Recent Blog Posts

You've probably finished off your turkey by now, and Christmas is just a few weeks away. Carols are playing, and we're trimming trees and decking the halls. Grab a cup of eggnog and read up on this Michigan Christmas trivia. It might come in handy as a conversation starter if you find yourself at a...
Read More>>

Categories:  Travel, Michigan Love

Hello, friends! Today on the blog, I'm sharing a recipe with you for homemade beer bread and a delicious garlic dip to serve with it. This bread is super quick to make and perfect to serve guests this holiday season as an appetizer or too give as a gift to friends and family. The garlic dip recipe...
Read More>>

Categories:  Recipes

Hello and welcome back, friends! Thanksgiving is only a few days away (already!!) and the temperatures here in Northern Michigan are finally plummeting.  It's that time of year where I'm starting to wear multiple layers and starting to crave yummy, homemade comfort foods, like homemade chocolate ...
Read More>>

Categories:  Recipes

Did you know Michigan ranks second in the country for the number of ski areas state-wide? Some of the best are located right here in Northern Michigan. The first significant snowfall of the year is forecast for this weekend, which means the 2015-16 Ski season is about to get underway. It’s time to...
Read More>>

Recently Ryan, Carl and I met my sister-in-law, Jennifer Shorter and her family in Vancouver, BC for the weekend.  Jenn as many of you may know is the Owner of Grandpa Shorter's gift stores.  In our group we had 6 parents, 2 grandparents and 5 children ages 4 to 13 years old.  Vancouver is loca...
Read More>>

Categories:  Travel

Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away, can you believe it? I swear I just blink and summer is over and I blinked again and missed Halloween and now it's Thanksgiving in a week and a half. With Thanksgiving also comes Black Friday, one of, biggest shopping days of the year. So, between planning...
Read More>>

Categories:  Uncategorized, Recipes, Holidays

What comes to mind when you think of the words marching band? Be honest with yourself. Think all the way back to your middle school or high school experience. Was being band considered cool? Or was it mainly frowned upon? Thinking way back to my band experience, it no way compares to what I think ab...
Read More>>

Categories:  Petoskey

Add coffee to the long list of tempting artisan food products you'll find in Northern Michigan. When you come up this winter to enjoy a long weekend of skiing or shopping, be sure to stop by one of these coffee roasters for a hot drink to warm up. You can also take home some Michigan-made coffee to...
Read More>>

Categories:  Travel, Petoskey

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas gifts for friends and family who love Michigan? Whether they call the Mitten State home or have fond memories of summer vacations swimming in the lake and playing in the sand, Grandpa Shorter's has something for them. Petoskey Stones - Michigan's state s...
Read More>>

Hello, friends! Thanksgiving is on the horizon and today I'm bringing you some fun kids craft activities! I'm not sure about your kids, but my girls are obsessed with crafts. I've tried my best to contain the mess as much as I can, but it doesn't help that my work often involves working on fun kid...
Read More>>

Categories:  Holidays