For the Love of Baseball

One of the best feelings of summer is going to a baseball game.

Think about it:
It's hot out, your legs and arms are sticking to the metal seats.
You've got an ice cold beer in your hand and your team (whoever they may be) is up to bat.
The bases are loaded and you can tell something magical is going to happen.
You hear that beautiful crack of the wooden bat hitting perfectly against the ball and watch it fly high up over the opposing players.
Your heart soars and you hold your breath as you watch.
Everyone jumps out of their seat and cheers - and suddenly you're all team-mates. The three runners come in to cross home-base and the batter rocked a triple! You're still smiling when you plop back down to watch some more.
The stadium food and beverages might be overpriced, but that's just part of the game.
Silly mascots are running around and smells of fresh cut grass, beefy hot dogs, salted peanuts and cotton candy waft through the air and you can't help but indulge.

When my husband and I found out we were getting the girls for the entire summer, we were trying to think of fun, memorable stuff to do with them. We found out that our local AA baseball team was hosting a family night campout on the field after one of their games! Way cool.

We got our tickets in advance and on Friday late-afternoon we packed up our camping gear: tent, sleeping bags, pillows etc. (and the kids) and off we went to the game! The kids got to play on the carousel and jumpy-castle that's in the kid play zone, so they were happy. My husband got picked/volunteered for one of the games in between innings which he won and our entire section got a prize! It was a wonderful, action packed game and even better when our home-team won 8-5! Afterwards, the stadium did an 11min fireworks show which rivaled the fireworks we'd seen on the 4th of July. Then we went out to the car to gather our camping gear. If you've ever been on a playing field before you know what I'm talking about - as soon as you step beyond the gate of the stands and set foot on the turf you get butterflies. The heroes of the game just played here on the field...and you find you've got that silly grin on your face again. We set up our tent in center-field, got comfy, took out the popcorn we'd brought along and settled in to watch a family-friendly movie on the jumbo screen. It's quite a sight to see tons of tents set up on a baseball field, and it was quite a treat to be one of them. Besides some noisy camping neighbors, the night went pretty smoothly! There were hardly any bugs - so no need for bug-spray, it was cool outside, the moon was glowing and the crickets were singing.
At 6am the stadium blasted an 'alarm' to get us all moving and out by 7. Dew was heavy on the turf and it was chilly. The magic from the game the night before still lingered in the stands as we disassembled our tent and packed up our belongings. I saw the stadium workers getting ready to clean up and start all over again for the next game. What a great cycle. The tradition of baseball, America's pastime will always hold a special place in my heart.
We made our way to the car with heavy eyelids, yawning and shuffling, and I knew that this experience would be a great summer memory.

Mommy Time

Summer is here again and with it comes tall cold drinks, hot sticky weather, backyard BBQ's and sunshine galore!

A little background:
My husband has two little girls (from his previous marriage) that we get for a few holidays out of the year and usually for the entire summer! The oldest is 7, the youngest 3. Lately, they've been calling me "mommy" which was totally weird/awkward for me at first, but I'm sort of liking it now. I get lots of 'I love you's and hugs and kisses. I mean, who doesn't like a 3 year old with angel-blonde curly hair falling asleep on you? However, with the great stuff also comes the other stuff. Like trying to figure out 3 healthy meals every day for those growing bones, the constant "Why?" question, the occasional temper tantrum, possible injuries. I tend to call myself "The General" because I feel like a General with her troops!

