May Day 2020................

Friday was May Day. Not celebrated in the US but we did back home. I love May because it's the harbinger of Spring. In England it's the most beautiful time of the year. When the "May" is out and the Spring flowers are all busting out all over. Daffodils along the banks and hedgerows. Primroses and Bluebells. May Day festivities including the May Pole, the May Queen........ah, memories of another time, another place. Morris dancers, Beltane. ........but I am not there I am here.
So it was a lovely sunny day, clear sky and so we went for a drive,to see what we could see. I had intended to go north to Cathead Bay but we somehow ended up where we always go. That was OK because there was a farm I had wanted to explore. There are many many farms that are now a part of Sleeping Bear Lakeshore. Being forever preserved. The land won't be built on (so they say) and will return to nature. For the most part they are renovating the old barns, part of the heritage here.





At the back of this farm a pond has started to form. I am not sure if it's always been there or if it's new. Over time water wells up and eventually forms a pond and often a lake, we have seen it happen over the course of time. Then the birds and waterfowl move in.If Beavers and Muskrats come then the whole terrain will change. I have explored a few of these places. Anyway, this farm was at one time a part of a larger settlement. Eitzen Farm and Kropp Farm are probably all that remains.
Kropp farm buildings and looking over to Eitzen farm over the "pond" there were also some stone foundations. We didn't poke around too long. We must go back and see what else we can see.



The birds were really singing their hearts out but it was hard to get pictures. A Grackle and Redwing were all that cooperated.


We next stopped at Narada Lake, not a lot happening but to pretty to pass up




Next stop Kelderhouse Farm and Basch Farm. Then further up the road is another farm we enjoy. We saw Sandhills there. Usually we have had luck seeing the Vultures on the roof. Gerry was not up for dirt back roads yet so we turned back at that point.Some Tree Sparrows were getting their fill of grit. Tree Swallows flitting hither and yon.











I did pursuade Gerry to do a side trip through S Thoreson Rd, most of it was OK but did get a bit rough when it turned to dirt haha. Better wait until they all get graded again.
We moved on towards Glen Arbor and got a sandwich to have for a picnic.....being cautious we used hand sanitizer and a mask and stayed away from anyone in there. We found a spot at GlenHaven and ate our lunch. We didn't go to the beach there were quite a few cars so decided not to.

Someone had told me about a place in Empire to watch Muskrats. Well I did find the place but didn't see anyone other than a couple of Canadians, but a nice trail to explore another day. Did see some deer but no pictures this time.





We did take a few pictures at Empire before heading home








Our lunch was so filling we didn't need supper. Can't wait for the next day out. I saw a Scarlet Tanager on the way home and also missed a Pileated Woodpecker.