virtue cider

Ten Years

Douglas, Michigan

We managed to get away for our 10-year wedding anniversary. 

It was chilly for the last weekend in May, but we returned to two of our favorite spots near the Lake Michigan coast: Virtue Cider in Fennville, Michigan, and The Kirby Hotel in Douglas, Michigan.

Virtue Cider

Virtue was one of my early “holy crap” ciders, where I took a chance on a six-pack of cans and was blown away.

Now we come back to taste the new ciders, grab a snack, and head outside for some acoustic guitar.

Kirby Hotel

We came to the Kirby on the coldest day of 2022, after the wassail celebration at Virtue Cider was cancelled because of the weather.

It was fine by us, because that winter, we had the place almost to ourselves and we got to chat with the chef and operator about their historic hotel.

This time, the house was packed for dinner, and we had several guests in the hotel. But the next morning, for breakfast? Just us and the chef again.

I love finding little places like this, where you become a regular and get to know the staff. 

Shot on the Canon M6 and EF-M 22mm and 32mm lenses.

 

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West Michigan in Winter

It’s an annual cold-weather tradition: heading to Lake Michigan in the dead of winter to see our nearest Great Lake frozen.

This year, we were near Saugatuck, Michigan, and visited the lake on a sunny but very chilly Sunday afternoon. Visiting Lake Michigan this time of year is like landing on a different planet: cold, windy, the beaches barely recognizable. Beyond the snow hills, the lake was heaving – big waves of ice and snow, full of terrible power. 

Before that, we indulged in some hygge at one of my favorite cideries, Virtue Cider in Fennville, Michigan.

I discovered Virtue Cider randomly: one time I grabbed a random six-pack of cider at a local party store. After taking it home and loving it, I’ve been a fan ever since.

The cidery was hosting a Wassail party, but because of the freezing cold, they canceled it. That didn’t stop us. We still wanted a warm lunch and good cider, so we went anyway. 

Despite the weather, it’s important to get out and enjoy the cold when you can. 

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