The Gypsy Caravan 2023

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Postcards from the Lake: Appreciating All that is Summer

Our lake holiday has settled in with long, beautiful days, long swims in the only slightly cool water and dinner from the grill -- chicken and pork chops, pasta salad, fruit salad, corn on the cob and loads of sweet Michigan cherries. All good. Just about all of them ending with a beautiful sunset.


My walks bring a lovely landscape. This garden (actually photographed earlier; I'll do an update!) is particularly lovely and well tended.


I loved the planter this woman's mom made for her -- covering mailbox with stone. Now it has some greenery peeking out of the top.


And I always check out the Little Free Library. On one walk, I met the "librarian" who tends it. I have a few contributions to make on one of my sojourns!


My cousin Jack came for the day. He lives in China but spends a couple of months here in the summer and it was good to catch up with him.


Rick's been practicing, providing a lovely soundtrack!


I've been painting and reading and recently proofed a copy of an upcoming book called "Red Jacket" for my friend and writer Richard Lassin. He hopes to have it on Amazon in the next month or two and I found it a very satisfying read. It's a story that combines the history of Michigan's Copper Country with some suspense, mystery, danger, past lives and romance. I'll have more on this when it's ready to read for all!


Our first visit and time together here with Rick has been all too short and combined with tasks (tackling the weedy beach and raking pine needles) but it has also been a good one. Easy and breezy!


After all,  when you days begin to slow down with this...


...and end like this...


...what's not to love?

39 comments:

  1. Absolutely magical times for you, your cousin Jack, and Rick. It might even be close to heaven on earth. Fabulous photos, Jeanie.

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  2. The first pic is just sooo beautiful, what a great combination!
    Oh, and you remind me, I still have a few books and DVDs for our free phone-booth-library, too!
    Great you´re having such wonderful times and company, that is to love :-)

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  3. For sure "what's not to love"!!!!! How wonderful to have time away. It all sounds most wonderful.

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  4. Wonderful photos from start to finish, love the dreamy moon. And no matter how many books we have at home, those free libraries always have something! Enjoy your vacations! Hugs, Valerie

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  5. Wonderful photos Jeanie. Love the pebble covered postbox, very cute and that garden is beautiful. Enjoy your summer days.

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  6. What a beautiful soul food place. I really like the idea of a Little Library! In the UK so many libraries have been shut due to budget cuts by the councils. I've seen odd shelves in pubs doing a similar thing where people can pick up and leave books. I like the idea of folk helping one another in this informal way.

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  7. Now that's the way to spend the summer :-)

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  8. Wow, gorgeous scenes and views. I love the first show and the last two are beautiful. Your lkae living sounds peaceful and relaxing. Enjoy your day!

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  9. Sounds dreamy!! Just the way you described your days in the first few lines sounds like the start of a book you should write!

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  10. Michigan lakes are the best and the people who visit them are always friendly and ready to relax. It relaxes me just to look through your wonderful photos.

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  11. Jeanie I love receiving your post cards. Spending time in your cottage on the lake must be a respite for you. I get the feeling it is a slower pace and that you can take in each moment. Doing the things you love must be a little heaven on earth!

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  12. Everything is to love..even your sweet beach painting hanging on the window.A lake house♥Oh a lake house.
    How I love them♥

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  13. So beautiful. Thanks for taking us along. :-)

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  14. Love it! I have a feeling the work is not too bad considering where you are doing it! Love the mailbox.

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  15. Aw, Jeanie, another beautiful post card..Happy at the Lake..xxoJudy

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  16. The lake looks lovely and that mailbox is positively darling. It is wonderful when families can spend lazy days together.

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  17. Lovely pictures at the lake, Jeanie. I love that first one of the sunset. Those free libraries are delightful, and a nice way to share great books. The little stone mailbox is sweet. Enjoy your summer days, Jeanie.

    ~Sheri

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  18. h thank you for sharing all those pics. So nice. Love the mailbox planter. That is too cool.

