Taking Cooper to Raven's Hill.........................

At some point we have taken the grandkids to Raven's Hill. Reina and Tristen loved it. Tristen was supposed to come today but is still sick. We have been waiting since September to get a day we could take him, was going last week but Laura said no, he had a cold, this week he still has a fever. So we decided we would go anyway. The weather was not the best, cold and drizzle but we never let the weather stop us when we want to do something. I also wanted him to see the Jordan Valley Glass Works in East Jordan. I wanted a Pumpkin haha. I packed us a lunch and off we went.....Look at all that lovely glass.


I had found the Facebook page and saw the Pumpkin I wanted, it was pale green. I wanted a Ladybug on it and he said he would put one on at no charge so woo hoo. It was still there so that's the one I got. Cooper seemed to enjoy watching and we got some history of glass making in the process.

I would have liked this one that he just made.


Our next stop was Raven's Hill.


The exploration center has all kinds of neat things to "Explore" for little kids it's hands on. Magnets, energy, mirrors, music, puzzles and so much it's hard to tell everything in there.
He loved the bike that acted as a generator.





next we went into the animal room. Cooper got to feed worms to some of the fish and a turtle.Gabby didn't want to see the snakes but wanted to see Cooper with them so she bravely sat by and watched......from a distance.


The Spiders could not come out and play, something about being in a bad mood this time of year and they would spray us with hair?????

The Lizard was allowed out though. The lady was very nice with Cooper and explained a lot for him



Back into the exploration room

Then outside. We sat in the car for our picnic before exploring the outside. It's a bit worn since my last visit. Really does need some help in putting the exhibit back in shape. Everything now is in need of a coat of paint, the Jurassic area is really down hill since last time and the leaves cover a lot now. So we headed for the school house. He enjoyed that.
The music area is a little in need of care also, but being noise related he was bobbing back and forth trying all the instruments.




The rain held off so we chanced a run over to the tree house in the woods. That too is in need of some love



We drove back to where the outside exhibits are as it was drizzle by then



They have tried to show different cultures through the ages. Unless you take the time to walk around and read it does not amount to much but Cooper didn't care at his age so sitting in a stone chair and poking the nose of an Easter Island dude was good enough.


it was raining by now so we headed back to East Jordan. The Jordan river flows through the town and if you go up into the hills there is place called Dead Mans Hill where you can overlook the whole Jordan Valley, but that was not for this days adventure.


Next was Friske Apple Orchards. They were doing a brisk trade and he really enjoyed the playground.




I went inside and got us some donuts for the trip home and some cider for later. I have not heard from Edna this week, she usually wants to go out and find cider this time of year.
Anyway I think we did a good job of wearing Cooper out and I think he enjoyed his day. It was rather gloomy for picture taking but the leaves were brilliant on some of the trees. Lots of yellows and limes up that way. Anyway that was it for today............what's next?

Off to Leland we go............

Well its almost the end of October and we have had a few nice cool sunny days. I wanted to go to the beach at Leland. I just needed a walk on the beach with no summer crowds. I think that the summer home owners have left because the sign was down restricting the beach. At least in that direction. Gerry came down, took a look and headed back to the warmth of the car.
There were still some pretty colours on our way. Suttons Bay not so busy as summer but still busy. I would like a day walking around

Leland River at Lake Leelanau.

We got to Leland and went straight to the beach. The water on Lake Michigan going up was calm, like glass.

Not so at Leland Harbor. The waves were rough, the water was high over the rocks and it was windy and cold. I was fine in my hoodie. Laura would have froze and Gerry just went back haha. So here I was alone on the beach. Beautiful. There were actually a couple of people looking for rocks further down. I was looking for some myself but was not looking for Blue Stones in particular. Good thing because there were none, I was looking for rocks to paint and anything pretty. Found enough of those. So my bag was full.





Having filled my bag with driftwood and rocks we went to Fishtown to see if the Salmon were still jumping. A few fishermen trying their luck. The Salmon are HUGE but they are dying now. It's that time. They have spawned and done for.



They had a welcome center that was new to me. The guy said they were open last year too, but I didn't see them a couple of weeks ago. They are trying to get support to help keep Fishtown. I can not imagine it not being there.




We stopped at Trish's Dishes and got coffee just before they closed and a cinnamon roll. Gerry likes Trish's haha........I thought he would want to go straight home but he headed for Port Oneida. We went the right track this time so I could get pictures of the newly renovated farm house. What a great job they did.


The details were splendid.


I looked in the windows of the house and barn haha


I could soooooo live there, I would not care if we could not get out in Winter, I would be in heaven.

Imagine what these trees have seen, they are so old I always want to hug them. I feel their spirit


Coming back through the woods I took a few pictures from the upper fields.


You can see Lake Michigan in the background


We headed back but stopped at the walkway, no one around but a couple of turtles but the colours were wonderful.






If we get to go back again before snow I bet the leaves up in the woods will be blazing. There are spots where none are left but others still green so I hope we can get more pictures
Old Betsy gets us through. I don't want a new car because of the places we go. She doesn't know she is an old rust bucket but she is faithful.

So we headed home for another week. Tomorrow we head north for East Jordan.