A Beautiful Visit

I've been away from the computer for awhile as I enjoyed hosting guests for a few weeks as well as taking a week away from home without computer or mobile technology of any kind (y bes, including using the cell phone).

Our friends were here from the Netherlands with their two little children. It was a great visit and we enjoyed all of it. Even after they have gone back home (no easy task since they were caught in a 3 hour delay in Chicago which caused them to missed their connection to Amsterdam from Zurich---another 4 hours waiting there) our kids are still speaking dutch. Sometimes it is on purpose, and sometimes it slips out before they have even noticed. Their kids were doing the same, especially their 3 year old son. It has been great to hear and see.

So what do you do with people who regularly travel the world who are now coming to see "America", but really plan to stay in Michigan the whole time? I warned that Michigan wasn't going to be like seeing America exactly. They were seeing, instead, Michigan. That was fine for them. But as hostess I was a little concerned at first. Looking into your own backyard and thinking about what to do was a challenge but a good experience too. I overlook a lot, I realized.

Michigan is full of beautiful freshwater beaches, for example. Especially along the west side of Michigan where we live. Oval Beach in Saugutuck is listed on Conde Nast's list of the top 25 most beautiful shorelines in the world. It was gorgeous. Our friends shunned the sunblock, favoring nothing or tanning oil. I teased Marlies that I was going to just rub some garlic on her and toss on some rosemary while she was at it. On the other hand, I rubbed on 50 spf liberally and I still freckled and my belly even burned. Johan was stunned and said "Doesn't the 50 mean you can be in the sun 50 times longer?" "Yes," I said, "and still I burned". Katherine thinks the next vacation should be in a cave. HA!

We visited Charlevoix and took a 2 hour boat ride to the remote Beaver Island where we had no tv or phones in our rooms at the resort. The island is mostly trees and one main street along the shore. The place is full of artists and naturalists as well as writers and anyone wanting to get away from a busy pace. It is great for that. We stayed a few nights enjoying the calm, some sights, shopping and great food and drink. We met a watercolor artist painting along one of our walks by the water. He was thrilled to learn our friends were from the Netherlands as he was from England himself. He lives in Chicago now and he and his wife were happy to escape for a while. The place isn't posh but it grows on you much in a way like some New England towns do. The locals expect your own independence while they share the island with you, but they're more than happy to help in anyway you need if you ask. There were no spas or pampering spots. The most polished space we saw was a restaurant at our hotel called Nina's where we enjoyed a fabulous dinner in the middle of Lake Michigan watching the sun set.

After a few days and nights there, we headed to Mackinac Island staying on Main Street and enjoying most of the sights to see on the island. We had a great time with perfect weather. The contrast between Beaver Island's quiet beauty and Mackinac Island's smiling fudge induced frenzy was a lot of fun. The kids and adults all enjoyed playing at the fort, watching fudge being made and maybe most of all just quiet walks with ice cream cones later in the nights when it quieted down on the Island and the lights of the Mackinaw Bridge were in full view. The sound of the waves lapping the shore as we licked our ice cream and talked quietly was perfect.

We did a lot of other things locally and even a short stay in Chicago. But much of our time was spent playing with the kids and enjoying the things I take for granted too often. Sometimes you don't have to go anywhere to make new discoveries or to remember the discoveries you forgot.