Road Trip

My husband belongs to a national organization, Pope and Young, that supports archery hunting. Every two years they have their gathering, meeting in various cities around the country. This year the meeting was in Omaha, Nebraska, a nice day's drive from here. We left at 5:53 AM just a bit before dawn. Omaha was just the beginning. 

We loaded our luggage in his F 350 Ford pickup and headed toward the Sun.

I agreed to go for two reasons: the keynote speaker would be Donald Trump, Jr. It is not very often that we have the opportunity or the desire to attend political events. Especially rare is to see such a high profile, controversial speaker. I knew that Trump, Jr. was a sportsman, so yes, I was curious.

Briefly, he spoke about how as a child growing in NY city and wealthy he became a sportsman, enjoying hunting and fishing and the out of doors. His main message had two main points: conservation and preservation of the outdoors and wildlife and getting children outside into the woods. It was a good talk. 

The next day we crossed Iowa and then the Mississippi at Davenport, Iowa. The river, the biggest one in the USA, was running even higher with all of the rain that the area had, and now we see on the news that Davenport if flooding as  the river runs out of its banks. When I told the cashier at the convince/gas store where we were headed, she said that it was snowing in Chicago. We had planned on staying Joliet, IL, but we there arrived early, so we kept driving in the snow.

Finally in the state of our destination, we spent that night in Kalamazoo, Michigan where it was snowing and snowed all night. 

Still miles from our destination, the snow storm of the night before had left its mark with skit marks on the center medium and road side all the way from Joliet on to Great Falls and beyond where vehicles had slid off the road. For us the road was dry and the sun was bright.

We were entering the North Woods of Michigan. Living in Colorado, we are used to mountain woods, but these woods are not wooded mountains; instead, what this Colorado kid would call rolling hills, but the landscape was beautiful.

Finally, after hours of driving we reached our destination, Leland, Michigan. My cousin and her husband left Colorado about 18 months ago to move to this charming tiny village on the shores of two lakes. Off season the town has bout 600 year round residents, but during the summer, it swells to 6,000. 

We received a warm welcome. I loved the welcome hen.

Jeanne and Jim couldn't wait to get us in the car and take us down to Fish Town, the old fishing dock where the fishing boats brought in their catch. Some of the little shanty fish shacks have been converted little shops, rentals, or empty. Since the tourist season had started yet, most shops were closed, except for the sandwich shop. We bought sandwiches--very good sandwiches.

We couldn't help but be captivated by the giant wood carved fish that defines the village.

Taken at sundown, I lightened this photo so that the village could be seen since it was one the best ones that I had of Fish Town, still not the best.

Jim couldn't wait to get us down to the lake, Lake Michigan either. He and Lamb Chop led us down a sandy path to the grand lake. Already in awe of the lake, this was the defining moment of our journey to the north.

Despite the cold and the clouds, the lake was beautiful. I took these photos with the iPhone. I was so impressed with the colors, the most beautiful shades of blue.

In the summer the beach will be crowded with swimmers and those just looking for some sun, but this day we had the beach to ourselves. Again, the magic of lake was enchanting.

I sent this photo to a friend, telling her that this was our Air B&B.

We came home with a few rocks, too. Who can resist pretty rocks?

One of my favorite photos.

Lamb Chop had a great run.

On the second day, we went on a tour of the area. One thing that surprised us was that this area has vineyards and orchards, mostly tart cherries and apples. The orchards were not in bloom yet; we could only image how beautiful the country side would be in color.

We had lunch in another tiny village, North Shore, at the Tribune. This is a dish that I would never order at home, but it tempted me: biscuit and gravy, topped with an over easy egg and I am guessing red beet sprouts. I was only able to eat half or less, mostly because it was a huge serving, but it was also very peppery, but so good.

Each window had these cool succulents planted in a variety of milk glass. So unique.

I had to take photos at the yak farm. We even found yak on a menu. And yes, according to the sign, Yak can be dangerous.

You can see the beautiful orchards.

