Giant garage sale on U.S. 12 this weekend

Beginning this Friday, August 11, and running through Sunday, August 13, you can shop at hundreds (perhaps thousands) of garage/yard sales from 9 am to 5 pm each day. I have heard of a lot of folks that make a weekend trip out of this. They start at one end of U.S. 12 as it runs across lower Michigan and start shopping. Speedier shoppers might accomplish this feat in a day, but the majority make a weekend out of it and stay at one of the many fine Bed and Breakfasts or hotels along U.S. 12.

Can you imagine if people from here in Michigan all the way to Washington state (where U.S. 12 ends) participated in this yard sale? The current holder of the "world's largest yard sale" title is the one along U.S. 127 from Kentucky to Georgia.

I'll be posting some places of interest along U.S. 12 tomorrow morning. There is more to U.S. 12 than yard sales, of course. :)

P.S. Interested in the history of U.S. 12? Check out the documentary, “From Moccasins to Main Street.”

P.P.S. Head over to www.us12heritagetrail.org for additional info.

Aunt Elma's Cherry Pie

This recipe has been in my family for generations. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does! What you need:

• 1 unbaked pie shell
• 3 c. cherries, pitted
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

• Mix together cherries, sugar, flour, and butter. Put in unbaked pie shell.
• Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 25 minutes.
• Blueberries or rhubarb can be instead of cherries.

Bid on a Chance to Travel on a Great Lakes Freighter

The bidding ends next Sunday, August 13, 2006, on a chance for two people to enjoy a 7-day "cruise" on a working great lakes freighter, The Saginaw. The current bid is $3,000. Normally trips like this would only be available for the shipping company's customers. The proceeds of the auction are to benefit the Port Colborne Marine and Historical Museum.

So unless you are a shipping customer or have the hankering to get your seaman's papers and work on a freighter this will be your best chance at a truly unique trip. All meals and beverages are included in the winning bid. You will be staying in the ship's spacious guest quarters during your trip with the possibility of a tour of the ship at the captain's discretion.

For more details on this unique auction head over to www.boatnerd.com.

Michigan Gas Prices Week of 8/7/06

Gas prices across the state of Michigan have shot up to an average of $3.119. Around southwest Michigan the average price was around $3.19 from last Thursday through Saturday. It dropped to $3.129 as of yesterday. One year ago we were paying $2.383 in Michigan on average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.

Yooper shows how to cook on your car's engine

I am not sure whether to put this in the Recipes, Travel, or Michigan Oddities category. This is a video from an Upper Peninsula television show featuring a local man and his love of cooking meals on his manifold. It's a bit campy, corny and unintentionally funny. I loved it!

If the video player does not show up you can view the video directly here. All Things Michigan and Gift Baskets From Michigan LLC are not responsible for content at YouTube beyond the video this link is directed to.