A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum with J.Q. Rose

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

Click here to find mysteries by J.Q. Rose at BWL Publishing

Hello and welcome to the BWL Insiders Blog! 

Do you remember when car manufacturers kept their new models a secret until the unveiling in the fall? My Dad and I could hardly wait to see the new, sleek vehicles for the coming year. The manufacturers made it a big event. I miss that now. But I still have my love of cars. And I especially enjoy the art of the car. Did you ever think of a car as being artwork? Especially the older cars, muscle cars, and vintage vehicles.

We are fortunate to live only a couple of hours from a fantastic car museum, the Gilmore Car Museum. They are an interactive walk through history with their displays and exhibits located in amazing old barns nestled in the rolling farmland near Kalamazoo, Michigan. 

Please join me for a stroll through the museum so you can see some of the magnificent machines on display. 

VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum by J.Q. Rose

Curious? Make a plan to visit sometime. Click here for the Gilmore Car Museum website.

Do you appreciate the art of a car from its interior design to the lovely lines of the outside? I don't know a thing about the motor. I just want the car to go when I turn it on and press the pedal.!!! 

Thanks for stopping in today.

Click here to connect online with J.Q Rose.

Fall Camping with J.Q. Rose

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and discover great reads right here.

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring 

for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Available at the BWL Bookstore

My dear hubby, Gardener Ted, and I just returned this week from a camping trip to Ludington, Michigan. We camped in the city's Cartier Campground and explored the area known for their beautiful sandy beaches on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan shoreline
Photo by J.Q. Rose

Are you a camper? I'm a camper, but I'm not a hardy camper. I like to camp with AC, microwave, and an electric blanket in our 25' fifth wheel trailer. We tried tent camping when we were younger, much younger, and I didn't like it. But with all the amenities available now with the new, roomy campers and motorhomes, it's more like living in a condo on wheels. My kind of style.

Our camper
Photo by J.Q. Rose

The autumn season is the best time to camp. People are geeked up to go camping when spring comes, especially after a cold, dark winter of staying indoors. While every season has its own benefits, I am a fan of fall camping, especially if you can go in the middle of the week like we did

Here's a list of reasons why I enjoy fall camping Up North:

1. No crowds. Because school has started, families can only camp on weekends, and yet, many are busy with a full schedule of sports, clubs, and family activities to keep them from camping.

2. Mild temperatures. Great sleeping weather with temps in 40's-50's and bright sunny 60-70 degree days. (Cool temps in the morning and evenings make a campfire even cozier.)

Warm campfire

Photo by J.Q. Rose

3.  No bugs. Mosquitoes are too cold to fly!

4.  The fall colors. Breathtaking panoramas of color in the woods. I never tire of seeing Mother Nature dress up for autumn. 

Colorful fall trees
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

5. Apples. Mmm. Crispy, crunchy treats that are actually good for you. The roadside markets and farmers markets are teeming with fruits and vegetables of the season.

Are you a fall camper? What do you like best about the fall season? 
Please leave a comment below.

J.Q. Rose catching the sun
on the beach in Ludington, Michigan

Click here to connect online with J.Q.at the J.Q. Rose blog.

Camping Trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring 

for a flock that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.

Available at the BWL Bookstore

Hello and welcome to the Books We Love Insiders Blog!

The middle of summer and the prime time for travel is here. Today I'm taking you on a Road Trip to my most favorite place in the world--Mackinac Island, Michigan. Once the center of fur trade and now a top tourist destination due to the natural beauty and unique atmosphere of the area.

The small red star at the top of the map of the USA marks the place where Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron, one of the five Great Lakes. (Can you name all five lakes?) Answer is below.

Our entire family spent a few days in upper Michigan. We camped at the Tee Pee Campground in Mackinaw City, Michigan. (I loved the name of the bath house--WeeWee TeePee) Weather was perfect, but then again, I have visited Mackinac Island several times and the weather has always been perfect.

You probably noticed the two spellings of the city and the island are different, but both are pronounced Mackin AW--the ac is a French spelling I believe.

 We boarded the ferry filled with tourists to cross the Straits to the island in about thirteen minutes on the catamaran beauty. We took the early morning Star Line cruise because they make a detour to sail visitors under the Mackinac bridge, a five mile long bridge connecting the lower peninsula of Michigan to the upper peninsula.

 The  bridge was constructed in 1954 and completed in 1957. It has certainly changed the economics of the area for the good.

