{Livonia, Michigan - Meeting with a Blogger Friend I Admire}

After our wonderful Mackinac Island tour, complete with Afternoon Tea at the Grand Hotel, it was back to Mackinaw, City and next day after breakfast I hit the road again for driving some 4 hours south to the Detroit area. We were staying at the Hyatt Place Detroit/Livonia for one night before continuing to the border of Canada next day. Just enough time for meeting with a sweet Blogger Friend that I Admire: Deborah from The Beautiful Matters. Over the years we have shared so many mutual interests and our love for tea on Blogger. It was about time for meeting in the flesh and sip a real cup of tea together!

Here we are; happy together!
Sweet Deborah did write about it even before I could put my act together: Tea and cookies with a blogger friend

Yes, before going on this trip, husband Pieter mentioned that our home smelled like a bakery as I'd baked about 10 lbs of Amaretti Cookies from Almond Meal with Coconut Palm Sugar to make them as healthy as possible.
Deborah sure deserved her two bags of these home baked cookies as she is one of the bravest women I know. A very touching post written by her was this one: In memory of my son and it is only weeks ago that her eldest son would have been 31 years old.
Hard to believe that this beautiful and brave lady had 10 children of which 3 are alive.
A true role model with a strong Faith.

We both had a white iPhone...
Both let our hair color be natural...
Both of us LOVE pearls: Deborah's post about it→ Looking for pearls
Both of us LOVE hand writing: Deborah's post→ Thank you notes

Both of us LOVE vintage handkerchiefs: Deborah's post→ Vintage handkerchiefs

Both of us feel alike: Deborah's post →  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - you can check out my comment on that.

Sipping Tea Together, feeling blessed!

 Living both a content life is very much like Deborah wrote: Blessings in the mundane

Words of wisdom...

Closing with Deborah's words:→ Ode to friendship

I certainly feel blessed knowing this fine lady!

Pieter speaks also very fondly of her and that makes me double happy.

If you not already have discovered this gem in Blogland, click on those pink hyperlinks for getting to know her great qualities.

Hope you enjoyed our tea time!

Related links:
{Our Grand Hotel Mackinac Island Michigan Afternoon Tea} | previous post by me
{Mackinac Island Flora} | previous post by me
{Mackinac Island Carriage Tours} | previous post by me
{Patriotic & Romantic Mackinac Island, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Shepler's Mackinac Island, Michigan Ferry} | previous post by me
{505 S Huron Avenue, Mackinaw City, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Delta Annual Companion Certificate Flight to Detroit, Michigan} | previous post by me

{Our Grand Hotel Mackinac Island Michigan Afternoon Tea}

In my previous post I told you that the carriage driver let both of us off, only 5 minutes walking distance from Mackinac Island Grand Hotel where we went for Afternoon Tea...

Yes, the tulips were in full bloom in front of Mackinac Island, Michigan's Grand Hotel on June 3...
The Grand Hotel got built in 1887 in just 93 days!
Quite a sight isn't it?

Such perfect tulips!
There were lots of tourists taking photographs but husband Pieter managed to capture their beauty very well.

For entering the Grand Hotel you must pay a fee of $ 10.00 and you may give yourself a tour.
We instead did head straight away for the Grand Hotel Afternoon Tea in the Parlor.

Each table had a bowl that gets removed when serving tea or coffee.

My iPhone 4S on the table...

A plate with an array of pastries and tea for me and coffee for Pieter.

On the right of the plate you also see a fresh-baked scone...

Pieter happily pours his coffee...

Looking really tempting.
Even though I usually don't eat any sweets, I did have the chocolate dipped strawberry and the little chocolate that was filled with yummy coconut mousse and topped with a blueberry.
I also ate the fresh-baked scone, without any marmalade.

Lovely cups!

Perfect timing at 4:00 PM with our Ferry departing at 5:00 PM.
But inside the building with the air-conditioning running, I was pleased that I did bring my packable polyester and silk Escada jacket!

This is a more than 100 year old Grand Hotel tradition, of serving Afternoon Tea in the Parlor, accompanied by a chamber music recital.
We enjoyed this lovely harpist.
The carpet reflects the red Pelargonium, that grow outside, see photo below!

Stunning view over Lake Huron!

When we leave for going on the veranda outside, I had t take these photos...
Sherry and Champagne with petite finger sandwiches.

