A Doomsday Castle in the Upstate

“Nothing brings a family together like Armageddon!”

 

In February we toured what I dubbed “Château du Upstate,” the unfinished castle from reality show Doomsday Preppers episode “No Such Thing as a Fair Fight.” Due to high popularity rankings and “prep score,” the castle inspired its very own spinoff, Doomsday Castle.

 

“Castles were the ultimate homes for the original preppers – kings and noblemen, who were under constant threat from neighboring enemies. But for American prepper Brent, a castle is the perfect defense for the doomsday scenario he fears will set the world back to the Dark Ages – an electromagnetic burst that causes massive power grid failure. Brent, with the help of his children, is on a quest to finish his towering castle that is isolated deep in the Carolina mountains. But the apocalypse he fears might shy in comparison to the clash of characters of his five children as they try to live and work together to prepare for the worst. If doomsday comes, will this family survive to rule the mountains, or will it self-destruct before the castle is ever completed?” (source here)

 

The all-new series premieres tomorrow, August 13^th at 10pm on the National Geographic Channel. For a run-down on the characters you might want to visit the Doomsday Castle website, or you can watch this short promotional clip:

 

Although I'm not the biggest reality show fan (and let's be honest, 10pm is way past my bedtime!), having been there before the castle was finished I'm looking forward to catching the show.

Original post: Château du Upstate, or a castle in the Blue Ridge

Last notes on Michigan

The last couple of days in Michigan went by far too quickly, and seemingly hundreds of goodbyes were said as we prepared to head back down South. As we are not sure when exactly we'll be back, bidding adieu to the grandparents was especially hard.

 
While in the car I though I heard Lauris say es mīlu tevi, mamma. When I replied in kind he said nē, es mīlu treileri, mamma!

 
He also loves several onkuļi and tantes, and has been talking nonstop about them since we've returned. You know who you are.

 
Mikus seems a little lost here at home. He keeps taking off to the bathroom in attempt to fill up the tub - I think he misses Long Lake the most.

 
The rain has followed us back again - or it never left. My cucumber harvest has intensified (if that's even possible), and the mosquitos are insufferable. At least in Michigan it cooled down after it rained...

 
To try and get over the post-Gaŗezers depression we are staying busy. Now, if I could just get motivated to do the laundry!

Volleyball weekend

For any Latvian (or many friends of Latvians), the words “volleyball weekend” or “4-2 weekend” mean two/three days of nonstop partying during the annual volleyball tournament at the Latvian Center Gaŗezers. The 4-2 refers to the ratio of males to females on each team, and over 20 6-person teams compete for the prestigious win of the tournament each year. With several brackets (the power bracket featuring college team-level players and then the “beer bracket” at the opposite end of the spectrum) and a youth tournament (up to 19) the first day, there is room for every skill and energy level. Growing up watching the games I thought everyone played as well as the athletes on the court Sunday night come semi-finals, and was shocked to find I could compete in high school despite only playing beer bracket on 4-2. At the top level of Latvian volleyball you might remember the London Olympics in 2012, when the men’s beach volleyball team of Pļaviņš and Šmēdiņš came from no recognition in the press to a victory over the top American team and a run to the semi-finals. (These two Latvians are currently winning tournaments and competitions across the world.) A Latvian was also a starter on the 1984 gold-medal winning American Olympic team; this weekend his sons played in the “power” bracket.

Mikus has developed a lifelong aversion to mascots after meeting the Dzelzs Vilks

 

Those not playing volleyball might participate in the Cook Associates- organized golf tournament with proceeds going to Gaŗezers, or in the East coast vs. Midwest soccer tournament. If not athletically inclined, one might spend the weekend watching the games, catching up with friends, soaking up the sun on the beach, going out in the boat or driving over to Three Rivers for a meal or supply run. We spent a large portion of our time on the beach, with friends and family stopping by for a chat or to join in the fun. For a few hours we crossed to the other side of the lake to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of my GVV (the Gaŗezers summer high school) graduation.

The good lookin' GVV class of '98

 

Years ago volleyball weekend was a perfect opportunity to get a picture of almost all the grandkids (on my side of the family), as the majority of 12 grandchildren were either working at the Latvian Center, or attending camp and summer high school there. These days it is slim pickings, and although we’ve acquired two “kids” through marriage and two great-grandchildren, almost half of our bunch was missing. Nevertheless, I present to you the mazbērnu bilde 2013!

 

Volleyball weekend also brought the closing picnic for bizbiz bērnu camp, and this proud mother watched Lauris’s first ever performance in what will no doubt be a long history of skits, graduations, campfires, recitals and concerts.

