Report on recent Thanksgiving week trip.

[Tom at BV]

This will be my last posting of pictures. I wanted to show everyone what it looks like early in the morning. Everyone else always shows the sunset, I like the mornings!!!

Lots of little critters out there in the morning looking for food & the first rays of sunshine.

The last picture is one I just had to give you a peak at. There was a private wedding at our condo just before Thanksgiving. I just had to take a picture of the beautiful basket of flowers. We were not a part of the wedding & just got a peak through the window. What a beautiful wedding with a beach setting.

T

 

[supermom262]

Tom, I saw your locations, my dad is from Charlevoix and I am from Ann Arbor. We had been vacationing here since 1996, bought here in 1999, and had been going back and forth from Ann Arbor to Santa Rosa Beach until 3 1/2 years ago, when we finally said "What are we waiting for?" We have had no regrets. I do miss Michigan football "GO BLUE" and the Detroit Tigers! Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures!

 

[Ocean Lover]

This will be my last posting of pictures. I wanted to show everyone what it looks like early in the morning. Everyone else always shows the sunset, I like the mornings!!!

Lots of little critters out there in the morning looking for food & the first rays of sunshine.

The last picture is one I just had to give you a peak at. There was a private wedding at our condo just before Thanksgiving. I just had to take a picture of the beautiful basket of flowers. We were not a part of the wedding & just got a peak through the window. What a beautiful wedding with a beach setting.

T

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: Thanks for the great pics!!! I Sowal mornings too!

 

[Sheila]

Thank you Ms. Sueshore,

Did you attend the Seaside Santa parade Saturday Nov. 25th.??

Santa was there for all the little kiddie's & big girl's too.

T

We watched from Seagrove. What a funn parade. We really enjoyed the parade and the company of many friends. The kiddo's (young and old) the candy and beads that the parade participants threw to the "crowds". It was a nice way to end a wonderful week.

 

[Tom at BV]

Tom, I saw your locations, my dad is from Charlevoix and I am from Ann Arbor. We had been vacationing here since 1996, bought here in 1999, and had been going back and forth from Ann Arbor to Santa Rosa Beach until 3 1/2 years ago, when we finally said "What are we waiting for?" We have had no regrets. I do miss Michigan football "GO BLUE" and the Detroit Tigers! Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures!

Thanks for the warm welcome. Especially nice to know Supermom was our Northern MI. neighbor. I am surprised no one asked more about the wedding. My wife is still talking about the beautiful flower's. I understand the flower's came from Atlanta in a refrigerated truck in the middle of the night & set up the morning of the wedding. They were the most beautiful flower arrangements I've ever seen.

Here's a few more pictures of the beach at sun-up.

T

 

[Tom at BV]

Forgot this one.

T

 

[Paula]

Hi Tom: Your photos are stunning. Thanks for posting them and for giving us the trip report. We LOVE trip reports on SoWal.com. I am also your neighbor from Michigan -- Ann Arbor. I have heard that Petosky is beautiful, so hearing you say how beautiful SoWal is is extra special coming from someone who lives in Petosky! When we asked friends on ours where we should go for vacation in Michigan "up north", they said "Petosky". Perhaps you can tell people on the board a bit about Petosky or Michigan's upnorth.

It was Supermom who told us about SoWal and we ended up buying two small cottages, one in 2003 and 2004 - just before the market skyrocked and then started going down again. I agree that this area is going to be just fine (better than fine) in the medium and long-run (and we plan to keep our cottages for the long run so the market is pretty irrelevant to us except that it did stop the excessive growth). We're still living in Michigan (and probably always will), but go to SoWal whenever we can. We'll be there more often (such as throughout the winter) in about 6 years when the kids are in college.

 

[Tom at BV]

Hi Paula,
Good to hear from our MI neighbors!!!
Lets tell our Sowaller's about our beautiful state of MI. We go up-north like everyone travels to Sowall. When I say Petoskey this includes Boyne City, Charlevoix & Harbor Springs. We purchased our lakeside condo about (20) years ago btwn. Petoskey & Harbor Springs off M-119 on Round Lake. We have fallen in love with our small (inland) lake & recently (3) years ago completely remodeled it from the floor up including bath tubs, etc. Our place will go to the kids when we leave this earth.

Petoskey is special and growing into the resort jewel of the midwest. We especially like Bay View www.bayviewassoc.com founded in 1875 by the United Methodist Church with 440 period victorian cottages with their christian & musical opportunities. We also like Harbor Springs for their July 4th parade festivities (dog & look alike competition). The parade on the 4th in Petoskey & Harbor Springs is something you have to see to believe. You would think it was the early 1900's. If you like wooden boats I like the concours auto/boat show in June www.bayharbor.com and everything else about the area's wonderful resturants. The town of Petoskey has a new downtown renovation going on www.petoskeypointe.com that will again change the area forever.

Anyway I have to stop here because I could go on forever. Petoskey is not for everyone if you dis-like cold weather. We like our MI summers & our Sowall winters. I forgot to say I really enjoy my summer travels up-north during the summer when the wife is there for the summer. I commute to my business (260) miles downstate over the weekend, stopping along the way to buy "sweet black cherries" from the local markets. I OD on the cherries along the highway spitting out the cherry seeds through the cars moonroof. Looking in the mirror I smile with purple lips (cherry juice) & know this is the life & why I live in Petoskey. Enjoy a few pictures.

T

 

[Tom at BV]

A few more.

 

[Lady D]

Tom, I love the pics. Especially the one of the gorgeous house in the snow. Makes me definitely want snow. :clap_1: