Charlevoix Part III

Sunday began with a late wake up -- I didn't make it out of my bedroom until 10 AM. Now, I had been straightening up my knitting, clothes, and assessing the previous day's purchases from the Fiber Festival, so it wasn't as if I was actually lounging in bed all that time.

Breakfast included delicious blueberry pancakes, sausage, bacon -- yummy for my tummy. :-) The morning greeted us with rain that soon gave way to abundant sunshine and Denise and I took both dogs for a walk in the woods. Thank goodness I'm in charge of walking the Norwich Terrier and not the Siberian Husky!

Denise, the dogs, and I headed into Charlevoix in search of a new T-shirt for me but alas, none thrilled me. My sister, however, was able to find several items for her friends' upcoming birthdays. After returning I headed out to the deck to knit a new bag. Lo and behold, it was cocktail hour ~~

Talk about bliss -- sunshine, knitting, relaxing, watching the boats, sipping a yummy adult beverage!

And here's a close up shot of the bag I worked on ~~


Since Denise had thawed extra veal, we invited the Geigers over for dinner again. This time she made Veal Scallopini and I made a salad. Another stupendous meal. Leftovers for dessert including a request from Carla's boyfriend Jeff for the Cherry Magic Cake. Guess I know how to keep him happy! I told Carla it was very easy to make but she admittedly has trouble boiling water!

Monday I got ready to head for home. I'm not sure how it happens but I have a really tough time making it straight home in the 4 hours it should take me to get home.

After saying goodbye I headed down Charlevoix-Boyne City Road. I didn't get far before my first stop. I've been meaning to stop at Horton Bay for many years to check out this general store I've passed so many times.

The General Store was very cute ~~


Just outside the front door was this terrific shoe shine chair ~~


Here are some shots from inside ~~


And I loved this sign~~

Notice it's strategic location?

The general store served food in the back and drinks up front. I also spotted this great rug for sale ~~

If it had been an antique I might have picked it up but alas, it was newly made in India. I'd rather have something vintage.

Next to the general store is the Red Fox Inn ~~



Just outside the door, Holly and Mike's kind of coat rack ~~

James Hartwell, the grandson of Vollie Fox, runs the place. Vollie Fox taught young Ernest Hemingway how to fish. It's really a bookstore now. If you give James a few minutes he'll educate you on Hemingway and how he spent his youth there. He's probably got every book written by Hemingway that has anything at all to do with Michigan. He's carefully handwritten into each book next the the chapters in the index, the locations that were depicted by Hemingway related to that area. He's quite knowledgeable about the area too. He had to remind me, though, that it was a bookstore, not a museum so the cost for my photographs was $1, the purchase price of two of his postcards for sale, complete with some sort of postmark that he applied to the back of each card. Hmm.

I didn't mind so much. Afterall, I did spot this great sign ~~


and this super map -- Oyster Bay is where Denise and Mike live -- just about where that cabin is on the map ~~


From there I headed into Boyne City, another town I'd driven through many, many times without ever stopping. Not that day.

I went in and out of several shops and spotted this great mural on the side of one of the shops ~~


And this super bench had been painted for a sale to benefit the American Red Cross ~~

I would love something like this -- patriotic and functional!

While strolling in and out of shops I was spotted by Betsy Koss, a member of my local quilt guild. Amazing to run into someone you know when you're far from home! We chatted a bit and on her recommendation we went to the local burger place where I got lunch and she had a strawberry shake. It was so nice to run into her!

From there I headed home, passing the many tall pine trees that line the route to Gaylord before hitting I-75 South.

Once I arrived home, I was greeted by Kevin. No, he didn't welcome me home, but rather slammed me with 'I didn't break it, but the dryer's not working'. Before I could set my bags down, I felt like turning around and heading back out the door again.