What I did on my summer vacation!

This summer the hubband and I drove from MO to MI and back, via WI. We visited many friends and family along the way that we hadn't seen in some time. It was a blast. A road trip to be remembered.

We visited MSU where we had our first date on the banks of the Red Cedar River, went to the Cherry Festival (top photo) in Traverse City, climbed Sleeping Bear Dunes (mid. photo), and then watched a 4th of July parade that went on forever! They even gave fresh cherries to the parade watchers! We followed the parade back into town and ended up in it! We waved at all the locals who wondered how folks from MO ended up in the parade! We finished that busy day by watching the 4th of July Fireworks on the banks of Lake Michigan.

Finally, we went clear up into the UP to visit a dear friend where there is nothing but pine trees and miniscule towns every few dozen miles. The snowfall up there averages around 300'' a year! We enjoyed a proper afternoon tea and some much needed catching up with her after SEVEN years!

We took a cruise around Pictured Rocks (btm. photo: this rock formation is called Chief Superior, see the headdress (the pine trees), his nose (the outcropping), and his strong forehead (slants up to the right)? We also went to the banks of Lake Superior, to Tahquamenon Falls featured by HW Longfellow in his poem Hiawatha,
"So they gathered cones together,
Gathered seed-cones of the pine-tree,
Gathered blue cones of the fir-tree,
In the woods by Taquamenaw..."

There is lots more to tell and hundreds more photos, but other than having no cares and enjoying the company of my husband for 10 whole days, these are the highlights!