So now that you know a little background, here's what happened yesterday:
It was mid-morning and I had started to clear off our dining room table so I could start folding laundry on it. In the midst of the clearing I saw something spectacular - my new Coastal Living magazine had arrived in the mail the day before and had been hiding beneath the various coupon books and other mail. I set it by my laptop and oh how it glowed! It's bright blue cover against the dark wood grain of the table and the sunshine spearing onto it...it was delicious. I had to page through it! I'm one of those people that likes to relax when reading (be it a magazine or a novel), so I figured once I was done folding the laundry I'd take a little break and go through it. Then all of a sudden it was time for lunch. Yummy honey ham sandwiches on whole wheat bread. Thankfully, my choice was a hit with the girls/troops. While we were eating, I thought Wouldn't it be nice, if after lunch I could stretch out on the cool leather couch in the living room (the girls have taken over the family room which has our one and only tv) get a cold glass of lemonade, maybe re-paint my toenails and above all else, read my new magazine! Oh how nice it would've been...
After lunch, I started carting my items over to the couch. Laptop, cell phone, magazines. Then I went upstairs to try and decide what color toes I should have. At this point the girls, who were playing on our skeleton of a pool table like an indoor jungle gym, had gotten into a tiff and the little one had followed me upstairs to tell on her sister.
To make a long story shorter, by the time I had removed my old, chipped toenail polish and was re-painting them I was completely surrounded. One kid on each side and a dog in front, all huddled in and watching 'mommy.' *sigh*
Then came the inevitable question, "Can you paint my nails?" Well of course I just don't have the heart to say no to the little fashionistas in training. My only request was that they think patriotic. Since the 4th of July is quickly approaching (4 days away!) I figured that if they had patriotic nails that would be awesome. Oh the debate on which colors and where to place them. Finally they decided and off we went. The eldest troop asked to paint her own nails. Since she's notoriously meticulous and always very careful I decide sure! Why not? So long as she sits on the wood floor (just in case). I then proceeded to show her how to open the bottles and wipe the excess paint off inside the bottle-neck before taking the brush out etc. It turns out she does a stellar job!!! Proud mommy right here! There was only one drip on the wood floor, which of course was easy-peasy to clean up.
Somehow in-between all of that, the youngest troop got her blood-red nail polish smeared smack-dab in the middle of her forehead. It looked very much like a major head injury. I had to laugh at this one...it was too funny. I even sent her upstairs to my bathroom where there are floor-length mirrors so she could see herself. Unfortunately I also found some smeared red glitter polish from the little one's toes on the leather couch...not good. But I'm sure it'll come off eventually.

At this point, we're done painting and I'm hoping they'll want to watch another show in the family room or play in their room so I can read my magazine without being interrupted... Not quite the case... The YCT (Youngest Child/Troop) was getting sleepy. Oh no!!! No napping in the middle of the day! If she falls asleep she's wide awake when it's time for bedtime! Tickle-torture worked for a few minutes...but I knew what I had to do. Wake her up by giving her a popsicle! This was a little trick my mom used to use on me. It totally worked but having them eating their snack in the adjoining dining room I couldn't read my magazine... The constant telling them to eat over their bowls and don't let the dog eat it, and use your napkin were too distracting. Finally when they'd finished they scooted into the family room. Ta-daaa!!! Time to enjoy. Oh wait, no...not quite...now the dog is going crazy because she sees a giant grey squirrel outside!!! So...I take my laptop, cell phone, magazine and my glass of lemonade and I head upstairs to the loft. Perhaps up here the dog won't see any furry creatures she wants to eat. I am now sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair around a small round table which is currently occupied with a giant puzzle. Hmm. "MOMMY!!!!!!" Uh-oh... Apparently there's a rabbit outside eating our vines in the garden. Great. So I run downstairs and through the house with our 65lb dog chasing after me, smashing into my legs and accidentally scraping up my ankle with her nails which tend to slide uncontrollably on the wood floors. I am now in the family room and look outside and see that stinkin rabbit chomping away in our garden on our grape vines!!! I shoot outside - but by the time I get out there he's gone.
Okay, back upstairs into the loft. Now ECT (the Elder Child/Troop) is with me. She wants to work on the puzzle. *sigh* So I just sip my lemonade and surf the net a little and then what happens? The dog throws up. What else could possibly happen, right? As I'm cleaning up the "ick" on the upstairs carpet I hear "MOMMY!!! THE RABBIT IS BACK!!!" So back I go running down the stairs and outside onto the porch and that rabbit has the gall to still sit there stare at me. Without thinking and nothing to throw at it - I run out into the yard to chase it back into the woods. Afterwards, I look down at my dirt (and probably dog poo) covered feet and freshly painted toe-nails and sigh once more.
I never did get to read my magazine. After I came back in from the rabbit chasing it was time for dinner. My husband was working late and I had made a beef roast in the crock pot which had been cooking all day and made the house smell delectable. I decided to let the girls eat at their regular dinner time and then I'd eat with my man when he got home later. ECT really enjoyed it, but YCT wouldn't even try it!!! It's so frustrating when this happens - and it happens with YCT more often than not. You want them to eat. You want them to eat healthy. When they won't even try something - what do you do? After 10min of her sitting and pouting and my getting more and more frustrated and trying to get through to her that what was in front of her was dinner and that was all she was getting - I bribed her with my husband's favorite salt - Lawry's. She wound up eating most of her potatoes (didn't touch the carrots or the meat)...but at least she got something inside of her.
My man came home a short while later while we were all watching Rocky & Bullwinkle and all was well in my little world. There were of course, the little hiccups in the evening - YCT has heat rash on the back of her neck and wouldn't stop crying when we put her to bed, etc...but all in all it was an okay day. I got to bond with my girls. Paint their nails and enjoy their antics. I got lots of 'I love you's and hugs. There were those little slivers in the day that were just beautiful. However, I was SO happy to crawl into bed and pass out.


