It was a spur of the moment decision to catch the sunset so I headed to nearby Sunset Park on Front Street. What a shock to see the sun had moved south nearly even with the Delamar Hotel since the solstice June 21! Where had the summer gone? I moved on to a high spot on Old Mission for a better view. When I arrived, I could see clouds would obscure the sun’s definition. I decided to stay for the color show and to ponder how a summer could slip by so fast.
By this time of summer, hydrangeas are in full bloom and their colorful blossoms set off yards across the region. I’ve learned a lot about this flower as I’ve tried to grow them in my own garden. Whites are the most common and their color is genetically predetermined. The other colors are decided by the soil acidity. Pink varieties prefer alkaline soils and the blue to purple shades require the soil to be acidic. Besides a green thumb, you need some knowledge of soil pH to be successful in growing these beauties. I finally got blossoms for the first time this year.
The evening I returned to farm country, I saw three pairs of Sandhill Cranes. All appeared to be non-breeding, meaning they had no young ones. One pair was close to the roadside eating in a wheat field. A few days later, I saw a family with a youngster who was already quite large. The high point of the evening was when the cranes began to dance. Dancing facilitates pair bonding and pre-adult cranes practice dancing for years before selecting a mate. Parents educate their young by dancing with them. Amazing to watch!
I was headed to the library when I saw sailboats at the end of Boardman Lake and couldn’t resist getting pictures. It was the Traverse Area Community Sailing program. The lake was filled youngsters of all ages sailing Optimist Dinghies, Open Bics, Club 420s, and Lasers. The winds were pretty stiff and a few had their hands full. Fortunately, certified instructors roamed the area in power boats giving instruction and aid where it was needed. What a great hobby to learn in an area with so much water!
I’d seen sunflowers in the markets, but not yet in the fields. As I was driving towards Elk Rapids on 31-North, I spotted several large areas of them between Angel and Bates Roads. I pulled over and began photographing these early beauties. Some weren’t open yet, and they weren’t tall enough to create a whole field effect, but it was good knowing where to find them, even if some were facing in the wrong direction.
