What a weekend!

We've been away on a long weekend.  Our daughter Laura and her husband Aaron gave us a Christmas gift of a weekend at a lodge near Petoskey Michigan. Even better that a weekend away, was that it was a weekend with them and the girls.  We were originally scheduled to do this in May - but then Covid struck.  We rescheduled to the end of May, but things were still not open.  So, we tried again for this past weekend and it worked!  It was a little different, some things were still closed and there was the whole mask wearing situation, but we were able to go and had so much fun.
I'm afraid you're going to see a few posts on our outings, because I go everywhere with a camera in hand and I took 500 photos this weekend.   :)   I've pared it way, way back, but still - we did a lot!
So, here's the beginning of our trip.

We rented a van so we could all ride together.  Here we are on Friday morning, on the road!



We drove for several hours and made a stop in Charlevoix, to see Castle Farms.  It was built in 1918 by Albert Loeb, the acting president of Sear and Roebuck as a model dairy farm and was modeled after the stone barns and castles found in Normandy, France.   It was very successful and produced prize winning cattle.  However, at some time it fell into disrepair and was purchased in 2001, needing extensive renovation.  It has now been fully restored, gardens have been added and it's now a wedding and even destination, as well as a tourist attraction.

Here's a view of it from the back.  It doesn't look like any farm I've seen before!

 This is Sid, the sea monster, with Alaina and Ruby sitting on him.

This castle also has a dragon!

 Every turn you make, has another beautiful view.

 This courtyard had an opening for teams of horses or cars to drive into.  The girls liked the fountain.

 This is a small section inside.  This is a small sandwich shop and wine tasting venue.

 Alaina and Ruby had to try out the thrones.

 Wouldn't this be a great place for a wedding reception?

 One section of the gardens was set up with miniature trains that buzzed all over.  There was even a gazebo where the trains went up to the ceiling.

 They had a children's garden, with flowers to go with every letter in the alphabet.  The girls found their letters.

One last view of the castle!  If you're even in the Charlevoix area, stop and visit Castle Farms.

Friday Funny

Cooking Thursday

This past weekend I had my family over for supper.  My sister had told me about a wonderful recipe for Strawberry Pie and since my Dad really likes Strawberry Pie, I tried it.  She was right - this is the best strawberry pie I've ever had.  It's a fresh pie that goes together quickly, you need to try it!

Fresh Strawberry Pie
1 quart (about 2 pounds) fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 baked pie crust
1/2 cup whipping cream, optional

Wash strawberries and hull. Chop 1/2 of the berries with into small pieces or process in food processor.
Place chopped berries into a sauce pan and begin to cook over medium heat. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to pan with crushed berries. Add lemon juice and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
Cut remaining strawberries into halves and mix with the cooked mixture.
Pour strawberry mixture into baked pie shell. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until pie is set. (May require overnight to fully set.) Serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.