Hi John,

Just wanted you to know that we're back home in Stevens Point. We had a great week at your beautiful house. Even though it's quite large, we still felt like we were in a cozy cabin what with the fireplace and the wonderful smell of cedar throughout the house. We spent most mornings having coffee or tea and talking on your front porch enjoying the view of the lake, each other, playing Othello (we all got addicted to that) and the lake sounds. We saw foxes run across the road a couple of times usually around dusk but also once mid day when we were traveling across the peninsula.

Our son and his partner, Kay, (from California) were here for the week and our 13 year old grandson, Daniel. Both boys brought their guitars so we had quite a lot of impromptu music on the porch. We hiked along the beach at Cave Point, swam in Clark Lake, miniature golfed at Pirate's Cove (I got four holes-in-one!), saw the movie, Dark Knight, at the drive-in, did the 10 mile bike ride through Peninsula Park, and took our grandson to "Fishing for the Moon" at the American Folklore Theater. We ate at Trios the first night and had a few other memorable meals at the Summer Kitchen and the Gibralter Grill. Plus John and Kay cooked several gourmet meals since both of them are vegetarians and really like to cook. The weather was pretty darned perfect and we did manage to have a beach fire on Thursday evening to roast marshmallows. We watched a swarm of Mayflies? come out at dusk, go crazy for about 1/2 hour then disappear. Very interesting to watch.

I did want to mention that the first night there were storms south of us and around 11:00 p.m. all the power went out in the house. After waiting about an hour I became somewhat concerned because we had just loaded up the freezer with goodies for the week. We did find the flashlights you had left around the house and were looking up the number to call about a power outage when all the lights came back on. Great timing! It might be good to include the phone number of who to call in that kind of emergency. I assume we could have let this go all night but we were anxious about the refrigerator and weren't sure if we were supposed to call someone or just wait it out. Your neighbors were also without power. I assume this happens fairly frequently in Door County. We currently live in the country (5 miles outside of Stevens Point) and we do lose our power on a regular basis although usually for just an hour os so. Anyhow, everything went very smoothly. You folks thought of everything, even down to the dishwashing soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. Much appreciated.

Thank you for letting us use your little spot of heaven. We do love Lake Michigan and the area--and if it rains, hey, it's shopping weather. I found a really sturdy, small table to put on our back porch from an Antique Sale up near Ellison Bay for $25. Quite the deal. We didn't use the phone at all (we all had cell phones) but we can wait for the security deposit. No big deal.

Diane D.

Stevens Point, WI

July 7, 2008

Dear Carolyn & John,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to visit Killasonna. We had a great vacation. Your lodge was very nice and the view of Lake Michigan was amazing. It was so peaceful and serene. Thank you also for the survival guide. We did almost all of the tips you sent in the survival guide. My daughter celebrated her 8th birthday. She said it was her best birthday ever. We visited The Dairy store, dipped candles at Candleworks, went to the Egg Harbor Family Fun Park, ate dinner at PC Junction (great place for kids), and finished the night off with an outdoor movie at Skyway Drive Inn. You were right about Not Licked Yet, the custard was tasty. Door County has a lot of great attractions, but I have to say just relaxing at the lodge was my favorite part of our vacation. It was very private and a great family vacation for all. We also got some rays at the nearby beaches. Whitefish Dunes was my favorite with a great sandy beach. My kids would play in the sand forever. My parents also came along and enjoyed the wineries and the farmers markets. None of us wanted our vacation at Killasonna to end. We definitely would like to visit again in the future.

Thank you.

Betty & Brian T. and Lynn & Bill D.

