For five days in July 2007, I visited friends in northern Michigan's lower peninsula. If one makes the right turns--which I didn't--this is about a four-and-a-half hour drive from my house just east of Detroit. For three of those nights I stayed with Peg Case (Casey) and Jeanne Peters in their new (to them) home on 40 acres of land near Honor, Michigan. My timing for this visit had a great deal to do with the fragile health of our beloved friend Mary White who lives about twenty minutes from Casey and Jeanne. I also took this opportunity to visit Peggy Midener, my former art professor and friend, who lives in East Jordan, two hours northeast of Honor. After a lovely day with Peggy (and her visiting daughter Wendy, son-in-law Brian and grandson Toby--see the World of Froud web site), I drove twenty minutes west to Charlevoix, a popular resort town bordering Lake Michigan, where I spent my final night at The Lodge, a motel designed by Earl Young (1889-1975), Charlevoix's famous builder of what are known as "mushroom" or "fairy" houses. On the last page of this gallery is a photo of one of his stone homes.

Northern Michigan with its Great and small lakes, piney forests, rich farmland, world-famous cherries and, more recently, its excellent vineyards is a beautiful part of the United States. I hope my photos give you some idea of the wonders that await visitors to my state.