A summer of music

Here is a shot of the final performance of the summer for the Interlochen Center for the Arts.  Wonderful performance of Beethovens 9th and Les Preludes/Liszt. Yes those are ballerinas on the roof of the outdoor bowl.
We have seen Martina McBride, the World Youth Symphony, Garrison Keillor, faculty jazz recitals and are waiting for Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs!  Tailgating has become a regular event and we try to bring homeade goodies each time.  Screw top wine is also a good choice.
Northern MI is surrounded by talented people from singers to artists and we are lucky to be able to attend so many events. 
This weekend the Congregational Summer Assembly (at Crystal since 1901) will perform South Pacific with Ken Cox (a member of CSA) and a world renown basso.  We have also attended concerts by a french harpist and a local 15 yr opera singer at CSA.  Even their Sunday services are amazing with a 40 voice choir lead by Ken Cox.

V 1 has an accident

Not the fault of the driver/owner.  Someone left some old paneling on US31 and it flew up and hit the front of the 1981 Vette.  She had to go to the repair shop on this one and luckily the insurance paid for it.  I am sure I have paid way more in insurance on this car then I will ever get back!

She is finished and thanks to Hastings St Collision, looking better than ever.  Thanks to Walt and the guys at the Northern MI Corvette Club who suggested Walt and the team.

Zucchini Before and After

Giant Zucchini from the Carpenter Farm in Three Rivers.  On our way back from Chicago, we raided the farm for this veg and I decided to make bread.  Yum!  Found a good recipe in the Perrysburg ( Ohio ) cookbook my sister gave me years ago. Easy and fun to make after I  bought a salad spinner/mandoline combo from Costco/Sharper Image.  There was even enough left for sauteed zucchini the other night for dinner.  More thanks to Ron and Sally.

oops, missed a huge boat.

Cool racing boat in Chicago.  I think Mike would buy it if I said ok.  Of course, I will not!

We were in Chicago last week for the Midwest Acquirers conference.  Three years ago they awarded me a lifetime achievement award.  This year they asked me back to be on a panel with the other awardees: Bob Carr, Kim Fitzsimmons, Donna Embry, Dan Neistedt.  Good conference.

Mike and I had a chance to visit the Chicago Yacht Club and have lunch and see some of the yachts getting ready for the 104th running of the Chicago to Mackinac Race.  One stop was Garretts for Chicago mix popcorn, carmel and cheese together.  Yum.

My first harvest

Here is a photo of my first 2 tomatoes of the 2012 season.  Other photo is of the fruit of our buddies farm (Carpenter Farm in Three Rivers MI).  They were nice enough to share some of their harvest with me.  We also got cukes, zucchini, okra from them.

This is a busy summer!

Here are some photos of my yard and tomato plants.  I took these last week and when I got back from Chicago yesterday I had red, almost ready fruit.  I picked a couple and they are here too.

The yard is doing well despite the hot and dry weather.  I guess the natives are drought tolerant which is what I wanted.  Lots of lavendar (not native), St. John's wart, black eye susan's, bee balm etc.