These are just a tiny sampling of the beautiful flowers on the island. Every where you look there is another garden to take your breath away. The garden below curves along side the Iroquois Hotel - enlarge it to appreciate the full beauty!
These yellow "Dinner Plate" Dahlias were amazing. The photo doesn't do them justice.
These ladies were my favorite "flowers" on the island. We were waiting for our table at the Seabiscuit cafe - the raspberry martinis were oh so delicious!
This lovely "cottage" was my home for the past 4 days. It is located on the East Bluff of Mackinac Island and is as grand as it appears! Five of us visited our friend Maryanke who owns this beauty with her husband. It was built in the late 1800's, looks as it would have then, but with all the internal updates for todays lifestyle.
Here is our hostess (and a view from the porch) taking her horses to be shod. Since there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island ,horses, whether being ridden or pulling a carriage along with bicycles, are the main modes of transportation!
This was my bed! The carvings were simply beautiful as was everything else about the room. Check out the fabulous chandelier below.... Each morning I awoke to the view of the straits and the sound of horses clip-clopping by! Heaven!!! My room was the "cupid" room.
These are the 187 steps we took to get to the lower part of the island! Cindy is about 1/2 way down! They look daunting, but trully aren't so bad. A great work-out coming back up which we did a few times! All in all, a lovely vacation spent with dear old friends!
This looks like a repeat photo, but notice what looks like a lace cloth over the top of the door. It is actually tin with a hanger for a wreath/pot of flowers! I discovered it yesterday at the same floral shop, brought it home, spray painted it white "voila"!
Yesterday I ran into the local floral shop to return a pen I'd inadvertantly taken home with me last week while ordering some flowers,,,,, That simple act led to some simply wonderful purchases! This gardening station with the tin awning, many of the items on it and the shabby chic table in front of it.
I couldn't leave this behind either! I now have the starting point for my shabby chic deck. All the furniture pieces are made from old doors. And the best part of all of this - it was all on sale!
This week-end I attended the outdooor wedding of my cousin Tom's youngest daughter. Sara was the most beautiful bride . Here they are just having crossed a wooden bridge about to walk down the petal strewn aisle.
The smocking on this dress is so beautiful and well done that I've cut it from the dress to make a pillow - not sure when the pillow will get done.... I was so blessed to have some loving great aunts.
These 2 dresses make me smile. So sweet and made with such loving care. I am grateful my mother was a saver and kept these for me all these years!! 50 at least!
My sweet Emma humored me the other day by letting me dress her in one of the smocked dresses from my childhood. She's also sitting in my old rocking chair!
This photo shows me in the dress in 1956. Two of those little guys are my brothers - at least Bill wasn't aiming the gun at me! My great aunts made several of these sweet dresses for me with all the wonderful smocking.
This shelf is in my kitchen - a "find" from a friend and perfect for a few little things.
A touch of my Scandinavian heritage (both Swedish and Norwegian) in a corner of my fam rm.
These are another couple "finds" at our Mole Hole. The "curtain" on the front door is an old embroidered tablecloth from my mother's collection. I liked the little blue birds on the hanging pieces and the welcome on each. The basket quote says "Love, Laughter and Friends Always Welcome". My feelings exactly! 
This is one of my favorite paintings. My friend Sue, her daughter Dana and I saw it in the window of a shop in Petoskey a couple years ago and stood on the sidewalk laughing. Thankfully the price was right and it came home with me, where it continues to entertain. We see the possibility of our future selves in it! The artist is Shelly Wilkerson and it is from her collection titled "Cat Companions". After the purchase I received a set of collectible cards from her and each painting is as whimsical as this one. Her web site is www.catcompanions.com If this keeps up I may have to rename my cottage to "Cat Cottage"......
I continue to maintain that I have cats, I don't collect cat paraphernalia!!! However this tile was just too cute to pass up. Loved the colors, the sunset and yes the cats. Reminded of me of my 2 and how they sit in the window waiting for me to come home - tho as yet I haven't seen any paws over each others shoulders..... Hope everyone had a good 4th!