Christmas in July

We’re nearing the end of our stay in Manchester MI. Have loved the campground. It’s new, first year it’s been completely open. And they’ve had no trouble filling sites, despite the delayed pool opening.

BIG HAIRY DEAL!

Kids (and adults) missed out on swimming in June/July, though it may open for the last few days of this month. The campground planned for a saltwater swimming pool. Got the right permits and did all the work. When it came time to inspect it, the state wouldn’t allow them to have it! Said it was too close to the fishing pond and the spillage would harm the fish.

Regroup…

It’s taken 2 weeks to retrofit the pump and filter. Then all the water had to be removed and hauled away. The pool had to be refilled and inspected. And I think there is some kind of waiting period. A grand opening is scheduled for tomorrow.

There will be rejoicing in the land!

There are plans to expand this campground, which will include sites even closer to the lakes, and deeper into the trees. Land grading has already begun, and the architectural renderings in the office are promising. It will be even lovelier when it’s all completed.

We are about 40 min from Ann Arbor, where University of Michigan resides. Their health care system brings people from all over the country, and around the area for advanced procedures and diagnosis. College visits and students planning to attend, also have a place to stay with family, while they make their decisions, or set up their dorm rooms. And of course the football games are high on the list of reasons to park here.

Awww, we’ll miss those games while we’re in Florida!

We’ve spent a bit more time meeting people here than we have in other camps. Gotten to know the camp hosts, office manager, on-call fixit man, (who goes by Mayor) and the seasonal campers. That’s a new one for us. Seasonal campers are people who own RV’s but store them for the winter, then park them somewhere all season so they can come up on the weekends and relax. They may spend a week day or two, or even a week’s vacation here. But for the most part their units are empty all week and active on weekends.

An economical lake house.

The campground has been hosting events all month. 4th of July was a taco bar and concert, and fireworks in town but seen here. Weekend hayrides, complete with hide and seek Sasquatch in the woods. Crafts, s’mores, and one weekend a shaved ice truck appeared. Lastly, Christmas in July came, with a contest for the best decorated space.

Since we’re heading out for a 3rd try at having our warranty work done tomorrow, tonight we’re using up our fridge, and hosting a potluck sish-kabob night. The weather has cooled, so a campfire is on the schedule too. Hopefully 3rd time is a charm for the repairs.

Sigh…

I’ve made 3 quilts during this stay, 2 as gifts and one top that will be quilted later (on a professional machine), when I figure out what to do with it. Sorting, piecing and stitching all of it together is soothing for me.

And who doesn’t need to be soothed these days!?

My squares don’t always line up. And I’m more than willing to land on ‘good enough’ instead of perfect. I can tell that practice is helping and I’m always learning. Debating a better machine too (!$!).

The last top I pieced, used up a fair amount of covid scraps. When I visited my friend in KY, she handed off her precut leftovers, and I was able to sort them into 2 quilts, boy and girl themed. I think I need a flannel wall in our hallway, to place pieces before I stitch. This one could have been better tossed.

The last plug I’ll give for summer in Michigan is the weather. Last night we slept with the windows open, it dropped to about 58 degrees. The breeze was cool and our evening was lovely. It’s been hot and humid, so it’s not exempt from summer weather. But it’s definitely a place for escaping the worst of the heat. And you can always find a spot with this kind of view.

We’ll be back next summer. It’s too lovely to miss and we’ve enjoyed it too much. Spending our summers in Michigan, is a big part of our long term plans.

But winter?

Eh, not so much…