Leland, Michigan is Jim's childhood home, so he had a lot of roots there. The little village sits on a peninsula between two lakes, The Big Lake, Lake Michigan and The Little Lake, Lake Leelanau. Only a short distance from the house is the little lake. Just as scenic and beautiful as the Big Lake.

Yes that is ice, and a leaf suspended in the water.

Our last night, we watched the sun set over the lake and Big Fish.

It was glorious. My cousin and her husband are just the coolest people to spend time with. We will be returning, but I may fly the next time. It is a long ways away but so worth the trip.

We followed the short of the Lake Michigan all the way to the top of it, winding way through the North Woods, enjoying the beauty of the landscape and the lake, still ice bound in places.Towns were few and far between, but when we came to a town, it was substantial, such as this one, Petoskey. As we took a detour, we saw the beautiful Victorians on the hill over looking the bay.

We continued on north to the Mackinac Bridge, also called "The Mighty Mac," it is an impressive structure. I could title this photo "Don't Look Down." It is the longest suspension bridge in the Western hemisphere and traverses the waters that connect Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. It is just short of five miles long.

This day, our first view of the towers were as they rose out of a blanket of fog. Missed that photo op.

Our journey continued along the west short of the big lake. Jeannie advised us to head north rather than south to avoid the traffic in Chicago. While the trip was truly amazing, we wondered if the long distance was the best way to go. Still, it was a beautiful drive, until we hit Wisconsin, where it rained. I remarked that we saw murrain in that one day than we have seen in five years in Colorado.

Once again we crossed the mighty Mississippi as we crossed the state line into Wisconsin, another beautiful state with its rolling hills, beautiful woods, and beautiful farms.

Hello Wisconsin 

We were headed to west to Chattfield, Minnesota to the Pope and Young Headquarters and Museum, on the Head Gardener's long time bucket list places. It is a museum that preserves and chronicles the history of archery hunting.

His hero, Fred Bear, great hunter and builder of bows. He almost looks like him. I think he met Bear years ago in person.

Next, he located the brick that he purchased. 

More impressive barns, some with barn quilts.

We knew that we were getting close to home when saw this sign:

Another one of our "Need to Do" trips is the Crane Festival in March in Kearney, Nebraska. We got very lucky this trip when we saw the Sand Hill Cranes peacefully grazing on the corn stalks in a random field. We stopped in a small town to get gas and saw the cranes, hundreds of them. The young lady who worked at the gas station said that the cranes that migrate through this part of the country were late this year, so we got see them after all.

It was good to be back home after traveling through eight states: Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana (a small corner), Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and one state that I don't have any photos of. We spent our last night on the road in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where visited another cousin and her husband and young daughter. If you are ever in Sioux Falls and are in the mood to shop for sewing machines, visit Heirloom Creations. They will take good care of you and tell them Cousin Ann sent you. I don't think that will earn you a discount, but certainly a friendly smile.

We have a beautiful country out there with so much to see and enjoy. Certainly, a road trip is the best way to see America. Maybe you remember that old car commercial that Dina Shore sang: See the USA in your Chevrolet. Only we saw a lot of the country in our Ford, doesn't quite have the ring, does it?

Now, we have busy summer ahead of us and there won't be anymore  long trips this summer. 

Thanks for joining me. I hope you enjoyed our trip. 

I'll be joining Angie at Mosaic Monday.

Not Every Thing Looks Good in White

I have been neglecting my blog lately. Needing to take a break, I suppose, because I seem to after nine years + to repeat, since life is cyclical. Tonight I do have new images and new stories to tell, but first our weather report: Not Everything Looks Good in White.

Spring just cannot seem to settle in. Just as the daffodils are at their pinnacle and the tulips along the driveway are beginning to show off, Spring seems to think that everything needs wear a bit of white. I am wondering if the tender lilac buds forming on Miss Kim, the Korean lilac in the courtyard, will freeze. It's 32 right now. I am losing hope.

I'll keep my post short tonight because I want to meet the deadline for Mosaic Monday, so check in a few days for my BIG POST about our great road trip to Michigan. Lots of pictures and good stories. Join me in a few days. Until then meet me over at Angie's for Mosaic Monday. 

