Retirement has benefits.......................

So today it was nice cool day, rained early on. I wanted to go to the beach and collect some stones. I said, shall we go to the beach or clean the carpets. We were out the door quite quickly. We headed for Leland, figured may as well look for some Blue Stones. Nothing. Not a thing. I did pick up some small flat round stones suitable for painting. The powers that be have "improved" the beach. They dumped a whole load of sand and made the first part of the beach a lot wider, probably because the rest is fronted on to summer homes and is supposed to be private. So if you want to go to the beach and play, you stay in that area. We can walk the shoreline and that's all we like to do so fine with me.
Gerry took a picture

I will have to learn to accept his off the cuff pictures. Is my bum too big? I think so.
Anyway, some pictures of the beach.


When we left the beach we went back through Lake Leelanau. I always meant to stop at the boat launch. So we did. It has a lovely little picnic area there. Quite nice. So I was able to get some pictures. This is Lake Leelanau.


Saw this very busy mama duck with 18 babies

A very pretty lake, now very expensive. We next stopped at the Narrows, a bridge that crosses the river that joins the Lake together. I just stopped for pictures.


So Where we parked was near the river but not an access site so it was all rushes right there. Got some pictures of some Red wing Blackbirds.


He was so pretty.
Next we stopped for coffee. I got a frozen white chocolate mocha and Gerry got the same only hot. we both got scones. He is not used to doing this.

He is learning to relax and enjoy. He is also learning what Laura and I got up to, uh oh......

We will have to pack snacks and drinks now though, can't spend the money and gas is over 3 dollars now. That's OK I can improvise.
So after that we went back home along the southern shore of Lake Leelanau into Cedar. Look who we saw on the way home.

Two Sandhill Cranes tried to cross the road. One made it but the other went back when we stopped. A Leelanau Co sheriff stopped along side, I gave him a big grin, he just said to pull over we were in the middle of the road. Did not want to hit the Crane. I think he saw them so knew what we were doing. I got out and walked over to take pictures. They were not happy one on one side of the road and one on the other they were yacking at each other.


I love the Cedar area, lots of Cedar swamps for the deer and critters. Also very pretty.

I think he may get used to this.