An array of pastries...

Sorry for the poor quality but I wanted to give you a better look.

Plate with petite finger sandwiches.
Speaking of 'finger', we both were quite surprised that also our array of pastries got served without any pastry fork! Only a spoon for scooping up the mousse.
That is quite different from Europe and at this level I would have expected it as well.

Tea cups on a tray with lovely rose.
Coffee got served in these tea cups as well...
They might want to see my blog post: {Difference Between Coffee & Tea Cups}

No, that is not our Carriage... This is only for guests that stay at the Grand Hotel.

Love that big arch above the grand door!
Great architecture and for completing all that in 93 days, back in 1887 is quite astonishing!

Our Carriage driver did point out something about the azure blue color underneath those balconies for tricking birds into nesting elsewhere...
Tales from the Head Grand Hotel Painter where he states that every April they use some 150 to 200 gallons paint on the exterior!

Time to say goodbye to this incredibly romantic and patriotic looking island of Mackinac, Michigan...

We had such a perfect day and still very sunny!
Windy it got a little bit so Pieter kept his Burberry score from Last Call Outlet on and especially for crossing the Straits of Mackinac on Lake Huron.

It was lovely for living a day in the late 1800s and seeing so many different carriages.

Grand Hotel
Opened on July 10, 1887, the Grand Hotel was built by the Grand Rapids & Indiana and Michigan Central railroads and the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company through the efforts of Sen. Francis B. Stockbridge. It is built of Michigan white pine. With its magnificent colonial porch, longest in the world, it is a classic example of gracious living seldom seen today. One of the outstanding landmarks on the Great Lakes, it is the world's largest summer hotel.

We just walk around the corner for boarding again Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry and for making it back to Mackinaw City.
The long Mackinac Bridge is visible here.
Hope you enjoyed this very special Grand Hotel Afternoon Tea, where many First Ladies stayed over their Century of service.

Related links:
{Mackinac Island Flora} | previous post by me
{Mackinac Island Carriage Tours} | previous post by me
{Patriotic & Romantic Mackinac Island, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Shepler's Mackinac Island, Michigan Ferry} | previous post by me
{505 S Huron Avenue, Mackinaw City, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Delta Annual Companion Certificate Flight to Detroit, Michigan} | previous post by me

{Mackinac Island, Michigan Flora}

Our second part of Mackinac Island Carriage Tours did bring us through breathtaking nature of northern Michigan. The forest with its flora is so beautiful and our first surprise were the rather large spots with FORGET-ME-NOTS. Also Lily-of-the-Valley but it was not possible for jumping off the carriage...

Are these Forget-Me-Nots not lovely? And freely growing in the woods!

Even some white Forget-Me-Nots...
In Italian they are called: "Non Ti Scordar di Me"

These I spotted on the lawn below Mackinac Fort

The Common Daisy or Bellis perennis; a childhood favorite that we don't see in Georgia.

Trillium

Those I did photograph when the passengers had 10 minutes for visiting Arched Rock and I instead ran off into the woods to find those Forget-Me-Nots and Trillium instead.

Sorry for the poor photos; I only had my iPhone...

When I climbed up this hill, I was amazed at the layer of rich humus soil and one could really spot a lot more if given the time!
Mackinaw Island is mostly rock formation, like granite boulders. The woods often support their trees only on several inches of soil. You can read more about Mackinac Island State Park Natural Wonders by clicking this link. Its coast line is mainly formed by Glacial Lake Algonquin and you find some interesting information about the many stones and minerals here:  Geology of Michigan and the Great Lakes

A beautiful pink Trillium

Mosses are my favorite too and this tree was so nicely clad in its moss skirt.

Our carriage driver let both of us off on Huron Road, where a rather steep road led us straight to Grand Hotel where we were going to sit and relax for some Afternoon Tea.

We also did spot these Queen Anne's Lace...

Yep, speeding on a bike will result in being prosecuted...

See you at Grand Hotel!

Related links:
{Mackinac Island Carriage Tours} | previous post by me
{Patriotic & Romantic Mackinac Island, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Shepler's Mackinac Island, Michigan Ferry} | previous post by me
{505 S Huron Avenue, Mackinaw City, Michigan} | previous post by me
{Delta Annual Companion Certificate Flight to Detroit, Michigan} | previous post by me