The 25th of July was our day to go to Michigan's Irish Hills and The Hidden Lake Gardens. I remember going there several times as a kid with my Mom and Aunt Rachel. They would get all of us cousins in the car and we'd go to Hidden Lake, climbing up the hills and then rolling down. We had a lot of fun back in those days doing our "hill rolling"! As an adult, I realize that some beautiful landscapes and gardens are far better than rolling down those hills!
Welcome to Hidden Lake Gardens, a 755-acre botanical garden and arboretum nestled in the Irish Hills of southeast Michigan featuring a conservatory, bonsai courtyard, canopy walk, hiking trails and diverse plant collections. A beautiful drive taking in the surroundings!
Mary Anne really liked the fish sculpture by the lake!
Part of our hiking trail that took us to The Sky Walk Canopy
This at-tree-level walk allowed us to experience the tree canopy like never before with ways to connect with nature via up-close observation of leaves, branches, birds, insects and other woodland wildlife above the ground. The Sky Walk, built from Southern Yellow Pine, stands 65 feet above ground level at its highest point suspending us over a glacial kettle hole, showcasing the unique topography and peaceful forest of Hidden Lake Gardens. The suspension bridge is 374 feet in length with the entire structure encompassing 726 feet.
The Irish Hills that I remember rolling down as a kid. I was tempted on this trip, but I resisted!
The Hidden Lake Conservatory is gorgeous! The park is run by Michigan State University, and they do it well. The building is stunning, and the plants and flowers that inhabit the interior are spectacular.
The flowering plants are enough to take your breath away. We enjoyed taking them all in!
The Bonsai Courtyard displays the bonsai collection just outside the Conservatory. A gem of quiet and astonishing beauty, this wonderful variety of miniature trees in pots invites all to see the intimate interaction of the natural world with the human hand and artistic imagination. One of the largest collections of bonsai on display in the Midwest, these trees range from 40 to 100 years old
More beauty to take in ....
Hanging Lobster Claw
Hanging Lobster Claw
Golden Queen Shrimp Plant
Good-Bye Hidden Lake Gardens ... Until Next Time
We spent the afternoon and evening with our wonderful cousins Kay and Dave Randolph in Tecumseh, Michigan. Kay was the first of my relatives to meet Mary Anne 52 years ago; and at 6 years older than me, has known me longer than anyone still around! Mary Anne and Kay clicked right away and are more sisters than cousins. We had a super time with them. Dave is a gem that we are thankful for every day. Added to all of that, we ordered pizza for dinner that was really good too! There are not enough words to share our deepest love and feelings for Kay and Dave.
Saturday we had made arrangements to drive to Hillsdale, Michigan, to meet up with cousin Wes and Janice Rickard for lunch. Wes had insisted that the best lunch in Hillsdale was right there at their house. He was not wrong! Wes grilled freshly-caught Walleye, had Amish tomatoes and home-grown yellow cherry tomatoes for me as I am known as a lover of tomatoes, Amish sweet corn-on-the-cob, and a vegetable mix which was also delicious! Janice made a dessert cake with fresh peaches and home-made blackberry jam!
Wes and I grew up almost like brothers. Seems either I was at their house or they were at ours. It was so good to see them both and semi-caught-up on our lives! We had a wonderful time and will cherish it always.
That evening we went to Luna Pier, Michigan. where cousin Jenning (Wes's brother) and his band-mates, Minimum Wage, were to play. We thought we would surprise them. The rain drizzle had stopped but the band had been cancelled earlier. Most of the seating and the stage are outdoors, so rain is not a friend. We were disappointed! We took a picture and sent to Jennings and Michelle --- Surprise! But I pulled some pictures from their site to document here!!!
Jennings and Michelle
Yes, it really was a surprise!!! Hahaha!!!
Sunday the 27th, we went to the Toledo Zoo. Boy, has it changed over the years! In my early teen years, I rode my bike the mile from our house to the zoo tunnel that goes under the Anthony Wayne Trail to volunteer work in Wonder Valley, the children's and petting zoo. That no longer exists! We had a great time taking in all of the changes and seeing all of the animals.
The Polar Bear Exhibit is spectacular.
Flamingos and more ...
Eye catchers ---
Both my sister Barb and I, plus our children, Carrie, Eric, Rene and Travis, have sat and played on these statues of the Buffalo and the Elephant. That makes them really old but still fun for kids today! So glad that they are still around!
A real shocker and a pleasant renovation to see for me was the lion, tiger and gorilla house that I knew as a kid has been turned into an eating lounge with tables and chairs. Not only can you sit inside the building, but the outdoor cages are open with tables and chairs too. Now you can truly be on display as the animals were back in the 50s and 60s!!! The paint job is spectacular too!
Mary Anne's favorites always ... the Giraffes!
I remember when the Toledo Zoo got it's first Gorilla. It was a big deal. The zoo had a naming contest. The Gorilla was named Togo for TOledo GOrilla! Now, there are several and a nice environment!
And I'll close with the Averary House. My dad raised parakeets for sale in the basement of our house. Mom ended up doing most of the work. Having had enough, she took them all, almost 300, to the zoo. They dedicated this large glass-faced cage to hold them all. So do you suppose some of these are descendants of the Facey parakeets from the late 1950s or early 1960s?
There were so many sights in the zoo, but these are enough pictures to get the gist. We had a great time and give the zoo a "job well done".
Our evening was spent with friends for 65 years or so, Judy and Ken Schwider. We met them at Webber's Restaurant in Point Place at the Lost Peninsula border. My Dad loved Webber's and their Lake Erie Perch dinners. I wanted to go one more time. The Perch is still terrific even though no more a bargain price for any all you can eat! We had a great time reminiscing and catching up on today's lives. Social media is good, but in-person cannot be beat!
Ken and Judy --- Friends Forever!!!
The complete photo album is at this link
0 comments:
Post a Comment