Beautiful Blooms

I’ve lived in the neighborhood for quite a while, but it was only last year that I stumbled upon its local treasure.

For the past several years on Memorial Weekend, Mark and I have visited the cemetery bearing flowers for his parents’ vault. We had always seen signs for Countryside Greenhouse of Allendale when traversing 68th Street, but had never detoured down Pingree Street before. Little did we know what we had been missing.

Established in 1982, Countryside has grown to be one of the biggest and best garden centers in West Michigan. Originally built as a wholesale facility, it today is strictly a retail establishment. Offerings include accent plants, flats of flowering annuals, hanging baskets, herbs, houseplants, nursery, patio plants, perennials, vegetables and water plants, as well as the containers, fertilizers and iron works to go with them. Not only do they have a fabulous selection, but some of the best prices I’ve ever seen. After our discovery, I’ve vowed never to do my lawn and garden shopping elsewhere.

Since Mark is permanently heading out of Dodge before Memorial Weekend, this evening we made a trip to the greenhouse for a beautiful begonia and then went on to the cemetery. Unfortunately, since his car was packed to the gills for his move, there was no room for all the plants I wanted to buy. Needless to say, a return trip to outfit my yard is definitely in order. If you’ve never been, you need to go as well.

Countryside Greenhouse of Allendale

7235 Pingree Street

616.895.5000

For the Birds

There has been a flurry of activity on my porch this past week, but there’s really no cause for alarm. The same thing happens this time every year. Just as sure as they fly south each winter, come spring feathered creatures take up temporary residence in my eaves trough.

What certainly must have been an entire extended family had gathered in my front yard, and I thought for sure I’d find that a condominium association had been established in my rain gutter. Imagine my surprise when I hauled out the ladder and discovered tucked away in the deepest corner of the eaves just one intricately woven bundle of twigs … and four blue eggs! This year’s visitors are obviously not mourning doves. Sure enough, by the time I grabbed my camera and returned, a flash of the startled red breast was fleeing from the nest.

It amazes me how hard robins work to make something so symmetrical and beautiful. It typically takes from 2 to 6 days to make a nest, with an average of 180 trips per day to find materials! Males sometimes help gather nesting materials, but the female chooses the site and attends to the building. I guess I should be flattered she picked such a classy neighborhood, huh?

Like most birds, robins only lay one egg per day until the clutch is complete, usually stopping at four. I’m not sure when she started the entire process, but know the incubation period lasts from 12 to 14 days. Once the babies hatch, they’ll hang around for another 9 to 16 days before flying the coop … er, nest.

I wish the nest was more easily accessible so I could monitor the progress of the eggs over the next several weeks. I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies … especially the kind with feathers! Yet again, I don’t want to upset the balance of nature and have the nest abandoned because I’ve stuck my nose—or camera—where it really doesn’t belong. That Mama Bird was already squawking up a storm while I precariously perched on the porch bench (in high heels, no less) to snap a quick photo. And admittedly those geeky little hatchlings totally gross me out. I’ll just keep an eye on things through the window from the confines of my living room.

If only Tippi Hedren had been as thoughtful …

Humorless

*achoo*

Exploring the Lake Michigan shoreline proved to be entertaining. Getting sick after doing so in April weather? Not so much. It all started with a scratchy throat, which evolved into pounding congestion and is now exiting my nose like a leaky faucet.

Aren’t you glad I shared that with you? Hey … at least I spared you from descriptives about the accompanying phlegm!

Although short-lived, it has been a doozy of a cold, but I think (hope) it’s on its way out … and taking with it this little ditty which has been rolling around in my head all week:

Never kiss your Honey

When your nose is runny

You may think it’s funny

But it’s snot!

Yes, I am my father’s daughter.

*achoo*

Wish!

They say if we make a wish our dreams will come true. So we toss pennies into a fountain. Scan the night sky for shooting stars. Close our eyes and attempt to extinguish all the candles on our birthday cake with one breath. Give it all we’ve got when playing tug-o-war with the Thanksgiving turkey remnants. And hope we run into a genie and his magic lamp … he grants THREE wishes, after all.

But ‘tis the season of dandelions. Not so welcomed are their yellow flower heads, but isn’t it fun to propel those fluffy puffs? Go ahead … try to walk by one without plucking it and scattering its seeds to the wind.

What did you wish for?

Michigan's Victorian Port City

The final destination of our northern get-away was ironically the place we first intended to start. Even though we had deviated from our original plan and had a go-with-the-flow attitude, we still had a chance to explore it in the end.

I love poking around small towns and Manistee did not disappoint. When it came of age in the 1800s during the lumber boom, it had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the United States. The flourishing economy gave way to elegant mansions and ornate public buildings; it is easy to see why it has been dubbed the “Victorian Port City.”

One of the treasures we discovered was the historic Ramsdell Building. Named for the Honorable T.J. Ramsdell who commissioned its construction, the building located on the corner of River and Maple Streets was built in 1891 to house a bank and offices.

The Victorian architecture, the stained glass windows and the elaborately carved woodwork were painstakingly renovated in 2003; the mural depicting Manistee history painted by Ramsdell’s son, F. Winthrop Ramsdell, still greets visitors in the reception area. A boutique hotel now occupies the building’s upper floors and TJ’s Pub (where we grabbed a late lunch) the lower level.

I can certainly understand why Manistee has been selected as one of the 200 Most Charming Towns in the U.S. and its entire central business district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A visit to this delightful city on the shores of Lake Michigan was a great way to end the day!

Lake Michigan Lights

Despite the fact that scattered showers, gusty crosswinds, dropping temps and an imposing barge dredging sand at the end of the pier provided for less than optimal opportunities to photograph lighthouses along the northern lakeshore, Tracey and I visited four of these coastal beauties and discovered the role each has played in Lake Michigan’s maritime history.

ROBERT H. MANNING MEMORIAL LIGHTHOUSE

Robert H. Manning was a life-long resident of Empire and an avid fisherman who spent much time indulging his passion for fishing on Lake Michigan. When he returned from such trips late in the evening, he often remarked that a lighthouse at Empire would make his return visits after sunset much easier.

When Manning died in 1989, his family and friends felt that the construction of a lighthouse in Empire would be a fitting memorial. With the aid of donations from those who knew him, their dream came to fruition in 1990 when the Robert H. Manning Memorial Lighthouse was lighted for the first time.

The structure is of wooden construction with a stucco coating. Resembling the tower at Point Betsie, its white tower is capped with a green lantern room and railing, and features a bright gold ball at the apex of the lantern room roof.

POINT BETSIE LIGHTHOUSE

Pointe aux Becs Scies—“sawed beak point”—is located north of Frankfort at the southern end of the Manitou Passage, on the end of a point that resembles its original name.

The cylindrical 37-foot Point Betsie tower was built in 1858 at a cost of $5,000. In 1983, after having been the last manned lighthouse on the east shore of Lake Michigan, the Coast Guard automated Point Betsie. Title was transferred to Benzie County by way of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2004 which, in turn, leased the property to The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse.

After writing grants and conducting fund-raisers, the group renovated the exterior of the lighthouse at a cost of about $1 million. As part of the restoration, the lighthouse colors were returned to those more accurately shown in historical photographs: a black lantern, green trim and doors, and a bright red cedar shingled roof.

The lighthouse is open on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, as well as on Fridays during July and August, when visitors can tour the keeper’s quarters and climb the spiral stairs to the lantern room.

FRANKFORT NORTH BREAKWATER LIGHT

Built in 1932, this 67-foot tower is mounted at the end of a pier just north of Lake Betsie, and the first light to mark the passageway between that lake and Lake Michigan. It replaced an earlier light that was constructed in 1873, which sat along a wooden pier and had an elevated catwalk. A door located halfway up the current steel tower suggests that at one time an elevated catwalk may have been proposed to connect the lighthouse to shore, but was never actually built. The automated light still shines from the end of Frankfort’s North Breakwater. 

MANISTEE NORTH PIER HEAD LIGHTHOUSE

The first lighthouse to mark the entrance to the Manistee River was a two-story gabled dwelling with a light tower. It was only operational for a year before destroyed by fire in October 1871. A nearly identical replacement was built the following year and served until 1875 when it was replaced by a light at the end of the south pier. The Old Manistee Main Light has been moved many times since it was deactivated in 1927. After serving as a rental property for many years, it is now a private residence.

After major improvements to both piers in 1927, the old fog signal building was removed from the north pier and replaced by the current 39-foot-tall iron tower.  With the erection of this new tower, the old wooden elevated walk was torn down and replaced by a cast iron walkway. Manistee’s Historic North Pier and Catwalk is listed on the State Register of Historic Sites and is one of only four remaining catwalks on the West Michigan coast of Lake Michigan.

Four down, many more to go!  I have only but scratched the surface of visiting—and photographing—the lighthouses that dot the shores of Lake Michigan and look forward to checking out more of them later this year.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

It really wasn’t our intent to travel as far north along the lakeshore as the Traverse City area, but when I discovered we would be in the neighborhood at the end of National Park Week and the entrance fee to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore would be waived (we like free!), Tracey and I concurred a detour was in order. We both have National Parks Passports, and this particular site has four different cancellation stations. While visiting in shoulder season means rubbing elbows with less people, it unfortunately also means that many of the locations were not yet open. We decided to simply travel the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and call it good.

Pierce Stocking spent his youth working as a lumberman in Michigan’s forests. He used to walk the bluffs above Lake Michigan and conceived the idea of a road to the top of the dunes to share their beauty with others. The road first opened in 1967, and Stocking continued to operate it until his death in 1976. A year later, when it became part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, public opinion directed it be renamed the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.

The 7.1-mile route offers stunning views of land and water, picnic areas and hiking trails. Our first stop was at the covered bridge, one of the picturesque details that Stocking included in his scenic drive. Though covered bridges are usually associated with New England and Pennsylvania, several are located in Michigan as well. They were developed to protect wooden bridges from the elements which could rot the timbers; it was cheaper to repair the roof than to build a new bridge. Interestingly, when this bridge was originally built, the sides were consumed by porcupines!