PS I am now on Instagram. Join me there, too: annrasmussen72

Blink and Wait

I know, an odd title, but I couldn't decide between "Blink and They are Gone" or "Still Waiting." Either title would do to aptly describe the post. What do you think?

Most of the time, when I leave the house, I go through the garage to get into the car, or I go out the back door, so I almost missed the crocus. If you blink, they will be gone because they don't last long. Actually I think they are rather late this year. In a discussion with my horticulturist/tree hugger (or more appropriately, arborist daughter), we were talking about how late Spring is and how cold it has been. She mentioned that for Denver the forsythia usually have bloomed by the first of March and now they are month behind, so I suppose we can expect everything else to be behind, too.

The coccus are coming up amid the dianthus, but I think the pinks have winter killed this year. I always enjoyed their spot of pink amid the roses. They were good companions.

Yes. The snow shovel is still in place. Who knows? We may have to use it again before Spring really arrives. Nor have I pruned the roses back yet. Usually I do that Spring Break, the second week of March--a hold over from my work schedule, but the yard was under snow then. Was that the week of the bomb cyclone? Then the next week we had a heavy rain storm, with a tornado just east of us. Spring is certainly undecided this year.

I always cut back the clematis, too. This week, I hope. I'm taking the hedge trimmer to it.

One bright note: the daffodils and tulips are arriving.

Still wearing her winter brown, Spring does offer a tease of green: those pesky hollyhocks. Yes, I called them pesky. They self seed all over the place. 

One could really be depressed with all the brown. A bad April Fool's joke.

But we know that once we take the hedge trimmers the grasses that we will find new growth--we hope. We never know what will winter kill, especially during drouthy winters.

These poor dears. What possessed me plant them on the north side of the house? I'll see if any of the roses survived the cold.

At the back of house, this garden shows life.

The bleeding heart will bigger and lovelier this year year. 

I have decided to clear out this bed this spring. Grass has crept its way in and what was once a cool succulent garden is now just a jumble of stuff. So it needs a good cleaning and a new plan.

Probably too many late day shadows to see the what lies beneath the brown. The peony needs its dead stalks removed. 

The butterfly bush will get a good cut back too.

The fish are slowly waking up. I think they need warmer temperatures to stimulate their appetites. 

So there you have it. Still brown here. It is a routine that I'm used to: Blink and wait

And look at three little characters.

Brody will be a year old tomorrow. He has grown up to quite a big dog, bigger than most German Short Hairs. Last time he was weighed, he registers 88 pounds. He's made a new friend with Nathan who will 10 next week. My, how they grow. Lily came to spend the night, too. Nathan who, after seeing a film about Jackie Robinson, has decided that he wants to play baseball, so he taught Lily all about the game--Brody had to be kenneled because he can't field a ball worth a darn. 

So glad that you dropped by. I appreciate your visits and your comments. Have a great week.

Linking with Angie at Letting Go the Bay Leaf for Mosaic Monday. Joins us.

Spring Break

Spring Break goes on for weeks here at the Garden Spot. Two weeks ago, it was the University's break, so although I only go there for two hours on Wednesday to tutor, I had that morning free. Last week, the granddaughters were on break, but Mom kept them very busy, so they came over for just one day, and this week, the grandsons are here for their break. Sixteen year old Jacob will go home Wednesday while Nathan wants to stay the whole time, which is great.

This morning the boys went with the Head Gardener to have coffee with the old guys, and I suppose shopping at some sporting goods store. Each boy will fix a supper. Tonight Nathan will make pizza, so we will go to the grocery and get his ingredients and tomorrow Jacob will make meatloaf. I will have them do the entire process: plan, shop, prepare, and clean-up.

Meanwhile, Spring is upon us, and talk about coming in like lion is most certainly understated. Last week I wrote about the terrible blizzard that still has Nebraska in its grips then last Friday as we ate at our favorite pizzeria with friends, our phones began to go crazy, screaming the tornado warning to take immediate cover. As it turned out the twister was near our friends' home and they were concerned. No damage, but really Spring? In March?

