More Autumn Photos

Jack and I have been staying busy with many different pursuits, including photography! Here are some that I shot during our walk along the North End Trail, just north of Big Rapids:



















We've really been enjoying taking photos together, as well as all of the other pursuits of our lives here. While it's looking like we will be here till mid-December, at least we're having fun!

Autumn Colors

Autumn came quickly here in northern Michigan, and I'm beginning to see why it is that so many Big Rapids people love to winter in Tucson! Actually, the weather here has been lovely for the past 3 days, with highs approaching 80, sunny skies, and leaves of yellow, orange, and blazing red against a clear blue sky. If winter didn't follow so closely upon autumn's heels, this would surely be my favorite season of the year!

Jack and I worked hard last Wednesday and Thursday, preparing for Friday and Saturday's Garage Sale. We had to dig stuff out of bags and boxes, things that Jack had been collecting in Chuck and Kay's pole barn, since a year ago, I think. We also went over to his used-to-be home to get a few things .

While it was work, it was fun, and we enjoyed talking to Chuck and Kay and the people who came to our little sale. We took in a bit of money, but, if we had been paid for our time, it would have been a negative take. When noontime on Saturday came around, we loaded up the rest of the things and took them to Goodwill and WISE, a thrift shop which supports a local women's shelter. The leftover books will go to the library's annual sale, or to the Association of University Women.

Here are some photos of the front of Gary's house. This is where Jack and I are staying. Here, Gary is getting set to pour the concrete for his driveway.



Can you find the 4-leaf clover? :)


At 4pm on Saturday, we left for a drive. We went up to Caberfae, which is a ski resort near Cadillac, when it's time for such things. For now, though, it gave us a challenging walk up the ski runs, and some fabulous views of autumn in northern Michigan.























Here's one of me. I'm not really this fat. ;)


And.. the long-awaited close-ups of Jack!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Yeah, I know.. everyone has one, and they are nearly all good. But here's mine, that I made for our church group. There were just 12 of us there, I made the whole recipe, there was other food, and, in the end, this was GONE, with the glass dish nearly licked clean. And, besides that, it's low in fat:

==========================

Janee's Best-Ever Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Mix all of these in a bowl:
20 oz Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped just a bit
10 oz Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3/4 C Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
3/4 C Low-Fat Mayonaisse
1/2 t Garlic Powder
Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam.
Spread mixture into pan and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Serve with Triscuits!

==========================

Other happenings... uh... The status quo continues. Jack and I are still staying at Gary and Chuck's. Eddie's still out in the RV. We put a little heater out there for him, and we did take the RV out and got it winterized on Friday, just before our 25° night on Saturday.

I went on Thursday night with Luanne to her knitting club, and that was really fun for me. I met all the women and we all knitted, drank wine, ate cookies and fruit, and talked about the problems of our immediate worlds. I'm making a little dress-up short sweater with a cabled edge. It'll be good for me to wear out on cool evenings or to church on cool mornings. I'm making it in a winter-white acrylic/wool blend. Very pretty.

We went on Saturday and build some sets for friend Linda's school play, and that was more fun than I thought it would be. I picked up a table that had nails in it, though, and punctured my thumb. It still hurts today. Linda and I ran out for Subway for lunch and we all ate in the school's cafeteria area, overlooking the stage and the sets that we'd built. Kinda cool.

Church remains fun for me. I believe that I espouse the ideals set out by the churches that I've attended, and it seems as if the Pastor is speaking directly to ME most of the time. I get emotional, and sometimes I cry.

But I have been thus far unable to reconcile my beliefs with Christianity (or any other organized religion, for that matter). My issue is that, unless I am missing some vital connection, I can't say that I believe in some extra-terrestrial divine-but-human-like being which created us and controls us. Is it enough to live a life defined by positive thoughts and deeds, and to just think of God as nature?

Remembering One Year Ago

One year ago today was when Michael passed away, after living with a brain tumor for 14 months. Today, here in Big Rapids, Michigan, the day is quite different from the sunny and lovely day that he died, but I'm remembering him, and remembering his last day.

Mostly, I remember how Becky, George, and Angie came up from Louisville to be with us on that day, and how they were there for me after he died. I think we went to eat at MCL Cafeteria, which is now closed.

This photo was taken by our friend John Durrett, one wonderful evening in February 2006 in Phoenix.

Ludington, MI

I'm sitting here sick today (just a sore throat which I hope abates quickly), so thought I'd catch up on email (working on it) and my photos. I have taken pathetically few photos, but did get the cam out when Jack and I went to Ludington on Friday.

After we did our "official" walk on the sand, we went back and got our cameras and headed out on the jetty to the lighthouse:






Along the way, we saw many cormorants, which displayed their elegance and beauty for us.




Here's Jack!



And here are some photos of the lakeshore dune grasses: