October 2021 Texas, Gentian at Hemlock Crossing, Ludington State Park, Grand Haven Pier

 We have had a beautiful and warm autumn this year.  Today is November 11 2021 and the trees are still so bright and golden.

This is our driveway, no sun but still warm and glowing gold.

I took my third trip to Texas for the year, this time I went to just play with our youngest grandkids, ages 6, 4, and 2 years.  We played lots of hide and seek at their new house, went in the pool, visited a nature preserve, and a pumpkin patch!  Grandkids amaze me!  What interesting and curious people they are. Each one has their own uniqueness, they are curious and have their own ideas in those adorable little heads. 

 

I really do love being up in the clouds!

After Texas, my sister from Minnesota visited Michigan.  We took her to Hemlock Crossing Park and Nature Center.  This is the park I have been watching some beautiful Closed Gentian, and we checked on those gentian and they were still blooming!  Mid October.

Hemlock Crossing 

We went into the nature center here at Hemlock Crossing and talked with Kristen Hintz, she has so much good information, it was fun seeing her again.  She works for Ottawa County Parks. 

Four sisters go for a walk!  We went together to Ludington State Park, we walked  Lost Lake/ Island  Trail.  It was a wonderful walk and so nice the four of us could be together on a perfect day.

In Grand Haven we went all the way out on the south pier on a very calm day.

That is it for this post.  I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by.

A fun find on the first day of November 2018

 November 1st  My sister, Sugar, and I decided to meet up at Rosy Mound Natural Area, an Ottawa County Park.  The leaves were so bright and the temperature mild, we took advantage of the opportunity. 
I walked at this park the end of September and found several Autumn Coralroot Orchid plants growing here but they were done blooming.  Or so I thought.
 
 As we walked along I kept an eye out for the orchid, wondering if I could even find the tiny plants again.  Then, there one was, an Autumn Coralroot!  And it was blooming!  We saw several more of the plants although no more that were blooming.   

The petals are small and quite hard to see.  I put a leaf behind the flower for a background and to make it easier to focus on the tiny petals.  I know it's not much, but those are petals, so yes it is blooming. 
 

Here is one of the clusters of coralroot.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed our walk, the beautiful trees, and each other's company.  I am so luck to have family nearby to get me out there.  You just never know what you might see on a walk, even if you have been to the same place many times!

Mid October 2018

October 11 2018  Marie and I went on an adventure to P. J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon County. 

We walked at the northern section, past the campground, along Little Black Creek.  The creek flows into Lake Michigan at this point.  Usually on the beach, the creek has some twists and turns before entering the big lake, on this day it headed straight into the lake. 

  Looking to the north with Little Black Creek meeting Lake Michigan

      Looking to the south

     Looking west at Lake Michigan, it was very windy!

 We found the old wood bridge replaced by metal.

We tried to follow the trail back along the creek, but it was flooded in places!

 That is the trail in the center of the picture with the creek on the far right!  We were able to go part of the way but then the water was just too deep for our boots.

 
The same day we stopped at Black Lake Park also in Muskegon County.

 This is Little Black Lake, the same water that flows through Hoffmaster and into Lake Michigan.

 

 Some fall color, but things were still mostly green.

 The next day was off to Crockery Creek Natural Area with Mike.  Some color here too!  October 12

Mike and I celebrate our anniversary in October, (41 years!) and for the last few years we have visited Mackinac Island to mark the occasion.  We stayed at The Inn on Mackinac built in 1867.  

Most of our stay on the island was very windy, cold, with rain and snow.  We did manage to do a long hike along the Tranquil Bluff Trail, and some even longer bike rides.

The island can be reached by private boat, by ferry, by small aircraft, and in the winter, by snowmobile over an ice bridge. The airport has a 3,500-foot paved runway, and daily charter air service from the mainland is available. In the summer tourist season, ferry boat service is available to shuttle visitors to the island from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City.

Motorized vehicles have been prohibited on the island since 1898, with the exception of snowmobiles during winter, emergency vehicles, and service vehicles. Travel on the island is either by foot, bicycle, or horse powered carriage. Roller skates and roller blades are also allowed, except in the downtown area. Bicycles, roller skates/roller blades, carriages, and saddle horses are available for rent. An 8-mile road follows the  perimeter of the island, and numerous roads, trails and paths cover the interior.  M-185,  the United States only state highway without motorized vehicles, makes a circular loop around the island, closely hugging the shoreline.  Mackinac Island is about 8 miles in circumference and 3.8 square miles in total area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 We took one last ride around the island before hopping on the ferry to head home.  The clouds moved in and a strong wind kicked up.   

 

This is the ferry as it came to the island from Mackinaw City (about 8 miles).  The Mackinac Bridge is approximately 5 miles behind the ferry.  On this day, at 12:30 in the afternoon,  the dark snow clouds obliterated the view of the bridge.  It was a wild ride on the ferry that afternoon, however a rainbow appeared while we crossed Lake Huron!  Even with the not so perfect weather, we very much enjoyed our trip.

In mid October, the fall colors were not yet at peak.  Still we did see some color and many plants still flowering.  I would say a pretty nice Autumn season.  Thanks for stopping by.