink

Farmer

Bubbles

 We didn't have any little campers this year, but Betsy proved that bubbles aren't just for pre-schoolers. 

Day of rest

Multipurpose

It was my job to transport fifty gerbera daisies to the venue for a coworker's retirement party. My recycling can came in handy.

Raspberries

Home again

 Libby spent six weeks taking poultry classes hosted on the campus of University of Wisconsin-Madison. We were all very happy to have her home. 

Garden dog

 I looked out the window the other day and couldn't find Charlie. Finally, I spotted him lying beside the tomato cages in the garden. Apparently the ground there was cooler and more comfortable. 

Kittens

 Dad says it's time for Naomi to put out the "Kittens for Sale" sign. We have at least three batches of kittens on the farm. 

Sunset

Camping

Visual

Shop vac

Charlie was much more interested in a bone than in vacuuming my vehicle.

 Recently I purchased a shop vac. It's wonderful.