Flashback to Flower Show 2010

  I was SO good today. I worked on all my projects a little bit. I put away all the mess created by moving and fixing the table. I added 800 words to Vacation from Dead Mule Swamp.

One of my projects has been to try to organize pictures better so I can actually find things. Got to the SD card with the 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show. There are so many wonderful things at each of these shows that I never show you all of them. Today I'll share a few that I didn't in 2010. That said, the pictures on the old blog entries are gone because the server where they were is no more. I'll try to restore those over the next few days. The link below is to the first entry with the theme of the show which was "Passport to the World."

First up for today is this study in green in the China exhibit. It features moss, spider chrysanthemums, Cypridium orchids hanging down, and what I think might be a 'Melted Wax' echiveria. When the plants aren't labeled, I'm often doing nothing more than making educated guesses.

I guess I'll focus on yellow/yellow-green today. This was one of the entries in the category of "Porches." There are often themed entries like window boxes, a reading room, potting sheds, front yards, etc. If you've followed the flower show entries over the years, or if you attend, you know what I mean.

I THINK the bright yellow-green here is 'Neon' Pothos, or Philadendron. I love how it contrasts with the New Zealand Flax (not a flax) which is the red/purple spiky stuff. Lots of good textures going on here too.

I don't have much of a clue what any of these plants are, but they were in the Africa display. I try to take pictures of labels, but sometimes things aren't labeled, and sometimes, I just don't find them or get a photo.

Actually, the things in the lower front may be artichokes, and the upper back may be Leucadendon 'Inca Gold.'

There is a reasonable chance that I will get to go to the 2025 Philadelphia Flower Show. Really looking forward to that. It's one of the highlights of my year when I get to attend. I believe I've been to nine of them. Every once in a while, there is a sort of dud, but each one is guaranteed to be different!

See Passport to the World

Not Quite, but Quite All Right!

 I didn't quite do a "whole thing" of several things I like. But I did enough, and it was all great.

I started writing my Mason County Press column for this month and realized I did not know enough about access places to the Little Manistee River, and I could not find the info on line. Road trip!

The leaves are coming down; the peak color is past. But the sky was blue, and there is still plenty of lovliness. This is the Little Manistee from Old Grade Campground off of M-37. This is as far upstream as you can paddle from. At that, it's going to be iffy for the first few miles. The water is mostly 5-8" deep.

This was taken from the road bridge at M-37. Love the eelgrass.

I'm not as good at fish ID as with most other wildlife, but I think this is a trout of some kind.

I found the piece of road that I had wanted to take Omer on last week. This is Little Manistee River Road. It's mostly a 2-track, but I love it.

One of the actual Forest Service campgrounds along the river is Bear Track. Here's the view upstream from the landing.

I also discovered today that the parking for 6-Mile Bridge is up and away from the actual bridge. I followed the trail that said "to parking" which seemed mysterious because it was going away from the bridge. There's a nice view at the top of the hill. Yes, the river is down there somewhere.

Enjoy some red maple leaves.

Finally, here is another view from where the river valley gets deeper, near Chicago Boy Rollway.

Oh, the things I didn't quite do? Well, I didn't follow the river all the way from source to mouth. Close. Maybe I'll finish that quest another time. I didn't even get to all the campsites along this portion of the river. I think some of them are not accessible by vehicle, and they also don't have signs as you are paddling (this info comes from two separate sources), so I'm not sure how to locate them accurately, but I tried. I also didn't finish the article. I'll do that in the morning. I wasn't planning for this to take all day, but it's OK. I had a lovely time, learned a lot, and I do need to write an article.

One thing I did do? There was a couple just taking their kayaks out at 6-Mile Bridge. They were going to roadwalk the 4+ miles back to 9-Mile Bridge where their truck was. I gave them a ride. It was already after 4 pm when they started walking.

I only managed to walk 2 miles. Most of what I needed to do was from the car with quick hops out and in. But the FS Campgrounds are already gated, so I had to walk in to those to check things out.

I do love days like this.

Miles hiked in 2024: 511.2

See Leaf Peeping Part 2

Feels Like Fall

 Up until now, it has really seemed like summer with great colors. Today, fall really settled in. The sky was gray and there was a breeze. That fall "nip." Not that it was unpleasant. I walked to town to do all the usual errands. This maple is beautiful.

I know these aren't really primary colors, but they are very complementary with the bright orange, prussian blue, and avocado green.

I tried a recipe for muffins that is supposed to be free of all the things that are bad for you. They are apple oatmeal. Well... they taste just like warm oatmeal with apples mixed in. I'd rather fix the oatmeal and apples. That is a lot less work and mess than these were. Not a keeper.

Some of you will be happy to hear that 726 new words appeared in Vacation from Dead Mule Swamp today. It took me a few days to get back into the flow of the MS, because I didn't make detailed notes for what I had in mind for the upcoming chapters. Then I had to find the research pictures I had taken so that the story could move ahead. It's approaching the crisis of the book where the real crime occurs, and that is going to be tricky to pull off. But, I'm back in the groove.

Also edited, put the repaired table back in place, and did a bit on other projects.

Miles walked in 2024: 509.2

See Mason County Garden Club Program

Mason County Garden Club Program

 There was a good turnout for the trail program at the Mason County Garden Club. The food table was really attractive, and the snacks were yummy.

The general tables were nicely decorated too.

Afterwards, I did two loops around the School Forest, and managed to get 3 miles. I love that there is a real, forested trail right in town, but it doesn't have features of interest or much topography.

I managed to get some editing and stuff done in the morning, but the above took the whole rest of the day.