The snow melted and then rain came; now we are beginning to see the lawn and pastures turn green and the spring bulbs are pushing up through the soil nicely. Can't wait for them!

I woke up this morning thinking about the parties that we will be hosting in August, the class reunion and the wedding. So I'll be working through my ideas here. You all have been with me a long time, so I have to include you. I took photos this morning of the yard and here is what I am thinking:

Soon the three crab apples will be in full bloom with red, yellow, and orange tulips in bloom beneath them. Sadly all that color does not last that long. For our summer parties, these three trees will pruned and lighted. I consulted a professional yard lighting expert--our daughter who works for a tree company in Denver and does their outdoor Christmas lighting, so she will order the commercial grade LEDs and install them. 

A large white tent for both the reunion and the wedding will be set up beyond the ash trees next to the barn.

We call this the barn circle. Last summer the Head Gardener skirted the pine trees, meaning that he pruned off the lower limps that touched the ground. What difference getting rid of that growth made. It opened up the yard and created a "livable" space. We have a lot of work to do to get this space party ready. One half is grass while the other half is gravel mulch, which is very hard to maintain, so we are going hire a landscaper the removed the gravel and install sod. The irrigation is already in place. I am excited for the change; it's something that I have long wanted to do. 

I plan to string Edison lights through the branches. We will have tables and chairs set up here and perhaps a dance floor. 

This is the pile of rubbish created from skimming the pine trees. It all has to be hauled off. A really big job.

We seldom use the fire pit, but I am sure that we will light it up for one or both of the parties.

These old chairs were slated for the land fill, but I see them often in the garden magazines, so I guess they will stay.

Same for this old table and chairs that were left here by the previous owner. I think I'll spray paint them for the parties.

This self seeded tree has to be removed.

I can just see the trees all lit up at night. My neighbors will have a better view than I do. I hope they enjoy them.

We do have our work cut out for us. Stay tuned.

Thanks so much for joining me. Have a great week and enjoy Spring.

Linking with Angie at Letting Go the Bay Leaf for Mosaic Monday.

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Cyclone Bomb? Really?

We are beginning to see signs of spring here at the Garden Spot, but we have had to walk through fire snow, before the Season Makers deemed that was time to bring us out of a grim winter.  Briefly to recap winter: dry, dull, drought. Then last week word began to spread that a Bad Storm was on it ways. By mid afternoon Tuesday, the TV crawlers were announcing school closures all along the Front Range. School children and parents were checking their school's web sites for office confirmation. Common Sense coupled with past experience made most of Colorado wonder if the weather predictions were much ado about nothing, since we have seen similar grave predictions over the years with the storm fizzing out or never arriving, but no so this time. They called the weather  phenomena a Cyclone Bomb or Weather Bomb, apparently now an official weather term. (You can read more here on Wikipedia)

Here in Northern Colorado we had the wind that blew the snow that caused snow drifts that cause highway pile ups--two alone I-25. One to the north near the Wyoming border and one south of Denver headed to Colorado Springs. I-70 east of Denver was horrible. News photos showed abandoned cars buried in snow drifts. Live stock on the Plain were caked in snow and many new baby calves were lost. Avalanches in the mountains closed highways and destroy homes.

Colorado natives know that March is our wettest month, and we can have spring blizzards long into May. The snow came down, the wind blew, and the snow piled up and then the sun came out and the snow quickly went away, and leaving behind much needed moisture that inspired the the signs of Spring to appear.

As it begins to warn up and now with the encouragement of moisture, things are happening in the garden:

• While the lawn looks brown at a distance, as does all the landscape, if bend down and look real close, you will see shoots of new, green grass trying to break come through the dead thatch
•  next the early daffodils are coming through the bark mulch. I have to admit that daffodils make me giddy. 
• In the front courtyard along the sidewalk the tulips, coccus, and hyacinths are well on their way
• even the gold fish have emerged, rising to the surface, sunning themselves.  I love Spring.

