Trent, over at his blog, often posts about things that make him to smile. It’s part of a weekly thing that I haven’t been organized enough to participate in regularly.
It’s not that I don’t have things to smile about. It’s just that I can’t seem to coordinate that event with writing a post about it. Because usually the events that make me smile are small, almost imperceptible, and they often get lost in the bigger things that color my days.
I’ll help you with weeding, mom!
But this afternoon while I was weeding the gardens surrounding our house, I started to grin. I have to say they are beautiful this year. And that alone should make me smile.
But my smile for this week was more specific.
So anyway, I was weeding a garden I generally ignore. A couple decades ago this was a vegetable garden but it turned out the sun beating on the back of the garage was too hot, so for the last several years we’ve been tossing in ‘wildflower’ seed, sometimes purchased from the Vermont Seed Company, sometimes purchased from Home Depot.
Taller than the average gardener.
I can’t honestly remember where this year’s seeds came from, but they look to be mostly coreopsis and zinnia. Most year I totally ignore this once the flowers are up. But this afternoon I ventured in, intent on pulling out some really tall weeds.
The garden wasn’t designed for people to walk in it, so I was picking my way through, trying to do the least amount of damage with my big feet, pushing aside the tall zinnias which are taller than me.
From the garden in the front of the house. Also spectacular.
I suddenly felt like I was doing the breast stroke among the blossoms, pushing them aside to move forward in the sea of pink and red and yellow. I thought of my friend, Bob, and how he’d have liked that turn of phrase, swimming in the sea of zinnias. How he probably would have commented on it, and the pictures of flowers growing here.
What better way to gather smiles than taking a couple days to adventure with a friend in northern Michigan? I can’t think of a better way to grin for two days, and I’ve been meaning to share some of our smiles with you but time and events sent me off on a detour or two.
On top of adventuring we saw some really cool barns.
A couple weeks ago a friend from college and I took off to do some fun stuff. Stuff you always say you’re going to do but usually don’t get around to.
Waiting for riders.
Like flying down a mountain on a plastic sled at Crystal Mountain Resort. You’ve always wanted to do that, right?
Before my first ride.
Haven’t you secretly yearned to be on that bobsled when you watched the winter Olympics? No? Really?
Well let me assure you that I was going much slower than an Olympic athlete on ice, and it was perfectly safe.
Whew! Made it!
And oh it was such a blast! It was so much fun that we each rode down four times! (4 rides for $30 each)
This is how they get the sleds and people back up to the top.
We would have gone again, but we had other things to fit into our short two day adventure. Like visit one of our favorite places, Pt. Betsie.
A few people were swimming. I got wet up to my ankles. It was cold.
You all know that I try to get out there, even if it’s only for a few minutes, whenever I’m in the area. I’m not usually there in beach season, so it’s fun to see the sand filled with sun bathers and rock pickers.
Lots of people looking for that perfect stone.
We didn’t stay at the beach long, we were hungry and it was getting late. We checked into our hotel and then went to dinner at The Cherry Hut.
We had a nice dinner and more importantly bought a cherry pie to take with us.
I kinda felt like the women having to wear this getup wasn’t fair. The men were in khakis and red shirts.
Which we ate at the hotel. YUMMY!
Tasted like home made!
The next day it was on to Boyne Mountain, further north, which has a relatively new Sky Bridge, built between a couple of ski mountains.
The ski lift here was longer and slower, giving us lots of time to enjoy the beautiful summer day.
Quite a structure!
The bridge is pretty long, and moves a bit with the people walking on it.
You can spend as much time as you like out there.
Handrails are handy.
The top railing was about at my eye level, so I’m guessing just over 5 feet.Don’t look down!
In the middle of the bridge are a couple of sections of plexiglass so you can see below.
Don’t overthink it and you’ll be fine.
That was weird, but not too scary. Mostly I imagined how beautiful this will be in the fall.
When those trees turn orange and red, man that will be stunning!
And then we rode the lift back down, found our car and headed home. Well. Not directly home.
