I love Lake Erie!

I know that many people consider Lake Erie to be the least great of the Great Lakes, but it holds a special place in my heart. It is “home” for me – the American and Canadian sides.

My campground was right on the shore, just west of Buffalo – Evangola State Park. Actually, the campground was on a bluff above the lake, but there was a beach that was park of the park, and we were allowed access as part of our camping fees.

While I was there, I made a couple trips to the beach. There was this archway constructed. On my way back up, I ran into the bridal party. It looked like a great day for a wedding.

The sun was shining and the sky was blue.

I headed to the beach on the Independence Day. People were in serious picnic mode, with tents and canopies galore. As much as I love sun, I think I love the shade under these beautiful trees even more.

If I had a dollar for each cooler in the park, I think I could have almost have afforded to buy a Yeti.

Yeti – the Airstream of coolers.

I headed down to the water’s edge and I saw something I haven’t seen in years. I saw a lifeguard on duty at a public beach!

I decided to wander down to the cliff and then back to where I started from.

What a beautiful day to be on the water.

It was also a great day to look at rocks!

Rocks and water! What a great combination!

I find the fracture patterns interesting in these rocks. They cleave into rectangular slabs.

I found a smaller slab and used it as a base for one of my catch-and-release rock collections.

First, a photo of it dry. Now let’s see it wet.

That’s more like it! The colors are so much more vibrant.

I did a few where if marveled at the dry-vs-wet rocks, but I decided that I really preferred the wet ones.

This composition reminds me of a snowman, well, except that it’s not white.

What a lovely array of colors!

I found this fossil, and I thought it was pretty interesting. What the heck! Let’s see it wet.

I came across a fellow rock aficionado – a young boy of about eight. I had picked up this one and was thinking of keeping it. After all, I was going to have a house soon. It wouldn’t turn out like Lucy’s collection in The Long, Long Trailer.

By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43379887

But, I gave the rock to him and told him that it had fossils in it. I explained what fossils were and that he might find some more if he kept looking. I swear, I’ll be a teacher until the day I die!

One last photo of rocks arranged by Mother Nature and it was time to head up.

I was fortunate to catch a few lovely sunsets while I was visiting during this trip. Just because I feel like it, I will post them here.

I took this one from the beach at Evangola State Park.

I took this one from Hamburg Town Park. If you look one way, there’s Buffalo in the background.

If you look in the other direction, you see a glorious sunset.

It all depends on where you focus your attention.

 

 

 

Fifty Shades of…

GREEN!

(I’ll bet you were thinking of a different color.)

Before I leave Michigan, I have got to say that this is one of the greenest states I have ever seen. Canopy

Of course, there are the trees.

6 Spruce tips Hartwick Pines

Trees on Painted Rocks

Ft Wilkins State Park

Balsam spires Ft Wilkins St Park

Light green trees, dark green trees, medium green trees. Then, the color changes with the light.

Some of the water is green.

Copper Harbor water and trees

green water 2 near painted rocks

Copper Harbor moss in water

green water near Painted Rocks

There is green in the rocks.

Copper Harbor green stone

Copper Harbor Rocks on table

copper slab at Quincy Mine

Rocks in Copper Harbor

Painted Rocks copper green

Green moss and lichens.

Returning to the earth

3 Tahquamenon Falls Moss

Moss or lichens on rocks by arbor

The ferns on the forest floor

The view from my door

Ferns

As well as all the other plants

Wildflowers 2

2 Tahquamenon Falls

1 Tahquamenon Falls

Copper Harbor green berries

The pollen blowing through the air is green.

Pollen on my truck hood

Some of the benches are green, too.

Bench in Copper Harbor

And with all the rain that we got while I was there, even Smokey knows where it’s at.

Smokey