Being Good AND Having Fun

 
I managed to leverage a task that needed to be done with a series of fun events.

The recycling that we can't do close to home needed to be delivered, and that's also where we buy trash bags for pickup. We were completely out of bags. So, I drove up to the landfill and took care of all that. Then I visited four nearby sites that needed updating for GetOffTheCouch.info. Actually, two of them need to be added.

First I stopped at Hoags Lake. It's just a pretty little Forest Service spot where one can picnic or fish. All info was still correct.



Then I stopped at Canfield Lake. It's not much of a lake and didn't have true public access until a couple of years ago. (Just a local party site). Now the DNR has added some parking and it's "official." There was a guy there playing frisbee with his dog. The dog was named Prince, and he was friendly. He let me throw his frisbee for him.



There's often a swan or two there. Today was no exception. Just a mute swan, but they are always pretty. And I like the horizontal ripples with the vertical reeds.



My serious goal of the day was to hike all the trails at Magoon Creek Nature Area and make good notes. It's complex because there is a whole booklet of interpretive info. There are only about 1.5 miles of trail, but I managed to make it 3.5 by the time I walked every part of every loop and got correct info. It's particularly nice because there are several ecosystems even though the area is small, and there are some good hills.

Here's where Magoon Creek empties into Lake Michigan.



Just one more quick stop at Sundling Park. It's pretty much just a narrow access to the Lake Michigan beach, but Filer Township has done a nice job of landscaping that strip so you can enjoy shade and have a cooler place to picnic or rest, as well as climb down to the beach.



The lilacs are in full bloom and I think I'm getting high just taking in the scent. I drove home with the window open and it was wonderful!



In other news: I tried to get all those pages updated after I got home, but there is something wrong with the FTP. It was working FINE two days ago. I'll have to figure that out. All in all, a mighty fine day. A perfect fit into my master plan for my life. See a very early blog post I Could Do This for a Living.

	See Spirit of the Woods at Magoon Creek See A Lilac Year
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Spirit of the Woods at Magoon Creek

 
Today was the monthly hike of the Spirit of the Woods Chapter of the North Country Trail Association.

You've heard me mention that the last few months we've had a low turnout... not today! We posed a group picture. I'll save you from counting. There are 26 of us.



The weather was weird. Outstanding, but weird. It was a perfect day... for July. In March? Well, I'm not going to complain (I just hope it's not 20 degrees warmer when we do get to July.) We hiked a short loop trail just outside of Manistee at a park called Magoon Creek. The creek flows along the south edge of the park. Here's where it runs through the sand and into Lake Michigan.



There are few things as beautiful in the north as white birch against a blue sky.



Everyone did the loop once, then a few of us hiked some side trails and ended up at the picnic area where we ate lunch.



Ellen is home from India, and we drove there together. It was nice to visit.

	See Spirit of the Woods at Big M
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