You might be having a little bit of deja vu friends! I know you guys all just chatted up about your love of lakes a few days ago. Well the irony is that I’m actually here at the lake house on our summer vacation, dipping my toes in the fresh clear water. I can tell you for a fact….it’s marvelous!!
Every August we leave the sunny west coast and head on up and over to the thick warm summer air of Michigan. It’s so pretty and relaxing—and honest-to-goodness SUMMER! We love it. Being a lakehouse girl is something of a recent thing for me—and really, I have Wolfie to thank,
I grew up in Michigan, but spent every summer in Santa Cruz, California so we never went “up north” or hung out at the lake, like most Michiganders. Around the time that Wolfie was born, my parents decided rather than buy a new house in our home town (they still live in the house I grew up in), they would look for a pretty little piece of lake front property. My mom said she had this dream of Wolfie growing up with the lake as one of his summer memories—going out on the boat, swimming and running around in the warm grass. My Uncle Max had a small boat back in the day, and my whole family has really fond memories of swimming at the lake. No one in our family actually ever owned a house on the lake, though, so this was amazing news. We were all so excited that first summer, when we saw the place. It was perfect!
My favorite part of the house is the huge deck, overlooking the water. Sitting on the porch-swing with a good book, listening to the leaves rustling in the breeze….birds chirping….watching the water gently rippling….sippin’ a lovely drinkie, it’s a little slice of heaven, I tell ya. It’s my favorite spot to lounge. As for Greg….well he’s more of a hammock kinda guy.
I think the location here is incredible. Most of the lakeside communities in this part of Michigan aren’t little woodsie cabins, they’re more houses in little neighborhoods. My parents have a place on a small lake (it’s almost like a cul de sac) and you can cruise down a little canal-like area into the larger “sporting” lake. A sporting lake is a lake where you can have Jet Skis and speedboats and all that jazz. Technically the sporting lakes are the primo real estate, but I love our gentle, quiet little lake so much better. Of course we head to the big lake when we want to swim.
Michigan is called the Great Lakes State for a reason. We have over 11,000 named lakes (sorry Minnesota! I know you are the state of 10,000 lakes) and four of the five Great Lakes border the state. That would be: Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Pretty amazing huh!
So, the heart of any good lakehouse experience, is THE BOAT! You need to get out on that lake and explore! We have a little pontoon boat, which is perfect for puttering around in. Let’s take a ride….
OK, we’re on the “big lake” now. Let’s pick up a little speed and  find a place to swim! Hold on fellas….don’t go TOO fast!
Lakes rule. I can’t tell you that lakes are better than the ocean though, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. If I’m being honest, being by the beach is pretty phenomenal—walking along the sandy shores, breathing in the sea air and just observing the power and majesty of the waves crashing down, well, it’s pretty spectacular! But lakes absolutely hold their own kind of magic. Swimming in freshwater and taking in the serenity of a smooth-as-glass body of water is every bit as wonderful. I’m so thrilled that the lakehouse is now part of Wolfie’s childhood memories. He loves swimming and going out on the boat so very much. It’s a pretty special gift.
We only have a few more days here and then back to the “real world”. I’m going to be so sad to leave…what have you guys been up to this summer? Do you have any traditions or special trips you take? When I was growing up, we had an annual summer road trip from Michigan to California. No lakes in site, but an AMAZING time and probably some of my top childhood memories!
