What should you do with your 2014 calendars?

Origami Stars, of course!

I got the idea for the stars from my daughter (I acquire most of my craft ideas from her, thanks Jen!). She found the instructions on the website Homemade Gifts Made Easy. I tried making them a few weeks ago from construction paper but never did get them right. Then I discovered that calendar paper is perfect for origami. It is fairly thick so it holds it's shape and doesn't tear when you are forcing folds, but not too thick that you have a hard time making sharp creases. The pages are also glossy so the folds slide into each other with little effort and they create an interesting collage of colors on the finished product. So don't throw away your old calendars. Have fun with origami!

Here is the website so you can try it for yourself:
http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/5-pointed-origami-star.html

Another Year Over

This is one of my favorite holiday songs, I found myself humming it as I was tidying up the decorations last night (not packing away yet, just tidying). 

I wish everyone the best for 2015 and certainly hope the words to this song resonate a sense of peace to all. It was composed in the late 60's/early 70's as a protest against the Vietnam War, but I think the message is still relevant today.

                                       John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

So this is Xmas

And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas (war is over)
For weak and for strong (if you want it)
For rich and the poor ones (war is over)
The world is so wrong (if you want it)
And so happy Xmas (war is over)
For black and for white (if you want it)
For yellow and red ones (war is over)
Let's stop all the fight (now)

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Xmas (war is over)
And what have we done (if you want it)
Another year over (war is over)
A new one just begun (if you want it)
And so happy Xmas (war is over)
We hope you have fun (if you want it)
The near and the dear one (war is over)
The old and the young (now)

A very Merry Xmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

War is over, if you want it
War is over now

Happy Xmas

Advent Calendar

All of my day-discs are flipped... Christmas is over.... Time to pack up the fun...

As you can see, I did adjust the patterns a little. I simply cut triangles out of shinny foil wrapping paper and pasted them on a few of the tips in order to break up the color pattern. No more accidental swastikas and I think it actually was an improvement in the overall design. Much more festive, you can't beat shinny! Of course, I'm sad now that I have to pack everything away. My stairway walls will look ever so blah and boring without the Christmas decorations. I must think of a crazy Spring craft to adorn the halls.

It's been a while

I feel as though the holidays have taken over my every thought and I am guilty of neglecting my blog. It has been quite chilly in Northern KY, not very conducive to snapping pretty pictures on weekend outings. I have been out and about, just not snapping pictures (that would entail taking off my gloves since I do not have those fancy gloves that allow you to operate a touch screen, and it's been way to chilly to take off gloves!). So, instead, I will share my holiday craft project.

This is my origami advent calendar wreath made with origami disks/coasters/stars (not sure what you would actually call them). It took a few tries to get the origami folding steps correct, but after a few were done successfully, the process seemed to fall into place. I had a ball folding the papers and assembling the wreath. A little tinsel and some fake flowers and voila! Origami advent calendar wreath! Each morning I get to flip a coaster to hide the day number and reveal the pretty star behind.


I hope no one thinks the pattern resembles a swastika!!!

I certainly did not mean for that to happen. Hallmark recently had to remove a wrapping paper design from the market for the same reason. I'm sure it was not intentional on their part either, it just happens when you are creating patterns. It didn't occur to me until looking at the star from a certain angle and then hearing the news article.

Yikes, should I take down the wreath?!!!

Artworks Murals in Cincinnati

I just love that our city is getting so artsy! This past weekend I took a friend on an urban hike through downtown Cincinnati, focusing on the murals painted by Artworks, a local non-profit organization founded in 1996. Their mission statement is to empower and inspire the creative community to transform everyday environments through employment, apprenticeships, education, community partnerships, and civic engagement. One of the ways they are accomplishing their mission is through what they call "public art"... building murals, free standing sculptures, unique bike racks, and they have even started turning the Metro bus shelters into artwork canvases.