It is the next day and I am up early. I have hot coffee and my Coastal Living magazine sitting next to me on the table. Finally, I have time to read it. Enjoy it. Savor it. I have my 'mommy time.' Who knows what today will bring...but I know that in the end I will try and find the good in it.

Michigan Roadtrip (pt. 3)

Day 6:
This was a sad day as we had to leave Mackinac Island. But as we checked out of the LakeView and got on the ferry to head back to Mackinaw City, I was already looking forward to the day ahead. Upper Michigan. The U.P. - Upper Peninsula. I love the U.P. - always have. It borders my favorite Great Lake, Lake Superior. We packed our stuff back into the car and started over the bridge. The Mackinac Bridge started being built in 1954 and finished in 1957. When completed it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It's still the longest in North & South America and the 3rd longest in the world. And as always, a pleasure to drive across.
Now we were in the U.P.! We drove past St. Ignace and up highway 75 north to Sault Ste. Marie. Sault Ste. Marie is the gateway to Canada and the Soo Locks. We got there just in time to see 2 boats going through the locks which I haven't seen since I was really little on a family vacation. Love the bridge connecting Michigan and Canada it's sprawling and architecturally pleasing.
If I'd had a valid passport (one with my married name on it) we'd have totally gone over the border!!! After watching the boats (I say 'boats' lightly, these were giant freighters) go through the locks we got back on the road and drove west to Paradise, MI and north to Whitefish Point. Whitefish Point is known as the Graveyard of the Great Lakes with more than 550 shipwrecks off it's coast. We visited Whitefish Point Lighthouse and got to see the shores of Canada in the nearby distance and then we were off again!
We went back to Paradise, MI and veered west to Tahquamenon Falls. We got to the State Park and wanted to see the Upper Falls which is apparently the 3rd most voluminous waterfall east of the Mississippi River - after Niagara and Cohoes Falls. The Upper Falls are 200ft across and drop almost 50ft. It was huge!!!! We walked all over the trails taking various photos and just staring at the cascading water.
Now comes the really fun part...I had wanted desperately to see Crisp Point Lighthouse. It's advertised as "Michigan's Best Kept Secret" and I had first seen it online about a year ago and then had a dream about it. So of course, I wanted to see it. We took off on some really back roads. It started out gravel and then turned to dirt. This was so much fun! We didn't see any other cars the entire drive and even though our GPS tried to steer us in several different directions, we stuck to the printed directions I had from the website. Thankfully we had the directions otherwise our GPS would've had us on snowmobile trails!!! We got to the lighthouse and finally got to see it. It was magnificent. Standing tall, white and peaceful on the edge of Lake Superior. One of the first things I did was take off my shoes and roll up my pants - even though it was pretty chilly out there from the breeze of the lake and the almost setting sun - and went down the wooden steps to the beach. The sand was so fine and soft and the lighthouse dominated the shoreline. The lighthouse was established in 1904. Recently, thankfully a group of people started a historical society to help upkeep the light. It was leaning on it's perch and about to topple over into Lake Superior so they built a new retaining wall for it and it stands firm today. This is officially my favorite lighthouse. So secluded and secret, it made me feel a part of it all.

