Have you heard of the stunning 4-acre poppy field in Fennville? When I heard about it, I headed out the same day and am so glad I made the trip. The poppy field is indescribably heartwarming and I will be back to experience it every year. The field was planted by Joan Donaldson and John Van Voorhees, the owners Pleasant Hill Blueberry Farm, to honor their son Mateo. Mateo was in the military and deployed to Afghanistan. After returning, he struggled with PTSD and eventually took his life in 2015.

Mateo had been a beekeeper and his parents began planting the poppy field in 2018 to feed the bees and butterflies that he was so fond of. They also hope the field will bring joy to others facing hardships. It truly does.

The poppies are in peak bloom in June, so be sure to visit them before July. Everyone is welcome, but because of the volume of visitors, please, please, please follow the below requests so this can continue next year. The adjacent cemetery was damaged by visitors to the farm and people have been going in the field and trampling flowers. Remember, this is a private farm and a very generous gift of love from the owners:
• PARKING 1. Please park along M-89 or on the very West side of the cemetery only. No parking for poppy viewing will be allowed anywhere else in the cemetery. 2. Please pull far enough off that west side roadway to allow vehicles to pass through. 3. Please remember to be respectful of the community’s loved ones that have been laid to rest there. 4. With the exception of Sunday during church, parking is available at The Fennville Assembly of God Church, a short, pleasant walk. The church is located at 5897 124th Ave, Fennville, MI 49408 • REQUESTS FROM THE FARM 1. The field has a path surrounding it for visitors, please stay on the path and do not walk into the field. 2. Please do not pick the flowers.

Pleasant Hill Blueberry Farm is also worth a trip for their organic blueberries from July – early August. You can pick your own, or they also will ship frozen organic blueberries to you year-round.

Here’s the address for Pleasant Hill Farm, if you are going to see the flowers, you’ll want to park on the road in front of the cemetery, which is just before you’ll reach the actual farm: 5859 124th Ave, Fennville, MI 49408

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Tall grassy areas are a typical place to be aware of ticks.
Tall grassy areas are a typical place to be aware of ticks.

Yes, I said it, lyme disease is in Michigan and if you live here, or visit here, you need to know about it. The last few years, I’ve been hearing more and more about lyme disease in Michigan and this year is no exception. I am not saying this to alarm you, ticks and lyme disease don’t need to ruin your fun, you just need to know that it’s here, it’s probably not going away anytime soon and how to protect yourself. Most cases in Michigan occur between late spring and mid-July, but can happen even in the fall.

Check out the below map provided by the state of Michigan, it shows where the most cases have been discovered in the state, and where lyme disease is heading. If you’re visiting the lakeshore, ticks like to hang out in tall grassy areas and hop on for a tasty meal when folks walk by them. But, you can prevent this by either covering up, and/or spraying with tick repellant. I prefer to use natural repellants with at least 20% oil of lemon eucalyptus. After being in wooded or tall grassy areas, check for ticks and take a shower. If you discover a tick, remove it and save it so you can send it in for testing if you get sick. If you remove a tick within 36 hours of it attaching itself to you, chances are more likely that you won’t get lyme disease. If you do get sick, getting immediate 30 day treatment with antibiotics that last for at least 30 days is important. Following are some useful resources to help combat this issue:

Michigan Lyme Disease Association

DBC Holistic Health Dr. Adrian Den Boer, nationally known for wholistic treatment of lyme disease.

Prevention: Be cautious when walking in the woods, avoiding bushy and grassy areas. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts and wear insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin or, if you’re like me use something natural containing a strong solution of oil of lemon eucalyptus. After walking in wooded areas, thoroughly check the skin for the poppy-seed sized ticks, paying particular attention to the scalp, armpits and groin. If you find a tick, carefully remove it with tweezers or a tick remover. More info

Repel Plant Based Insect Repellant with Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus has been recommended as a natural solution.

Permethrin on clothes kills ticks on contact and lasts several washes

Dammix Tick Tubes offer an innovative solution to rid your property of ticks.

Ticked Off Tick Remover

Useful guide from the Michigan Department of Agriculture for preventing tick borne illness: Ticks and Your Health

Michigan Lyme Disease Map (does not include results from 2013).

Lyme Disease Map for Michigan
Lyme Disease Map for Michigan

 

 

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Michigan beaches are among the best in the world and are regularly voted as top destinations. In fact, this summer, the Grand Haven beach was named #14 by CNN Travel as a “Must See Beach.”  Here are some of my favorite Michigan beaches:

This is not even close to a complete list of nice Michigan beaches, it’s just ones that I am familiar with and love. Please add your favorite beaches in the comments section.

There was a good crowd at the Krasl Art Fair on Saturday, but it was totally comfortable.

2013 Dates for Krasl Art Fair: July 13 & 14, 2013

I went to the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff in 2012 and Loved It! What a great place to have an art fair. It’s on a bluff, with Lake Michigan in the background. Nice, because aside from the beauty of the lake, there was a cool breeze wafting over the art fair making a day that would have been uncomfortably hot, pleasant. I took some photos of my favorite artists (but I actually thought they were all great.)

If you’re thinking of going in 2013, (and if you are an art lover, you should) here’s a few thoughts and tips to make your visit more fun…

– Leave your pets at home, they are not allowed at this show.

– If you bring the kiddos, be prepared to leave before you are ready to go, there’s a lot to see and they will probably wear out before you do.

– Bring your credit card, and expect to use it! There is a huge selection of top notch artists with something for everyone. The range of prices for work varies, and you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get something nice, but you can if you want to!

– Parking on site is difficult to find, but there are shuttles so you may want to check out the shuttle locations before leaving home. I did find a nice parking spot after driving around for about 15 minutes that was a pleasant 6 block walk to the show.

– There’s a food court with some pretty yummy offerings, everything from Polish sausages to Greek salads and frozen coffee.

I went by myself, and it took me about 4 hours to see everything, but I move kind of quick. And, a little more about the artists, it’s obvious that this show is very carefully curated, artists flock to this show from around the country with many of them regional artists from the Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana region. This is considered one of the best art shows in the nation. The art fair started 52 years ago and features over 200 artists representing 32 states and Canada.

Visitors to Krasl range greatly too, with many coming from the Chicago, Detroit and Grand Rapids areas. Here’s the official website where you can find more information:

Krasl Website