The Sleeping Bear Dunes cover an area of four square miles and are estimated to be 2,000 years old. The Chippewa Indians used the Bear as a landmark and told this story to explain its origin:

Long ago, along the Wisconsin shoreline, a mother bear and her two cubs were driven into Lake Michigan by a raging forest fire. The bears swam for many hours, but eventually the cubs tired and lagged behind. Mother bear reached the shore and climbed to the top of a high bluff to watch and wait for her cubs. But the cubs drowned within sight of the shore. The Great Spirit Manitou created two islands to mark the spot where the cubs disappeared and then created a solitary dune to represent the faithful mother bear.

Overlooks not only provide a panorama of the Bear, but the Lake Michigan shoreline as well. Lake Michigan is the largest lake completely within the United States and the fourth largest fresh-water lake in the world. It also has a profound influence on the formation of sand dunes.

A dune is simply a pile of sand deposited by the wind. In some places dune fronts advance over a few feet per year and in others they are stabilized by plants and show no motion. Beachgrass is among the first plants to grow on newly built dunes, and the cottonwood is the only common tree of the dunes. They typically grow in clusters and reproduce by sprouting new trunks from roots. The network of roots helps to hold the sand in place.

Though we are in spring mode at home, the Sleeping Bear Dunes are farther north and just awakening. Since this area is one of my favorite places in Michigan, a return trip later this summer when things are in full swing is definitely in order.

A is for ...

.

Main Entry: at•ti•tude

Pronunciation: \ˈa-tə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\

Function: noun

Etymology: French, from Italian attitudine, literally, aptitude, from Late Latin aptitudin-

Date: 1668

7 b : a cool, cocky, defiant, or arrogant manner

How Big Is Yours?

One of my goals for this year is to try live greener. Though I’m just one person and didn’t think it would make much of a difference, the truth is every single thing anyone does on a daily basis affects our planet. We all have the power to control many of our choices and the impact we create.

Since I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to adhere to this principle, I am amazed at how un-green I actually had been living. There’s no better time to reflect upon what I’ve discovered and accomplished to date than today as Earth Day was intended to aspire awareness of and appreciation for the world around us.

Some of the things that can be done to live green simply mean using less. Turn off lights and use more natural light. In the winter set the thermosat a few degrees lower and, likewise, in the summer a few degrees higher. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Amazingly this saves six gallons of water each day (assuming you brush twice daily like your dentist advises). I burn through less gasoline when plotting a plan of attack instead of driving willy-nilly when running errands; we all know how exorbitant gas prices have become these days.

I had no idea that 90 percent of the energy used for washing clothes is used to heat the water, which means that only 10 percent of the electricity a washing machine consumes goes to run the motor. I now push the cold/cold button on mine more often. I use cloth grocery bags instead of asking for paper or plastic each time I go to the store (though admittedly have to run back to the car to fetch them because I usually forget to bring them in with me!).

By borrowing from friends or the library instead of buying personal books, I not only save money but also the ink and paper used to print new reading materials. Did you know it takes 15 to 20 trees to make the paper for a new average-sized adult book? Think about how long it takes just one to grow. I recycle ink cartridges and old electronics. E-waste not only contains mercury and other toxics, but is the fastest growing component of our environmental problem.

Most of these things are very easy to do. I’ve learned I just have to start small and then incorporate the practices into my daily life. I initially had to be mindful of my habits, but they soon became second nature.  Living green isn’t hard and it doesn’t cost a lot.  In fact, not only am I helping the environment, but I’m also saving money. A win-win combo, no?

How big is the carbon footprint you are leaving and what are you doing to reduce its size?

Notoriety

Throughout the world there are famous landmarks which are symbols for various cities. Sydney has its opera house and St. Louis the Gateway Arch. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris and the Statue of Liberty in the Big Apple. The coliseum in Rome, the Liberty Bell in Philly, Big Ben in London and the Golden Gate in San Fran. The icon of our neighborhood may not be as well-known, but it has its own claim to fame.

Located on the plaza in front of City Hall, La Grande Vitesse was the first public work of art in the United States to be funded with federal monies acquired from the National Endowment for the Arts through their Works of Art in Public Places Program. Its formal name, which roughly translates into “the great swiftness,” refers to the Grand River which flows through the heart of the downtown area. But because the steel sculpture was created by Alexander Calder, it is often simply referred to as “The Calder.” Dedicated on June 14, 1969, it is a distinctive landmark and has become a symbol for Grand Rapids. Its likeness can be found on most things related to the city, from letterhead to street signs to public vehicles.

In the world of art the Calder is known as a “stabile”—an abstract sculpture which is similar in appearance to a mobile, but made to be stationary. Like many of his other sculptures, La Grande Vitesse is painted in the artist’s signature Calder Red. Although it measures 54 feet long, 43 feet high and 30 wide, and weighs more than 42 tons, it uses multiple flat planes to give the appearance of movement and airiness.

