Michigan. The Midwest. Flat-as-a-pancake. Corn. American autos galore. Flanked by giant oceans with nary a whiff of salt. Tiny rural towns. Factories. More corn.
Why go here?
As usual, my grossly uninformed notion of what this state would be like was immediately dashed upon arrival. Why go here, I had asked? Why NOT go here, I soon learned!
My mother-in-law retired this year and wanted to spend a week relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan. She and the family had never been, but had read about it and their curiosity was piqued. So AJ and I flew to MI and piled in the car with Dee and Ron en route to the west side of the Leelanau Peninsula. A house waited for us just north of the town of Leland, nestled in the trees just behind the dunes and grasses of an expansive sandy beach.
The view--spectacular. The town--charming as all heck. The region--wide open and beautiful. Directly across the water is Wisconsin's Door County, a place my cousins hail from and a place they have waxed poetic about. I should have known, this region was going to be awesome.
Abby flew in shortly after we arrived, and the five of us spent several days listening to the waves (yes, waves), looking for beach stones, poking around town, lounging on couches, driving country roads, cooking, sleeping in, eating, and reading. Basically, taking it easy. What a place to do it, and boy am I glad I've now spent a little time in this part of the world.
The night we arrived, all happy to be out of the car and on the beach in front of the house.
Sunset.
Path from the house to the beach.
Is this the Caribbean?
AJ spending hours on the beach looking through stones. We found TONS of old fossils, including corals.
Treasures.
Abby's zen rock garden.
The little town of Lelend.
The old fishing shanties on the lake.
Ron at the shanties.
On the waterfront.
Lunch in Leland!
Wine tasting in Leland - Michigan grown!
A trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
