Michigan

Canoeing - it sounds romantic, doesn't it? My aunt and uncle had their first date while canoeing a Michigan river. My parents gave my husband and I a double kayak for our wedding present. I am a nature photographer, and most of my photographs are taken out on the lake, during a quiet paddle. Every other week our daughter and I go out and clean up the lake, picking up people's trash.

It is all about the water, and how you can truly experience nature by being on it.

Today we visited the BlackRock Medieval Fest, held in Augusta, Michigan. Near Kalamazoo, this renaissance festival is lively, fun, and quite entertaining. We'll write more about it, but today, when we're full of medieval joie d'vivre, we'll share the BlackRock Medieval Fest A-Z. Take a look...

Lords and Ladies of West Michigan, save room on your calendars for the Black Rock Medieval Fest, held on 5 weekends in summer in Augusta, Michigan. The festival runs from 10am - 6pm on weekends in July and August.

Note: We've updated this! Please click here to read: 

The Complete Guide to Kalamazoo Coffee Shops

We recently moved to Kalamazoo, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the great local coffeeshops around! Some have more photos than others – I’ll have to rectify that situation.

Here are 5 of my favorites:

The Michigan Townships Association offers the Robert R. Robinson Memorial Scholarship for students pursuing a career in public administration. The scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis, and applicants are considered on several factors, including academic achievement, community involvement, and commitment to local government administration.
 

Detroit Beer: A History of Brewing the Motor City is the latest addition to Arcadia Publishing and The History Press' American Palate series. The book is written by local author and small business owner Stephen Johnson.

‘Pointless’ might be something you would expect when I tell you what it’s like to visit a beach town in winter. When a town makes its living during the summer months of tourists visiting its sandy beaches and Lake Huron shores, it’s easy to pretend that the town doesn’t exist in the winter months.

The holidays are well underway at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around The World exhibition features more than 40 holiday trees and displays from around the globe. This magical time of year includes glow of 300,000 lights, unique hand-made ornaments and blossoming holiday plantings.

“When every piece falls into place, it’s like a dance, a delicate but powerful balancing act. The art of holding on and letting go at the same time.”

Such is the beautiful writing in the winner of Elephant Rock Books’ 2016 Sheehan YA Book Prize, The Art of Holding On and Letting Go, by Kristin Lenz. A fellow Michigander, Lenz has written a powerful story of family, finding yourself, and growing up. 

Most people, outside the west coast, seem to think beaches are only for summer. If it’s not sunny and 80 what’s the point of the beach? No one wants to go to the beach in anticipation of freezing their butt off.