The history of the mural program started in 2007 when former Mayor Mark Mallory visited Philadelphia and was introduced to their mural program, which in 30 years completed over 3,000 murals. He was so impressed that he challenged Artworks to create a mural in each of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods. The Artworks' website now boosts that 36 neighborhoods have at least one mural, some have many, and they are still working to get the remaining 16 their own masterpiece. To date, 90 murals have been completed. Here are my top six favorites from the downtown area (the write-ups are copied from the Artwork's website):

Number 6: Cincinnati's Table. Bit crazy, if you ask me. I love the snail along the bottom.

This mural boasts a surreal composition, made up of delicacies, food, and fantastical imagery. Inspired by Dutch still life’s, the mural is full of over-the-top detail and pays tribute to the culinary arts! Flying pigs complete the scene, bringing Cincinnati’s Table to life.
In partnership with Jean-Robert’s Table and Budig Realty, LLC

Project Manager: Scott DonaldsonLocation: 713 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 5: The Golden Muse. I thought this was beautifully done, very graceful.

This mural features a figurine from an 18th century mantle clock in the Taft Museum of Art’s collection.  Encompassing the entire wall, the figure becomes a mythological music muse as the notes to Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man (written for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and originally performed at Music Hall in 1942) fly off the page and into the sky. This mural was created as a part of the Taft’s 80^th Anniversary Celebration, “Art for All.”

Project Manager: Tim Parsley
Location: 28 West 13th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 4: Homecoming (Bluebirds). I love all of Charley Harper's works! This picture looks crooked to me but the building actually sits on a hill so I was having a hard time lining this up... I think the birds are straight, bit of an optical illusion the way they split the picture to allow the center of the building to show through.

Charley Harper, one of Cincinnati’s most accomplished and celebrated artists, studied and taught at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. It was there he met his wife Edie and they continued to make Cincinnati their home, starting a family and sharing an art studio. Charley’s favorite subject was the natural world and he worked in a style he called ‘minimal realism’. This particular work is based on Homecoming (Bluebirds), a painting done in his minimal,geometric style and is symbolic, depicting two bluebirds – male and female – returning home.
 In partnership with Charley Harper Art Studios and Court St Executive Suites.

Designer: Charley Harper
Project Manager: Jenny Ustick
Location: 119 East Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 3: Ice Cream Daydream. That is my friend Chrisula in the picture, She said this one was a favorite for her too. Love the crazy colors.. mighty bright!!!

This fantastical mural brings youthful energy and vibrancy to the district of Over-the-Rhine. A love for color and candy awaken the imagination where a diamond sun rains strawberries on a dessert-filled garden. Thanks to Eden Floral Boutique.

Project Manager: Amanda Checco
Location: 33 East 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 2: Energy and Grace. This mural just stood out from blocks away. It is huge and very, very blue. It just made me feel happy... like dancing and swirling :)

In Partnership with Art Academy of Cincinnati. Since moving to Over-the-Rhine in 2005, the Art Academy of Cincinnati has been essential to the neighborhood’s transformation. To celebrate the school’s commitment to reviving this historic community, ArtWorks turned a painting by one of its professors, native Cincinnatian and internationally acclaimed abstract artist Kim Krause, into a mural. This is ArtWorks first abstract mural, and its vibrant colors and whimsical movement capture the energy and momentum in Over-the-Rhine.

Designer: Kim Krause
Project Manager: Nathan Weikert
Location: 16 E. 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Number 1: Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon. This is my favorite of them all. The image invokes movement to me, and I love the artistic workmanship, very realistic. I believe they truly captured the beauty of these birds.

In Partnership with Cincinnati Nature Center. Martha, the last passenger pigeon, lived out her last days at the Cincinnati Zoo. Despite efforts to save what was once the most numerous bird species in America, Martha died in 1914. Almost one hundred years later, Cincinnati remains committed to wildlife preservation thanks to local organizations like the zoo and Cincinnati Nature Center, and wildlife artist and conservationist John A. Ruthven, dubbed the 20th Century Audubon. This mural reproduces an original masterpiece by Mr. Ruthven that shows Martha and her flock soaring over the historic Bird Run at the Cincinnati Zoo, and serves as a daily reminder to downtown residents, workers and visitors of the importance of wildlife conservation and the reality of extinction.
Designer: John A. Ruthven
Project Manager: Tim Parsley
Location: 15 E. Eighth St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
To see a time lapse video of the making of this mural, click: Creation of the Martha mural

Winter is Here!!!

