A Fall Day at the Beach

Two weekends ago, after our morning at the apple orchard, Matt and I were feeling adventurous.  We'd made the almost 3 hour drive to Michigan, and we felt a little silly heading back to Chicago with so much of the afternoon left.  So as we paid for our bags of apples, I asked the man behind the counter, "What else is there to do around here?"  He looked a little confused at first, but after I explained we had some time to explore, he suggested we head to the beach.  He warned it would be windy, but assured us that we wouldn't complain once we saw the view.  And boy was he right.  It was BEAUTIFUL!

We headed to the small beach town of St. Joseph and found out we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves.  I think there is something really special about exploring something during its "offseason."  Even when most people have packed up their umbrellas and beach towels, there's still so much beauty to discover.

It was crazy windy, and the waves were rolling in, but I couldn't stay out of the water!  I was so thankful I had my wellies on so I could splash around and have a little fun.

Isn't it divine?  Cameron did a great job at capturing the moment; I feel like I can still hear the grass blowing in the breeze.

Matt and I must have stood in this spot for almost an hour.  He'd wander off to take a few pictures, I'd wade out in the water, often squealing at how high the waves were getting.  I'd get lost in the moment, only to turn and see my man, bent down, taking pictures of some tiny beach detail.  It was so serene and comforting, just the two of us.

Eventually we ventured out on this narrow pier where we ran into a local who said he hadn't seen the waves so big in years.  We stood there for while, dodging right and left as waves rolled in, crashing over the railings.  It was so simple, yet so fun.  And with Matt and I spending Monday-Friday apart, days like these are even more special.

I've been whining for a beach vacation since our honeymoon, and though this wasn't quite what I had in mind, I milked it for all it was worth.  Cheesy sand writing and all :)

Just like a postcard!

After trying our hand at being beach explorers, we headed to Silver Beach Pizza for some dinner.  The restaurant was housed in the historic train station and had the yummiest pizza I've had in a long time!  The crust was perfect, not quite Chicago deep dish, but not quite thin.  A big accomplishment in my eyes.

We sat in their enclosed patio, which offered perfect views of the water, but the right amount of protection from the wind.  Did I mention I loved the pizza? :)

I'm so glad we asked the man at the orchard what was nearby and took the time to explore.  We often get so caught up in life's to do list, that we miss out on unexpected surprises.  And this little beach trip was certainly one I'll remember for a very long time!

PS: My blog got a ton of hits today, but my statcounter is acting up and won't tell me where people are coming from.  If you're new here or were referred from another blog/site, will you please leave comment letting me know how you got here?  Pretty please?  Thanks :)