The underside of the bridge is a work of art as well as of engineering.  How strong this must be to hold all the traffic going along it. On windy days, the bridge will close to traffic. I'm glad we camped on the south side so we didn't have to drive our camper across this monstrosity.

The first glimpse of the elegant Grand Hotel from the ferry always makes my heart quicken with the excitement of knowing we are close to this magical place. If you saw the movie, Somewhere in Time, you saw this famous landmark. The movie was filmed here with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour as the main characters. So romantic.

Arch rock is another famous landmark about a mile's ride from the commercial area. Oh yes, I forgot to mention there are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (except emergency vehicles like a fire truck.) So we rode our bikes around the eight mile perimeter of the lovely island. Enjoyed taking our time to see amazing views of water and skies and wild flowers.

These draft horses are huge! They have to be strong to haul 24 passengers in their specially built Jayco carriages (drays?) Yes, Jayco is a well-known name in the camper industry. When you set foot on the island, there is no gasoline smell from motorized vehicles, but a distinct odor of horses. 

The front entrance to the Grand Hotel.  I wish we had more time to tour the hotel, but with young boys and a five year old granddaughter, it's probably best not to get too close to the elegant surroundings.

Dollhouse looking homes and B n B's in the Victorian style add to the charm of the island.

We visited the old fort on the hill. 
These costumed folks explained about the way of life and the history of this beloved area.
And of course, they fired canons and rifles to the delight of the crowd.

I wish my photos could do justice to the landscapes and sea surrounding the island. Breathtaking. We are standing in the old fort looking out over Father Marquette park. 

Sunset over Lake Huron

Hope you enjoyed the tour. If you ever get a chance to go to Mackinac Island, do it! And take me with you to my most favorite place on earth.

Click here for more information about Mackinac Island.

What is your favorite place to visit? Please leave a comment below.

Can you name the five Great Lakes?
Answer--Remember the names of the five Great Lakes by spelling H.O.M.E.S.--Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.

Come and Experience ArtPrize by J.Q. Rose

Come and Experience ArtPrize by J.Q. Rose

Come along with me to visit the most amazing art show on the planet! 

ArtPrize 2016 takes place September 21- October 9 and the entire experience is free to the public! 

What is ArtPrize? "ArtPrize® is a radically open, independently organized international art competition and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization."

How I wish I could capture in photos the most amazing works of art presented at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This international art competition is the biggest in the world with artists competing for $720,000 in prizes and grants in various categories.  The competition is open to any artist 18 and older. Half of the winners are selected by the public vote and half by a juried group of professionals. 

Today I share some of the amazing entries we encountered out of the 1500 + pieces entered in ArtPrize 2014. Please take a peek at the photos for a taste of the nineteen day festival held every fall in Grand Rapids.

This installation is made up of living plants. A great reminder to just step away, enjoy the festival's unique works of art, and breathe.

The author framed by flowers

These little colored pencil drawn ladies made me chuckle.

Brilliant lighted art piece of blown glass.

A 23 foot long panel of galloping mustangs created from all kinds of wood.

The "Chihuly-inspired" hanging is actually made of plastic bottles, not blown glass, painted by elementary students and put together by the art teachers. I appreciated its beauty even more after learning about the story behind the creation of this masterpiece.

A whimsical family of turtles. Smile...

The title of this piece is "Wind."

Grand Rapids Petroglyph--Fish carved and painted in stones 
that line the banks of the Grand River.
This river runs through the downtown area of the city.

A horse made of junk. Lots of car parts. Art fashioned from trash.

The venues are found downtown and throughout the neighborhoods of Grand Rapids. The artists display their works in museums, galleries, bars, restaurants, theaters, hotels, public parks, lobbies, buildings, walls, bridges, laundromats, and auto body shops. The outdoor installations are breathtaking, but even the little pencil drawings, and unique media used in creating all the original art, are mind-blowing. Street performers and musical artists add to the festive atmosphere of the event.

If you get the opportunity to attend ArtPrize, grab your hat and your walking shoes, and take in these amazing sights. West Michigan's magnificent fall weather is the perfect backdrop to feature these lovely,sometimes jarring, and often thought-provoking works of art.

The ArtPrize hosts describe it as "unorthodox, highly disruptive, and undeniably intriguing to the art world and the public alike."

Click here for more information about ArtPrize 2016.

About J.Q. Rose

J.Q. Rose is a West Michigan resident and author of mysteries that take place in Michigan. Her latest mystery is Deadly Undertaking, a romantic

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Available at Amazon

suspense that takes place in a funeral home. A handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life. Click here to connect online with J.Q. at the J.Q. Rose blog.