Lake Michigan and signs of Autumn

Elkhart, Indiana almost adjoins the state line of Michigan, about an hour Southeast of Lake Michigan. Around the Southeastern shore of the lake there are many tall sand dunes and quaint towns, that we've been wanting to see, so off the little Saturn went, to Lake Michigan and the town of Saint Joseph, with lots of shore side villages in between.

The day was just a little coolish with a grey sky when we departed Elkhart, but as we neared the Lake, it became quite brisk and the wind really picked up. We learned the true meaning of "lake effect", as you could see the cloud formations in the sky and feel the temperatures drop as we traveled north and closer to the lake.

"Lake hair" up on the dunes at Lake Michigan

At the shoreside town of Bridgman, we found our way to the dunes and our first sight of Lake Michigan. It seemed as if we were really at Myrtle Beach, as the lake looks much like an ocean, with a wide beach, waves rolling in and no shore in sight!! We hopped out for a walk and Whoa...what a surprise..the wind was howling and it was freezing!! Tossing on the light jacket that was hiding in the Saturn, we hustled up to the top of the dunes for a look-see.

A dune along the shoreline

It is indeed, a beautiful lake with a lovely shoreline. We took some photos, but didn't tarry too long, because it was freezing!! It would be hard to imagined winter up here. We noticed that all the fire hydrants had tall rods attached to them....the better for the snowplows to see them!! And there were just a few too many snowmobiles in the yards for my comfort! Nope, I think heading south is the antidote..."lake effect" stuff is just not enticing to us!

We had lunch in the lovely town of St Joseph and drove through Silver Beach, adjacent to the town. The "downtown" area seemed pretty lively, with many restaurants and trendy store fronts. There were painted "sailboats" on the street corners, in the fashion of "signature" icons that are frequently seen in towns and cities.

Decorated sailboat on a St. Joseph street corner

Making our way back, it got sunny and warmer as we traveled south. Upon arrival in Elkhart, it was quite sunny and pleasant. Elkhart seems to get a little of the "lake effect" snow and rain, but it's nothing like being close to the shore!

The leaves were beginning to show their colors and it made a nice palette as we traveled.

What a pleasant diversion from the mess on Wall Street and Washington. Thanks to all of you who commented and emailed from the last blog. We still haven't found anyone who was in favor of the huge payout Congress just gave away. What an interesting dilemma. Grannie would have just loved all this....she was an avid fan of Fox News, (and other news channels), and followed the politics and antics "inside the Beltway" closely. Always up to date on current events and ready to have a conversation with you about them, I wonder what would she have to say about it!

Big hugs to everyone!