Birthday trip recap, part 2

The second part of my trip recap is all about the shopping. The Western Shore  of Michigan has a couple of stores that I just love, the Sawyer Garden Center and Drier's Meat Market.

The Garden Center, for the first time, actually had gardening supplies!





Bulbs, patio furniture, and grills were displayed all over.

The back greenhouse was delightfully springy.











What makes the Garden Center a required stop, however, are all the other areas of the store. There's a grocery section full of local and small-farm goods, like jams and dried fruits and interesting pastas and breads. Then you start wandering through the rabbit warren of other rooms, into one full of soaps and candles,  one with children's books and toys, women's clothes and jewelry, more garden accessories like birdfeeders, glass figurines, on and on and on. I can easily spend an hour just browsing and daydreaming.











(Blurry because I was giggling while I snapped the photo.)





My haul, after all that, was rather restrained. In my opinion.





The Ugly Doll and jalapeno beef jerky are for my husband, the US wooden puzzle map is for Babyfriend, and the chocolate covered pretzels are for me.
Not sure if those Plink things are any good, but you are supposed to use them in your disposal to keep it sanitized and smelling nice. We shall see.




Since I had such success with the frog jam and the triple berry preserves (raspberry, black raspberry and blackberry, THANK YOU for no blueberries!) from this brand, I decided to try a couple of others. Do you know I have never had strawberry rhubarb anything? I have lived a sheltered life, you guys. It's very tasty!

I was hoping for an orange marmalade -- I would really like to try a good one, not the gross million extra packets they always have of it when you are picking jellies in a restaurant -- but there were only peach marmalades available. Which makes sense, since oranges aren't native to the area. Sigh. I guess I will have to wait for my mom to make another batch that sets this time. Hint, hint, MOM!!!

The next day on my way out of town I headed over to Three Oaks for Drier's Meat Market. It is a tiny little storefront in the middle of a tiny little downtown, but when you go in it is a complete throwback to an old-fashioned butcher. A hog butcher; I am sure they sell other kinds of meat, but most of what I am there for is the pig: bacon, sausage, liverwurst, and of course, ham. HAM!





Love the sawdust on the floor. I only wish they had a barrel of penny candy to complete the image.





My haul: port wine tub cheese, ham salad (gone in two days, lol), liverwurst, more jerky for Hubby, and a couple of pork-beef sausage for us. (Excuse the price tag on the jar, I was having a Minnie Pearl moment.)



Since I knew the ham salad would disappear quickly, I decided to pick up some of the relish they use in it, so I can try to recreate the magic at home on my own. Fingers crossed it works!
The mustard was an impulse purchase, and easily the second best thing I bought. It's a creamy grain mustard, with a great final kick of horseradish. One of the best mustards I have had in a long while; makes me wish I had bought the bigger jar! Ah, next time.



I know there are probably tons of other stores there that are equally delightful, but these are definitely two of my favorites. I can't believe we drove through here so many years and never stopped! I guess I am making up for lost time. :)

So that was my trip. It was a wonderful break from my daily life, and nice way to finish off my staycation. Now I have been back to work for a week, and the daily outfits have been piling up! I will have to do a catchup post on those... :)