Annie Lang's Blog!

Now that the days are growing shorter and the nights have turned cool, it's the perfect time of year to venture out to enjoy the summer flowers and sunshine before they fade away.  Applewood Estate was the ideal destination to casually enjoy the spectacular gardens and beautiful estate vistas this historic site offers to the public for free.   Applewood is a hidden gem located in the cultural district of Flint, Michigan and has been meticulously preserved and maintained by the Ruth Mott Foundation as a tribute to the legacy of Charles Stewart Mott and his many contributions to the Flint Community.  Applewood is the historic home of C.S. Mott and his family.  It is not a grandiose mansion, but rather a warm and welcoming country estate home with sprawling gardens, a greenhouse and interesting historic architectural features. Though it only takes a few hours to tour the gardens, it's time well spent as you leisurely tour the apple orchard, numerous flowering gardens, visitor'

It's the time of year where a road trip is the perfect way for me to make the transition from summer to autumn a bit easier to bear.  Apple picking season will be kicking off soon and now that the weather is cooler, it's time to gear up and enjoy the great outdoors!  This year, we rented a lakeside cottage in Suttons Bay, Mi and not only enjoyed the privacy, beautiful views and nights around the campfire, but the cottage was ideally located for the day trips we spontaneously added to our list. There was a hidden nature trail from the driveway of our rented cottage leading to a small winery that we naturally had to explore! This establishment had changed hands a few years ago so the wine selection was very limited.  The friendly staff, rustic barn and oak barrels pretty much set the stage for our visit to Nathaniel Rose Vineyard . This was my first visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes , and if you ever plan a trip to northern Michigan, it's definitely a destination you'