Apple Pie Hodgepodge

1. As we begin this brand new month tell us, on a scale of 1-10, where does your life fall in terms of being in 'apple pie order'? Please elaborate. (1=nowhere near it, 10=practically perfect in every way)

I have to say 8. I think it’ll never be perfect, because I miss my Dear Heart so much, I miss the kids and have to travel back-and-forth, I still need more landscaping, I’m waiting for my door, and I need window treatments for my windows, BUT

I have to say 8, because life is good, we have so many blessings. I enjoy good health, I’m close to my family, I have made many new friends, I love my church, there are so many opportunities and so many things to do, it seems like I’m running out of time to do them.

2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away...are you doing your part? Red or green? Sweet or tart? Ever played the game Apples to Apples? Do you like apple pie? If so, ala mode or just gimme the pie?

I like pink lady, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious, which is neither red nor green. I prefer sweet apples. I have the game Apples to Apples, but I’ve only played it once. I like apple pie if my friend Alice makes it. And I do like it warm, served with vanilla bean ice cream.

3. Tell us about a time recently where you 'upset the apple cart' or the last time someone 'upset your apple cart'? Nothing recent comes to mind right now. Maybe I upset the apple cart when I made the move to another state and upset a few people, but that is almost one year ago, so I wouldn’t classify it as recent.

4. What are three words that come to mind when you think of September? Fall is coming.

5. What are you most looking forward to this month? Bible study fellowship begins, cooler temperatures hopefully, and getting more things done around here. I’m going to buy two trees and I’m excited about that.



6. Insert your own random thought here.

I posted plenty of pictures on Facebook, but I recently returned from a trip to Mackinac island with a group of seniors from my church. We had a wonderful time, but we all agreed it would have been nicer had we not stayed in a different hotel every night for nine days. But it was a great trip and lots of congenial people enjoying many interesting things. Our destination was Mackinac Island, but we stopped along the way to see some lovely sights, enjoyed delicious food, and met some wonderful people. I don't have good pictures of the Amish community, but that was one of my favorite places. Seeing and hearing about their culture, their work, their faith and their families was probably one of the nicest parts of our trip.

A Dutch Village

Carriage rides through the woods, gourmet meal and wine tasting at the Thunder Bay Resort. Another fun stop was a Reindeer Ranch--stick a graham cracker in your mouth and a reindeer will kiss you. Haha!! A barbeque meal there and hopefully, it wasn't barbequed reindeer.

The antlers are so heavy.

A beautiful arch at Mackinaw.

Lunch at the Grand Hotel

Castle Farms

A few from our group with the owner of Castle Farms.

She is a woman with vision.

We stopped for donuts at this donut place owned by the friendliest cops! 

Their coffee and donuts were a treat and mighty good.

So many beautiful flowers

The Kennedy presidential car at the Henry Ford Museum

Being part of the ukulele band as a singer is so much fun. On Tuesday afternoon, we went to play and sing at a luau at an assisted living facility. The last time we were there, we had a huge audience who cheered us on and ask us to come back every week. We now will have a standing gig on one Wednesday Happy Hour each month. (I know this is very small potatoes, but it is so much fun for us.) So we’re going to a hukilau! Haha! The people here are so wonderful and it just makes you happy to see them happy and singing along with us. They light up at hearing the old songs from their youth.

Poor Dave--the only guy in this girl band

We also have been invited this weekend to participate in a demonstration at a fiddling workshop. That’s the only way I know to describe it. It is introducing the ukulele to students of violinist Jana Jae.