We started back along the back roads and towards St. Ignace, not sure if we were staying on the Upper or Lower Peninsula for the night. I had wanted to hit a Pasty place - not what you think - Pasties are a tasty Cornish dish, and the traditional is a pastry filled with beef, rutabagas, potato and onion though you can get others with different fillings. They were designed for the miners back in the day, so they could take the Pasty and put it in a pocket to eat later. You will only get a real, traditional Pasty in Upper Michigan. By the time we got back to St. Ignace the Pasty shops had closed...so I vow that we'll hit one on our next trip!

Day 7:
The drive back to Maryland was daunting. It was supposed to rain again and I wasn't looking forward to the long hours in the car. We plugged along though and once we got to Pennsylvania the mountains cheered me up quite a bit. It was like we were driving through the clouds, the mist and fog was SO thick it was incredible! Needless to say we were grateful when we pulled into our vine-covered tunnel of a driveway.

Now:
Lucy is home from the boarders and she's happy, healthy and my worries are over. We had a very memorable trip, taking tons of photos and exploring different corners of Michigan. Now I can't wait to go back and try more wineries and find new lighthouses!!!

Michigan Roadtrip (pt. 2)

Day 3 (cont.):

When we left the chateau we headed back into Traverse City and got on the 31 north. The day was dreary and a bit rainy and we heard there was supposed to be snow coming our way. The road was quaint with rolling farmland, silos and barns on both sides. Every once and awhile we'd catch a glimpse of Lake Michigan. When we went through Petoskey, MI we took M-119 as it's advertised as scenic. We went through Harbor Springs, MI which has some of the most beautiful houses on bluffs overlooking the Great Lake and Little Traverse Bay. After driving up and down some side streets to gawk at the houses we got back on the road. M-119 is often times called the 'tunnel of trees' because the trees reach over the highway and touch making it very tunnel-like and picturesque. We passed several signs on our way outlining history along the route making our drive even more fun. There were many little white flowers covering the floor of the forest which we later discovered was trillium! In some places it looked like a white carpet glowing through the cloudy day. We went through the itty bitty town of Cross Village which had about 6 buildings total. Then before we knew it we were crossing into the township of Mackinaw City! My husband saw a sign that said lighthouse and whipped the car around to go find it! It was McGulpin Point lighthouse which was just opened to the public last year. It's a beautiful brick structure overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The people were very very nice and even had refreshments out for visitors. Climbing the tower is free which is always good, so we went up and got a fabulous view of the Mackinac Bridge aka The Mighty Mac.
We got into Mackinaw City in the early evening and shopped around for a hotel, found one and then ordered a pizza from a local pub. It was delish!!! We always like to eat local. Better for the economy and 95% of the time it tastes better than franchises!

Day 4:
Saturday morning we opened the door of our hotel room and saw snow! The wind was gusting like crazy making the flakes whirl like a blizzard. We packed up our stuff and headed to the ferry dock stopping first to air up the tires of my bike. We made the ferry on time and were heading to Mackinac Island! The ferry boat ride was pretty bumpy but we got there safely and headed for our hotel, The LakeView. We were able to check in right away which was awesome and proceeded to check out our room. Jacuzzi tub for two, king bed and all in one of the LakeView's turret rooms! We had our wedding reception in the LakeView last spring so it was a great feeling to go back. While we were on the island we knew we wanted to travel around the highway (M-185). In case you're not familiar with Mackinac Island there are no cars allowed. All travel is done by foot, bicycle or via horse including horse and buggy and horseback. It's a magical place that takes you back in time when you step off the ferry. I've always loved visiting it.
My husband is a runner and wanted to run the 8 mile perimeter and I wanted to follow on my bike! It had stopped snowing at this point but was still pretty chilly. I threw on my winter hat which I had luckily packed and some gloves and we started our trek! The scenery was beautiful! Of all the times I've been to the island I had never gone all the way around it before. The blue waves crashed around the rocky shores and the gulls swooped with glee. Once we got to the tip of the island it started to snow again but only enough to make the views breathtaking. It was so nice to be away from all the people and feel so secluded on such a fabulous stretch of land. We went past British Landing and stopped at Arch Rock for some photos and before we knew it we were back downtown dodging horses and tourists.
We hit Goodfellow's Restaurant (connected to the LakeView - they catered our wedding last year too!) after our adventure for a beer and a snack. The bruschetta was finger-lickin good! Yum!!! Then we went up to our room to shower and relax a bit before dinner. Both were much needed. We walked down to Horn's Bar and enjoyed the rest of our evening there soaking up the local atmosphere and pub food.

Day 5, Our Anniversary:
I woke up smiling hearing the *clip-clop* of horse hooves outside our window. The sun was shining and here I was, back on Mackinac Island and married for one whole year! Sure doesn't feel like it's been a year...it feels like it was only yesterday. Today, we wanted to explore the trails on Mackinac. There's a race I want to run on the island this fall and I wanted to see what I'm getting myself into. We started out on foot out of town and headed east. Up towards Mission Point resort. Met a cute little boxer puppy and went on our way. Then when we got to the east bluff, stopped to take in the view. We ran into a family geocaching on the island which was neat to see. Then we realized we were near Arch Rock - a natural geologic formation of limestone 146 feet above Lake Huron - so we detoured up there to take some photos. Keep in mind we were without a map this entire time. Followed some more roads and saw a trail for horses to practice jumping! We got a little carried away taking action photos of us jumping over the wooden structures...but then found ourselves close to Sugar Loaf! Sugar Loaf is a 75 ft high rock created by erosion. It's the largest post-glacial erosion feature in the Straits of Mackinac and has many legends and lore surrounding it.
We climbed up an immense set of stairs to Lookout Point next and got another great view of Sugar Loaf.
We continued walking and found Fort Holmes. The highest point on the island and boy was it breezy!!! One of the best views of neighboring Bois Blanc island and the mainlands - Mackinaw City (in lower Michigan) and St. Ignace (in the upper peninsula of Michigan).

Any direction from Fort Holmes is down, so we took the main staircase and started the hike. We knew exactly where we were now and went past Skull Cave - another limestone formation from the post-glacial period used as a burial site by Native Americans. We walked past Fort Mackinac and to the Somewhere In Time gazebo which is where we got married a year before. Somewhere In Time is a cult classic movie made on the island in the late 70's. It stars Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. If you haven't seen it I recommend watching it! We took some photos and then went down the hill into town for lunch. We hit Mighty Mac Hamburgers and it was extremely busy. The guys working there really got the food out there fast though! And man oh man it was delicious!!! The fries were exceptional as well. Will be going back there next time for sure! We stopped at a bakery which I can't for the life of me remember the name of but the cookies we got were fabulous! When we walked in the guy manning the counter was talking about using green products - which of course I love. We stopped at our hotel for a pit stop and a short walking break and then we started for the Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel was constructed in the late 19th century and boasts 5 US Presidents that have stayed there and the longest porch at 660ft. It's definitely a magnificent landmark on the island. They actually have a Grand Hotel staff member (what we like to call a 'guard') standing near the entrance of the road that goes in front of the Grand Hotel that accosts people asking if they're staying there or not. If you're not, you have to pay $10 to go onto the porch and inside the hotel to catch a peek and/or shop in the stores that are on the main floor. We did not go in this trip but continued up the hill to the Grand Hotel Stables. The stables are one of the only things on the island that are free. We went in and got to pet Duke, one of the giant percheron horses that work the island. They're just simply beautiful animals. We went around the backside of the Grand and to the West Bluff. The West Bluff has the coolest Victorian houses. I got to tour the inside of one when I was younger called 'Hog Haven' - the owners are friends with my parents employers and I'll always remember seeing the inside of that gorgeous place. After taking some photos we walked past the Grand on the side where they don't have 'guards' and went back down the hill towards town. We detoured off into the Grand Hotel gardens where we found various exercise equipment (parallel bars, etc) which we couldn't help but play on. And bonus - we got to see the Grand from down in the gardens! Unfortunately, the looming structure is far too wide to take a photo of all of it. Then we walked back through the trailing gardens and back down to M-185. We took some photos of the Somewhere In Time plaque marking an important moment in the movie and where it took place. Then I wanted to put my toes in Lake Huron...and so picked my way along the slippery rocks on the shore and thrust my barefoot into the freezing water!!! It actually wasn't too bad. After my foot dried off we walked back to the LakeView and got ready for our anniversary dinner. Back at Goodfellow's Restaurant, my husband ordered the stuffed whitefish and I, the fettucine alfredo with chicken. I cannot tell you how tasty these were. MMMM!!! After dinner we popped the champagne we got for our wedding last year, cut the year old cake and had a blissfully romantic evening.

