Tag Archives: trees

The Wait Was Worth It!

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Home again after taking a trip to the top of the mitten to see the Tunnel of Trees.  Since moving to Michigan last year I have heard a lot about this short section of highway (approximately 27 miles) that follows the shore of Lake Michigan and the Little Traverse Bay.

Told by many how beautiful it is in the fall when the trees all turn beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange, I have waited all year to make the trip.

Was it worth it?

Yes – and no

Basically I was told three main things about the tunnel.  Two of which I found to be true.

The road was said to be very narrow.  Boy was it!  There is no center line painted on the road.  Many places were so narrow when we met another car one of us had to pull over on the tiny shoulder so the other car could go by.

I was told it was very windy.  Boy was it!  We would just get through one stretch of curves when we would find another one waiting.

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But there were no colors!  No oranges, reds or yellows!  The website for the Tunnel of Trees indicated that this time was the peak for the colors.

Disappointed!!!

I am guessing if we returned in a week we would find the colors and the beauty they talked about.

However, the trip was not in vain.  While there were no colors in the tunnel driving across the middle of the mitten getting to and from the tunnel there were colors everywhere.  We discovered that the trees near the lake turn colors slower than inland.

So – now we know.

While the tunnel was a disappointment – the trip was not.

 

Acres and acres of trees – as far as the eye could see – brilliant colors!

What an artist God is!  And what variety!  He could have made one tree – but look at all the different trees we have.

The wait was truly worth it!

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Off to the Tunnel of Trees

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Last year we moved to Michigan in October – just in time to enjoy the beautiful fall colors!  The street we moved to had big trees up and down the block and every time we went somewhere I loved driving down our street.

 

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We were told about a place on the northern part of the lower peninsula called the Tunnel of Trees.  It sounded like it would be gorgeous and I wanted to make the trip up north.  But, just moving in and trying to get settled that was not feasible  We did not have the time or the energy to make the trip.

All through the winter (which was not all that bad considering our home back in Illinois got clobbered with lots of snow), the dreary spring (where I came to understand the warning I had been given about Michigan cloudy days), and the magnificent summer with all the road trips spent exploring the state I waited for fall to come.

Today we head north and I am excited about seeing all the oranges, reds, yellows in the trees up north.

We made some trips up north this summer so I know there are lots of trees to see.  On one trip we stopped to get pictures of all the trees when we saw this sign.

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Seeing that warning we decided to just keep driving for awhile before stopping to take pictures.

While I do not want to run into any bears, I am so ready for this trip.  Like all things I have heard pros and cons about this stretch of road.  Most reports have been very positive telling me it will be beautiful and I will love the small towns along the way.  A few have said it was not that great and not really worth the trip.

Well – I will soon find out.  Knowing how I have always had a love affair with trees – and how I have so enjoyed my new state of Michigan because of all the trees, I think I will enjoy it.

Stay tuned for pictures – and you can decide if you think it was worth the wait!

 

 

 

 

Taking a Leisurely Fall Walk

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I love this time of year!

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Time for rides through the country.  Time for leisurely walks enjoying the beautiful colors of the trees.

We humans are not the only ones who enjoy a family walk this time of year.

Driving through the woods we had to stop to give this family of wild turkeys a chance to cross the road.

They took their sweet old time – no hurry here.

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What an Artist!!!

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It’s Fall!  My favorite time of year.  This year I am experiencing Fall in a new home in a new town in a new state.  Talk about change!

And I think I have moved to the perfect location to see all the beauty that God creates for us in the Fall.  Let’s hear it for Michigan!  These were just some of the views my husband and I saw on our drive through the country yesterday.

One of my favorite trees is the white birch tree.  The bark is so beautiful even in winter when the leaves are all gone.   In our home in Illinois we had three white birch trees and two paper birch trees.  I really hated leaving them when we moved.

But on our drive yesterday we discovered Michigan has a lot of white birch trees and they are at the height of their Fall beauty.

Spring is wonderful when the first blades of grass and flowers peek through and the leaves begin to appear on the trees.  Summer is gorgeous with all the various flowers in bloom.  Even Winter has its beauty with the fresh fallen snow.  But I think Fall is when God shows off!

I understand the science behind the change in the leave colors.  But I think of the Mind that designed such a process that brings such beauty to the world.

…the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Though I am probably taking this Bible verse out of context, I loved to think as we drove by all the beautiful trees they were praising God with their spectacular colors.

Yes, God is an artist and Fall is when He shows off His talent!

Thank you God for the beautiful display you give us every year!

 

The Garden that Love Built

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In November 2001 my husband and I moved into our new home.  It had no trees or flowers anywhere on the property. In the backyard, a deck opened onto an above ground swimming pool.  The backyard was ugly and hot with lots of concrete and rock around the pool.  Two metal sheds sat on large slabs of concrete.  My husband, who loves flowers and trees wanted to get rid of the pool.  But I wanted to try to learn to swim so I convinced him to keep the pool for our first summer in the house.

The next summer I was only in the pool three or four times because every evening when I came home from work all I wanted to do was just lie down.  I was constantly exhausted.

In November 2002 we discovered why I was feeling so badly.  After a visit to the doctor and then a biopsy, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A very aggressive cancer and my doctor told me the chances of my living ten more years were only 25 percent.

I have shared that story in other blogs:

Cancer Survivor

Coincidence or An Act of God?

I’m Still Beautiful!!!

That spring my husband took down the pool and began planting.  It was therapy for him and something he could do to be close to me for the days/weeks I was too weak to move from my bed.  He put a chair next to the patio doors and I would sit and watch him plant beautiful flowers and trees.  He said for every tree he planted, I would get another year of life.  Our property now has 34 trees!

My children teased me that they are going to come over and cut down some trees because he now has me up to almost 90 years of life.

oh no

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The yard has remained a work in progress.  Each year we said we have enough plants and each year we add more.

This is not only a beautiful garden – an oasis in our backyard, but it is a garden made with love.