Miles hiked in 2024: 506.3

Ludington School Forest, 2 full loops, 3.2 miles

See Mason County Flower Show

Table Fix

 This "rustic" drop-leaf work table broke a while back and dumped a load of stuff. What broke was one of the braces that swing out to hold up a leaf.

I managed to ignore the whole mess until last week when I needed to get something out that was stored under the table. Big mess.

This is not a valuable table at all. I don't know how old it is, or where he got it, but it was my Dad's "garden table." He did sll kinds of sorting and potting and whatever on it. It spent a lot of summers outside on the kitchen porch. That brace probably had some dry rot going on. The leaves are warped, and it has been fixed multiple times in very ugly ways that made it functional. I continued the tradition!

It did take me a couple of days to get something to replace the pin that held the bracket. But once I got myself in gear, it was an easy fix.

As an example of how it had been previously fixed, the hinges must have pulled off at some point, and they have been inset and bolted right through the top. I suspect Dad did that.

Still, it's very functional. It's a good size, and it was Dad's. So hey.

Well, you know what a table that is clear is good for, right? Yup, I had a puzzle I'd never yet done. Actually, I have a couple of them, but this seemed a reasonable number of pieces and it would fit on the center part of the table.

I did do a reasonable amount of work before starting this, so I'm not going to apologize for the goofing off!

Chocolate is good for the soul... to eat or to puzzle with.

Tomorrow, I am giving my trail program for the Garden Club.

See Changing the Season

Nordhouse and Bells

 Cathy and I took a hike today at Nordhouse Dunes. I should be spending more time working, but the colors are peak, and the weather is phenomenal. I really can't stay inside. This is the road into the Dunes.

The trails have names now, so we took the Nipissing, Middle, and Algoma Trails for a loop of about 4.4 miles.

This passes Nordhouse Lake which is often completely dry at this time of year. Three years ago in October, it still had water. Not this year!

Loved this line of ferns

And a gnarly oak tree. Looks spooky enough for October, right?

The witch hazel is in full bloom, and the sun made it look great.

There was even one branch with a fruit from last year still attached.

Managed to do some work, hike, do bell practice, get groceries, and go to the hardware store. Starting to get in gear to get back to writing the next mystery.

Here is the second bell choir piece from Sunday, "This is My Father's World." I think it's one of the prettiest pieces we've ever done.



I've made it to tired. Didn't sleep well last night.

Miles hiked in 2024: 503.1

Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness, Nippising, Middle, and Algoma Trails. 4.4 miles

See Nordhouse Dunes Hike

Paddling, Playing (Bells), Perfect

 Bruce and Jenny invited me to go paddling with them again today. Well, I had planned to get a lot of work done, but with the weather so gorgeous... you know I went paddling.

There were a lot of water lily pads, and the sun was making the underwater stems glow with an amazing neon red color, but I was not able to capture a single picture of this. You'll have to settle for the pads floating.

We saw a fair amount of wildlife, but I didn't get many pictutes. there were painted turtles sunning themselves (I got pictures, but they are nothing special), little fish (Bruce thought maybe bass), two kingfishers, a hawk, and another heron. I got a couple of pictures of it, but was shooting into the light, so they aren't great.

No frog on a lily pad, but how about a snail?

Love the reflection of this floating log.

The low hills surrounding the lake are in full autumn color. What lake you ask? Shhh. I promised I wouldn't share too loudly. It's a very special place. Gooseneck Lake.

I'll end with my two favorite pictures of the day. The color of this pattern on the water, and the stong horizontal and vertical lines just makes me want to dance.

Maybe this is my favorite: floating leaf.

I have so many good pictures, I can't even share them all.

We paddled some out toward the middle, and not that going along the shore is a bad thing, but I discovered that I really like being out in deeper water. We spent 4 hours, and it just didn't seem that long at all.

And, I at least got one of the handbell videos processed. Sorry, these take a while to do.



What I had hoped to do today was re-read the part of Vacation from Dead Mule Swamp that I have written and see if it's really going to work. I have been doubting that it was worthy. After the long break from writing on it, it's easier for me to assess how readable it is. I'm up to chapter 20, and still feeling good about it.

Got some sad new today that a good friend has had a serious stroke. Of course, no one gets guarantees in life, but at our ages, there are certainly fewer good days left than previously. I am extra thankful for the perfectly wonderful day today.

See What a Perfect Morning

A Very Full Day

 Today was about as packed as was comfortable. It started with bell choir, and I will process those videos to show you, probably tomorrow, but not tonight.

After bells, I hustled home, changed and headed for Cadillac where I gave my program about the NCT to the Cadillac Area Land Conservancy. That went really well, and then I hiked their nature trail again. Lots prettier than it was in April before the leaves were out.

So tonight I'll share pictures from that.

Black Creek is the natural waterway through the area, and although I didn't see any wildlife today except a squirrel, this is surely the kind of habitat animals love.

The trail is mostly straight lines, but this spot with the richly-colored overhanging oak tree is really attractive.

My favorite piece of trail in the whole area is a "cut-across" that goes through an area of hemlock trees, and the trail is more organic. This is one end of that section.

Of course, the autumn leaf close-ups are always great. Pretty sure this is a red oak, Quercus rubrum. It just happens to have turned red. The leaves that are broader near the tip are typical, at least on young trees.

And here we have a red maple. No surprise to find it in a wetland. It prefers to have it's toes damp.

I loved this grouping of trees in the parking lot. It's always very interesting when you get nice contrasting colors growing near each other.

The program was well-attended, and I sold books. Managed to make the walk afterwards be 3 miles. But now I think I'm about done for the day.

Miles hiked in 2024: 498.7

Cadillac Heritage Nature Trail, various loops and spurs, 3.0 miles

See Heritage Nature Trail- Cadillac