I decided if we saw a bear I would let it catch me and I would get some really good pictures. Those big teddy bears don't scare me. The only good picture, well half way good was a yellow finch. We did see some blue birds and they have nesting boxes all over.
The trails run along side the creek but up away from it. The trail is a mile long and Gerry didn't want to go that far. So another day (before the mosquitoes come out) we will try again. My friend Edna used to live out that way when she was a kid, she said she would play down in the creek but that there was quicksand. Pretty sure it's a great place for snakes. Now you know I do not mind snakes but, well the only venomous snake is the mississauga rattlesnake and even though it's not aggressive, I don't want to find one by mistake. So on we went on to our first stop. Pine Hill Garden Center.
I didn't really want to buy stuff yet because of the weather but I did get a fern before going on to Bier Gallery.
I saw something I loved on their Facebook page and wanted to check it out. Well it turned out to be in the region of 1345 dollars. Hey I have good taste. Was not in my budget though so sadly I passed on it. I did buy a couple of small things. I got a Moon to go with the star I already had.
They are Christmas ornaments but I just loved them and they will both go somewhere together. The star was on the wall and I will probably hang the moon too. I had put it in the living room here but as the 2nd thing I bought was a carved Trillium that will go instead. I have to find a home now for them both. We had bypassed Elk Rapids and intended to stop on the way home but instead we explored.
I had seen a sign on the way up some kind of Beach road. So after stopping to get coffee at Friske Orchards that's where we headed. We knew it was close to there. I am so glad we did. We found the beach and also two preserves along the road, Old Dixie Hwy. Goodness knows who named it that.
On a clear day it has to be breathtaking.
The beach stretched unbroken both ways so we will make a specific trip another day.
We went on to the first preserve Antrim Creek Preserve.It was a lovely walk through the woods with the stream running alongside the trail. How beautiful it will be when the flowers come out.
It opened up onto the same beach, just further along, so it must go for miles. One side had a few houses so we didn't cross over. We just walked up a little way
The parking area
The other reserve was on the same beach and we were not the only visitors that day
Also some Mersanger water fowl. I could not find them in my view finder so this is the best I could do. The female kept diving.
I didn't go too far but found at least 1/2 dozen Petoskey stones. This is how they look when lying on the beach. Takes a sharp eye to catch that distinctive pattern on the dry stone
This is how a polished one looks.
There was just one lady walking on this beach and she was leaving. We chatted about beachcombing for a bit and said goodbye. She said she had been out to Leland the day before and it was her best ever day of finding Blue Stones. Darn it all it's going to be raining the next couple of days. Ah well. I am definitely going back to explore these beaches, I think the first one because you can see forever both ways and the last one was going into residential areas..........still we are so lucky around here because so much land is set aside to never get built on.
The one that got away
2 comments:
You are lucky indeed to live where you do, how can you bear the loveliness? Bear, get it? Ha! Seriously, I always tell you it's gorgeous! Curious about that expensive piece, do tell!
The expensive piece was a bird sitting on a tea cup. The tea bag label hanging on the side. It was wonderful. I will post a picture at the end of the blog if you come back and check. Or if anyone else is interested
Janice
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