Overnight, my world has turned white. This was the view from my balcony this morning. 

Forget white Christmas, looks like we are in for a white Thanksgiving!

American Gothic

The famous painting, American Gothic, has been on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum for several weeks and I managed to squeeze in a visit during its final showing.

American Gothic is an oil painting, done in 1930, by American artist Grant Wood (1891-1942). I've seen many reproductions of this image and never took much mind of it. Now that I have seen the original piece, I'm still not sure why it warrants such acclaim. I learned from my visit that this painting was placed on exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago and won the artist $300, after which was purchased by the Friends of American Art for permanent inclusion into the institute's collection. Then, as we say today, it went viral.

Here are a few words from the artist about his masterpiece:

I just love the Cincinnati Art Museum. They always have wonderful traveling exhibits, even if they are not my preferred style of artwork, along with an amazing permanent collection. Every time I visit the museum to see the featured exhibit, I also revisit my favorites.

Vincent van Gogh, Undergrowth with Two Figures, oil on canvas, 1890. 

This is the plaque summation for this piece:
Ghosts seem to move through van Gogh's forest. The Dutch Post-Impressionist artist, who expresses nature's abundance with his improvised brushwork, strong colors, and an emotion that was raw and visible, here seems to presage his own death, which occurred a week after he finished the painting.

I learned that in May 1890, van Gogh moved to a small village north of Paris and, prior to his suicide in July, painted nearly one canvas a day. How odd! I would love to see a few of the other paintings from that time. Sounds like an artistic genius, madly spinning out of control. What a sad ending. I look at this painting a little differently, knowing that the artist took his own life one week after completing it. Really makes me wonder about the human spirit and its precious, intricate, and ever-so delicate existence.

 

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park has got to be the most unique park I have ever visited. It is an outdoor museum consisting of huge metal/stone/marble sculptures spread across over 300 acres of beautifully landscaped countryside. It is located in Hamilton, OH, just north of Cincinnati. There are roads you can drive around to see the sculptures, you can rent an art (golf) cart, or you can just head out on foot, which is what I did. Walking the hills was a great way to burn a few calories, plus I was able to get up close to these enormous structures. 

This sculpture is Abracadabra by Alexander Liberman. It was huge and could be seen from several vantage points in the park, definitely one of my favorites. Alexander Liberman was born in Russia in 1912, relocated to New York in 1941, joined the staff of Conde Nast, and eventually became the Art Director. He began his career as a painter and a photographer, turning to sculpture in the 1950’s. Pyramid Hill has three of his works, each constructed of welded, painted steel. 

I think it is odd how artwork can create an emotion in the observer; inspiration, wonderment, unease, bafflement. Abracadabra created, for me, a sense of energy and happiness; probably because of its sheer size and fanciful angles and curves. I really enjoyed walking across the fields and seeing these monstrous creations... kind of gave you a focal point as you were trucking up the hillside.

Pyramid Hill began in 1987 when Harry T. Wilks (1925-2014) purchased 40 acres of land to be used as his private residence. He bought several adjoining parcels of land as they became available. He later developed a non-profit foundation and donated the land for the creation of a public park.  He wanted to ensure the land would be unavailable for private development after his passing, thereby preserving it as a single parcel for the enjoyment of future generations. Needing a focal point for his park, he began visiting sculptures and purchasing pieces of art to be displayed throughout the grounds. The park thereby became a collection of sculptures and had its grand opening in 1996. It has been growing ever since and has acquired national and international attention.

These are a few of the other works that really caught my attention.

The Web by Brian Monaghan

Adam’s First Breath by Sam McKinney, a local artist from Lexington, KY. 

Midnight Serenade Pose 2 by Pokey Park. I just love the whimsical ones!

Pattern IV by Greg John. 

Euclid’s Cross by Michael Dunbar. 

This sculpture was a tribute to Euclid, 

the father of geometry and weighs in at 12 tons.

A side note, on my way home from the park I saw signs for local produce and followed them to a lovely farm where I purchased apples and blueberry cider. Just chit-chatting with the farmer, the conversation came around to why I was up in his neck of the woods. I told him I was on my way home from the visiting the sculpture park and he said, in as country of an accent as you can imagine, “that guy’s got more money than he’s got sense”. He then went on to tell me that he had never been to the park and the only sculpture he’s ever seen was the one at the front entrance… and that was weird enough for him… he didn't need to go inside to see anything else. The guy really made me laugh. I love country farms as much as I love art museums, but for some reason, the farmers and the artists exist in different worlds, even if they live less than a mile away from one another other.

Two Fabulous Fall Hikes

I'm afraid I am falling a little behind in posting my hikes. I just love this season so much, I'd rather be out walking than typing. Therefore, I'll be combining two hikes in this post.

Last weekend I went to an old favorite, Miami Whitewater Forest, one of the Hamilton County Parks in SW Ohio.

I spent quite a few hours there last summer volunteering to help clean up beaver dams... or rather clear them out of the culverts that connected the series of lakes in the park. It was a ridiculously hard job! My hands were covered in blisters and as fast as we cleared them out during the day, the beavers would be back at night building them up. I was told that it was in a beaver's nature to stop water from flowing. They don't live in the dams, they build "lodges" in other areas of the lake. They just build the dams because they want their water to be still. Anytime the water starts to move, they get busy! So why not just let the dams stay in place and let the beavers have their still pond? Well, still water means stagnant, buggy water. Plus, when it rained, if the culverts were blocked, the trails flooded. Opps, got side tracked, this is not a post about beaver dams, it's about fall hiking and the beautiful areas in this Tri-state region.

I just love it when the trail is so leaf covered you have to wonder if you're actually still on it. The trails at Miami Whitewater Forest are impeccably maintained. They have an army of volunteers that go out there every day to trim branches and pick up liter.

I thought the fungi covering this fallen tree trunk was amazing. The type of fungus pictured here is Violet Polypore... I think. I looked at a field guide printed from the USDA on Common Microfungi in Eastern Forests, and the picture they had in the book looked like this, so that's what I'm going with. Here's what I learned:

The Violet Polypore develops fruit bodies in thin, leathery layers of various colors with violet on the fruit body margin that breaks into teeth with age. It is often covered with green algal growth. You will find it covering dead trees. It grows from spring to fall and is inedible. It is one of the most common decay fungi in the US. So, there you have it. Just because it's common, covered in algae, and grows on dead trees, does not mean it cannot be breathtakingly beautiful.

The next Fabulous Fall hike I went on was to the Devou Mountain Bike Trails in Covington, KY. These trail were designed for mountain bikes but they welcome hikers and trail runners as well. They are single track, 16 inch wide trails that climb 400 feet in and around the hills on the south side of Devou Park. The trails are very new and still growing. Chad Irey, a local resident and outdoor enthusiast, petitioned the city to authorize the development of the trail system and, after three and a half year, got it! The trails are 100% volunteer built/donation funded. Ground breaking was in 2010 and they already have over ten miles of trails. They are supported by the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance and the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association and are said to be built to international mountain biking standards. Pretty cool thing to have in my back yard!

Ahhh... soon winter will be here and the beautiful reds, yellows, and browns will be covered with white snow!!!

Urban Hike from Newport to Mt Adams

I thought these flowers looked like cartoon mushrooms from afar; you know, the kind you would see a frog sitting on top of while flashing you the peace sign :)

Here are a few pictures taken on a wonderful urban hike from Newport, Ky to Mt Adams, OH that a friend and I did this past Saturday. Normally we enjoy nature outings and hiking actually trails, but because of recent rains and fear of slippery leaves and mud, we stuck to a paved "hike". None the less, we got in a wonderful workout due to the elevation change. The next picture was taken from the front steps of Holy Cross Catholic in Mt Adams, looking south over the Ohio River. We started our walk on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River in Newport, crossed the Purple People Bridge and, following pedestrian walkways, overpasses, and staircases, made our way to to the church (can you see in the pic where I labeled the bridge?). It was a mighty fine way to burn a few calories on a sunny Saturday morning.

