The last of our summer guests created an historic event by traveling together for the first time ever:

Part III:

Mom, Maw, & The Aunts

No, not an obscure bluegrass band, but my mom (Brenda), my grandmother (Maw Vern), and my two aunts (Darlene & Lisa)! We were so excited to have them all under one roof and to finally be able to show them the magic of a Northern Michigan summer (no small task!).

We spent some time in the dunes,…

…had some fun on the water,…

… picked a lot of blueberries and cherries…

… had lots of cozy, quiet times at home…

… and of course, we ATE!

After we had a tearful goodbye and they headed south, James and I sat on the front porch swing and quietly reminisced about the summer and all our guests. There was a quiet breeze blowing through the front woods and the only other sound was the creaking of the swing.

We recalled that Aunt Darlene spent every morning of their stay out on the porch with her coffee and stared out into the woods, listening to the quiet while the others were snoozing away snug in their beds. It is a special kind of peace we have here — precious and rare. Other than the memories we made and the fun times we shared, I hope our guests were able to take in the peace and quiet of a summer in Northern Michigan.

And now, as the leaves already begin to hint at hues other than green and the days tip-toe toward the equinox and we faintly hear September’s sighing preludes beginning, we have all these memories to keep close to our hearts for the days ahead.