Grandpa Shorter's Petoskey, Michigan Gift Store Blog

When piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, do you ever wonder who made the first one? or how a jigsaw puzzle came about? We did a little search on the history of the puzzle and learned quite a bit.

The History of the Puzzle

When piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, do you ever wonder who made the first one, or how the jigsaw puzzle was invented? We did a little search on the history... Continue reading

Erica

Now that winter finally showed up, children have a renewed hope of getting a snow day or two off from school. There are a lot of legends and superstitions about “rituals” that will make it snow and keep the big yellow buses off the roads. We can’t guarantee any of these methods work, but if you want to skip class, building a snowman, or enjoy some extra R&R, you can give one of these a try.

General

Seven Rituals to Try When You Want a Snow Day

The snow finally came to Michigan! Now that we have some white stuff covering the ground the Ski resorts are open and buzzing with activity, the kids are out sledding... Continue reading

Colleen Stout

Michigan Love

Petoskey, Michigan Scavenger Hunt

Sometimes a walk around town is all we need to have a little fun with our families. This Petoskey, Michigan scavenger hunt is just the thing to get you outside... Continue reading

Erica

Frosted Sour Cream Sugar Cookies Recipe from Grandpa Shorter's Gifts.

Holiday Love

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookie Recipe

Family traditions during the holiday season are what memories are made of. One tradition the Shorter family has each Christmas is making Mari Shorter’s famous old fashioned sour cream cookies.... Continue reading

Erica

Our Letters to Santa mailbox out in front, lightly covered in freshly fallen snowflakes. It's a tradition all of us at Grandpa Shorter's Gifts love.

Holiday Love

Letters to Santa Clause

If you’ve ever driven down Lake St. in Petoskey, Michigan, after Thanksgiving, you might have seen our Letters to Santa mailbox out in front, lightly covered in freshly fallen snowflakes.... Continue reading

Erica

Holiday Love

The Best Ski Resorts in Michigan

The best ski resorts in Michigan are just a few miles from downtown Petoskey, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Northern Michigan has some of the best ski... Continue reading

Erica

As the weather starts to cool down in Northern Michigan, easy to make chili as always been a favorite of ours. You can make it as mild or spicy as your family enjoys and it's quick.

Recipes

Easy to Make Chili Recipe

As the weather starts to cool down in Northern Michigan, one of our family’s favorite go-to recipes is this easy to make chili. You can make it as mild or... Continue reading

Erica

Recipes

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Brown sugar glazed carrots are an excellent side to make with dinner. They pack a little bit of that carrot crunch with a sweet taste. I love traditional veggies at... Continue reading

Erica

Holiday Love

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a staple on the dinner table on Thanksgiving day, a creamy and crunchy side dish that everyone enjoys. If you make a list of the top... Continue reading

Erica

General

Boyne City in the Fall

Boyne City, in the fall or summer, is one of our favorite local cities to visit. It’s a great place to visit for some great fall colors, beautiful views of... Continue reading

Erica

There's no question that Petoskey is a special place. Northern Michigan is a place most of us choose to live year round, a place to enjoy all 4 seasons to their fullest. Here's our Petoskey Word Search with words of a few places and things we love about where we live.

General

Petoskey Word Search – A Fun Local Activity

There’s no question that Petoskey is a special place. Northern Michigan is a place most of us choose to live year-round, and a place to enjoy all 4 seasons to... Continue reading

Erica

It's Fall, Ya'll. It's pumpkin spice, apple cider, and fall color season. These pumpkin spice cake cookies with a cup of coffee is just the thing you need on a chilly fall day.

Holiday Love

Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies – An Easy to Make Recipe

It’s Fall, Ya’ll. It’s pumpkin spice, apple cider, and fall color season. These pumpkin spice cake cookies with a cup of coffee are just the thing you need on a... Continue reading

Erica

The History of the Puzzle

Seven Rituals to Try When You Want a Snow Day

Petoskey, Michigan Scavenger Hunt

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookie Recipe

Letters to Santa Clause

The Best Ski Resorts in Michigan

Easy to Make Chili Recipe

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

Green Bean Casserole

Boyne City in the Fall

Petoskey Word Search – A Fun Local Activity

Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies – An Easy to Make Recipe

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