Madison, WI

July 19, 2007

Dear John & Carolyn:

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at your "cabin" in Jacksonport. For me, it was a joy to inspect the various construction/finish details of your place as that is what makes it so much nicer and more interesting than a lot of the properties available in the Door County area. Nice job on the doors, by the way. The knotty pine floor to ceiling makes it feel like a cabin and even with the vaulted ceiling in the family room, it had a very cozy feel to it. Lack of AC was never an issue on the lake with the windows open. And you cannot beat the constant sound of the waves breaking. The friendly neighbor dog visited us a couple times but other than that, we hardly knew you do have neighbors. The construction next door was never an issue for us as it never seemed that loud and we were out and about in Door County anyway during the daytime for the most part. We also found the kitchen to be well equipped, as we did make dinner most evenings (a necessity for our sanity with four girls, seven and 19 months old) Our oldest daughter was a bit concerned when we arrived and she discovered that there was no TV, but it was never a problem as she, like some of your other guests have found, was easily kept entertained with games and puzzles. We did not miss the TV at all, just picked up a couple papers in Jacksonport to check the weather forecast to plan our activities. We also visited Plum Loco, the animal farm located just west of Jacksonport about 3 miles I believe. We went there twice as the girls all really enjoyed the place and we were impressed with the way it was run and the owners were very nice. The craft shop in Jacksonport is run by a very nice lady and we found that she is the local source for chamber brochures etc. (you may have mentioned that). She also had hand-made dresses for American Girl dolls, a big hit with our oldest.

In case nobody told you, they just repaved Cape Point Drive from just south of your place on into Jacksonport. It was a little bit of a mess while we were there but it's certainly nice now.

Thank you again for making your vacation home available to us. We will most definitely look to visit again in the future and see what we missed this time around.

P.S. Thank you very much for the quick return of our deposit.

Sincerely,

Rick, Sarah, Sophie, Alexandra, Isabella & Julia

Naperville, IL

May 29, 2007

Dear John,

We have returned from our long weekend at Killasonna Lodge and just wanted to tell you that we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The house has so much character, it is absolutely charming. And we had everything we could possibly need, you and Carolyn have done a great job outfitting the place with everything one might want to make it feel like a "home away from home." My husband and our (almost 2 year old) daughter enjoyed waking up every morning to walk down to the lake and throw rocks into it, an activity that provided endless enjoyment to her. We explored much of Door County and determined that in fact we had chosen the best place to stay, a quiet retreat after the activities of the day. Thanks so much for sharing Killasonna Lodge with us!

Shannon

October 21, 2006

Dear John & Carolyn:

We have intended to contact you for some time now to tell you how much our family enjoyed staying at your cabin this summer. We arrived at one of the hottest times of the year, mid-July, and were concerned that it would be uncomfortable without air conditioning. However, with the supply of fans in the house and the open windows to the lake front, it couldn’t have been nicer. Each time we’ve visited Door County, which is usually at least once a year, we’ve always stayed on the bay side. This was such a treat to be on the lake side and we explored many sights we had never gone to before. We spent one afternoon at Whitefish Dunes State Park, had our meal delivered to us on a train at PC Junction, and just puttered around the area. Our ten year old was drawn back to the lake each evening to sit on a lawn chair with her feet dangling in the water or seeing how far out she could walk on the rocks before she lost her nerve. We loved listening to the waves come in at night and spent many an evening at “the ocean” (as our three year old son called it), just relaxing, studying the aquatic life, enjoying the fire pit with marshmallows and so on.

I got up early one morning at sunrise and walked down to the waters edge to photograph the sunrise. It was breathtaking and very much worth getting up for.

The accommodations you provided in your lodge were so comfortable and we’ve told so many of our friends and family how much we enjoyed ourselves. Thank you for helping our vacation be so enjoyable by opening your home away from home to us. I am sure we will one day be back.

Take care and thank you…

Dawn, Dan, Alicia & Avery (Madison, WI)

September 17, 2006

Hi John,

We really enjoyed our trip and stay at your lodge. We were all extremely impressed by the cleanliness and facilities of the house. It was nice having the lake so close and even though there was not much sand, there was enough to keep the 3 year old amused for hours building sand castles. We had fires and roasted marshmallows almost every night. We especially liked the hammock although we didn’t see it until later in the week. It worked well to put the little ones to sleep. We even worked on one of the 1000 piece puzzles in the house and even stayed a couple of hours longer than we intended just to finish it.

Thank you for the return of our full deposit and I will certainly keep your email for another time or friends that might want the same trip.

