Cat-Nap Wednesdays

Foot Bridges

We've been on many hikes in our area. It's known for thousands of trail miles. There are some close-by favorites where we have hiked what seems hundreds of times. We thought we knew these trails like the backs of our hands, but then we were humbled to come across a leg we never tried. We were pleasantly surprised to find several foot bridges--it made for a delightful fall day hike!

Andy

Dutch Apple Pumpkin Crisp

Another unseasonably warm day lead us to the woods. After a wonderful walk in "Leelanau State Park" we stopped at "Northport Pottery." This weekend is the annual "Fall for Art in Leelanau Gallery Tour" and Northport Pottery was a participant. They do beautiful work and I found a very fun casserole dish which in our house will most likely be used for desserts.

Another friend, Doug Racich, was part of the tour. He paints using several mediums with one being quite unique called Egg Tempra. Yes, he creates his own paint using eggs. His paintings are truly amazing! Be sure to check out his website, "Leelanau Prints." I think you will find his work to be phenomenal.

We visited Dong's gallery later in the day and stayed for a dinner pot-luck. We made Apple Pumpkin Crisp in our new casserole and I planned to take a picture for George and Tom, at Northport Pottery, so they could see how quick we put their pottery to work. When I finally remembered about getting a picture the dish was empty!!

Dutch Apple Pumpkin Crisp

2 C apples, peeled and chopped

1 C canned organic pumpkin

1/3 C sugar

1/4 C milk

2 T flour

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t cloves

1 egg

Topping-blend following until crumbly:

3/4 C flour

3/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C softened butter

1/2 t cinnamon

dash of cloves and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Cook apples in microwave about 4-5 minutes till crisp tender. (I'm not sure if this step is needed. Next time I make it I'm going to try skipping it). Arrange apples in the bottom of a 9 inch glass pie plate.

Beat remaining ingredients with whisk until smooth. Pour over apples and sprinkle with topping mixture. Bake 25 - 35 minutes till golden brown and set. Serve warm with whipped cream. Serves 8. ( adapted from "Betty Crocker")

We certainly enjoyed the fall evening with good friends, good food and fine art.

~Michele

Fall Manitou Sunset

Ahh . . . fall. Apples, falling leaves and cool, crisp 55 degree air. WAIT! It got to 84 today! And, many more days of above normal to come. It's nuts, but we'll take it (OF COURSE!) along with a gorgeous sunset. This one is over the Manitou islands which form the basis of the story the Legend of the Sleeping Bear.

This is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that just got voted the number one most beautiful place in the US by Good Morning America. Who'd a thot? Well . . . I guess . . . we did . . . because we moved here for its beauty years ago.
Happy Autumn!
Andy

Cat-Nap Wednesdays

Katie takes bath time very seriously ....

...... she spends about a half hour bathing before settling in for her nap!

(No Mom, she isn't on the table ... it just appears that way. OK ... she is ... but doesn't she look warm and happy??)

Finally sleeping.......

Michele

PS Can't resist adding a fall shot .... my very favorite time of year!

"Toilet Cake" (For Real!)

A good friend of ours turned 50 this past week. You could say that . . . cough . . . I had a hand in . . . ahh . . . his office "surprise". I saw a picture of the cake from another co-worker that originated it about a month ago. Once I saw it, it was a no-brainer for Mike. 

Funny--the cake looks like office equipment!

He's our Plant Manager and oddly many odd jobs fall on him, like or not. In fact, very much to his chagrin, he fixes all of our toilets! 

Regardless, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKE! Another one down . . . the toilet. Sorry, couldn't resist.  ;->
Andy & Michele

Black Swallowtail (Papilio Polyxenes)

Click to see a closer view.

Michele saw this guy (gal?) on one of our plants a bit ago. Striking caterpillar specimen. We didn't know what he was, but luckily have on hand Caterpillars of Eastern North America by David Wagner who identified it as a Black Swallowtail butterfly.


The book pictures are excellent, the write-ups informative, and the process of identification usually takes at least one full pass through all 512 pages. Sometimes it takes two; it goes quicker than you might think though. 

Not as abundant as they once were they can still be found up and down the coast from Canada to south Florida and into Texas. I thought it beautiful and, ironically, just read that part of its camouflage is resembling bird droppings. Go figure . . . ;->


Note the "orange horns" in the top pic. This is their alarm response and I think he got bothered by the camera flash and me twisting and turning the stems to get different angle. After a few minutes of shooting, I left him alone. 
Andy

Click to see a closer view.