 Cool rooftop patio, if you don't mind the church folks looking down in you, that is!

Holy Cross Catholic. I just love peeking into churches. The Catholic ones always have such beautiful stained glass windows and wonderfully ornate wooden structures. Might be cool to visit when they have a service.

Look, I snapped another bee picture!

Shawnee Lookout and Ironweed

I went on a nice hike this past weekend to one of my favorite parks in Cincinnati, Shawnee Lookout. The leaves are just beginning to turn to their beautiful fall colors and the late summer wildflowers are still in bloom. Pictured here is the Blue Jacket trail. As you can see, even in a crowded city such as Cincinnati, you can still get away from it all and surround yourself with nature.

I've been reading lately about the healing effects of nature. Here is an excerpt from an article I read on the subject:

Forests, and other natural, green settings, can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness, and increase overall happiness. Forest visits may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells. 

Many studies show that after stressful or concentration-demanding situations, people recover faster and better in natural environments than in urban settings. Blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the level of "stress hormones" all decrease faster in natural settings. 

I always knew that I felt better after a hike, I felt happier somehow, more relaxed and content with myself and my life. Now there is scientific proof that I am not just some crazy nature-loving tree-hugger. A simple walk in the park is the magical cure-all. Check it out for yourself. Go for a walk! It's fun! Or just get outside and sit under a tree. Listen to the birds sing and eximine the leaves around you. I'm sure that you will feel better and whatever was troubling you before, won't seem as bad after.

I also learned of a native wildflower that grows abundantly in this region of the US, the Ironweed. Wildflower or weed? In truth, this is a wildflower and it should be present in everyone's yard. It is an excellent nectar plant and is visited by many species of butterflies and bees. I even captured a bee in my picture! I've read that this flower does well planted next to Milkweed in a butterfly garden. Unfortunately, many people consider this a weed and mow it down in their vain attempts to maintain a yard full of grass. I wish everyone would dedicate at least a portion of their yard for the native wildflowers. Think of all the time and money you would be saving by not trying to grow only grass and think of all of the critters that will benefit from the weeds that don't get mowed. Here's another excerpt for you, this one from the USDA Forest Service: 

Wildflowers support entire ecosystems for pollinators, birds, and small animals on a micro scale. Butterflies and other insects, small birds, and animals depend on seeds, nectar, and pollen for their food supply and life support system. In addition, some pollinators are not very mobile or have very small home ranges or depend on just one species of plant and die once their habitat has been destroyed.

So, that is my message for this fine Friday... go for a walk and stop mowing down wildflowers!

ASO Birding Class and The Oxbow

I've enrolled in a birding class hosted by the Audubon Society of Ohio (ASO) and I'm learning tons of stuff about bird identification. I now realize how much more I need to learn. It's not enough to peer through the binoculars at the pretty little birds; I now want to know what kind they are, where they live, what they eat and who eats them, if they are migrating or year-round residents, if they are breeding, what is the future of their habitats, and if their numbers are growing or in decline due to climate change. So much more to learn!

The class is held on three consecutive Sundays. We gather in a class room for lectures taught by Jay Stenger and Jack Stenger (father and son team) lasting about three hours, then caravan to a local birding "hot spot" to practice field observations. Our first field trip was to the Oxbow. I've been out there before and every visit amazing me. Here is some information from the Oxbow, Inc. website:

In the central Ohio Valley, the most important remaining wetland is a 2500-acre spread of level river bottom farmland on the shore of the Ohio River, know as the Oxbow. The Oxbow is a broad floodplain where the Great Miami River empties into the Ohio. This area where three states - Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky - come together, is near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, seventeen miles downstream from Cincinnati. It is named for a small horseshoe, or oxbow-shaped lake, formed when flood waters cut a new course for the Great Miami River, isolating a meander in the old stream bed. There is not a building on it. Almost every year it is flooded with shallow waters that deposit nutrients from upstream. This annual enrichment, plus a water table close the surface, makes the Oxbow area a highly productive land for farming.