Michigan Roadtrip (pt. 1)

My husband and I took a week long roadtrip last week to celebrate our first anniversary. It was one of the memorable roadtrips of my life!

We decided to drive up to Michigan to visit beautiful Mackinac Island which was where we got married last year. We dropped Lucy (our Plott Hound/Lab mix) at a local boarding facility. It was her first time at a boarders and unfortunately I was worried about her the whole week... Anyhow, we dropped her there and decided to leave the following morning at the 'ass-crack of dawn'. Between us sleeping in and last minute packing and trying to fit my bicycle into the back of the car - we didn't leave till 10am.

Then we were on the road!!! A bag of snacks and a cooler of drinks beside us. We drove through Maryland on highway 70 west quite quickly enjoying the lessening of traffic the farther north we went. The Alleghany mountain ranges in Pennsylvania seemed to kiss the blue sky above them. Our only annoyance was the road construction on the 76 tollway. 55mph certainly slows down a trip. Still though, the scenery made up for it! Once we got to Ohio we ran into some rain and an exceptional lightening storm! It was beautiful! I always smile when driving past Sandusky as it makes me think of 'Tommy Boy' - Sandusky, Ohio home of Callahan Auto Parts!

Shortly thereafter we were finally in Michigan! The clouds broke and the sun tried to poke through and we got a fabulous view through our windshield.



We drove up through Michigan and veered off onto some country roads towards Traverse City. At this point the sun was down and we were dead tired. Once in the outskirts of Traverse, we found a fast food restaurant for some quick eats and then checked in at a motel. 12 long hours of driving and we were out for the count.

Day 2:

The next morning we drove around Traverse looking for breakfast. Found a little place called Cuppa Joe. Ordered some bagels with cream cheese and were very impressed! So very tasty.

Our plan for the day was to hit as many wineries along the peninsula's of Traverse City as possible, while still being able to drive afterwards. We decided to hit the Old Mission Peninsula first and drove the 18 miles up to the tip to the Old Mission Peninsula Lighthouse. It was a very chilly, windy day on the point but the view distracted us long enough to take some photos.
The lighthouse is apparently one of those that you can apply to be a lighthouse keeper for a week at a time. The people staying there were incredibly nice hosts and we had fun chatting with them for a few. Then we climbed the tower and got some great views of Traverse Bay!

After the lighthouse we drove down to "2 Lads" winery. They have 22 acres of vines planted and specialize in cool climate reds and sparkling wines. Upon seeing the entryway I was very surprised. It's a modern styled building that you wouldn't expect to see in northwestern Michigan. They only had 2 wines open to taste but they were delightful and the view of the water from the inside of the building through the giant wall of windows was incredible.


Next, we hit "Chateau Grand Traverse" - the biggest, oldest commercial winery in northern Michigan (producing about 80,000 cases of wine per year). They specialize in the European vinifera species vines including merlot, pinot noir, cabernet franc, chardonnay, gamay noir, riesling, pinot gris, pinot blanc, pinot meunier and gewurztraminer. This place had huge vines and a great tasting room atmosphere. My favorite wine was the Cherry Ginseng - I'd never heard of such a wine before and it was VERY good.


Then we hit "Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery." 24 acres of planted vines. Like many of the vineyards in this area the land was originally used as a cherry and apple farm. The tasting room is located on a hill overlooking the bay and the sun decided to come out full force when we got there making the chilly day quite a bit more tolerable. Brys has vinifera vines as well and I was delighted to find that they had a bubbly to taste!