I like this piece because it provides different views from different angles, and proves to be a very photo-worthy subject. You’ll be seeing more of this one!

And the Beat Goes On

Music accompanies almost all activities of our lives. It is used to educate and to heal. It plays in the background while we shop at the grocery store, and alerts us to telephone calls and email messages. It adds extra dimension to the movies or television programs we watch, and riles fans at sporting events. It even shows up in the workplace when we are put on hold by those annoying automated voicemessaging systems or subconsciously find ourselves humming along with elevator Muzak!

Having a few years under my belt, I have had the advantage (or would some argue the disadvantage?) of exposure to the various types of music which have emerged and evolved over time. The first clue to my acquaintance with the variety of this medium is easily identified in the formats of the technology on which they are presented: vinyl, tape, compact disc and digital recordings. The amalgamation of hardware is as diversified as the music recorded on it. Perusal of my collection serves up everything from soup to nuts (Super Tramp’s Breakfast in America to the Squirrel Nut Zipper’s Hot) from A to Z (Abba to Frank Zappa) and a little bit of everything else in between (The Cars, Chicago, The Doors, The Fab Four, The Grass Roots, Macy Gray, Buddy Guy, Billie Holiday, Louis Jordan, The Manhattan Transfer, Glenn Miller, No Doubt, Louis Prima, Donna Summer, Taj Mahal, Technotronic, U2, The Village People and … yes, I’ll even admit it, show tunes!)  It therefore begs the question of why I am attracted to such a diversity of music and what draws me to it.

I recall reading that listening habits and record research indicate most people identify closely with the music they heard as adolescents and young adults. Simply put, my music collection is a reflection of my transition from childhood through adulthood. My personal identity—who I was, who I am, and even perhaps who I will become—is reflected in the music I choose to listen to. Though I don’t pretend to know what “Top 40” is these days (does that term still apply?), my taste has and will continue to evolve.  Yet what I find to be most interesting is how the same notes and chords, beats and rhythms, and sounds to which we sway, tap our toes and snap our fingers stand the test of time and continue to entertain, in some cases even centuries later.

We first heard the eclectic sound of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2003 when we attended their Christmas show. The lights, the theatrics, the music … loved it then! Mark scored freebie tickets for their spring tour (we like free!), and we found ourselves in second row mezzanine seats for Beethoven’s Last Night. Classic literature, classical compositions and rock music blended into one amazing show. Fabulous storyline, great staging, powerful music. Once again TSO literally rocked.  Loved it again!  If you’ve never seen them perform, you need to do so.

As Mark so profoundly noted, “Beethoven would have approved!”

Farewell My Fragrant Friend

It’s that time of year when my crabapple tree is in full bloom. It’s just gorgeous. I love nestling in amongst the fragrant blossoms and spending time watching the bees execute their pollination dance. Unfortunately, this is the last time I’ll enjoy it.

The tree was planted just before I moved into my house, which makes it about 17 years old. I’ve watched it grow and flourish, but for the last several years branches have been dying. And it’s wreaking havoc with the planter box. A major front yard overhaul is in order and I’m sorry to say that the tree is on its last limb. As soon as it’s done flowering, it’s coming out.  I’ll miss not having it as part of my landscape every spring. 

The bird poop, though? That’s another story ...

Round 1: Check!

We started the day with a huge breakfast: eggs with cheese, bacon, hash browns, toast, orange juice and coffee. After eating fast food on the run for the past two days, it certainly hit the spot.

We then decided to swing by TJMaxx to see if they had the small console table Mark had spotted at another store the day before. Amazingly, we found it, but this location was celebrating its grand opening. It was mobbed. We’re talking wall to wall people queued from the front checkout, down the entire length of the shopping floor and along the back wall. We did not relish standing in line for an hour with a mere $30 purchase. So we returned to the other store to buy it there. Yes, you guessed it. It was nowhere to be found. Repeat after me, “You see it, you like it, you buy it!” We finally surmised that because the table at the new store had identical decorative distressing to the one we had first seen, it was likely the same piece and had simply travelled between stores.

But why deviate from what had become a pattern for weekend? There was one more TJMaxx in Toledo—on the opposite end of town—and we were on a mission to find that table. But of course, we were yet again sidetracked.

Mark’s new couch is definitely manly and ginormous. After all the other furniture was in place, and the boxes and bags discarded, he decided the living room was much more spacious than he thought it to be. Now he wanted the cocktail ottoman which matched the couch. You know, the one I originally told him to buy in lieu of a coffee table. Yes, it is at this point where I loudly declared, “I told you so!” And I’m sure the sales people wondered what we had been smoking after stopping by yet again. You think they’d believe me if I told them I was only there to listen to the great retro music they played in their store?

Back on task we once again head for TJMaxx. Mark thought he knew where this third store was located, but searched for the address on Bernice just to be safe. Um, yeah. She directed us to an empty storefront. He evidently needs to update his GPS on a more frequent basis. We stopped to ask for directions and discovered the store was exactly where Mark originally thought it would be. Even though they didn’t have the table, he discovered another which actually proved to be a better fit for his new décor. The final piece to the furniture puzzle works beautifully in the entry hall! By the way, if you ever need to know where a Kohl’s, Target, TJMaxx, Meijer, Lowe’s, Dollar Tree, Furniture Row, or Bed, Bath and Beyond is located in the Toledo area, chances are we can tell you. We criss-crossed the city and visited just about all of them in the last three days. Twice.