This traditional agricultural use is vitally important to migrating birds. In the spring and fall thousands of ducks, geese, and shorebirds funnel into this rich feeding and nesting area. Grain dropped by corn pickers and combines provides much of the food for visiting waterfowl. The Oxbow is a heavily-used staging area where migrating birds refuel and rebuild their energies. The area is essential to their success on long flights between distant northern breeding grounds and southern wintering areas. Without the Oxbow these migrants might reach their northern nesting areas without the reserve strength essential to raising new broods of healthy young birds.

This is why the Oxbow is the most important wetland area in the mid-section of the Ohio Valley, drawing the tri-state area's largest concentrations of ducks and herons. Birders have listed 287 species of birds on this area, among them ducks, geese, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds.

This is a picture I took at one of the ponds that make up The Oxbow. Among the birds I saw were Great Egrets (seen in this picture), Great Blue Herons, Double-crested Cormorants, an Osprey, some tree swallows, lots of Killdeer, and of course, the always present, soaring high above, Turkey Vultures. 

England-Idlewild Park

The England-Idlewild park in Burlington, KY is a beautiful place for walk. I can't believe I have lived in Northern KY for four years and am just now discovering this treasure. Maybe because the main attraction for the park is miles of single-track mountain bike trails. I don't have a mountain bike, and I prefer not to get run over by them while hiking, so I never ventured out there. However, while looking on line for new places to hike, I stumbled across an advertisement for multi-use trails at the England-Idlewild park. Turns out they welcome hikers out there so I thought I would give it a try. If there were too many bikers, I wouldn't return.

The weather was beautiful on the day I went, sunny, breezy and cool. It felt like autumn! I was captivated by the fields of flowers along the paved trail. A walk around this park was an tremendous spirit booster for me.

To sum it up, the park was awesome and I will definitely return. 

They have a 2-mile paved trail (pictured here) and a 6+-mile dirt trail. I say 6+ because you could get turn around back there and do circles for hours and hours; the trails cross and weave and the forest is thick enough to not see and zigzagging course. The forest is such that you cannot see or hear civilization either. You really feel like you are in the wilderness. There were lots of elevation changes and creek crossings as well. I can see how portions of these trails could be technically challenging for a bike. They had the trials marked for intermediate, advanced, technical, etc. 

The day I was out there is was not crowded either, which is strange since the weather was so nice and it was a Sunday. Not sure where all of the people were but I only encountered a few bikers and they were very nice about going around me or slowing so I could step onto the trail's edge to let them pass.

I can't say enough about the beauty of the wild flowers. 

Should I Jump?

Since returning from my road trip around Michigan, I have done very little. It has been hot and humid in Kentucky and I have not felt like exerting any kind of energy. Late summer is my least favorite time of the year; I can't wait for Fall.

I did, however, manage to go for a walk where I ran into this cute guy.

Look at how his front feet are tucked under his body. Weird, huh. He is a little blurry, but that's what happens when you snap a picture of a hopping toad with a cell phone. He was sitting in the middle of the trail and of course, as soon as my friend gets out her cell phone for the photo, he jumps. You would think that a toad would land with his front feet facing forward, not tucked under, but this is the position he was in after a large leap toward the grass.

He made me think of my own dilemma faced with this past week. I was offered a career move to Las Vegas. There was definite potential for growth and the work environment would have been a healthy challenge, but... VEGAS?!!! Once you look past all of the bright lights and "sin city" facade, it is the Mojave Desert. No denying it... the desert.

Initially, I was excited. Heck yeah, I'm jumping! Good bye boring suburban life of Northern Kentucky. I'm heading for the big city glitz and the great unknown of the West!

But then, hold on, the desert... remember? Arid sands. Bare earth. Scorpions, tarantulas, and rattlers. Flash floods. 100 plus temps for 90 percent of the year. No lush greenery or mossy rocks or babbling brooks that I love. No changing of the seasons either. How can enjoy the fall colors when all of the colors out west are nothing but tan year-round?