"Bower's Harbor Vineyards" was our next stop. It had a 'mom and pop' feel to it which my husband and I love. We got out of the car and were greeted by a little mop of fur. A Burnese Mountain dog puppy named Brix. Once we got past the welcoming committee and into the tasting room there lay the big version of Brix - a huge mop of fur named Cooper! Yet another glutton for attention. I was so distracted by the canine's running around I didn't take as many photos as I should have. The vines were first planted in 1991 and the wines we tasted were delish. After our tasting, we ended up getting a glass to sip while we wandered the converted barn/tasting room and pet the pups.

Lastly we drove to a winery and B&B called "Chateau Chantal" - a sprawling mansion greeted us at the top of the hill. This tasting room was bustling and big machines were scattered about the outside as the chateau is expanding their tasting room in the upcoming year.
The owners were previously a catholic priest and a nun. They bought the 60 acre cherry orchard in 1983 and began converting it into a vineyard. They opened their doors in 1993. They had several different champagnes which I adored and a cherry port which was my husband's favorite. After our tasting my husband wanted to get a look inside the B&B and maybe get some information about room rates and whatnot. He came back to the car insisting I go in and get a look at the place. All of a sudden the girl inside was telling me what room we'd be staying in! What a fabulous surprise!!! My husband is so good to me. We were booked in the "Behren's Suite" and it was magnificent. King-sized bed with an en-suite bathroom complete with HUGE jacuzzi tub. A large living area with wet bar and french doors to our own private patio. We drove back into Traverse City for some pizza and then headed back to the chateau for the evening. We took a walk among the vines and got a taste of what it felt like to own your own vineyard - which is a dream of ours. A fire was roaring in the fireplace when we got back inside and we cozied up by it for a while. Then ventured off to the tasting room again where we were allowed one complimentary glass of our choice and could taste anything that was open. Again, it felt great to have the run of the place. The entire chateau gives off a romantic vibe but not in a cheesy way.

Day 3:

Time for breakfast. Nadine, one of the owners was cooking for us (which apparently she only does twice a week these days, so we were really lucky!). She made poached eggs over a spinach/artichoke sauce which was to die for! After the opulent breakfast we went on a tour of the cellars. I loved our tour guide Bill. He was very enthusiastic and really brightened up the morning. Then it was time to check out! I loved our stay at the chateau! Can't wait to go back again.

A Day at the Beach

Yesterday afternoon, we all packed into the car in the sweltering heat and hit the beach. The cool waters of the Chesapeake Bay met us with open arms.
I definitely recommend going to the beach on a weekday when there are a lot less people to contend with.
We packed some sandwiches and lots of water in a cooler, slathered on SPF 70 and enjoyed the day. Sand castles were built, the kids got soaking wet and nobody got sunburnt!
I love weekday excursions...

Our Easter

For us, Easter was a day full of cooking great food and being with our family.
I had my mom's recipe for Greek Lemon Soup which is basically lemon, white rice, egg and broth and I always loved it! I made it for us and it turned out fantastic (even the kids liked it). Had to be careful not to curdle the egg when adding it to the hot broth mixture but other than that it's very very easy to make. Hot lemony ricey mouthfuls of goodness. Plus some crusty french bread and a blush wine on the side. Mmmm Mmmm!!!

For our main course, we sliced up some ham, smashed some potatoes and served up some green beans (with concentrated mushroom soup mixed in to make it creamy and more appealing to the kids). Us grown-ups had mimosas as well.

All in all, it was a relaxing day with great food and even better company. The weather was perfect and allowed us to eat al fresco on our deck. With the wind gently blowing and petals from our dogwood tree falling around us it was marvelous. One of those days that you give thanks for.

BEST Hamburger!

