V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

After a brief stop in Ann Arbor for my nephew Christopher's 6th birthday party, this is where I get to spend most of next week:

(Yes, that's a real rainbow. Lake Margarethe, post-rain, August 2007)

For the 25th summer in a row, I'm off to the north woods of Michigan for a week of golf, giant breakfasts, tubing and laying on the dock doing nothing whatsoever.

And for the 7th year in a row, I plan to bite off more than I can chew, creatively speaking, at The Icehouse Quilt Shop, a cute little surprise along the railroad tracks in Grayling, a 1920's lumber center and now "Canoe Capital of the World," for its miles of navigable waters along the Au Sable River.

This shop has a great feel to it, and some wonderfully helpful employees and clientele to guide your choices or just talk shop with. Wonderful selection of brights, and fantastic samples covering the walls to get your creative juices flowing...if you're in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth a stop.

Did I mention there's a gift shop?