 

The most interesting event of the weekend for me might have been the unearthing of the SP time capsule. In true saimnieku puišu fashion nobody could remember exactly where the container had been buried, and the “nine paces from the tree marked with the old Dodge key” evolved into “nineteen drunken Daukšs paces” as additional beer cans were emptied. After an hour of fruitless digging the Kubota was brought in, but as the pit increased in size it soon became clear that a new strategy should be sought. Another two hours later the faithful struck paydirt, and a relieved crew of SPs celebrated the contents which I cannot reveal here; not only what happens at the vecais dump stays in the vecais dump, but I would hate to violate the SP code. Of course I might possibly have been the only SP who had to hurry back from the reunion to put the kids to bed…

 

And so the weekend ended, and Dzintari quickly emptied as people escaped the vortex to return to their “real” lives. We stayed on a few days to spend a few more hours with relatives, as well as recuperate from excessive… vortex-ing, and already the hours spent cheering on our favorites during finālspēles seem a distant memory. Time to start working on setting, bumping and spiking with Lauris and Mikus!

Summertime, and the living's easy

Lauris caught and reeled in his very first fish, a beautiful bluegill that posed for a couple of pictures before swimming off back to his friends to tell a story of “the littlest human he’s ever caught.”
 

 

We’re spending a lot of time on the lake despite the rainy weather that has followed us from Greenville. A few days cooler temperatures kept us out of the water, but if I let them, the boys would live on the beach.

 

We’ve had the opportunity to try out a few new sports, including pier-jumping, flipper-walking and minnow-catching.

 

Wednesday my cousins arrived, and Lauris and Mikus have already learned all sorts of new tricks. Plus, they have access to the tree fort…

 

Near the beginning of the week the boys’ cousins and Lauris’s godmother were here. I’m so happy for them to have relatives so close in age, and sad that the distances keep them apart for such long periods of time.

 
Lauris’s godfather also managed to get some time off work, and we spent some time digging in the sand with two more of our favorite people.

 
Despite the vacation atmosphere our time in Gaŗezers has been jam packed, slowly ramping up to the volleyball weekend. With large numbers of friends and family descending on Michigan it’s sure to be a good time. The best part? The boys get to see their dad soon and I might get a moment’s peace…

Things to do in Three Rivers, Michigan

Lowry’s Books, on Main Street, is Michigan’s third largest used and rare bookstore, with over 150,000 volumes. With a new book section, a kids’ book and toy section (educational, fun and classic toys) and a brand new coffee shop on site, I could spend an entire day browsing the shelves full of favorite and local authors. Originally just one storefront, they’ve expanded to five with the renovations, including the café finished a couple years ago. We stopped in one morning while Lauris was in Bizbiz, trying out one of the wraps, a cookie and a coffee from Boundary Waters Coffee and Café. The wrap was fresh and the coffee strong, and I imagine I might have spent more time there if it weren’t for an impatient toddler anxious to get going. I hope to get a chance to return and try some of the other baked goods as both the scones and muffins looked appetizing, and what better place to enjoy a great cup of coffee than a bookstore? I’ve heard the soup is worth the trip, too.

The Three Rivers Public Library isn’t the largest but has something for everyone and can be ideal for a rainy day. During the summer they host programs for children on Tuesday mornings, and the day we stopped in we stayed for a puppet show of Sleeping Beauty by Rick Morse. With a teen book club and movie day as well as gardening, music and crafts, there is a diverse program, and the newest releases and shelves full of books make me think I could easily find a ton of beach reads for the sunnier days!

 

A little further down Michigan Avenue is the petting zoo and Scidmore park. Although the petting zoo is only open on weekends, the animals are there all week. We always spend time on the brand-new playground which is always clean and well-maintained. For the history buffs make sure you check out the 1847 “town cannon” on the other side of the zoo. Already obsolete in 1888, it was purchased by Three Rivers from the state of Michigan for 12.5 cents/pound to use for ceremonies and celebrations, and although retired due to safety reasons it remains a testament to the days as a frontier state.

 

Just across the street is L.A.s Coffee Cafe, a great local coffee shop to stop in for coffee, lunch or just ice cream to fill an empty stomach after playtime at the park. We vote for the peanut butter ice cream and a blueberry muffin! If dining inside you have your choice of interesting rooms (all sorts of nooks and crannies!), or if taking your coffee to go, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Rocky River, Memory Isle Park and several bridges and walking trails just adjacent to the parking lot.

 

If you’re in town on a Tuesday afternoon you might want to visit the Farmers’ market. Located in Scidmore Park, the vendors set up shop from 2 to 6pm and provide an ideal opportunity to buy fresh, local produce.

Whenever I'm in town I always swing by the church where my husband and I tied the knot

But if it’s fresh, local produce you are after, and you have time to venture a few minutes outside of Three Rivers, make sure you visit Corey Lake Orchards. Located about 10 minutes west of town, they started out in 1962 selling only their own produce but have expanded in recent years and now are the best source for everything local: in-season fruit, vegetables, flowers, you-pick, herbs, brandy and honey. A new bakery has just been finished, guaranteeing a steady supply of delicious breads, pies and cookies. I can vouch for the blueberry pie!!! They also have a weekly update to keep subscribers in the loop about what produce is in season, and you can sign up for that here.

We always enjoy our time in Three Rivers, but the fact remains that the best times are had at the Latvian Center, Gaŗezers. It's a good thing we have another week to spend in the lake, hanging out with family and enjoying the beautiful weather. This is what summer is about!