A Walk Around Pentwater

 I did take a walk... but it was a plan that evolved. I was going to go to Pentwater yesterday. And I was going to ski the easy loop at the Pathway. But my sore toe will not tolerate the ski boots. I'll have to get a larger size. So, then I thought I'd snowshoe a little. But then I got that headache. End of yesterday.

Today, I woke up with the remains of the headache, but not bad. Then I got out of bed. Still shakey. Waited a while and decided I could probably go to Pentwater.

I threw the snowshoes in the car. Discovered I was still a little queasy. Driving past the rotating wind turbines was kinda bad, but if I stayed focused on what was ahead rather than to the side it was fine.

But the place I thought I could snowshoe had no snow, so after I checked out the things I needed to do, I just walked around town.

Here is the village from the north channel pathway across Pentwater Lake.

Pentwater is a nice little town in the winter. We used to go to church there, so I'm very familiar with it. I ended up walking a loop all around town and also down to the beach. This is the usual beach view there. The angle is low, so you only see a slice of the big lake.

They have developed a Sculpture Trail since I've walked around there very much. I'll need to go back and find all the installations. This is "Water Maiden." The town quadruples in the summer- it's a very popular tourist town. That's probably the time to see the sculptures better, but maybe I can hit a nice spring day before there are so many people.

There are always lots of waterfowl at Longbridge. Geese and swans. However, it is interesting to note that most of the swans are trumpeters (native, straight neck, black beak), but there is a mute swan (alien, curved neck, yellow beak) in the front. I don't think I've seen both kinds together before.

I just liked the wood grain on this tree where a bunch of bark came off long ago.

This is looking out the channel from the walkway. The walkway across the water is a different hike. There are a couple of pix from that side in the link below.

Now the queasiness is gone, but still have a headache. Looking at screens isn't so good. I probably will sign off early and read (books seem ok). But I'm back on track for getting some things done at least. And I have the info I need to finish writing my Ludington Daily News Column.

Miles hiked in 2025: 9.0

Pentwater streets, 3.0 miles

See Morning Plusses

Flowers, Houses, Ice Cream

  What do those three things have in common? Today was not the day I had planned AT ALL, but it's all good.

At 12:30 in the night a huge flash of lightning woke me up. Uh-oh! The paint on the trailer was probably dry enough to not be harmed, but all the hardware and gaskets were off the door- big hole instead of the latch. So out I go in my pj's and sandals to put the door back together.

We must have gotten a good rain because everything was totally dripping wet this morning. No getting out there early and putting on the next coat of paint!

Cathy said, "Why don't we walk around Pentwater this afternoon and look at gardens?" I remembered the walking tour Ellen and I had done a number of years ago (see link below), but the guide was Ellen's, not mine. Called the C of C and they have an updated booklet.

At eleven, I went to check the trailer, thinking I might at least get the light sanding between coats done. Getting wet didn't seem to hurt yesterday's paint job, but the yellow seemed just a little softer than would be good to sand. So... no trailer work today! Off we went to Pentwater.

We enjoyed all the beautiful plantings in Pentwater. People seem to go out of their way to create lovely gardens in that town.

We walked to 48 of the 49 locations on the tour. The one we skipped was a church we both knew, so we read about it, but didn't feel the need to walk the extra blocks. I'll try to show you different houses from the ones I featured the last time.

This house is huge. Federal style built around 1870 as a resort hotel. The guide says the porch was added later. It looks to me as if the original was the large square, and perhaps the attachment at the back of that was the summer kitchen. Or perhaps it was added later because the section farthest away is a carriage house/garage. But we couldn't tell if that was an original building or something newer that was made to fit the style. There is also a big enclosed sun room on the side you can't see in the picture. Impressive house.

This one is called Pentwater Cottage style, also built around 1870. I'm not sure what constitutes that particular style, but I've always thought it is a very attractive house. In the spring the yard is full of blue glory-of-the-snow flowers.

Need more flowers? OK.

This one is labeled Early Victorian. I'm an architecture semi-novice, but I would be interested in knowing how it got that designation. This does not say "Victorian" to me. However, it has an interesting history. It was owned by the daughter of Charles Mears (one of the early lumbermen of Pentwater), who wrote a history of her father (for whom the State Park in Pentwater is named). She also donated the land for the park.

Yup, it was hot, although always cooler near the lakes. We broke up the walk with a stop for ice cream!

And I'll end the house tour with a Folk Victorian house. This was a new label for me. But I looked it up, and it's basically the poor man's Victorian. It was popular from 1880-1910 when the Craftsman look became all the rage. People built simple practical houses and spruced them up with some Victorian trimmings, often mass-produced, as mills became mechanized and railroads could deliver lumber and trims across the country.

One more flower picture. This just says "summer at the lake" to me.

We walked something between 3.5 and 4 miles. We were more interested in the houses and gardens than our mileage. But we were walking (except for the ice cream break) for 3 hours.

In other news: we contemplated a bicycle ride. So I spent some time getting my bike out and checking it, but it needs a new tube which is now purchased. But that meant I had to fire up the air compressor, so I also topped off my car tires and the trailer tires. Since I couldn't sand the trailer, I did do a little volunteer stuff. After the hike I went to buy some groceries and the tube. So... nothing went as I thought the day would go, but it was great. And just after I got home the skies let loose with a real downpour! Supposed to rain for two days, so I won't be painting any time real soon.

Walking around Pentwater Michigan, maybe 3.5 miles

See February Walking Tour