Another park: with animals!

Hello, everyone. 

In addition to visiting the recreational area near Ft. Custer, we also made a short visit to another park. Hudson Mills park is smaller, and doesn't have lakes, but it does have a lovely, clear river and many pleasant benches along the walking paths. At sunset, about, one might see deer.

In spite of having water around, there were no notable mosquitoes. 

A pleasant visit in nature

Hello, everyone. 

A couple of days ago I went with family to visit the area around Battle Creek, Michigan. There is a lovely state recreation area called Ft. Custer State Recreational Area there. 

A cute, little mushroom alongside a walking path.

This is a sample of poison ivy, which is native to most of the US. For my European readers, this is a plant you should not touch. It doesn't sting like nettles, but it does in most people create an irritated rash. If you're looking it up online, try the generic name Toxicodendron, IIRC.

This is the outflow from one of the three little lakes/large ponds. There are many lily pads growing in the water.

Goldenrod!

Some lily pads with their blossoms.

This is a lovely natural area, with paved access and many walking trails. There are areas with picnic tables and little fire boxes. 

This was a very pleasant outing, and the walking trail was gentle and not too much for my recovering leg.

A brief bit about Michigan

 Hello, everyone.

We were in Michigan a couple of months back for a family event. While we were there, we stopped in a small bar for lunch, outside of Kellogg. 

This is their privacy screen/empty bottle display. We thought the arrangement was well done and creative. 

I wish I had taken a photo of their sign...now I can't remember their name. But they are on the south side of the highway between Kellogg and the Ft. Custer National Cemetery. Highly recommend the hamburger! Lovely patio seating, with shade.

After a short hiatus, a look at how the other (northern) half lives

Hello, everyone.

I went out of town for a few days and discovered how it feels to be in actual cold. (And this was in good weather for up there!)

I am told that in warm weather many waterfowl come to this pond. There is a strolling path around the water, and people were using it.

While riding on the roads there, I did see a couple of sand-hill cranes. They were standing right next to the pavement! Their long necks and their bright red flashes above the eye were impressive.

A late-winter warm spell came while I was there and melted the top layer of ice on the pond.

There is still ice there, but it looks like water now. One goose was gingerly stepping out onto the ice to see if it was swimmable yet.

In the spring these folks will have the famous spring bulbs of the temperate zone to enjoy, like drifts of daffodils and spreading zones of tulips in many colors. In south Texas neither one grows. Also no crocuses!

Photos were taken with my Samsung 5 cell phone. It's not bad for a phone camera. I do still prefer either my Canon point and shoot (new, 10 ounces) or my slightly heavier Canon camera (older, 12 ounces) that was taken on all of our Camino de Santiago walks so far. The new point and shoot camera's first outing was the Israel pilgrimage. It has 40X optical zoom. Sadly, it also has a completely different battery size than DH's Canon point and shoot. But I forgive it, as even with the extra charger to carry it's likely that the weight overall is the same and it doesn't stick out from my waist in its carry pouch like the other does. Larger carry pouches, and larger batteries and chargers, also weigh more than smaller ones.