Back at Mark’s place we hung a mirror, washed a load of cleaning rags, discarded empty bags, boxes and leftover Chinese food, and called it good. We worked hard this weekend, but kicked some serious butt and it all fell into place. Aside from moving a smattering of things he has left in Grand Rapids, Mark should be able to slide right into his new digs in Perrysburg in two weeks. After that is accomplished, you can bet my next visit will be spent playing instead of working.

For the record, and even though you probably never thought you’d hear me say this, I am sick of shopping!

Who Knew Moving Was Such Hard Work?!?!

Mark had scheduled furniture delivery for today, which fortunately was arriving sooner rather than later. We were up early and I somehow managed to graze through the hotel’s breakfast buffet even though I wasn’t awake. The Starbucks grande caffé mocha purchased en route to his place remedied that dilemma. A headboard and mattress, couch and two tables made it without incident; the bookcase and a third table were not so lucky. Damaged during assembly, they would have to be replaced and redelivered in two weeks. At least the big stuff was there (read: we wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor that night).

As is the case with any shopping expedition, buy something and you’ll invariably find an equivalent you like better at the next store. Or shop late at night in a catatonic state and you’ll inadvertently purchase a twin comforter instead of the queen size you need! Since we already had things to return, after a few hours of unpacking we headed out for lunch and to the stores yet again. We had a loose game plan, but you know how things can change in the blink of an eye …

We returned to Erie Street Market for purchases at the antique store and glass outlet. Even though accessorizing doesn’t officially come into play until Phase II of relocation mode, Mark decided he should have utilized the “you see it, you like it, you buy it” approach to shopping for several things he had spotted the day before.

And he ultimately decided two bookcases would nicely flank the TV and create a pseudo entertainment unit. Since he was planning to assemble furniture later that day, we swung by the store to determine if they could be purchased on a cash-and-carry basis. If so, he’d build those as well. As it turned out, the wood grain didn’t match that of the TV stand so, in the end, the bookcase included in the initial furniture order was cancelled. We’d have to look elsewhere for shelving, but our stop wasn’t a total loss. My keen shopper’s eye spotted a very cool Frank Lloyd Wright-ish magazine rack as we were walking out the door!

As luck would have it, later that day we stopped at Pier 1 for area rugs (which were on clearance … I love when that happens!) and discovered THE perfect pyramid shelves. They were the last two in the store, and we were able to purchase the display model at a discounted price (I love when that happens, too!). But even better was the fact that no assembly was required for the other one either. Slide out of box, set up, enjoy! It almost made up for all the running around we did that day. Almost.

We ordered take-out Chinese and returned home. It was well after midnight when we finally got everything in place. Needless to say, I was whipped yet again and think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

No time for exciting photos today ... it was either bags and boxes or blurry Chinese take-out!

Shop 'Til You Drop

Mark’s move to the Buckeye State officially occurs in 14 short days. He was headed to Perrysburg for the weekend to facilitate Round 1 of aforementioned relocation and invited me to tag along. A chance to get out of Dodge for a few days and shop on someone else’s dime? I’m in!

Armed with quite the list of necessities to make his new place immediately livable (Phase I of said repositioning), we were on a serious mission to deplete Mark’s bank account and store inventory. With a motto of “Affordable Solutions for Better Living,” our first stop was IKEA. Grab a shopping cart; let’s go!

The IKEA experience is designed around a shopping concept which encourages its customers to see the store in its entirety, as opposed to a traditional retail store which allows you to go right to the section in which the goods and services needed are displayed. I love browsing the furniture showrooms and seeing everything put together. On the downside, it makes me want to replace what I currently own (much of which ironically came from IKEA!) and purchase all the new stuff in sight. Good thing we weren’t shopping for my house, huh? But Mark found several things he was looking for in the market halls and self-serve warehouse section. Nearly three hours later we walked out with a TV table, two mirrors, a lamp, kitchen utensils, and a handful of other requisite kitchen and bathroom items. Hop in the car, cross the state line, and arrive at our next destination an hour later.

Housed in the old Civic Auditorium in the heart of Toledo’s historic warehouse district, the Erie Street Market has specialty shops offering everything from art to fresh food. Our destinations were the Superior Antique Mall and Libbey Glass Factory Outlet. (As an aside, did you know that Toledo is known as the Glass City because of its history in all aspects of the glass industry? Several glass companies in addition to Libbey trace their origins there.)  Though Mark had previously poked around these stores, quickly getting through one offering great prices and another great treasures of days gone by wasn’t meant to be. Nonetheless, we walked out of both empty handed.

