Labor Day 2022

Did you enjoy a nice Labor Day?  I'm a day behind posting, but my hubby and I enjoyed a nice leisure holiday.  We left home thinking we'd have a late breakfast at our favorite breakfast spot, only to discover they were closed for Labor Day.  Not to worry, there were other options - or so we thought.  After stopping by four other restaurants and finding them all closed too [it was, afterall, a holiday commemorating Labor Day] we decided to go to Arby's fast food restaurant where just the drive-thru was open.

From there we made our drive to Romeo, MI for the 91st Peach Festival.  The five-day festival dates back to 1931 and is the second-oldest festival in Michigan.  Our first time visiting the festival was in 1983 when our son, Steve, marched in the parade with his high school band [Warren Woods Tower].  We have since participated in the parade twice with a float from our church.   

The skies were overcast with temperatures in the low 70's, but it never rained.  I think everyone else in Macomb County decided to go to the Peach Festival too, because it was very crowded and available parking spaces were sparse.  We found a spot in a banquet facility parking lot and walked to where all the vendor tents were located.  

You could smell the roasted almonds and pecans throughout the area, so we purchased some almonds to munch on as we walked among the vendor's tents.  The shop that had peach hand pies last year sold out on Sunday so we couldn't indulge in them this year.

We bought some peaches to bring home and I will bake something with them if they last that long. They are so juicy and sweet to eat all by themselves.  I think I see another trip to one of the orchards this season to buy more peaches!

Then we made our way back home to enjoy a quiet evening at home.

How did you spend the holiday?

Happy September!

September got off to a very good start last Thursday with lunch at Royal Treat tearoom [in Roseville] with my good friend, Lori.  Predictably, I ordered the Quiche Lorraine with a mixed green salad.  The menu option also came with a pot of tea and an assortment of scones.  We ordered Harney & Sons Cherry Blossom Green Tea and it didn't disappoint.  It was so good that I plan on ordering a tin to drink at home.  Yummy Pumpkin Scones made their debute that day and were delicious.  In addition to selling their scones at several retail locations, Just Delicious Scones now has their own gift shop on Harper Ave. in St. Clair Shores.  I plan to visit it soon.

There's nothing better than getting caught up with a friend over a pot of tea and good food!

Just before we left we decided to have our picture taken with Queen Elizabeth II.  She would approve of Royal Treat Tearoom!

Mansion Tea was a little light yesterday at The Whitney since it was a holiday weekend.  We only had 42 guests, but we had two weddings.  Shortly before I left for home, one of the servers told me a bouquet of flowers had been set aside from one of the weddings for me to take home.  The bridal attendants wore mauve colored dresses, hence the mauve colored roses in the arrangement.  By the time I got the bouquet home, a few of the roses were a little droopy, but still had enough life to enjoy. 

Next Saturday [Sept. 10] The Whitney will host the Autumn & Apples Tea at 12:00 p.m. as part of their City Fest promotion.

Even though Fall doesn't officially arrive until September 22, once September 1st appears on the calendar along with Labor Day, it seems summer is 'unofficially' over.   And with Fall, our thoughts turn to Apple Orchards and Cider Mills.

Our church is in Washington, Mi which is in the heart of orchard territory, hence our name Orchard Ridge Church of the Nazarene.  Apples and orchard trees are our logos.

Last year two apple trees were planted on the mound by the circular driveway in keeping with our logo, and this year they are bearing fruit - just like we as Christians are supposed to bear fruits of the Spirit [Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control].  

Go forth and bear fruit!  [John 15:16]

The children in "The Grove" are also learning how to produce Christian fruits in their young lives and I couldn't resist taking a picture of a painted apple tree in their area.

They ate the cutest pencil cookies in Children's Church as they talked about living for Jesus throughout this new school year.  I think these would make the cutest snacks/treats for children to take to school to share with classmates.

Sign-up for the Ladies' Fall Homecoming Tea is progressing slowly with 24 on the sign-up sheet. Ladies have until Sept. 18th [it's been extended] to sign-up and several will probably wait until the last day.  I mailed out 108 invitations on Friday, so I'm hoping for a good turnout for this first tea in our new building.

My day ended with a great Hallmark movie, Love's Portrait, filmed in Ireland.  If you missed it, it'll be shown again on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Day Trip to Frankenmuth, MI

Last Christmas our son, Jeremy, gave us $100 gift cards to Bronner's and Zehnder's in Frankenmuth.  We made a day trip on December 28th, but Bronner's was so busy we opted not to go there that day and only went to Zehnder's.  The gift card was only partially used, so we decided to go back yesterday and use it up.  

After my knee therapy, we headed to Frankenmuth, an 84 mile drive from our house and the weather was perfect - high 70's and partially sunny.  Frankenmuth is always busy since it's a tourist destination, but because school just started back it wasn't overly crowded.

Bronner's appears first when entering the city from the north, so that was our first stop.  It's a HUGE year-round Christmas store - 320,000 sq. ft. [or approximately 7.35 acres] with more than 20 acres of outdoor space.  They boast of being the world's largest Christmas store, open 361 days of the year.  

It's a wonderland of seasonal magic.  Even though Christmas is only 116 days away, it's hard for me to think Christmas in August.

