End of Summer party

Pizza at Cold Creek Inn was the way we celebrated a great summer with friends. At first I thought this blog was about growing tomatoes and it turns out it was about celebrating our wonderful life at Crystal Lake. The tomatoes were great of course but so was all the local food we ate, the friends, the boats, the weather, the lake. Mike and I together and in love.
What a wonderful summer it has been.

I said this before, but thanks Dad for the gift of this lake we love so much.

Mackinac Island Adventures

It was time to take a break and head to world famous Mackinac Island with Jim and Suzanne. We rode around the island on bikes and had some great wine and cocktails at the Iroquois Hotel. We did not buy any FUDGE! We did bring back pasties. We also stopped at Legg's Inn for great Polish food. Then dinner at Dam Site Inn-all you can eat Perch of course.

Frankfort not Maui

This may look like a beach in Maui but it is Frankfort! Wind has arrived and it was sunny and warm enough for kiteboards, surfboards and sailboards. The waves were 3-4 ft and short but hearty Michiganders took to the sand and surf in good numbers.

Today is also windy ( my tomatoes are shivering) and rainy. It sure seems like fall. I am not sure we will get another fruit harvest before we leave for CA.

Best Donut in the World

I have to say that this IS the best donut ever. Shop and Save makes these Turtle rolls. Cinnamon roll with chocolate frosting, caramel frosting, pecans and chocolate chips. This might be the 5th or 6th one I have had all summer and I could not pass up one more.
At home, I never, ever have donuts. Even at church. In Maui I have coconut muffins. In Beulah it is the fab donut you see.

Took the sailboat out today, it is Mike's birthday. We celebrated with lunch on the beach with Jim and Suzanne and then margarita's and fajita's at the Roadhouse. Tomorrow-Mackinaw Island.

Better shot

Took this with a better camera and Mike thinks it is better. I agree.
It just does not get prettier than this and I have seen some fabulous places in the world.

Sunset in September

Taken from my iPhone when Mike went out on the sailboat. We are enjoying the last few days of 70 degree weather. Not a lot of wind and tomorrow we take this boat out of the water.
The sunset was amazing and the lake never looked more beautiful. Sad to know that snow will fall and this lake will freeze over in Jan.
The trees are starting to turn red and yellow and you can see yellow birch leaves floating in the lake.
Most folks are taking boats and docks out and many cottages are closed for the winter. It is a sad time to think about packing up and leaving until June of next year.

Mom's roses

My Mom planted these roses years ago. They have been neglected and this year I tried to feed them and water them and wonders of wonders! they bloomed at least 3 times this summer. I think she would be proud of the fact I care for them.

I am not sure what they are and they are from 2 bushes. They do have a nice scent.

We spent the day shopping in TC for the items needed to close for the winter.

lake rocks

an attempt at art...the lake wears down the rocks so they look smooth like this. We were at the Platte outlet when we took this.

I had to cover Beulah and Crystal the last couple of days. No frost, but I have 5-6 small tomatoes I am hoping to protect until they ripen.
Today we had one with turkey and bacon, lettuce. My version of a club with less bread. Yummm.

Platte River

This is the sand at the river near the outlet to Lake Michigan. Great sand, clear water and this is September.

It actually rained a bit today and of course we planned to take the Doos out of the lake. Buddy Dave helped and they are now safely in the garage. They need winterizing and some clean up. Summer is really almost over for us.
The old washing machine is leaking, not good as we have 2 weeks left. Mike has it all apart. Let's hope for the best. Can't tell how old the thing is, I am guessing over 10-12 years.

Fall Leaves

It is fall even if the weather has been warm and sunny for 16 days now! Some trees are just starting to turn color. I liked the green interior and veins and the red borders.

Fall brings a lot of interesting activity here. We haven't stayed this long-ever. We saw a deer crossing our street just 4 houses down the other night. All the cottages are empty, closed for the winter already. Our boats will come out this Monday as will the dock. The mornings are cool and we are expecting a frost soon. I still have tomatoes but I am watching them in case it gets too cold. The college teams are playing... I am feeling a bit sad, I always do when I leave this little piece of heaven for the fall.

It is fall, it is Salmon

We decided to go to the Betsie River today to see the annual Coho salmon run. In the 60's, the state planted young Coho to help control the alewife problem in Lake Michigan. It worked and also created a sport fishing opportunity. They just started migrating and you can see one successful fish jumping the dam, heading upstream. Farther down, lots of fishermen were out trying to get the fish before they get to the dam.

