Visit to Canada...

We visited Canada on Saturday, 15th June. It's a new country for all five of us - and it's only 30 minutes away! The reason we took an afternoon trip to Canada was to visit the Saffa Shop in Belle River, Ontario. It's a South African food shop that sells groceries and frozen products from back home. It was lovely to see (and taste) a few favourites from South Africa. :)

We drove over the Ambassador Bridge to enter Canada and returned via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. It was a lovely four-hour trip overseas! :)

Driving over the Ambassador Bridge.

It has beautiful views of the Detroit River.

Approaching Canadian territory.

Browsing in the Saffa Shop.

Selfie at the sign.

We stopped for coffee at a cute little coffee shop.

Family selfie in Canada.

Picture postcard painted on a block of flats.

Heading back towards the border.

Driving in the tunnel under the Detroit River.

Candace found an amazing t-shirt at the Saffa Shop. :)

The South African goodies we bought at the shop.

Family Cycle...

For the first time, we were able to venture out as a family for a leisurely cycle ride early one Friday morning. :) Both Riaan and Eliza are excellent on their own bikes, and Anya is all too happy to be in the bike seat behind me. There are so many nice cycle pathways close to home. We did 10 kms this day - and we all loved it!

Candace, Eliza, and Riaan. :)

Flying Flapjack 5K...

We all took part in a 5 km fun run/walk on Saturday, 8th June. It was at a nearby park on Edward Hines Drive, and proceeds from the event went towards a local pregnancy resource centre. The race is named the Flying Flapjack, because afterwards there is breakfast, and flapjacks are thrown through the air onto your plate!

Awaiting the start of the race.

We saw several unicycles on the road. :)

Out on the route.

Finishing up with flying flapjacks for breakfast!

Jiran Service...

A regular part of our life here in Michigan is the Jiran Collective - a joint English-Arabic service that happens every second Friday night. It's a beautiful time of worship and a story from the Bible is shared. I had the privilege of telling the story of the Man with Leprosy - from Luke 5: 12-16 - back at the beginning of May. We love attending and being involved with these multicultural outreach services!

An amazing night of worship earlier in June.

Our House in Early Summer...

Candace has done a wonderful job with our garden over the past eleven months. All I do is mow and weedeat. :) The front of our house looks lovely this summer - although, admittedly, the siding of our house could use a spot of paint. One step at a time!

It's been over two weeks since these photos were taken, and already the plants are thriving!

View from the other angle. :)

Napoleon Park...

We visited the little town of Napoleon, Ohio, on Sunday, May 19th. There is a lovely children's play area here, which we have stopped at several times on our travels between Indiana and Michigan. Here we met Candace's parents who were spending the weekend in north-east Indiana. It was a lovely afternoon catching up with family.

The girls enjoyed the playground. :)

Mackinaw City and Whitefish Point...

In the middle of last month, we made the trip up north to Mackinaw City. Here, we stayed in a hotel for two nights and explored the surrounding area - including seeing a couple of impressive lighthouses and a number of lovely beaches. 

We even drove across the Mackinac Bridge and entered the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for the first time. From here we headed north to Lake Superior's shores. Here we visited Whitefish Point, the location of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. This spot is particularly poignant as it is not too far from here that the Edmund Fitzgerald foundered with all hands in November 1975. 

What made our trip extra special was someone leaving a note on our windscreen as we were parked at Whitefish Point. It made us curious about these kind strangers. We've prayed for them in the days since, too. :)

Family selfie with the Mackinac Bridge in the distance.

McGulpin Point Light.

McGulpin Rock, used as a navigational aid by explorers in the 1600s.

Walking along the beach at McGulpin Point.

The Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse - guarding the Straits of Mackinac.

Fish and Chips for supper. Yum!

Eliza and Riaan posing on these cute carved wooden bears.

Crossing the Mackinac Bridge...

And entering the Upper Peninsula!

Beautiful pine trees along the side of the road.

Whitefish Point Light Station...

And the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum!

Displays inside the museum...

Including the bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The family enjoying the shipwreck displays and nautical artifacts. 

Scale model of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

USCG Cutter in the shed that is now used for presentations.

A replica of a smaller USCG Cutter - once based at Whitefish Point.

Memorial to the Edmund Fitzgerald near the beach.

Point Iroquois Light, about an hour to the east of Whitefish Point.

Lovely pebbly beach.

Exploring a tea shop in Mackinaw City.

Viking Polaris, a new cruise ship passing through the Straits.

USCGC Mackinac, a former Great Lakes icebreaker and now a maritime museum.

Another view of the Mackinac as dense fog rolls in, obscuring the Mackinac Bridge to the right.

A scenic little park where we wrote some postcards for family and friends. :)