We had to turn around for this one. “That’s a good barn,” we both said as we drove by.
We did stop for a couple photogenic barns.
Blue skies, red barns, white clouds. Can’t beat that.
And a house.
Someone’s dreams were lost here.
Wouldn’t be an adventure without barns.
Or without friends. Thanks for the great time, adventure friend. You know who you are.
Mom thought this mossy part of the woods was pretty. I think I made it prettier.
Guess what? Mom finally took me to my park! She’s always saying we’re going to go to a park, or have an adventure and then stuff happens and I end up lolling around the house all day.
Mom thought the light was pretty too. I thought better about climbing up there to be included in the image.
Why the closest thing to an adventure around here is sleeping out back in her tent. Which I’m not at all sure I like yet.
This is gonna be fun….right?
Mom says to give it time, but geeze, Dad’s sleeping in air conditioning, on a bed. I don’t know why I have to be out there in the steaming warm night, sleeping on the ground with scary sounds just outside my window with Mom, just because she’s crazy.
Awwww, gee. Here we are again.
Anyway.
Mom’s been working on this photo challenge, which has something to do with four seasons and she takes me along when she’s doing that.
This is a pretty spot, Mom, will it work for your project?
I like going to the woods now. In the beginning when I was just a baby I was sort of scared of the big trees, especially if the wind was blowing and there were all sorts of noises and leaves blowing around and stuff.
Come on, mom, let’s get going!
But now I’m a big girl, and I’ve figured out there are really cool smells out there in the woods! So today when Mom said we were going to go to my park (yes I have a park now that is named after me!), I got all excited.
Mom said this was pretty too.
It’s not very far away and we got there early in the morning when it would still be relatively cool. Mom unloaded me and off we went, my nose to the ground and Mom trailing along behind.
The very first picture mom stopped to take this morning.
But before we got to the top of the first hill Mom pulled me up and said we had to go home and look for something called bug spray. Mom said she was an idiot for not thinking of that sooner and no way was she going any further swatting at clouds of mosquitoes.
Mom! It’s really buggy here! Hurry up and take your picture!
I was a bit upset, but back in the car I went and we drove home where mom sprayed herself liberally and then used a doggie bug spray on my back and tummy, and put some in her hand and rubbed it on my face and ears.
Come on mom, you’re slowing me down!
Then off to the park (again!) we went! I was a little confused, but trotted right off, nose to the ground. We went up and down hills and through meadows and past wildflowers and ripening berries.
Mom asked me if I wanted a berry but I said no thanks. I’ll stick with treats.
Mom stopped for a lot of pictures that were not me and I was OK with that, as long as I got my fair share of photographic attention.
This is just the best walk ever, Mom!
Because those come with treats, you know.
Mom was bending over to give me a treat after I posed for her, and her camera took a bunch of pictures of me all on it’s own as I was rushing in to get my reward. It made Mom laugh.
Anyway by the time we headed back to the car mom was sweating through her cloths and I was pretty warm too. It was only 73 F, (22.7C) but it felt a lot hotter!
Slow and steady up the hills, that’s the way Mom and I do it.
Mom made sure I got lots of drinks. All I had to do was look at her and she pulled my water right out of her pack. She carries more stuff for me than for her when we go on adventures! That’s cause I tip well.
Mom brings treats AND water for me !
Mom said I did really good this morning following directions while she got her summer shots for her challenge. She says she’s not showing those to you yet..she still has to get fall, and then she’ll tell you all about it.
Mom thinks this is her favorite image from this adventure.
Mom and I are an artistic team, and I’m an excellent model. I personally think she should set me up with a 401K and vacation days. It seems only fair as I’m doing all the work.
I stop at this stump and sniff it every time we go down this hill. It’s where all the boys leave me pee-mail. I never stop at it on the way back up the hill, causethat would be redundant.
What do you think? You can leave me your opinions and suggestions in the comments. And just for the record, I get more comments on my posts than any that mom writes. Just more evidence of my value as an employee. Maybe I should negotiate for health insurance too.
Change Is Hard 