I've decided to stay put for the time being and I am very happy with my decision. I was stressed out for a few days, weighing the pros and cons, analyzing my deepest emotions, and exploring this overwhelming desire to jump. My dad called me a wandering spirit. Yeah, that seems to sum it up. Some people settle down, some people just don't. Who knows where the next jump will land me; it won't be Vegas, but other options are open for the future.

More Michigan

Here are a few more pictures I took during my driving tour of Michigan. My original plan was to visit a couple of lighthouses on the mainland, but the plan changed drastically after researching the state. We ended up driving all the way to the top and visiting an island... so much for the mainland!

Of course, to get to the Upper Peninsula, we had to drive over the Mackinac Bridge. According to their website, the "Big Mac" is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere and the fifth longest in the world. However, if you trust Wikipedia, it is the 16th longest. Whatever the ranking, it is an enormous bridge, very tall and very narrow. I was not at all happy to go over it! Thank goodness my daughter drove and she did an outstanding job of keeping us steady. Check out that sky, not only was the bridge big, but the weather was windy!

Mackinac Bridge

Once we were safely on the other side, our drive to the Pictured Rocks National Seashore was uneventful. It was a long drive on a very isolated road. Occasionally we saw a snowmobile crossing sign, but not much else up there. The park was definitely worth the drive. All the campsites were occupied so we settled for a hotel in the town of Munising. The following morning we did some hiking, walked along the shore of Lake Superior, and found the Au Sable Lighthouse. The weather cleared up and we had beautiful blue skies for the day, but it was still cold and windy... maybe a normal weather pattern for this area of the state, the local didn't seem phased by it. Personally, I was happy to have the warm hotel and hot shower to return to in the evening.

Au Sable Light Station, Pictured Rocks National Seashore

Shoreline on Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks park. We found this spot on our hike to the lighthouse. We were able to climb down to the water and sit for a while. Very relaxing! The sound of the waves reminded me of the ocean, but the water was so different (we saw a sign in a restaurant that read "Great Lakes... unsalted and shark free". 

On our drive back to the mainland, we stopped at the Seney Wildlife Preserve and did a quick walk around the wetland. This was mosquito heaven, I don't recommend the walk unless you cover yourself with repellent and don't mind swatting at the pests as you cruise through the park.

We went to Mackinac Island on the last day of our trip. This island is only accessible by ferry and there are no cars allowed. We took the 8 am ferry and had the place practically to ourselves until around 10 when hundreds, maybe thousands, of tourist descended in. We rented bicycles and rode the eight mile perimeter, did a little sightseeing, had a lovely lunch overlooking the marina, then rode the ferry back by noon. The island was beautiful, but crazy-crowded by the time we left. I don't know how people can stand to be around so many other people. This may confirm that I am just not a people-person. I can't stand crowds!

There really were no cars! This was the scene when we first arrived. The streets were jam packed with people when we left. 

Mackinac Island Arch

More stormy skies, strong winds, and cold air! Michigan residents are not fair-weather folks! This was the lighthouse at the entrance to the Mackinac Island Marina.

Our trip around Michigan was awesome! Not someplace I would want to live, but an awesome vacation destination. My favorite Great Lake... Lake Superior, hands down :)

   

Ring-billed Gull

One of the thing I learned on my trip around the state of Michigan is that not all seagulls are "sea" gulls. We saw quite a few gulls along the shores of the Great Lakes. This one was photographed on the shore of Lake Huron in Mackinaw City.

This is a Ring-billed gull. The website from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology says that this bird is often found at inland lakes. His actual range covers the entire United States, migrating into Mexico for the winter and into Canada for the summer. 

According to the website, "Ring-billed Gulls often congregate around humans, at garbage dumps, parking lots, and freshly plowed fields. While the species is common on coastal beaches, particularly during winter, many Ring-billed Gulls lead inland lives, never setting eyes on the sea." Some birds will never know what they are missing!

It was very strange to walk along the shore, hear the waves crash onto the sand, and see the seagulls soar overhead, but not be able to smell the sea or feel the salty air. There was no scent at all. The Great Lakes are so large that they look like the ocean, but you know in an instant, they are not. 

I also missed the shells. There were plenty of beautiful rocks, but no shells.