Friend Judy and I spent half a day at Warren Dunes State Park. I was amazed that so few people were on the beach on such a perfect day. I had intended to camp there for a few days and invite friends for a campfire as I did in 2004 but time ran out. Neighbors from many moons ago, Bob and Noushi, took me for a ride in their Class B motorhome and we had lunch at a quirky little place in New Buffalo. I love going to Cracker Barrel where I met Shirley and Peggy, and other high school friends. Since my 2004 trip, the high school was torn down. Bummer! Nephew Craig who teaches law at MSU, met me for a few hours of conversation in the beautiful MSU Gardens. Friend Eileen and I moseyed through Niles’ new farmer’s market and bought goodies to share. Yumm!
I revisited an old church in Pokagon, MI. Out of 300 hymns he wrote, Rev George Bennard had the choir sing the final version of his most famous hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross” in 1913 in this huge old church that was built in 1862 as a hops barn. After exchanging many owners and uses, the building is being restored to its 1913 Methodist Church appearance. It was great connecting with old friends at First Pres church on the Sundays I was in MI. Four different nations controlled Niles over its 300-year history, thus it is known as “The City of Four Flags.” I hated leaving because the weather was so perfect and I was having a great time.
The next few days I spent in Auburn, Indiana, with my dearest friend from teenhood, Linda. She is the ultimate Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma and friend. Having survived a bout with cancer this past year, our time together was even more precious. Not only did we talk non-stop but we ate non-stop. Indiana’s summer harvest meant vine-ripened tomatoes and garden lettuce for BLTs and fresh peaches for dessert. We said goodbye over breakfast at the Cracker Barrel.
Auburn, IN is best known for the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum and the annual Labor Day Weekend Festival and Car Auction. I went to it with Linda one year and with the scratch of my head, I was almost the owner of an antique Duesenberg!
God Bless until next time.
At 45, Widow Minshall began 20 years of solo full-time RVing throughout Alaska, Mexico, and Canada. Sharlene canoed the Yukon, mushed sled dogs, worked a dude ranch, visited Hudson Bay polar bears, and lived six months on a Mexican beach. She lectured at Life on Wheels, published six RV-related books and wrote a novel, “Winter in the Wilderness.”
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