Do you ever crave a big, juicy burger? I was just thinking how much I miss a certain restaurant in Bellevue, Nebraska. It's called Stella's (located on Galvin Rd. South).
Stella's has THE best hamburgers I have ever tasted.
It's a tiny restaurant and bar close to Offutt AFB and gets a lot of regulars. When my husband and I were living in Bellevue we tried to eat there at least once a month. And it's always packed!
They serve your delectable burger on a napkin because "good food doesn't need to be fancy" and the hand-cut fries are in bowls on the side. Be sure you have plenty of napkins because this thing is juicy and will most certainly run down your hands!!! Yum!
The burgers are grilled on the same grill that Stella herself used to grill on back in the 50's when the place opened! While you're waiting for your food - check out the walls to see old photos of the place and read the history of Stella's from a laminated paper found where the menu's are located on your table.
I can't wait till we see Nebraska again and get to go to Stella's. It's a feel-good atmosphere, great prices, and excellent food. I recommend it!

Magic of Mornings

"I love eggs! From my head down to my legs!" Remember that commercial from the 80's/90's?

I really do love eggs... I know 'they' all say they're bad for you...but there can't be much truth to that! I mean, something that tastes so good can't be that horrible for you!

My husband and I got up early for once today, and being that it's a Sunday there was no pressure for him to hustle off to work.
So I made apple smoked bacon and he made eggs!
I happen to have baby bella mushrooms in the fridge, so I cut a few of those up as well as some black olives (another one of my addictions). We mixed those with some diced tomatoes & cheddar cheese with a couple of eggs in the pan and I had a VERY tasty egg-licious breakfast!
Three pieces of apple bacon on the side along with a buttery piece of toast and a searing hot cup of coffee. Mmmm!

It was one of those mornings that you savor. Everywhere you looked from our house there was fog encasing the trees and vines. It was just beautiful.

Maybe I should get up and enjoy the magic of mornings more often. :)

Maryland Wine

My husband and I have become small time wine connoisseurs. We love touring vineyards - especially the little known one's that are privately owned. Someday, we hope to own our own!
We started going to vineyards when we first met and he even proposed to me in a vineyard in Texas! So far, we've hit Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois & West Virginia wineries.

We moved here to Maryland last November. The weather was chilly, traffic was hairy and we were trying to get used to our new state. Then the holiday's showed up and we were even more busy!
Now that it's March and spring has sprung (YAY!) we decided to try out some Maryland vineyards.

Last Sunday we headed out to the Frederick Wine Trail. The sun was blazing and it was a balmy 50 degrees! Our GPS - we've named "Phil" - monotonously directed us toward our first of four vineyards in the adorable little town of Mt. Airy.
The drive was scenic (as the 'scenic byway' sign had advertised) and as our truck climbed and twisted up the next hill we saw our first Maryland vineyard.

Linganore Winecellars! I was immediately attracted to their tasting room which looks like an old barn. Once inside we looked up and saw huge black walnut beams on the ceiling. Truly magnificent. The wine was very tasty. I am a semi-sweet wine lover and enjoyed their fruity wines the most. I was impressed/surprised to find they had a dandelion wine, as my grandparents used to make it and I was curious as to how it actually tasted (quite good)! They had a huge wine-list and we tried just about all of them!

Next, we went just down the road to Black Ankle Vineyards. This was my husbands favorite of the day! He is a cabernet, merlot man (dry wines) and he adored their wine list! The atmosphere at this place was my favorite - the walls are baled hay plastered over, they have a beautiful custom-rounded brick fireplace, a living roof (SO cool) and the bar top is made from their vines (you've got to see it to appreciate it)! Construction fit for a nature-lover.

Our third stop was at Loew Vineyards. This is an adorable place! We got to meet one of the owners who happily answered all of our how-to-grow-vine questions. My favorite wine here was the 'Country Classic'- even my husband liked it!!!

Lastly we stopped at Elk Run Vineyards.. We got there about 15 minutes before they closed and figured we could sneak in a few tastes before they kicked us out...The staff was very friendly and didn't seem to mind that we were there so close to closing time. The wine was truly fantastic. My husband found a port he really liked while I savored their Riesling. On our way out I stopped to take a photo of their vines - they looked bigger/older/fatter than any of the others we'd seen that day. I can't wait till all the snow is gone and they start to grow again! It will be a beautiful sight.



We had such a great time on our little Maryland wine trip now all we can think about is going back...