SEEKING

 South of town, I discovered a beautiful tract of land that includes hills, woods, wildflowers, crop fields, and even a quarry.  The farmers that own the property told me they bed deer there.  After I spotted several ornate blinds, I wondered if it was a hunting ground too.  So, I headed there Saturday around six a.m., hoping to photograph some deer.  I found two different herds grazing on the hillsides but they quickly ran to the woods as I approached.  I was ready to give up when I spotted a doe and her fawn.  It made the early morning worthwhile.

 

 

 

SANCTUARY

 Don and Diana Burton, my good friends and photography buddies, had a rough winter.  They had bad falls, both breaking their ankles.  Unable to drive, they spent the winter convalescing inside their home.  Despite the long healing process, their minds were anything but idle.  Diana dreamed of spring when she could dig in the garden again.  And Don focused on researching backyard waterfalls.  When spring arrived, construction began on their waterfall, completed near the end of May.  The spot has now become a sanctuary for relaxation and bird watching.  My pictures show the waterfall and the beautiful landscaping.  But to get the full effect, you’ve got to hear the gurgling water and see the variety of birds the falls attract.  Watch the two movies below that Don took with his hidden Blink cameras.

 

 

 

 

 

SAYING GOOD-BYE TO MY BIRDS

 I move in a couple days to my new home on the southwest side of TC.  As my bird feed supplies have run out, I’ve taken down my feeders one by one.  I’ve enjoyed watching these beauties from my study window in all seasons.  Once my new yard is landscaped in early July, I’ll be hanging out my feeders again.  I look forward to what I’ll attract in this environment.

 

 

Carrying a poppy…

he passes through the quarrel.  Kobayashi Issa 

 

 

 

 

THE ALOHA

 It was another early morning ride to Glen Haven to walk the beach.  The sky was still washed in gold from the sunrise an hour before.   I returned by the path next to the Aloha, the historic  tugboat on display across from the Cannery.  Build in 1937, the classic  “turtle back” gill net fishing boat worked Lake Michigan until the mid-1980s.  It had been temporarily moored at Frankfort when it split a seam and sank in the harbor.  In 2013, The National Park Service funded its recovery, restoration, and transportation to Glen Haven.  I sure hope those days of financial support for preserving our Lakeshore history aren’t over.

 

 

SHOWY IRISES

 I’m not much of a close-up photographer, except when it comes to flowers.  I’m especially drawn to irises with their variety of colors, frilly lobes, and fuzzy beards.

 

 

  

 

 

GRAZING IN THE GRASS

 In wandering the countryside, I saw many cows and horses feasting on the green grasses that have appeared recently.  As I stopped to take pictures at one farm, this small pinto galloped toward my car.  Its beautiful thick mane flew as it ran.  It stopped at the fence and watched me snapping away, probably more interested in the white dog hanging out the car window than me.

 

 

THE MILL POND AT SLEEPING BEAR

Located near the base of the Dune Climb, the Mill Pond is a natural habitat for various wildlife and birds.  The small lake is larger than it looks and its backside stretches to the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.  I arrived just after sunrise on Monday morning and watched a Sandhill Crane preening.  Along the roadway, a few narcissus daffodils were still in bloom.  As I was the lone visitor, the only sound filling the air was birdsong.  A group of Cedar Waxwings serenaded from a nearby tree.  Two Trumpeter Swans floated among emerging lily pads.  They surprised me when they took to the sky but I imagine the pond was just their migration stopover as they headed back to their Alaskan home.  Ahhh, what a relaxing and peaceful start to my day.

 

 

 

  

PURPLE FLOWERS OF ALL SHADES ARE POPPING