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  19. Another post about the magical place where you get spend these special summer days is always welcome. Store up the sunshine, the sunsets, and the serenity for next winter. Hugs.

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  20. It sounds like a very relaxing time at the lake. I would love and enjoy that as well. Didn't you have that neighbor who cut down the trees or something on the property next to yours? I can't remember exactly what it was. What happened to it? I really hope you can go on having so much quiet and peace.

    How interesting that you have a cousin living in China. Does he enjoy it?

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  21. Oh, Jeanie. I envy your wonderful summer at the cottage. I think your weather has been similar to ours. Perfect cottage weather.

    So far mine has been filled with cleaning and polishing, weeding and raking, babysitting, and all sorts of other things. I read the post where you featured some of your paintings. I immediately recognized the Chateau Frontenac. Such an enjoyable post.

    The house is sold so some of the pressure is off, but there is still much to do. I do hope I can get away for a few days later this summer.

    I enjoy your pictures especially the one with the tethered sails. They look like geese flying.

    Think of me now and then while you are on the dock or working with your paints.

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  22. Jeanie, totally unrelated to this blog post but I have a question.

    You gave me the most beautiful notecards made with your own photos when you visited Dallas that time. How and where did you get those made? I would love to make my own. :)

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  23. Indeed what is not to love, it looks pretty perfect from where I'm sitting.

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  24. Thank you for these WONDERFUL postcards, Jeanie! And from your previous Settling In post too... GORGEOUS images! Wow... so much beauty, each one! LOVE that mailbox planter--what a great idea! I just LOVE those free libraries--another great idea! Wow... your cousin lives in China! Has he lived there a long time? So nice you were able to meet up while he was Stateside. VERY exciting wit your friend Richard's book! And fun to see your paintings in the previous post too. Summer is such a good time for painting. I didn't know you could still get Tab cola/pop! Happy Days, my friend... soak up every drop of sun and happy moment! :))) ((HUGS))

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  25. Practically perfect! Thank you for sharing.

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  26. You've shared all the kinds of things that make summer memories - family visits, garden, and beautiful skies. Lovely post!

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  27. Jeanie, I love the sun set photos. The grass dark against the setting sun is excellent. Enjoy your summer at the lake. It sounds lovely. Have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  28. Wow, it all sounds good. Great menus, family, outings, leisure time, reading and painting and beautiful sunsets.

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  29. Lake Time . . .
    Very own cottage . . .
    Relaxing . . .
    Sunsets . . .
    Walks, Swims, Visits . . ,
    Paints, Reads, Sitting . . .
    Can life be any better . .

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  30. What a beautiful place! I can see why you love it :)

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  31. Sorry I’m late, been out of the blogging loop for a little while. The lake is a beautiful place, how fortunate you are to have such a special place. It is beautiful there and I would imagine peaceful and a place to unwind! I always enjoy your photos you share, so thanks for sharing!

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  32. Looks like you had a wonderful spot to relax near the lake. I enjoyed seeing that garden picture which is my passion! My father grew up in Calumet (born 1917) and always referred to the “red district” as where he lived. His grandparents had migrated to the US from Sweden and were copper miners and so was his father. The book sounds intriguing!

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  33. Your time at the lake sounded so wonderful. The pulse just slows when you are at the lake. I know this from experience! I'm glad I was able to get there 3 times with Paul during my maternity leave. I don't know that we will get back there this summer which is sad but the drive out of/back into Minneapolis is HORRIBLE on Fridays/Sundays and I don't have many vacation days to spare as I need to save days for all the times that Paul will inevitably get sick as he adjusts to all the germs at daycare. :/ But hopefully we can up there this fall!

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  34. *I meant to say “Red Jacket” district

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  35. Your time at the lake seems wonderful. The grilled dinners of summer are the best, aren't they?

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  36. Back again! Love, love that little library!

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  37. So summer, so beautiful...you captured that very special feeling. You are living it!
    We have a lot of those little Libraries in my home town...If only the world could live with such a generous spirit of cooperation!

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