Thursday, July 31, 2008

Friends

I am so lucky to have my friends. I don’t use the word lightly, friends. I feel like it’s an abused word these days. But my friends, they mean so much to me. They are the people I rely on, the people who save me from myself and the people who remind me that the journey is significant. I’ve had an entire week with my friends. I am so lucky.

My Anam Cara from Milligan came to visit this weekend. We have all changed so much since our time there (as is only appropriate) and yet, so much is still the same. We can pick up conversations that were started years ago and resume them as if we just broke for lunch. Our love has deepened even over time and distance and our various journeys seem to have brought us together even though we didn’t realize we were traveling down similar paths. The outward circumstances look widely different, but the soul experiences have been similar. We’ve been rattled to the bone and loved beyond measure and always, always, always, experienced the grace and mercy of God. Such is the breadth and depth of the love of Jesus Christ.

And then my local Anam Cara came to the rescue for me simply because she is part of my community and loves me without good reason. It probably didn’t seem like a big deal to her, making a small exception, but for me and for my friend, it meant the world! Thanks Amy. Your grace is abundant.

Where would I be without my friends? They are the hands and feet of God. It’s no small task to love me so greatly. I am ever mindful of how lucky I am.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Boys Adrift


I finished reading this book over the 4th of July holiday. It has made a HUGE impact on the way I understand my son and the world he lives in. I'm not saying that Dr. Sax has it all right; but I am convinced he has done some very careful and thoughtful examining of what it means to be a boy today. He addresses: ADHD drugs and why "just giving it a try" is damaging to your child's brain, how schools generally treat male students, why the video game culture is so epidemic and how to think through your own child's video game routine, boys and motivation and the changing physical environment. Just a few small details you may have been thinking about yourself! If you have a boy, or teach boys, you must read this book.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Summer Has Officially Arrived

Today I made my very favorite summer salad: Tomato Basil Salad. It can go a lot of ways, but in my opinion the most crucial element is a bowl (or plate, or platter) full of bite-sized pieces of homegrown tomatoes sprinkled with bits of homegrown basil. I vary the dressing and cheese element, but a good piece of crusty bread is also a must. Today I dressed it with EVOO and sea salt and added four-pepper goat cheese. Yeah! The tomatoes are really going to be here in bulk soon. I can't wait!

Monday, July 07, 2008

Luna meets Lake Michigan




We took the dogs to the Elberta Beach on our last day up north. It was so beautiful. The sand was hot and the water was cold and Hayes and Luna just couldn't get enough of either! Luna was fascinated by the waves and I would have LOVED to be able to take her off leash and let her run, but who knows where she would have ended up and the possibility of having to chase her into the water was too strong. We kept them on leash and we all had a blast!

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Yes, Michigan!

There used to be a slogan (in the '80s, if I'm not mistaken) for vacationing in Michigan: Yes, Michigan! This is exactly how I feel when I wake up at the Lakehouse each morning. We had such a great time this week, despite the hectic schedule around the 4th. Here are some scenes from this week.







Friday, July 04, 2008

Runner Up, Again



It's that time of year again, when all small communities honor their hokey traditions and celebrate the birth of our nation. In our neck of the woods, we have an annual boat parade. Ironically, this year our boat was the "Long Lake Royal Family." I know, we were actually declaring independence from the royals, but we cruised with gusto anyway. We gave it the ole college try, but yet again, we were the runners up. Maybe next year...







Wednesday, July 02, 2008

The Visitor


We had a rainy day today, so we decided to go to lunch in Traverse City and then see The Visitor at the State Theatre. We ate at a fabulous place called Amical. If you are ever in the area, you must give it a try. The menu reminded me of a French Bistro and was every bit as quaint. I could easily become a regular there.

The State Theatre has been beautifully restored thanks to a very large investment from Michael Moore and many, many volunteers in the community. They have 25 cent movies three days a week for the kids, they host the Traverse City Film Festival, they show the current season of the Metropolitan Opera live in the winter on the big screen. It is such a boon to the community.

The Visitor was a great movie. It was very human and touching; another story about how the United States has unjustly treated it's immigrants. I highly recommend seeing it.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Wine Country, MI


We have been thoroughly enjoying our trip to Michigan wine country! Seems odd, but we drove up to the 45th parallel – the same one that runs through the Washington/Oregon wine region as well as Bordeaux in France. I was surprised at the quality of the wine. They had some really lovely cabernet francs, as well as a couple of nice dry whites. I wasn’t holding out much hope for the dry wines, but I was pleasantly surprised.

We stayed at a beautiful B&B: Chateau Chantal with our incredible cousins. And we couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather! It was a most beautiful respite in the midst of a very busy week. Thanks you two for inviting us!