The majority of our spending took place at Kohl’s. They always run sales and it’s definitely the place at which to stock up on bedroom, bathroom and kitchen linens. After quick detour to Meijer, we finally headed to Mark’s new home. It’s a good thing we stopped when we did. We couldn’t have fit one more bag in the car. We stayed long enough to unload, call in a pizza order (Mark has already determined where the best pizza can be found in his neighborhood—guy thing?), and headed to the hotel for the evening. My dogs were seriously barking and I was exhausted.

But we still had a lot to do.  Why did I have the feeling that Saturday would be another long day?

A Taxing Situation

Add lines 7 through 21

Add lines 23 through 31a and 32 through 35

Subtract line 36 from line 22

Subtract line 40 from line 38

Multiply by the total number of exemptions claimed on line 6d

Subtract line 42 from line 41

Add lines 44 and 45

Add lines 47 through 54

Subtract line 55 from line 46

Add lines 56 through 60

Add lines 62 through 70

If line 71 is more than line 61, subtract line 61 from line 71

Amount of line 72 you want refunded to you: $1.39

Tell me again why we do this every year.

Roaming

Sometimes I get in the car and drive with no particular destination in mind. I never know where I’m going to end up or what I will find, but my impromptu roaming usually produces something worthwhile. Tonight proved to be no different.

I’m taking to the highway again this weekend (yes, I suppose I should learn to stay home on occasion, but then again … why?) and worked late in an attempt to wrap things up for the week. Even though it’s been kind of crazy, I really didn’t feel like immediately heading for home. So I kept going.

One thing you’ve got to love about West Michigan is that it doesn’t take long to hit the lakeshore. I managed to arrive at Kirk Park at the right time. It may be early in the season to spend the evening frolicking on the beach, but you can bet that with views like this I’ll return often.

History Revisited

Grand Rapids may be the second largest city in the State of Michigan, but it is a far cry from a thriving metropolis. Nonetheless, over the last several years a distinctive skyline has emerged. Though the shiny glass exteriors of its newer buildings are impressive, the city’s original construction is what I find most fascinating. I am no longer downtown on a daily basis, but a recent meeting in the heart of the city afforded me an opportunity to revisit one of its architectural gems.

The Ledyard Building is one of the finest examples of high Victorian Italianate commercial architecture remaining in the state. In 1874, downtown developer William Ledyard erected the building that bears his name at the corner of Pearl Street and Ottawa Avenue. The four-story structure was constructed from pale yellow brick trimmed with brown sandstone; the windows on the top three floors are decorated with molded caps adorned with sculptural keystones. One of the building’s most unique features is its interior atrium, which extends from the second floor to the skylight in the roof. Original tenants included the Grand Rapids Public Library and YMCA.  Legend also has it that the Ledyard Building once housed a bordello which served the lumber barons and wealthy businessmen in West Michigan!

I wish I would have had more time to explore, but definitely plan to return for a walking tour of the area to rediscover Grand Rapids' other historical treasures.

The War on Weeds

April showers have indeed brought on flowers, well in advance of May I might add. Blossoms are enveloping trees and bushes. Crocuses and tulips and daffodils have sprouted. Everything is fragrant and beautiful. I love it! Unfortunately, as is typically the case, there are two sides to every story.

Invasive plants are co-mingling among the pleasantries of spring and attempting to take over.  This is the part of the season I am not so thrilled about. Tending to weeds is another one of those chores which seem futile, and a task which I liken to shoveling snow or to dusting. And you know how much I love doing that. I could spend a lot of time and a lot of energy to get rid of all those ugly weeds which are running rampant throughout my yard, but they’ll just come back. Fortunately, I have TruGreen on speed dial.

But despite my obvious aversion, and since I’ve shared a myriad of photos of lovely spring flowers, I thought it only fair to post at least one picture of the offending plants before they are eradicated. I strive to be an equal opportunity blogger, after all.

Child Labor

My nephew Zhak is a pretty smart cookie for a six-year-old and totally cracks me up. I have no idea of where he comes up with half the stuff he does, but he never fails to entertain.

When I stopped for a visit, he was in the middle of folding laundry. It is his least favorite chore and one usually assigned when he doesn’t remember to make good choices. There really were only a handful of things in the pile, which would have taken anyone else only 3.7 minutes to attend to, but Zhak can manage to stretch it out for nearly 3.7 hours.

After answering the door and giving me a hug, he pairs up two matching socks. Next he stops to launch into a litany of the different levels of Zombie (a computer game) he’s managed to conquer. Then he folds a pair of sweat pants. A split second later he’s headed for the bathroom. Five minutes pass and I wonder if he has fallen in.

“I’m going poo poo,” he yells. “Can you bring me a book?” (I’ll spare you from all the details that half a can of air freshener eventually took care of, but these guy things obviously start at a young age.)

He returns and, as he’s folding a T-shirt, shifts gears again because his stuffed dinosaur Trex needs to sit next to me. Now it’s on to underwear. He pauses to explain that while he only has to fold his once, Mom’s must be folded twice because they’re bigger.

At that very moment, the Good Humor man I had spotted two streets away while driving through the neighborhood is now in front of the house playing “Turkey in the Straw” to herald his arrival.  The remaining towels, socks and shirts are forgotten.