John and Jan grow stuff in MS.

This is the country kitchen of my friends John and Jan. The moved here a few years ago and have horses, a mule, and a garden. John sent these after he saw this blog.

I love it that my friends are retiring and doing something so simple as growing great food. We were all "executives" that worked and traveled our whole lives. What a relaxing hobby, and maybe we will be healthier as we age with organic, home grown food. Do I sound like Michael Pollan???

M22 Bike ride

We took a 14 mile bike ride yesterday. We left from our house and rode around the lake to 22 over to the Platte River and back. Nice pretty flat road, some shade and not too many cars. At one time we passed a group of wild turkeys on the side of the road. I wondered if they would fly out at me. They just gobbled into the woods.

September Harvest

What a bounty of summer fruit! We are eating corn and tomato salads, caprese, burgers with tomatoes, omelettes with tomatoes, brushetta, pasta with oil, garlic and tomatoes....

This is absolutely the best summer ever at the lake. It was 80 today and sunny. The plants love it and still have some fruit. Still no bugs, no worms. Fact is I can't really tell the difference between Beulah and Crystal either. Beulah matured first.

PS. Still loving the Fiestaware.

Judy Henley and Me

This is my friend from St. Agnes HS in Flint. She and husband Bob came to visit.
Weather is perfect and we can't ask for more sun. We went to TC to the car show ( still need help for the Vette) and to the Michigan Schooner Fest at the park on the West Bay of Traverse.

Tomatoes are doing pretty good. I am picking almost everyday and they love the sun. Production is slowing as I think they know it is fall even though it is 78 every day. I don't want to say it was easier to grow them than I thought but .....

I have now become involved in a new web project. Mike helped me launch flintsaintagnes.ning.com. We opened this 2 weeks ago and have 79 alums from all years. What fun we are having chatting and posting photos.

No photos

weather perfect, tomatoes just loving the sun and we are actually being lazy. We went to Frankfort for a late dinner and the town is deserted! Most places closed early and we ended up at Villa Marine which I bet looks just like a scene from Northern Exposure in Jan. Luckily they were still cooking.

Spinnaker time

What a perfect day for sailing. I went out yesterday with Mike and we flew the spinnaker. Today he went alone and I followed in the Sea Doo to take the photos.

Dinner was fresh salmon ( no not local but they are running in the Betsie and Platte), local corn, my tomatoes and a small salad. Pinot Noir, of course.
We ate on the beach because it was warm and calm winds. Does not get better than this.

PS. Well maybe as the yellow beans are still in the market. Tomorrow's dinner.

Harvest

The children of Beulah, Crystal and Tony! All tasty.
We are feasting on them everyday and we shared them with Jim and Suzanne yesterday at Lake Ann.
Weather has been amazing and so summery. We decided to stay another 2 weeks! ( thanks Cat and Jeff) The plants will continue to be feed and watered and we will see how many more tomatoes I get. This has been so much fun and easier than I thought.

A salad.

I am always looking for new ways to use the fruit of the vine. Today I made this simple salad. I have lost count of the pick as we are getting fruit every day! Both taste wonderful and are perfectly ripe. The small scars are just the way I know they are home grown and not from some tomato factory.

Mike went sailing twice today and the weather was perfect. He declared it " the most perfect day of the summer". We had lunch on the beach and a nice dinner with this salad and pork chops, corn and brown rice. Wine of course.

Here is what I love about eating local in Beulah. The turtle donuts(cinnamon roll covered with chocolate and caramel frosting, chocolate chips and pecans), the corn from Hall's, blueberries, fried perch and Fishtown white wine. We like the pizza at Cold Creek ( thanks Dave ) cherry pie, honeyrocks from Bay City, and the yellow beans!

Everyone grows tomatoes.

We were walking at the marina in Frankfort and stumbled on a small garden right at the docks. Big yachts and tomatoes!
As I talk to people I find that lots of folks grow tomatoes, who knew! My buddy Linda in Atlanta says her husband Dave has lot of them, this dock, my mechanic Dustin here in Honor ( and he had to cover them from frost the last few days), Bebe in Florida, Jenny next door and Frank our neighbor down the street is growing them in a moving bed that goes to the garage at night and comes out in the day.