lambscapearchitect: cottage crew

We recently returned from a great, great vacation with friends. The Cottage Crew consists of our family and two others. We have been renting a summer cottage in the Harbor Country region of Michigan for 5 years now. It is beautiful, relaxing, quaint, and convenient to the city---only an hour and a half away.

When you rent a house you never really know exactly what you are going to get. Last year we had a terrible place. I mean horrible. I remember going in the house for the first time, kicking our shoes off, and, in feeling the dampness of the carpets, commenting on how nice it was that the owners had them cleaned before our arrival.
No. We were so naive. That wasn't the case at all. The carpets were damp from mold and mildew and years of water damage. That was just the beginning of our Tour of Disgustingness. That place was awful.

This year's cottage was the complete opposite. A beautiful family home with a gorgeous swimming pool, gardens galore, and a block and a half walk to the beach. The most difficult decision each day was 'beach or pool?' And... how early can we put the kids to bed?

We played, cooked, read, drank, swam, ate, danced, and enjoyed each other's company. I was sad to leave and I can't wait to go back.