Some knitting friends and I visited Middle Bass Island last Thursday. Middle Bass is one of a group of small islands in the southwest corner of Lake Erie. We caught the ferry at Catawba Island for a short , forty minute ride
to Middle Bass. A perfect day -- Lake Erie looked like a sheet of glass and shimmered as the sun bounced off of it. My friend and fellow artist, Mary, met us at the dock. Mary owns My Aunt Irma's, a charming retail shop on island, where she and her family have a home. Visit her website at http://myauntirmas.com// She offers colorful, fun, and comfortable resort wear and jewelry, as well as her own original handknits (scarves,
shawls, purses, sweaters) and art quilts. Mary is closing the shop and retiring after this season, so our visit was bittersweet. We love the shop and all the wonderful, funky, eclectic treasures, but we know that this is the last time we'll visit it. Mary has had a shop on the island for more than twenty years and is happy with her decision. (However, I'm always so sad to see a small, especially a business owned by a woman, close.) Our all-too-short day on the island was wonderful. We had lunch on the patio of a great restaurant, Walleye's, and most of us enjoyed the delicious Lake Erie Perc
h. We also saw the peacocks, which are absolutely beautiful. Sadly, the islanders are frustrated with them. They aren't native to the island -- someone brought two about two years ago, and they've multiplied. However, I still think they're gorgeous and am always amazed at and awed with the beauty of the natural world. Today the colors of the island and the lake can't help but inspire: the luminesence of the lake water, the subtle neutrals of the seagull greeting us at the dock, the vibrant colors of the male peacock. Each provides its own palatte of colors. 
To say we had a wonderful day sounds so trite, but it couldn't be more true -great weather in a beautiful setting - a group of friends visiting, shopping, sharing our love of knitting, and just enjoying the natural beauty of the island.
to Middle Bass. A perfect day -- Lake Erie looked like a sheet of glass and shimmered as the sun bounced off of it. My friend and fellow artist, Mary, met us at the dock. Mary owns My Aunt Irma's, a charming retail shop on island, where she and her family have a home. Visit her website at http://myauntirmas.com// She offers colorful, fun, and comfortable resort wear and jewelry, as well as her own original handknits (scarves,
shawls, purses, sweaters) and art quilts. Mary is closing the shop and retiring after this season, so our visit was bittersweet. We love the shop and all the wonderful, funky, eclectic treasures, but we know that this is the last time we'll visit it. Mary has had a shop on the island for more than twenty years and is happy with her decision. (However, I'm always so sad to see a small, especially a business owned by a woman, close.) Our all-too-short day on the island was wonderful. We had lunch on the patio of a great restaurant, Walleye's, and most of us enjoyed the delicious Lake Erie Perc
h. We also saw the peacocks, which are absolutely beautiful. Sadly, the islanders are frustrated with them. They aren't native to the island -- someone brought two about two years ago, and they've multiplied. However, I still think they're gorgeous and am always amazed at and awed with the beauty of the natural world. Today the colors of the island and the lake can't help but inspire: the luminesence of the lake water, the subtle neutrals of the seagull greeting us at the dock, the vibrant colors of the male peacock. Each provides its own palatte of colors. 
To say we had a wonderful day sounds so trite, but it couldn't be more true -great weather in a beautiful setting - a group of friends visiting, shopping, sharing our love of knitting, and just enjoying the natural beauty of the island.
