Tuesday, February 22, 2011

View from the Deck

The weather here in the Appleton area has generally been much more mild than other places I've lived in the Midwest. It isn't Sunny Southern California and the ocean, but still a nice view!


We have pretty sunsets....

and last week just about all of our snow melted and you could see grass all around. You might even notice that the lake had lost all of the ice, except for just a few feet at the shoreline.


We really like the view from our deck! Here it is on either Friday or Saturday this past weekend.



Then Sunday came.


And we got more snow. Again.


I heard we got about 10 inches.

It's pretty. But it needs to melt.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Weekend in Door County

Brent surprised me with a trip to Door County! He actually had some work to do there, but instead of going on some random Tuesday, alone, we went up together on Friday after work and got to stay in this wonderful Bed & Breakfast! We stayed at The Chanticleer, which I saw on a website as rated the best in Door County. I loved it! They have cabins, a guest house, and we stayed in the restored barn. It was beautiful! Each of the rooms have a different theme. They were tastefully done, with huge rooms, private bathrooms, and a double-sized whirlpool tub in each room! There was a wonderful continental breakfast delivered to our door the next morning, and if it had been just a little warmer, we could've eaten out on our own private balcony. We opted to stay inside by the working fireplace instead. :) I'm looking forward to heading back there again someday!


Brent did a couple hours worth of work on Saturday, but we had the rest of the day to tour around. Brent said that I could plan that time, so I opted for Sister Bay. When I've spent time in Door County in the past, that's one little town we tend to just drive through. There are so many things you can see or do, we always have to choose our time wisely. I knew Sister Bay has a Scandinavian history, so I thought it would help me feel like home! We had a great lunch, and a fun time in a few little shops.

We were able to do a few other fun things, but then headed towards my favorite park in Door County: Cave Point County Park. It's become my favorite spot! My friends that I usually travel there with will most likely recognize the little tiny cove that we usually take pictures around. Check out what it looks like with an almost-frozen Lake Michigan! Pretty strange, and unique, and oddly beautiful!

It had been really nice and warm during the day -I could wear just my sweater without my winter coat on, until we got towards later afternoon and right on the lake. Then, it seemed really cold all of a sudden!


I've had a number of pictures taken on this little ledge, but this time I couldn't, or wouldn't, sit down on it and dangle my legs over the side. That snow looked too cold!


We couldn't get into the "hole-in-the-rock" that my friend, LaVonne, and I have taken pictures in before. I didn't dare walk on the snow/ice/water that we inbetween those stages every few feet!
We had a great weekend, and I was so glad I got to go along with Brent, even if he worked a little bit! It was way better than him telling me later he had spent a day there without me! :)
Thanks for the fun, Sweetie! Happy Valentine's Day!!