Close to the entrance we used [there are several entrances and exits] was a large cookbook display that captured my attention, and I used a chunk of the gift card on two of them.

My daughter loves cardinals and there were a few cardinal Christmas displays, so I bought her a male and female pair of salt and pepper shakers.  I wish now that I would have bought a pair for myself since I have cardinal dishes, teacups and a teapot.  I may call to see if they ship, since there is still money left on the gift card.

~ One of many outside displays ~

Bronnor's is a family owned business of Christian believers.  When I got home and looked in my bag of purchases, there was an enclosed religious tract that told how the hymn What a Friend we Have in Jeusus was written.

From Bronnor's we headed northward into town and parked at Zehner's Restaurant.  It was approaching 3:00 o'clock so we were ready for our famous Chicken Dinner with all the trimmings.

I couldn't resist getting Jerry's head inside the Zehnder's Chicken!

Once inside, we were seated in the original room of the restaurant, built in 1856 and rebuilt in 1957.  It was our first time to dine in this room.  We've been there many times and have eaten in most of the other dining rooms.   There were no waiting lines.

We got their family style dinner, which begins with homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Stolen Bread and Red Raspberry Jam, assorted Breads and Garlic Toast with Cheese Spreads and Liver Pate, Creamy Cabbage Salad, Cottage Cheese, Cranberry Relish.

Are you hungary yet?  ;-)  After the appetizers, came our Chicken Dinner, which included their famous Golden Fried Chicken [we opted for white meat only], Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Chicken Gravy, Dressing, Buttered Egg Noodles and Corn on the Cobb. Everything was yummy!

Our dessert was a dish of Orange Sherbet.

Directly across the street from Zehnder's is the Bavarian Village that serves the same food in a German atmosphere.

After dinner I browsed the basement shops and a nearby boutique, but didn't see anything that called my name, so we got back in our car and made our journey back home.  It was a very enjoyable outing.

The Last Weekend of August

One of the pleasures of working at The Whitney is when I'm surprised by people I know at Mansion Tea.  Last Saturday was a busy day with a morning wedding/reception and shower on the first floor, and a birthday party and the 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. seatings for Mansion Tea on the second floor. 

I was delighted to walk into Mrs. Whitney's bedroom for the 1:30 p.m. seating and see Amy and her husband, Dave, seated at one of the tables.  I've blogged about Amy several times and enjoyed having her for tea at my home last February.  She looked lovely Saturday in her navy blue hat that coordinated with her outfit.  She's a Kindergarten teacher and The Whitney was her last outing before returning to the classroom today.  The light streaming in through the window made it difficult to get a good picture.

Kristen [a server] and I squeezed behind Amy for a picture of all of us.  Kristen was at my house the day Amy and her teacher-friend, Kim, came to tea.

I managed to buy three more bone china teacups from England at an estate sale last week to take to work.  They weren't the bargain price I got previously, but at $5 each they were still a good buy.

On Sunday, another friend texted me that she and a group of 12 were coming to celebrate her daughter's "thirTEAeth" birthday.  I wrote back that I was sorry I wouldn't be there since I don't work Sundays, but Steven, the server who takes over for me on Sundays, would do a great job.  They had tea in Mr. Whitney's study on the first floor, which provided a private gathering place.   My friend said Steven "knocked it out of the ballpark!"

Amy, the birthday gal, and her daughter, Clara, at The Whitney's front entrance.

My friend, Debbie, is in the middle below.  She's the Executive Director at Plymouth's Independence Village where I've done a few presentations.

Steven is in the upper right corner of the picture below, pouring tea.  He pulls double-duty on Sunday.  He's responsible for making the tea and overseeing the service in additon to his serving job.  It's a very busy day for him.

I love this picture of Clara sipping her tea.  Such a little princess!

And here's the entire group on the 1st floor staircase.

Meanwhile, I was very busy in my own home, having a birthday dinner for my daughter and her husband.  I wish I would have remembered to take the picture before we started eating and our plates got messy.  Ever since Lori was a teenager she requested Chicken Parmesan for her birthday dinner, so that's what we had yesterday.  Dave, her husband, is Italian and likes spaghetti with meat sauce, so I added that to the menu too.

My youngest son, Jeremy, happened to be in the area for a fantasy football draft, so he stopped by for a brief visit afterwards to extend his birthday wishes.  He had already eaten at his event, so just nibbled at our house.

I ordered a Cassata cake from a local bakery.  It's also one of Lori's favorites.

Lori has brought us joy from the moment she entered this world, and my hubby and I are so thankful for her life.

The grands, and one great-grand are beginning a new school year.  Brooke left yesterday after church for Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois where she will graduate a year early in May 2023. Ellie's in the 5th grade, Landon's an 8th grader, and Izzy's a high school senior. Samantha sent us some potential graduation pictures.  Sweet little Evie started kindergarten. Time passes so quickly.

This week began with an appointment at NuLife Medical this morning for my 4th knee injection. Next week will be my last, and they told me today my knee will be evaluated by comparing my first visit to consecutive visits, and and then the final visit.  Therapy will continue on a little longer.  I'm hoping this treatment is effective.  If it is, I'll sing its praises from the rooftop!

Closing now to head into the kitchen to fix dinner.  Our son, Steve, is joining us as Sharon isn't back from Illinois yet.  Have a good week!