My wife and I might come up to Door County again for a weekend in a few weeks but there will only be the two of us. Do you have a smaller unit that might be available or can recommend something economical?

Thank you,

Mike D. (Beaver Dam, WI)

_________________________________________________________________________

August 19, 2006

john & carolyn.

Thank you for opening your beautiful home to us. It is such a peaceful place and a gorgeous view. I particularly loved the detail in the carpentry and electric fixtures. It was also great that the firewood was included. I hope we didn't burn too much. We also want to thank you for the quick return of our security deposit. We hope to be in touch again as we may rent your home again next year.

Mark and Sharon (Oak Lawn, IL)

_________________________________________________________________________

August 19, 2006

John and Carolyn,

We had a wonderful week at Killasonna! Your home is beautiful and we really enjoyed exploring down by the lake and all over the peninsula. I think we managed to hit a number of highlights...watching the Perseid meteor shower on the beach at your house our first night, a fish boil at the Sandpiper, lunch at Al Johnsons with goats on the roof, exploring the shops in Fish Creek, biking all over Peninsula State Park, the drive-in (our 5 year old loved Cars), the beach and playground in Jacksonport, and just relaxing on the porch and on the rocks by the lake.

We saw some grouses/partridges on the porch one morning while we were eating breakfast. Don't know if you've seen them there before or not.

Construction on the lot next door is underway. They've cleared some trees and put in the driveway - at least as far as the power lines. I think you're now the 2nd driveway heading north on Cave Point after the S-curve sign. There was only one day of construction, and we managed to be away from the house for most of it. Hopefully they won't begin in earnest 'til the weather cools. The people on the other side of that lot (Pat and Gene from Milwaukee) were also hoping that it'd remain quiet while the weather is good!

Thanks again and we hope we can get back to Killasonna for some R&R next summer!

Best regards,

Jennifer M. (Plymouth, MN)

_________________________________________________________________________

July 9, 2006

Dear Carolyn and John,

Our family had a wonderful visit to beautiful Killasonna. Our son, Joe built great fires on the beach and on the 4th of July we were able to watch the fireworks from Jacksonport and Bailey's Harbor.

We all appreciated the quiet and serenity of Killasonna, no TV and only an occasional visit from a neighboring dog or wild critter invaded our privacy.

The accommodations were so comfortable with just the right amount of modern conveniences.

Thanks for the tips such as Bley's market (wonderful steaks) and Fred and Fuzzie's (loved the margaritas). Granddaughter, Dorothy (almost two years old), thoroughly enjoyed the parks at Jacksonport and Bailey's Harbor. She also had fun with her mom, Beth at PC Junction and the Dairy View Country Store. Joe and Margaret rode their bikes throughout the area, while we pursued a great trail in Whitefish Dunes.

We are all looking forward to a return visit in 2007.

Thanks for everything.

Allan and Tanya B. (Chicago, IL)

_________________________________________________________________________

July 5, 2005

John and Carolyn,

In November 2004 Rick and I had viewed your home’s location and outside property. But, that visit did not do justice to walking inside of your home. My first thought was that I was not leaving the whole week! Your home and the lake setting were just fantastic. We cannot thank you enough for opening up your gorgeous house to us.

For the past 17 years we have stayed at various places on the “other” side. I know that in an earlier e-mail Rick had stated that we own land on Cave Point Drive and we thought it would be fun to experience the “quiet” side this year and to get a feel for what it would be like once we build our house.

Rick and I had arrived on Saturday afternoon, went down to the water and just enjoyed sitting there. Rick’s parents and our grandson joined us late Sunday afternoon and they were in awe of the house and its surroundings. Jacob, who is 11 and has vacationed with us the past 6 years, walked in and said that this is the best place we’ve stayed at.

Speaking of Jacob, I was concerned that not having a TV would be a problem for him. Well, he was content taking walks along the shoreline, frolicking in the water, sitting on the deck (he did have his Gameboy) and learning a new card game. But, my father-in-law could not go without watching the news so he brought a small TV. He had trouble getting good reception; but enough so he could catch the 9:00 p.m. news!

