Grand Rapids

A lovely time was had by all, despite the lack of dogs (Oscar passed away earlier in the year).  After an uneventful drive, wherein I taught Kalyna how to navigate with maps, we arrived at Beth's house. 

The kids had a nice lunch, and then we set off to Meijer gardens, where it must have been at least 100°F in the shade (what little there was of it).  We spent a lot of time at the miniature Great Lakes (wet, wonderful, and even  geographically correct), learned how chocolate is made, perspired our way through the children's garden, and then went to see the Big Horse1 (see photo on left), the highlight of the gardens.  Then we rushed back indoors to enjoy the relative coolness and comfort of the orchid2 and cactus hot houses.

Beth and Dave's house was kid heaven.  Pizza for dinner. A trip to the air-conditioned movies to see "Pirates of the Caribbean 3." And then lots and lots of snacks3 as we watch "National Treasure" on TiVo.  The kids can't wait to go back.

The kids with Beth and me on her porch

Harrison

We took our annual trip to Harrison a bit late this year, as Bill and Laurie had other plans for the Fourth this year.  Bill is now working for Ford, and has little of a choice as to when his vacations are.  All of Ford takes the week of the 4th off, so they went to Maine on their summer vacation and had a very nice time, even if they never made it to Cabot Cove.

We spent the weekend with my parents, and Bill's friends Pam and Jack. It was a quiet weekend, as there were not as many fireworks available for sale in town (unlike 2006, with our nightly fireworks displays), and we took what we could get.  We had a fire in the fire pit each evening, and chased the shade during the day. 

There was much four-wheeling on our trails, and other visits to the woods. Baby got photographed enjoying nature4, as she is wont.

And, on our way home, we drove the back roads to the Elbow lake Inn, where we watched hummingbirds at the feeder, ate cheeseburgers, and played a table-top version of shuffleboard (at which I lost horribly).

___________

1. 1.From around 1482 to 1499, Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, employed Leonardo and permitted him to operate his own workshop complete with apprentices. One of his projects involved making plans and models for a monumental seven metre (24 ft) high horse statue in bronze called "Gran Cavallo". Because of war with France, the project was never finished. The seventy tons of bronze that had been set aside for the horse statue were cast into weapons for the Duke in an attempt to save Milan from the French under Charles VIII in 1495.
   That might have been the end of the story; but instead, Frederik and Lena Meijer stepped in. They donated funds to support Nina Akamu in her project to realize da Vinci's design. The Meijers actually funded the casting of two full-sized horse sculptures: one donated to Milan, fulfilling da Vinci's commission; and the other at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
   

2. 2.The orchid house is one of my favorite spots.  I love photographing the orchids, and they have such a huge variety of them. 
   
                

   

   
   

3. 3.Beth sent Dave out to shop for snacks while we were at the movies.  The kids mentioned that they liked Doritos, Skittles and ice cream.  Did you know that there are at least six varieties each of Doritos and Skittles?  And that there are four varieties of fruit gelato available locally, as well as the usual flavors of ice cream?  It was kid snack heaven for the next several days, as Beth packed the snacks up and sent them with us the following day.
   

4. 4.Baby loves nature very much.  Here she is communing with it:
   
                                           

   

   
   
   
5. 5.Nick and Kalyna have had some driving experience before, but Fuzz was a complete newbie.  The other two raced around the track, and she putted along very carefully, being passed up by the others several times.  Still, they all had fun.