Our fast boats on the lake

At the wedding

Linda and Jan at Erin and Fyfe's wedding in NC on Sunday. The wedding was very nice but the weather was HOT! Glad to be back at the lake.

Who is eating my tomatoes!!!

It is not me...One day they are growing big and juicy and hoping to turn red and purple like the Purple Cherokees they are and the next someone is chewing on them! I had to cut them off to help the rest of the plant and to see if I can distract the varmit that is doing this. I am guessing a racoon but maybe I should do a DNA test to see what turns up.

Boats on the lake

We seem to buy a new boat every year and it needs to stop! The old Sea Doo went to a nice family on Houghton Lake and so we needed a partner for the Sea Doo (RED). Decided on a Yamaha FXSHO. RED of course. Here is the pair in the water yesterday. Mike and Dave riding.

Mike and I drove to MI from CA this year. We visited Yellowstone, Little Big Horn, Duluth, Marquette and the great flat land that is eastern Montana and N. Dakota. We had a great time and ate local food when we could. Here is Mike at his last chance for In and Out in Nevada.

Last weekend the Chicago to Mackinac race was held and the sailboats came very close to Crystal Lake and the Pt. Betsie lighthouse. We took our chair, binoculars and camera and went out to watch. This is one of 1000's of photos Mike took!
What was also cool was that we took a trip on Tues to Harbor Springs and the very boats we saw and photographed were in the harbor there ready to race this weekend! We were impressed with Equation-68ft. Natalie J (winner of Pt Huron to Mac this year) 58ft and one giant yacht that must have been 80ft!

Full Moon on Crystal Lake

Taken on July25,2010 from the Crystal Lake Yacht Club beach. We had just finished watching the boats on Lake Michigan racing in the Chicago to Mackinaw race as they passed Pt. Betsie. Sunset was amazing and then we went to watch the moon rise over our lake. I think I said it doesn't get any better than this!

Small but sweet

No laughing. This year I got 2 free plants from Crystal Gardens and they are cherry tomatoes. I picked these today. They were not marked well, looked droopy and sad and now they are flourishing. Lots of buds so I expect a good harvest soon.

Big award

Here I am accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Midwest Acquirers Assoc this week. How cool it was to be honored by my peers and friends for all of my work. If I could only win a prize for the tomatoes.

Lots of fruit and NO photos

This has been a busy summer. I have 5 plants and some are producing cherry sized tomatoes. I have not had time to name them. Mike has not had time to get me the photos out of photoshop. I do have herbs but the basil looks a bit ragged for some reason.
I am focused on native plants. I want to replant the front yard and am slowing acquiring grasses, butterfly weeds etc. We went to a great lecture by the owner of Four Seasons Nursery and bought 3 plants from him. The lecture was sponsored by Plant It Wild! a local group focused on gardens, landscape and native plants.
Oh, and my consulting gig is in full swing! So money or tomatoes! Hard to decide.

Dancing in Beulah

Life in a small town. Downtown Beulah had a "welcome back" party with free hot dogs and cherry pie and a band.
We decided to dance and the local paper put this photo in the next edition.
Now I can prove that Mike does dance (even though he says he doesn't).

The blog is alive!

Summer 2010 and new tomatoes!
Purple Cherokee, Watermelon Beefsteak and Neat and Sweet. The Neat pot has already produced edible fruit.

Birthday on the Beach at Nani Kai Hale

The electric slide in Maui. We had a big pupu party to celebrate my birthday, Ed's birthday and Polly and John leaving after 10 years at Nani.
Again, more food, more wine... there is theme to our time in Maui. Oh and there is sun and the ocean.

Winter in Maui

Here we are at O'O Farm upcountry Maui. This organic farm grows produce for two great restaurants, Pacific'O and Io'O. For groups like us, they took us on a tour, we got to pick citrus, herbs, and veggies and one of the chefs cooked our lunch outdoors at a community table! Wonderful! BYOB made it a perfect day. I am in the hat.