“MOM!” Zhak screams. “It’s the ice cream truck!”

“Are you done folding clothes?”

“Awwwwwwwwww …”

But since I am visiting, Mom cuts him some slack. He grabs the money, has his shoes on and is out the door in 3.7 seconds. One ice cream sandwich, an orange push-up (for his brother) and $3.75 later (we could have bought an entire box of popsicles for that price) he’s back and manages to expeditiously finish folding the laundry so he can indulge in his frozen treat.  I wonder if he just has a short attention span or if, at such a tender age, he’s already mastered the fine art of scamming.  I have visions of him ending up on a street corner clutching a sign declaring, “Will work for fudgesicles.”

I, of course, NEVER did anything like that when I was six years old. Remind me, though, to tell you about the time I stole a gallon of ice cream from the milk truck …

Signs of Spring

After all, I don’t see why I am always asking for private, individual, selfish miracles when every year there are miracles like white dogwood.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Life After ArtPrize

With the release of 100,000 paper airplanes from the rooftops of downtown Grand Rapids, a gigantic table and chairs adorning a historic bridge, and paintings and sculptures and murals, oh my, many unique works of art found their way to the Furniture City last September. But what happened to all of them once a winning entry was selected and the contest concluded?

Murals have become permanent fixtures of the city’s landscape, including Tracy Druinen’s second place Imagine That! (which graces the façade of the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum) and Daan Hoekstra’s Humanity at the Crossroads (which was commissioned by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation). Sarah Grant’s eighth place entry, The Furniture City Sets the Table for the World of Art, was donated to the Salvation Army of Western Michigan and Northern Indiana; it will eventually be incorporated into the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on South Division Avenue. Other artists benefited from the competition and were able to sell their work. But what about one of the top ten entries and a crowd favorite?

Nessie, the 100-foot-long by 18-foot-high by 27-foot-wide Art Deco rendition of the Loch Ness Monster, was only supposed to be temporarily hosted by John Ball Park; skeptics predicted her fragile wood and Styrofoam construction would never survive the winter. Though a bit worse for wear, she’s made it to April. The latest is that she’ll be removed for waterproofing and winterizing, and then returned to her home in the zoo's duck pond.

I dunno … she looks a bit out of sorts. Is it just me or is she wondering how in the heck she ended up fraternizing with web-footed water fowl and serving as a perch for squawking seagulls?

April Showers

It was still drizzling this morning, but I braved the raindrops to dash outside to retrieve the mail and snap a photo or 16. Then I spent the majority of the day tackling files. A girl does have to work on occasion.

When I surfaced late in the afternoon, I glanced out the window. Wait! What?!?!? Why does that precipitation look so fluffy and white? I didn't expect the verse “April showers bring May flowers” to refer to a spell of snow. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!  What happened to spring? Weren’t the temps pushing 80 just last week?

Oh yeah, that’s right. I live in Michigan where the weather gods wreak havoc with regularly scheduled seasons and budding foliage.

Please tell me we’ll have sun and warmer temps again before July.

Caution: Colorful When Wet

I’m a people person and have no qualms about talking to total strangers. In fact, I’ve met some of the most interesting characters in the most unassuming places.

Take the guy in the Ace hardware store for example. At the time I was on the lookout for buckets. Even though they didn’t carry exactly what I was wanted, our conversation went off on a tangent. Come to find out Bob was also a photographer and had taught classes for years. We discussed various techniques and, while most of the things he threw at me were way over my head as a rookie camera carrier, I learned a thing or two from him.

One of the stories he relayed from his teaching days was that he always took his students out for photo assignments … in the rain. They would invariably grumble and groan about trying to take pictures in such soggy conditions. It wasn’t until he pointed out something to them that they discovered the beauty in wet weather. When things are drenched with water, they become saturated with color and pop. Simply put, bad weather sometimes presents the perfect opportunity to put our photography skills to the test. Whether you are after vivid hues, lightning, water droplets, incredible cloud formations, or reflections that produce mirrors or blurs of color, photography in the rain can be satisfying albeit unpleasant.

But isn’t that what an umbrella and Wellies are for?

And the Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down

I knew we were in for a doozy when it all began with that howling wind last night. It took great restraint, but I refrained from slipping into Auntie Em mode and delivering my academy award winning line:

LOOK, Henry! There’s a storm coming!

That was mostly due to the fact no one was here to wildly applaud my performance.

The arrival of the inevitable downpour was accompanied by thunder and lightning—and marble-sized hail this morning. It just kept raining and raining and raining. Since West Michigan is on Spring Break this week, I suspect the deluge was welcomed with scowling expressions and colorful expletives rather than open arms. But I, for one, was ecstatic. Though no multicolored arc was found in the sky when the sun finally broke through the clouds, I discovered the next best thing … puddles! I’ve been anxiously waiting for cats and dogs weather as I knew it would produce big, deep, reflective pools. Although I was tempted to surrender to the kid in me and splash in them, I instead turned to my camera and shutterbug alter ego.  I’m sure I was just as entertaining to those wondering why the crazy girl was taking pictures of asphalt in a parking lot. 

