My enthusiastic young shopper ...at The Camellia, Slate River, On

How often we forget the simple pleasures in life ...like jumping through a sprinkler on  a hot day ... yelling and squealing with excitement. I was visiting at someone's house, and watched a little girl next door running in and out of the sprinkler with her Mom. 

All day long you may have been daydreaming of being by Lake Superior, maybe longing to be near the Lake, and reality was that you were stuck at work with deadlines to meet. The good news is that in Thunder Bay you're never more than half an hour away from the Lake. How will you spend your time away from work today? 

So the other day we had a group of shoppers at our store, The Camellia, and a little girl was with them, she was maybe 5 or 6 years old. Her Aunt is looking around our store, and the little girl is kind of ,... well,... bored. They go upstairs, and I hear an excited..."Look at This Bed, I LOVE this Bed, and those Pillows...!!!" 

I get asked....." How much is it for the whole Bed? I want this WHOLE bed, all these pillows, I would be so comfortable on those, and the net, and the bed...and I WANT IT ALL!!" 

SO nice to hear such enthusiasm..!! How bored we get as adults. And she is right..this Bedding is our Brunelli line, it's 100% cotton, is super comfy, and washes like a dream. It comes in sizes from Twin to extra King. Come into our store to see the Brunelli catalogue, If patterns are in stock, you can receive your order in 10-12 business days. 

Our Mosquito nets are 40 feet wide on the bottom, and they work to keep the bugs away. We also have in stock at The Camellia, Noseeum nets, which are super fine ( 126 holes per square inch).  

Anyway, even when her Aunt had gone back down the stairs, the little girl could not stop talking about THE BED, so she ran back upstairs to take a photo ( with her pink I-Phone) so she could show her Dad. ( I am at this point feeling slightly archaic as I am one of those people with no smart phone). Her enthusiasm and excitement were contagious. 

Visit The Camellia, for luxurious, oh-so-soft Cotton Bedding, and Mosquito and Noseeum Nets. 

30, Hacquoil Rd. Open Wednesday through Sunday, p.(807)475-3551

www.thecamellia.com

Day off at Lake Superior, Naniboujou Lodge & Gran Marais, MN

What better way is there to spend a day off than driving and hiking along the shores of Lake Superior? It was a perfect day for being near the Lake, it was sunny and hot. Driving from Thunder Bay to Gran Marais one should pack a hoodie as you never know when the breeze might be blowing off the Lake, which makes it a bit chilly.

A great place to stop for Lunch is Naniboujou Lodge, a historic Lodge, where you can stay overnight. 

The Dining Lounge is awash in colour  ..a peaceful place where one can recharge one's weary self. 

What a cozy spot to sit on a crisp, Fall day. 

Where did they find all the pigments to complete the artwork in the dining Lounge in 1929?  A menu from way back states the price of Lunch - $1.29. We ordered the Salmon soup and the Naniboujou sandwich combo. It was wonderful. Afterwards you can wander outside for a stroll beside Lake Superior. 

While we were at the Lake, we did a photo shoot for some of the new blues of Cottage Paint. it's a chalk-like paint which you can paint onto wood, without sanding or stripping. Buy online at www.thecamellia.com or come into our store, The Camellia and buy some. 

Onward to Gran Marais to get some yummy custard ice-cream at  Syndeys' Frozen Custard. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sydneys-Frozen-Custard-Wood-Fired-Pizza/120260351343771

Just like the ice-cream my Mom used to make from scratch with milk, eggs and sugar. Yummy!

You can take your custard and sit upstairs for a spectacular view..move over Greek Islands!

The onwards for a hike beside the Lake, past the Marine Coastguard. 

Formations of rocks and water. 

Here at The Camellia, we sell noseeum nets, they are 40 ft. wide on the bottom - we sure could have used one of these by the Lake, there were these ankle-biter flies, they look like houseflies, but they bite. I wrapped my feet up with some towels, and this seemed to help. 

It's hard to see with the plastic over the net, but the mesh is super fine. 

When was the last time you took a day off? Think about spending it beside a Lake. If you are heading to Gran Marais for the day from Thunder Bay, stop by and visit The Camellia. Turn left on Hacquoil Rd. we are at #30, on the left, 1.6km. off Highway 61. 

The Camellia, Open Wednesday through Sunday. 

30, Hacquoil Rd. Slate River, On

p(807)475-3551