July 13 The Cottage

Thursday:  I've been looking forward to going to Christy's cottage for a long time! I missed out on going last summer (I forget why!); but I marked the date down a few months ago and made sure I kept my calendar clear. Christy is the assistant leader of the small women's group I am part of each Monday night (during the school year). She and her husband have a "cottage" right ON Lake Michigan. I am not kidding! It is ON Lake Michigan. 

Christy e-mailed all of us detailed instructions--because the cottage is somewhat off the beaten path--and I followed those directions exactly and arrived without ever taking even ONE wrong turn. Amazing. It actually only took about an hour and 15 minutes to drive from my house. 

I took 539 pictures in the 24 hours I was there. RIDICULOUS! My camera is still on a weird setting that makes it snap two pictures every time I click--so that's a problem--but I really don't know how to resolve it. Anyway, half that 539 and it ends up being ... 270 give or take; so that's not really very much when you consider that I was surrounded by THE Lake at all times.

I'm going to break down these pictures into four categories: (1) The cottage, (2) Thursday's walk, (3) sunset pictures, and (4) Friday photos.

THE COTTAGE:

It's difficult for me to call this house a COTTAGE ... but this is what it is called by its owners; so there. It is a very lovely place.

This is the VIEW they have from every window of their house (almost). I would never leave here. EVER. They would have to bury my body on this hill somewhere!

There were EIGHT of us ladies here to enjoy a time of fellowship and relaxation. There was Margaret (our group leader), Christy (the cottage owner, and assistant leader), Tamela, Jen, Bethany, Pam, and Julie. And ME too! We all gathered on the back deck to enjoy the VIEW.

Beautiful daisies in front of the house ...

I love the reflection of the red barn in their front window. The barn is directly across the street from their cottage.

Another view of the back patio.

The great room ...

The bookcase (with attached ladder!) ...

The VIEW. The VIEW. The VIEW. A very tiny, 1BR, 1bath house would be just fine ... anything almost would suffice to have this VIEW.

The back yard is not deep, but it is lined with gorgeous trees. The house is up high on a hill.

The side deck ...

Another view of the great room. I believe there are three bedrooms upstairs and three bedrooms in the basement (complete with a ping pong table and one of those cool electric hockey games). Christy has a large family. She and her husband built this place 30 years ago.

This is the barn across the street from the cottage. The driveway on the very right of this picture goes down the hill to the beach.

I took a bunch of sunset pictures, but I'll post them separately. But LOOK at the view WITH the sunset. Yikes. I would NEVER leave this place.

I love these flowers, don't you? I wish I could get them to grow on the side of my house.

The view of the cottage from the pathway below the house that takes you to the beach.

Christy and her husband keep the cottage open year round. They live about 45 minutes from here. Christy's elderly mom lives 30 minutes from here. The cottage is often used as a "retreat" location for women's groups, as well as a place to encourage and refresh their friends. I am glad to be counted one of those friends!