And, fortunately, I didn't get run over by a beer truck.

Work It!

I don’t know what it is about this tree. For some reason, every time I do a drive-by, it captures my attention. And that prompted an idea.

I know what it looks like wrapped in its winter coat, but is it just as stunning during the other seasons? Let’s find out, shall we?

Here’s our friendly neighborhood perennial sporting its spring ensemble. Fresh, clean, tender new buds.  Hmmmmmmmmm … I’m a bit skeptical, but will reserve final judgment until I do a full season color analysis. (I’ve always wanted to have one of those done; I think I’m a summer.) I’ll photograph the branches a couple more times this year, then we’ll see which season best enhances its natural beauty. Will it be a winter, spring, summer or fall?

More importantly, is this how Estée Lauder got her start?

Family Holidays

tra-di-tion

Pronunciation: \trǝ–‘di-shǝn\

n: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior

When it comes to celebrating Easter with my family, several guaranteed practices come to mind:

* We indulge in kielbasa and potato salad

* There are (losing) lottery tickets under every plate

* We engage in a battle of wits with a challenging game (our new fave is Apples to Apples)

* And following pigging out, one (or more) of the menfolk manage to literally lay claim to any available sofa, over-sized chair or floor space

Don’t be too embarrassed for my brother Kev … he looks much worse (usually snoring AND drooling) following Thanksgiving dinner!

Branching Out

When I finally cracked open an eye just before noon, I heard the sound of rain dancing on the roof. You know what that means, don’t you?

PJ Day!

I had big plans to tackle projects today, honest I did, but it’s so hard to get motivated when it’s cloudy and raining. I instead surrendered to the foul weather and laziness. We’re talking a REALLY slothful day … the kind where you move half the refrigerator into your bedroom, pick up the television remote instead of a good book, and park for hours. Fortunately, my day in front of the boob tube didn’t prove to be totally worthless.

I don’t really remember how I came to enjoy genealogy, but have been tracing my lineage for years. When I learned I could watch via On Demand five episodes of NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?, I settled in for the duration. The shows afforded an up-close and personal look inside the family history of several celebrities: Matthew Broderick, Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields and Emmitt Smith.

Because this type of undertaking is so involved, my own research had been put on the back burner. The series, however, has rekindled my passion for documenting the lives of my ancestors. I have no doubt that there are new buds and other wonders just waiting to be discovered while climbing the branches of my family tree. I’ve got the inclination; now I just have to make the time to focus on it.

Egg-ceptional Fun!

It has been a long time since I last colored Easter eggs, but with the right combination of things it’s still a lot of fun!

Ingredients

5 kids, ages 2 to 6

5 plastic lobster bibs (because the kids, ages 2 to 6, are kids)

5 egg coloring helpers (a/k/a kids at heart)

1 plastic tablecloth (because kids and kids at heart tend to be messy)

3 dozen hard-boiled eggs

3 Easter egg decorating kits (1 would likely suffice)

6 coffee mugs

vinegar

Method

Fill each coffee mug with warm water

Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to each mug

Six-year-old (holding nose): “What does that taste like?”

Assure six-year-old that vinegar does not taste as bad as it smells

Devious kid at heart: “Go ahead. Stick your finger in it and try it!”

Dissolve a color tablet in each mug; it helps to color coordinate the tablets with the mugs to remember which is which (kids at heart are prone to forgetfulness)

Give each kid a hard-boiled egg

Wide-eyed three-year-old (pointing to egg): “Is there a baby chick in there?”

Give each kid a mug of dye

Remove mug from hands of two-year-old attempting to drink blue dye

Slowly lower egg into dye

Promise sobbing five-year-old you’ll remember to write his name on the next egg BEFORE you dip it into the dye

Keep egg submerged in dye for three minutes (note: this equates to three hours in kid time)

Take cover when kid removes egg from mug to check color and plops it back into dye

When egg color is finally acceptable to discerning four-year-old, removed from dye and dripping on table, THEN remember to create egg-drying stands by punching out perforated holes from box

Repeat seven times

Try to figure out what in the heck you’re going to do with three dozen colored Easter eggs!

Amen!

I’m a theater buff and have taken in many different productions at many different venues. From Broadway in the Big Apple to dinner shows in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin to musicals in historic Toronto and Chicago theaters to high school plays in my own backyard. I’ve seen some amazing performances, walked out on a few and skipped one altogether (nothing personal, Dorothy Hamill, but lingering longer at the Chop House to indulge in good food and conversation seemed like a better idea at the time). The final show of Broadway Grand Rapids’ 2009-2010 season has become one of my favorites.

Wow!

Let me say that again …

Wow!

Every time I see a show I marvel at the talent of the performers, but the cast of The Color Purple totally blew me away; it was as engaging as it was gifted. The musical was non-stop and drew me in from the opening note. The first number of the jazz-blues-gospel score produced goosebumps and the final song tears. I’ve never been so emotionally involved in a production.  This was one of the best I’ve ever seen. If you get a chance to do the same, buy a ticket.

Amazing show!