NORTH COUNTRY !!!

Greetings everyone!!  Prayers that all is well with everyone!!!  Love hearing
news from all. . . busy summer for everyone!!

I have to send a pic of our blueberry funnel cake sundae.  Needless to say the
festival was really fun.  Such quality venders & food was over the top!!  We
have had some of the best Minnesota eats so far.  Fish fry at Lee's last night
before we left,  crappies,  walleye (the best)  & northern boiled in seven-up!!
If you like lobster, you'd love this.  Dip in melted butter, yum yum!!   Both
nephews have ice fishing campers,  go right on the ice in the camper & open
the hole & you are fishing!!  We're talking good eats!!!   Family fun for all. .

We took Lee with us up to Voyageurs Nat'l Park so the walleye sign was a
fun photo op.  The lakes are so blue & the whole area is Nat'l forest, trees!!!!
Have gotten great photos & family pics.  

On Wed, Mike & I drove up the North Shore of Superior & what a fun time.
Gooseberry falls was the first stop & then Split Rock Lighthouse.   Mike had
never been up here, me only once for my brother's wedding many moons ago.

We drove all the way to the border to see High Falls at the State Park there,
hiking over a mile for that one.  Highest falls in MN.   Really pretty, would
love to see it in winter!!  From there we took in the Devil's Kettle falls.  Now
that is a story!!  Half the falls goes into a hole & they don't know where the
water goes!!! Used dyes, gps pods, and no luck????  We hiked 2 + miles to
see this one.  Was a great hike for me,  shaded, but 200+ steps!!!Spent a night
at Grand Marais right on the shore & was nice, but pricey!!!   So many wayside
stops & so pretty.   Mike really enjoyed searching for agates to tumble.

Purdie has enjoyed all the attention from nephews' girls & was a little leery of
the two german shepherds.  Did really well tho.

We drove to Brainerd today & will spend 12 days here with my family.  They
have decided to leave Mom where she is for now, but my sister & I will go
to see her.  I have two brothers here also, so am looking forward to spending
some time.  Our first married years were here.   Campground is on the lake,
& are in the shade.   It worked out perfect parked at Mike's sister last week.
Fit right in her drive.   From here it will be on to more of Mike's family!!!

Miss everyone & hope to hear from you. . . .  Blessings to all,
Mike & Dee:)

MICHIGAN & THE APOSTLES

Greetings everyone!!  Prayers that all is well with everyone. . . Has been
great to hear from all this last week.

We really enjoyed the Mackinaw area.  So much to see & do.  Down to
the beach area downtown to see the lighthouse there & also to the west.
You could do a trip of just lighthouses!!!   So much history here.  We
enjoyed the bonfire on the beach & watching the bridge light up, they
call her the Mighty Mac bridge.   5 miles long!!

Next it was up to Sault Ste Marie to the Soo Locks.  Got to watch two
freighters go thru . .  one was 1000' long, so impressive.  The power of
the ships & the speed was amazing.  Pretty town too.  I don't think I
would like winter up there, the wind would be awful!!!

We really enjoyed our day on Mackinaw Island.  The ferry ride over on
the hydro-jet was really cool when there was a rainbow in the spray behind.
There is only bikes and horses (600 of them, mostly percherons & belgins)
for transportation.  We took the carriage ride & got to see a lot!!  The
Grand Hotel is just over the top, the Arch rock, the fort was really neat,
this is where Purdie took off when they shot the guns!!.  Scared her to
death.  Luckily a fella caught her.   She was petted all day by kids, ha ha.

Then we moved over the Upper Peninsula to Wisconsin's Apostle Islands.
Took the Tour here also to the Devil's Island caves.  Lighthouses along
the way,  Lake Superior was calm, so was a nice ride.  Caves were very
impressive.  Called Apostle because you can see twelve of the islands
from shore, but there are 22.  Winters would be brutal here.

We are now at Mike's sister Lee in Eveleth, MN.  Had to have a Pastie
first thing last night.  Lots of Finnish people up north & seen the ads all
the way here.  Like a pot-pie & ever so yummy. . . .Going to the blueberry
festival in Ely, MN today with Lee & her daughter Denise & Jace . . .

We have met some wonderful people & have enjoyed the sights.  Both
feeling good & rig is doing great!!.   Gas is more expensive up here tho!!
Blessings to all,   take care & keep in touch!!!
Mike & Dee:)

TRAVELING NORTH!

Greetings everyone!!!   Prayers on this Sunday aftn that all is well with you
and enjoying your summer . . .   We made it up to Mackinaw City this aftn
and are set up right on the lake below the Bridge.

The trip up to Michigan was just a whole lot of construction!!  We have de-
cided that the three best words in traveling are  "END OF ROADWORK"..
We stopped @ Findley, Ohio the first night & had a great site & the ice
cream bar on our walk was great, ha ha, after 14 hrs on the road.

Then it was on to Frankenmuth, Mich.  Now this town knows how to do
Christmas right!!!  I have seen ads for Bronner's all of my 35 yrs in floral
\design & was on the bucket list.  All Christmas décor for sale by the acres!!
Yes, I had to buy another ornament that I didn't need!!  They have a replica
of the Silent Night Chapel that is in Austria, so awesome.  We also found
the St. Lorenz Lutheran church that was really pretty, with the grounds too.
Then it was chicken dinner at Zehnder's.  Recommended by friends & was
great . . . enough for two meals.  Enjoy Mike w/ the chicken, ha ha.  The
whole town is done in Bavarian motif,  like Helen GA.

Then it was on to Traverse City, the cherry capitol of the US.   Went for a
drive up the Old Mission peninsula and was like we were in Napa Valley
again.  The lighthouse at the end was neat too. 

We took in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Seashore.  Now that was a sight to
behold.  450' down from the overlook to the water . . . and kids running
headfirst down in the sand . . over two hours to climb back up, ha ha...

We naturally had to stop for cherries & pasteries too.  so yum!!

Will post again after we've been to Mackinac Island & the Soo Locks.
Ya'll take care & keep in touch!!!      Blessings,
Mike & Dee:)

2015 TRAVELS TO MINNESOTA

Hello everyone!!!

Guess what?  We are back on the road!!   We are heading up
to Minnesota for a two month trip up to see family and friends.
We leave July 15th & back Sept 15 - all approximate.

My elbow has healed & I have more movement than they had
said I would get back, so am blessed.  Still have a "weather-
forcaster" tho.   lol.

Will attempt to post on this site again to keep everyone up to
date on our travels.   We love to hear from everyone as we
travel.    Blessings to all . . . . .   Mike & Dee:)