The Crystal Mill

The Crystal Mill

Due to it's distance from

my place of residence,

and the poor road quality (It's a four wheel drive road only) to it.

The Crystal Mill

has remained

on my bucket list 

for quite some time.

I was incredibly excited 

when my family decided to rent  

Beaver Lake Retreat for the week,

providing the perfect opportunity to go see it.

Beaver Lake Retreat ~ Hummingbirds

Beaver Lake Retreat ~ Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds

Truly amazing creatures.

The way they

hover

zip

glide

and shoot

sometimes straight up in the air.

If you've ever 

get the opportunity 

to sit and watch a cluster of humming birds. 

I highly recommend it.  What a worthwhile pastime.

Beaver Lake Retreat Canoeing and Fishing

Beaver Lake Retreat Canoeing and Fishing

Summer 

just isn't summer

unless you get a chance

to play in the water

get a little wet

breathe the mountain air

take in the beauty 

and calm

of nature.

Maybe catch a fish or two.

or canoe across the lake,

Perhaps you prefer the beach scene.

It's all about getting away.

Taking time to relax

enjoying family.

escaping everyday responsibilities of life.

That's what Summer Vacation is all about.

Beaver Lake Retreat

Beaver Lake Retreat

Family get-togethers can be tough.

We all live in different places,

so when we all get together,

We never have a big enough place to hold all of us.

Rather than overwhelming one person

by trying to have everyone stay at one person's house,

This year we tried something different.

We rented the entire facility at Beaver Lake Retreat.

It was great.  The place was big enough.

We could all eat together,

hang out,

enjoy the hot tub, 

have a bonfire with s'mores,

watch the hummingbirds,

and still have a place 

for everyone to sleep at night

without kids sleeping 

across every feasible inch

of floor and couch space.

The adults could still stay up and chat. without fear of keeping the little ones up.

We all had a wonderful time.