I feel like a fairy princess this morning waking up in my magical kingdom in the Black Walnut B&B located in Sturgeon Bay, WI. The 1890 house with each multiple rooms decorated and themed is freshly painted and newly renovated while keeping the original veneer. Each room is equipped with its own jacuzzi which even my 6ft 2in husband could comfortably enjoy despite his recent shoulder replacement. He was so happy to be completely relaxed and pain free.  The jacuzzi faces a mirror for the romantic couple wishing to be framed.  We slept in a very comfortable queen-sized bed adorned with blue and white fluffy pillows and blankets.  While looking for a place in Door, a friend suggested we call the Chamber of Commerce in Sturgeon Bay since there was no place to stay in the Upper Peninsula.  It was reasonably priced with a military discount in a high demand season. Queen Amanda, the owner, greeted us each morning with wonderful breakfast which included ample fresh fruit garnished with Greek yogurt. We dined on the deck outside our room where the sun beamed in and birds sang beautiful songs.  What a wonderful place to get away and spend quality time with my Prince. Sturgeon Bay was less crowded than the Upper Peninsula and easier to find a good restaurant for dinner. There was also interesting stores and live plays close by.

It was a short drive to Whitefish Dunes where we spent several hours. I walked along the beach and enjoyed watching children play; it our first time on a beach this summer. We checked out on Sunday morning with warm memories of our stay in the Magic Kingdom refreshed and ready for our volunteer assignment with Humble Design/Chicago on Monday.

I wake up in the morning to the sound of birds, humming birds are at our feeders and go from flower to flower at the plants Larry planned. Each day is a gift as the days get shorter.

Larry had shoulder replacement surgery and struggles at times to find a comfortable position to sleep in. On the otherhand, I usually sleep well and wake up early to grasp the best of the day for me. But Larry still would use each day to one handedly complete tasks around the house like mowing the lawn and feeding the birds while up on a ladder. As he got better, he continued his volunteering by making Welcome Home plaques and serving at Humble Design, Adaptive Adventures and Habitat for Humanity. I marvel at his dedication in traveling miles to help others with the high prices of gas.

When I knew he could easily take care of himself, I hopped on a plane to Bozeman MT, and spent 8 days with my Montana family. It was such a delightful time to go with my son, Aaron to his workouts at Cross-Fit at 7 PM. Afterwards, he made me a delicious foamy coffee latte that gave me energy for the day ahead. Aaron and Lynelle have built an art studio and apartment in their yard. I’m so impressed with how they have used the internet to learn how to do difficult tasks like plumbing, etc.

Deb and I went hiking to beautiful places in Montana and enjoyed a lunch with her friend, Bradford, who is an actor and teacher at MSU. We talked about theatre and I shared about directing plays and teaching high school English.

Each day I was there, the mornings and evenings would be cool with the sun becoming intense during the day. A highlight to my week was seeing Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night at Chico, a beautiful resort in Pray, MT.

The frosting on the cake, was the time I spent with my grandsons, August, Jasper and Isaak. They are young men now with a love for karate and the outdoors. They are so close to one another. I took a walk with Isaak, the youngest of the three, to Yellowstone River. As I absorbed the beauty of the place and listened to the roar of waters, I became emotional about such a special place to visit. I wished it was closer.

As much as I enjoyed my vacation to MT, I missed my husband, my home and friends. There is beauty in almost every place we visit if we can look at it with fresh eyes. I love, love, love summer and I’m holding on to each beautiful day that comes our way. We are so blessed.