So as Spring begins to take over where Winter left off, I realize that it is time to get outside and start the clean up with even more vigor than ever with the reunion party in August followed by a wedding here the next weekend. Remember our little college student who lived with us. She is all grown up and found the man of he dreams and they have asked if they can have their wedding here in August. It is going to be so much fun planning and getting ready. The good news: it follows the reunion party so the yard work will be all done. I do hope that I can keep my energy level up. 

As my blog friends post beautiful photos of their walk-about, I thought I'd share  mine:

I begin on the back patio, testing the wind, assessing the temperature, planning my stroll.

I walk over land  past the water garden. It's calm this morning and ice free.

I go past the barn and veer toward the hen house

where I pick up a nicely rocked path

I find myself at the east gate of the Hen Pen where I give them a treat: the vegetables that met their untimely death in the refrigerator crisper. (Why do they call it that? It's the place where vegetables to die).

She looks so good, but the hens are aging and past their point of egg productions. We have decided not get anymore--for now at least.

Pretty feather that reflect the early morning sunlight.

While certainly not a walk any consequence, it's a pleasant little trip. The birds are happy this morning, chattering, singing: mostly sparrows, a couple of red winged black birds, few house finches, some robins that have been here all winter. 

So glad that you took a moment to visit. See you at Mosaic Monday.

A Frosty Return

I can't believe that it has been so long since I last posted. No. I have fallen off the face of the earth or fallen at all, unlike two of my dear friends who suffered very bad breaks this winter. I have been lucky and I have been keeping myself inside because of the ice and snow. I know. I know. I need to get to out and get fresh air; however, I have fallen victim to ice once before and broke my own ankle. No thanks to a repeat.

We are thawing out quite nicely. March, however, in Colorado is our wettest month and here on the plains we certainly need the moisture. Perhaps if you have been watching the evening national news you will see that our mountains have been besieged with avalanches, with many feet of snow falling in the mountains, but on the plains, we are praying for moisture.

As I searched my photo library to see what I could had for a blog post, well, there just isn't much since the last time. So this what I've got:

The weather lady called the heavy frosting that covered everything frozen fog, and it did change the landscape. I loved photographing what is a rare weather occasion here. Even the cobwebs on the outside stair railing collected frost. The heated bird bath provides much needed water for our feather visitors, the robins and other birds that stay around all winter. Did I mention that Brody finished his training?  He needs a lot more.

The horses seem to take the cold weather in stride, but Pop gets blanketed when the temps dip below 20. He's worn his blanket a lot this winter.

I love this accidental photo of Sundance. It was shot facing the sun, but what I wanted to show was the frost covered plants. Still, it is an interesting photo.

The chain link chicken fence made a very interesting image all frosted up.

The Farr grain elevators long abandoned are always fun to photograph; here their cold steel juxtaposed with the frosted limbs of bare trees.

In the garden, the globe had a thin layer of frozen frost along with obelisk.

 Especially the wrought iron arbor by the water garden looked so pretty frosted.

 I like the old red chair underneath frozen aspen and frosted pines.

And the green chairs--ancient chairs that I have threatened to send tot he dump, but they seem to compliment the landscape. 

The sun shines today as we sprung forward. I was out early this morning surveying the damage that the dog had done to the drip system in the garden beds and searching for the garden art that he had carried away from the front court yard. I found everything and have put all out of his reach--I hope. He's had a lot fun tearing out the hosing, spray nozzles, and garden lights, I say as I am shaking my head.

The Head Gardener will celebrate his 50 year class reunion this summer and has offered our home as for the Friday night hospitality party for the graduates. I thought that it is good idea since next year we will be hosting a wedding here and we will use the reunion  party as a dry run to see what we have to do for the wedding, so there is a lot of work to do to get the yard in shape--show quality--shape. The grand kids have been hinting around (ie pleading) for money-earning projects. Jacob is now 16, wanting a car, and the two older girls have horses. So, yeah, they need money and I need help. 

I'll keep you posted on the plans. Nothing like a party to get inspired to spiff things up.

I have spent most of the winter working on the dollhouses. You can check my progress at annsdollhousedreams.blogspot.com.

Thanks for sticking with me. I'm linking with Angie for Mosaic Monday. See you there. 

Have a great week.