Dolphin sighting

Another gorgeous day on the Gulf coast today which we enjoyed on the water. There were so many of us we went in tandem pontoon boats and tied up and visited in the middle of the Bay! On the return we were lucky enough to spot a dolphin swimming by. And so it goes...

Veterans Day 2011

Today I'm very proud to honor my Dad's service to our country among the 24.9 million military veterans in the United States. Go Navy!

Happy Birthday Steve

We had a good laugh today remembering high school days and how we all ended up here on the Gulf coast of Florida. We celebrated Steve's birthday at the Beach Bistro on Anna Maria. Great sunset, wonderful food and lots of laughs! What more could you ask for!

The Birthday girl

Well, it's been a few years since my 1st birthday party (see below) but I am still the queen and had a great day thanks to my wonderful family and friends!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Thinking of my wonderful grandmother today, her birthday 25 October 1903. Sadly, I lost her in 1988 but I have the best memories of the time we had together! Love you Nana.

Grand Marais: Gem of the U.P.

Our next stop was in the historic village of Grand Marais, Michigan which is located on the south shore of Lake Superior and to the east of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I found a wonderful cabin in the woods, up on a hill, overlooking Lake Superior. It had a wonderful front porch where we spent many hours looking at the water and the fall colors. We spent 2 nights here.

The colors were gorgeous

A few sights around town...it's a VERY small town!

Lake Superior Brewing Company. We had some wonderful garlic parmesan popcorn with our pints!

Lighthouse on a tight budget?

Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Paradise, MI

Our first stop in the UP (Upper Peninsula) was this gorgeous waterfall. We had a nice walk from the car down a paved walkway to the Falls which is hidden in the forest along the Tahquamenon River. The Tahquamenon Falls State Park encompasses close to 52,000 acres stretching over 13 miles. Most of this is undeveloped woodland without roads, buildings or power lines. Centerpiece of the park, and the very reason for its existence, is the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls. This part of the Falls has a drop of nearly 50 feet and is more than 200 feet across. A maximum flow of more than 50,000 gallons of water per second has been recorded cascading over its precipice. While is did not compare to Niagra Falls, the setting made it quite spectacular and worth the stop.