Thursday, July 15, 2010

Camping and Wine Tasting Fun!

What could be better than that?!

Happy hot & steamy Thursday!  At least that's the way it is here in Michigan!  So it is a good day to work on projects indoors, and later head to the lake to cool off!
  

We just returned last night from a fun, but all too short camping trip to Northern Michigan.  We stayed at the same campground last year, and could hardly wait to return!  The sites are wooded, and very large and private.  The best part is the beach!  The campground overlooks Grand Traverse Bay, and the views are just gorgeous! The other best part is that it is wine country!  I love visiting all of the great wineries, and since hubby is the designated driver, I got not only my samples, but most of his as well!
I also took a few crafting projects along, and worked on them at the picnic table.  That is my idea of a fun & relaxing time!
This is the view at the campground, going down to the lake.  Pretty easy going down, but a bun buster going up!


Gorgeous sandy beach.  Thought I would share with you the sun set.  I took even more photos than this of it setting, but I didn't want to bore you!  Just stunning, and so peaceful!




This cute little school house is one of my favorite wineries, Peninsula Cellars.  The really great part is they kept everything original to the building, from the wood floors, to the windows, to the chalkboards!  I just had to get a picture of the chalkboard below!  See what it says?  "I will only drink good wine!!!", over & over!  You know how I love chalkboards!  "Detention" is the name they gave one of their wines.  How fun is that?


Ok, the next place has got to be the most fabulous winery in Michigan!  It is called Black Star Farms, and I would highly recommend a visit, if you are ever so lucky as to be in the area.The gorgeous home below is their bed & breakfast (Oh, how I would love to stay there!).  They also have a creamery, where they make the most delicious artisinal cheeses.  The cheesemaker is even from France!  We just had to buy some, and it didn't last long, it was that good!  There is a cute little cafe on site, but unfortunately they were closed the day we were there.  Mario Batali (sp?) has even eaten there, and said they have the best pizza in the Midwest!  Yes, he did say that!



This is the glass ceiling in their tasting room.  The star is their logo.

Pretty flowers outside the tasting room.  They have three different tasting rooms in the area.  And yes, we have been to them all!

We stopped at a pretty little town that day for a bit of shopping.  Check out the bright turquoise of this neat shop.  Love it!  I bought some pretty glow in the dark garden markers there.

Another neat home furnishing store.  I really love the awning and lime green shutters!

Lots of fancy boats in the harbor.
On our way home yesterday, we stopped at this neat place on a woman's farm.  She had converted their old grainery into the cutest little shop, and the other shed that you see in the above picture was filled to the rim with neat antiques.  Oh, how I would love to have a place like that!  Lots of pretty geraniums for sale.  I wish I had bought some!!

Ok, now it's back to reality, getting things put away, the RV cleaned up for the next trip!
I am hoping to find some great yard sales this weekend.  Last week they were pretty non-existent, so hopefully I will get lucky this weekend!
Keep cool & happy bargain hunting!

11 comments:

  1. Sometimes the nicest things are close to home!
    Lovely pics..thanks!

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  2. Great pictures! Looks like a great place to visit.

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  3. Great pics!! We camped at Silver Lake near Luddington for a couple of summers with family and friends and loved it there! Your camper is gorgeous!! Those beaches and sunsets are too wonderful, huh? Have a great time!!!

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  4. Pretty Pretty pictures!! :) Makes me want to go camping on the beach again!! :) We went in May to camp for a night at the Gulf of Mexico and it was hot and muggy in that little tent, but we had a blast walking to the beach and down the beach to go shopping and eating! :)

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  5. Oh goodness, wine, cheese and a motorhome...life just couldn't get any better than that!!! I'm so jealous! I'm loving the "detention" chalkboard, this is hilarious!

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  6. What a beautiful post! We traveled Northern Michigan and the UP a few years back. We have a very funny story about eating Patsy's! Glad you had a fun time with all the wine "sipping"!

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  7. Oh my goodness, I didn't know there were wineries there! And these pictures are beyond words--simply gorgeous! And that lady's store is so adorable....
    I hope you had a WONDERFUL time--you 2 look like you have so much fun together!
    Hugs,
    Cindy
    xoxox

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  8. Oh my....I love all of your pictures of your trip!!! Especially the sunset...gorgeous!! Looks like your getaway was fun for you and hubby. I miss camping in Michigan. Since moving to the lake, we don't go anymore...what a shame...there are so many things to see, and places to visit in our beautiful state.
    Hope you find some sales today Donna.
    Hugs,
    Debbie@houseatthelake

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  9. What a wonderful getaway...just looks like such a relaxing fun time!

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  10. THIS trip I would have LOVED, too!
    What a quaint little place!
    The pictures are just beautiful!
    Thank you for taking us with you!
    Hugs,
    ~me

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  11. I love wine tasting! I have done the Michigan wine tour and love all of the quaint little wineries. Thanks for being one of my new followers...I am following back. You have a great blog!

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