We had planned on having a fire on the shore to enjoy somores and one night it was cool enough for the fireplace; we just never got around to it. Spent a lot of time sitting and reading on the deck and just plain relaxing!

We truly enjoyed our week’s vacation and we all agreed that we would like to spend it at Killasonna Lodge again next year. If you could pencil us in for June 24-July 1, and let us know when you begin your 2006 reservations.

Thank you,

Sue G.

Plymouth, MN

_________________________________________________________________________

July 4, 2005

Dear John & Carolyn:

Sorry for the delayed reply regarding our stay at Killasonna Lodge. Conference calls, meetings, business travel, email... Reality set in far too quickly after our stay at your "cabin" in Door County.

We had an incredible time, which was made even more enjoyable because of the Lodge and its surroundings. We kayaked, flew kites, biked, played on the beach, and did plenty of hiking (including the great walk to Cave Point and Whitefish Dunes). We even discovered some new trails that will definitely be on our top ten list for the area.

With all the activity, your home helped to balance our time with some much needed relaxation. It merges so well with its environment, you feel you're part of the landscape, whether sitting on the porch or contemplating the next adventure from inside.

We really appreciate your sharing your home with us and look forward to our next trip to Door County and Killasonna Lodge.

With gratitude,

Gayle & Mary W.

Springfield, MO

_________________________________________________________________________

July 19, 2004

Dear Carolyn and John: We had such a lovely stay at Killasonna Lodge! The cabin is absolutely gorgeous-all of your careful planning has really paid off.

My parents, who happen to be John and Carolyn as well, have property on Beaver Island (2 hours by ferry into Lake Michigan from Charlevoix) and have been fantasizing about the perfect cabin to build. I took note of all of the fantastic details in your place and cannot wait to tell them all about your home. The loft is magnificent and I love the monochromatic theme of the knotty pine (right?) throughout, on the floors, walls, cabinetry, exterior. We also loved the game table-is it antique? We appreciated your suggestions for things to do with kids and made it to The Farm, PC Junction (adorable-they delivered my daughter's milk in a sippy cup on the train), and went on a dairy tour. We made it to the beach at Whitefish Dunes on three separate occasions and enjoyed s'mores on the beach on Sunday Evening.

The park in downtown Jacksonport was also a huge hit with our five year old son. It was wonderful to get away from the city for a week and to enjoy peace and quiet, although we ate entirely too much ice cream!

Thank you for a wonderful stay!

Sincerely,

Laura Z.
Chicago, Illinois

_________________________________________________________________________

July 6, 2004

Dear Carolyn and John:

I just wanted to let you know that my family had a wonderful time at

Killasonna. The weather couldn't have been better (high 70's), no rain and

even the cool/cold breezes that come in off the lake rarely made it around

Cave Point Park. The temp. difference between Cave Point and Killasonna

were between 8 and 12 degrees. We spent quite a bit of time at Clark Lake

just floating around on our tubes, and the kids enjoyed playing with Mrs.

Krueger's two grand kids, Emily and Trevor. We took you up on both

the fire pit (4 nights) and the hearth (2 nights). My wife and I enjoyed

our 15th celebration at Mr. G's where we saw "My Way", which was really

excellent. We rented a couple of bikes at Peninsula State Park (brought 3

of our Mtn. bikes) and did the whole circuit plus a picnic. The rest of

the time we were either shopping, touring or reading out on the stones.

We really enjoyed our stay. My wife said it was the best vacation ever

but, the real test was the kids. I asked them where there would rather

stay, Clark Lake or Killasonna. It was unanimous, Killasonna!

Hopefully we can schedule another trip in either this fall or next summer.

Sports have a way of dictating our schedules these days.

Thanks for all our advice and the use of your beautiful lodge.

Michael M..

Reedsburg, Wisconsin

_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you to all our guests,

for your kind notes and good wishes.

- John and Carolyn

K I L L A S O N N A L O D G E

Jacksonport, Wisconsin

John & Carolyn Brzezinski, Proprietors

Evanston, Illinois USA

For information, please call 847-475-1518

(from outside the U.S. please dial 00-1-847-475-1518)

email: info@killasonna.com