Don't Fence Me In

These sweet peas in Bayview don't like to be contained. I love the color of the bright pink sweet peas that bloom wildly in July and August. These just couldn't be contained any longer.

A Secret Trellis

This trellis is down a driveway, behind a house, and hugging the back of a yard. It makes me wonder what kind of people love to use this entrance to their home. Someday I wish for a trellis covering in something that climbs all over it and blooms.....dreams are good for the soul, don't you think?

You Scream, I Scream, We all Scream for

Ice Cream!! We went out for ice cream in Bay Harbor after a bike ride the other evening. I had Honey Lavender (in the front), my son had vanilla bean (on the right), and my husband, brother, and daughter all had brownie chunk. It was a lot of fun! Galley Gourmet Express in Bay Harbor has some unique flavors you can't find anywhere else. They also have handmade chocolates that are so good--ever heard of honey lavender or chai chocolate? Yummy!

Mystery Solved!

Thanks, Jim for the guess on what these were. They are actually rose hips, the largest I have ever seen! Along the bike path, there are several areas where there are roses planted and the hips right now are just beautiful. I was just surprised at how large they really get.

3 Guesses

Can you identify this? I'll share tomorrow what it really is! :) Have a great day!

A Plethora or a Profusion?

What would you consider this lovely grouping of flowers to be? I love seeing all the red geraniums on the porch of the Perry Hotel in the summer, they do a nice job of keeping it really colorful. There are tables here and you can enjoy a cool (or hot) drink out on the porch and watch the world go by---or wait for someone who's shopping downtown! :)

Another Day, Another Sunset

Sunset over the Marina. A lovely place to spend the night if one has a boat!

Bear with Me

I do love watching the Bear River downtown. It is a very relaxing place to hang out and doesn't usually get too noisy except when the salmon are running and there are a lot of fisherman here. A quiet, green place with water is a great place to read a book. A century ago though, this was a very different place. There were at least 3 different mills on this section of the river and 3 different dams to create energy. It was a busy place with lots of workers and industry. In fact, if you walk the trail along the side of the river, you can still see remnants of walls and pipes coming out of the ground here and there. What a difference a century makes!

Bright Beauty

I love bright colors and these flowers are just beautiful. Another thing that makes me smile today! If you would like to see these for yourself, they are on the corner of Lewis and Rose Streets in Petoskey, right next to the Perry Hotel.

Sunset over the Marina

Does anything else really need to be said? It was a gorgeous night, though cool. The clouds really make a nice sunset, don't they?

A Touch of Green

Usually when one thinks of algae, it is not a pleasant thought. But in this instance, I think it is beautiful. I love the bright and vibrant green under the flowing water of the Bear River. It is determined to grow even though water is constantly sweeping over it. The algae has a good anchor on the rock and is seemingly very happy where it is. It made me happy to see it, and I hope it does you as well.

Wish Upon a Star

These people can wish upon whichever star they choose. I just loved these decorations on this porch and thought they were very creative. Besides, who doesn't like to have plenty of wishes?

U Gotta Regatta

This weekend is the annual Regatta Weekend in Little Traverse Bay. It is so pretty to see all the sailboats out on the water. Too bad it was a little rainy and gray on Saturday, hopefully the rest of the weekend will be nicer for the sailors. It is a nice place to be on a summer's day.

Shop Til Ya Drop!

This weekend is Petoskey's annual Sidewalk Sales. (Yay!) They close off the streets and the downtown merchants put out tables and tents and things are on sale--sometimes up to 90% off, but usually at least 50% off. I usually try to get there early on Friday morning when the sale starts and find things that I need at great prices. Or, I find things I don't really need at great prices! Either way, great prices! And it is also lots of fun as well. I think my favorite find of all time is my yellow chintz teapot--so bright and beautiful.