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Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Exploring Michigan's Beautiful Upper Peninsula

Bonjour Mes Amis!
Hubby and I just returned from two weeks of camping in our motor home in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan!
Warmer than normal temps for the first half of the trip, along with peak and near peak fall colors made for a wonderful getaway!
You may not know much, if anything about the Upper Peninsula.  One thing you should know is that it is gorgeous!  Miles and miles of forests, hundreds of waterfalls, our beautiful Great Lakes and long sandy beaches, and plenty of wildlife make it seem a world apart from our home here in the Lower Peninsula!
First off, we refer to it as the "UP".  I also just learned that while the UP encompasses 25% of the total land mass of Michigan, only 3% of the population lives there!  So while there are a few larger towns here and there, including college towns, you can drive for miles and see nothing but tiny little villages, ghost towns, and quaint little rustic resort towns. 
Ok, enough of the facts!  I'll let the pictures do most of the talking!
I snapped so many photos, that I'll just share a handful of them with you today, then I'll be sure to share more soon!
 The stunning Lake of the Clouds, in the Porcupine Mountains.
Yes, we really do have mountains in Michigan!
 The colors were just amazing!  It was a cool day, but thankfully the rain held out til night time.  Even the gray skies couldn't detract from the beauty!
 We climbed a tower where you could see for miles!
 One of many waterfalls.
 Our campsite on Lake Superior, where we stayed for 6 nights.
 This was the view out our front window!
That is Lake Superior, the largest, deepest and coldest fresh water lake in the world!
 Hubby and Katie enjoying the sunset over the water.
 What a beautiful sight!

 We spent lots of time walking the many beaches.  Lots of driftwood and interesting rocks (though no shells to speak of) make for fun beach combing.


 Can you believe this is where Katie likes to perch herself when we are going down the road in the motor home?  She loves to get a bird's eye view.  Here we are crossing a long drawbridge to the former copper mining town of Hancock.
And last of all, overlooking Lake Superior near Copper Harbor, about as far north as you can go in Michigan.
Hope you have a great day, looking forward to seeing what you all have been up to!

15 comments:

The Bear's Blog said...

Beautiful. The little navigator is adorable, what a priceless photo.

Hugs

Robin Johnson said...

Looks like a beautiful place to visit. Your photos are gorgeous I can only imagine being there in person is even more breathtaking.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

What a great a gorgeous trip! I should have been in aw of the fall colors, but I was getting such a kick our of "Katie the navigator" lol! Looks like someone has her Daddy wrapped around her finger!

Carol

Musings from Kim K. said...

Gorgeous pictures, Donna. Look at Katie! She's so darn sweet! The UP is always a favorite with our family. Aren't we blessed to live in such a beautiful state!!

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Never knew how beautiful upper Michigan is. The fall leaves are stunning. I can't believe how Katie has grown - she's a sweetie. Looks like she loves to go camping also.
So glad that you had a wonderful trip. Looking forward to more pictures.
Mary

ZIDA said...

We have camped at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for over 12 years...in a tent for the first 11, then our little T@B camper last year. It IS a magical place, isn't it? What a treasure! Thanks for sharing your pictures!

Susan EvelynAndRose said...

Oh Donna, it all looks so gorgeous! I can't get over that view with the foliage. You had a perfect campsite near Lake Superior, too. And how adorable is Katie getting her front window view! So happy to hear you enjoyed your trip. And thanks for the facts about the UP. I never knew that stuff. So neat!

Ann@A Sentimental Life said...

The trees were just beautiful. That is my kind of relaxing vacation! So glad the 3 of you can go relax and enjoy the beauty.

Little Miss Maggie said...

What gorgeous scenery. When I think of Michigan, I think of Detroit. Thanks for showing us these beautiful images.

Bente said...

Oh, what a great trip. I just love to read and look at photos from your country.
Looks like Katie love the trips too.

Hugs from here

Phyllis @Around the House said...

Looks like you all are having such a good time...Sure wish I were there on that fun trip, loved all the pictures, I am a new follower, come on over...Phyllis

MONSIEUR LE CHAT ET MOI said...

Such great colours, we don't have the same here in France ! Love so much the sweet puppy !!
xoxo

Debbie said...

Oh, the picture of Katie is adorable!
What a great trip you had, Donna!
I'm glad you took pics of you, and your family. Such a special time of year to be in Michigan.
Thank you for sharing.
xo

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Donna, It is stunning in the UP. You took the best pics and they are so Autumn inspiring. Makes me want to paint a fall scene.

Love your camp site and the view from the window. Lovely little sitting area you had to enjoy. And Katie, what a little darling perched in the drivers seat practically. She is way cute and I love the pic of you and her together.

Thank you for sharing your trip and the beauty of our home state too. I know you had a special time.
Happy Weekend.
Hugs, Celestina Marie

Julie H said...

Hi there, I came across your blog from NanaDiana blog. The UP pictures caught my attention. Pics are beautiful! I am a Michigander also, my middle is attending Northern Mich U. I hope some color will still be there when we visit him in 2 weeks. We are campers also (tents only!). Have camped many beautiful state parks, none in UP, but spent 10 days one vacation all over the UP. We have a lovely state. Our favorite state park was Orchard Beach north of Ludington on Lake Michigan. You have a nice blog. Thanks for sharing your life with all of us!

Julie H. from Michigan