A touristy kind of day

The day was reserved to meet with friends, to have time to catch up and visit, but it also turned into a touristy kind of day. They gave us a guided tour of parts of their city that we wouldn't have known to look for.

Longway Planetarium was our first stop - an educational site that we WERE familiar with, having visited decades earlier. The largest planetarium in Michigan, the Longway puts on a spectacular show. However, I made a note to myself to also find an Astronomy 101 show - because although I am fascinated by the stars and planets, I struggle to grasp even the basics of the solar system - let alone the universe.

Our next stop was to the newly renovated Farmers' Market.

What a cool place to hang out. 



AND to have lunch!

Besides the predictable fare of freshly baked breads and colorful garden produce and beautiful items made in Madagascar and Ghana, there were lots and lots of little restaurants offering ethnic menus as well as the all-American hot dog or tasty BBQ. And don't forget the homemade pies and cakes and fudge and other sweet sensations.  In the last decade we have learned to love farm markets and this is one of the best we have seen.

I have had sporadic connection with Flint throughout my lifetime - and found myself remembering many forgotten moments. Visiting the planetarium brought back memories of field trips with our kids and maybe, just MAYBE, even one when I was a kid. There was Flint Central High School where I had played the piano to accompany a trio from my choir at solo and ensemble festival - a lifetime ago. We drove by Carriage Town Mission where I had served food in the soup kitchen and sorted through donated clothes for their thrift store and helped prepare the building that now houses the women's center. 

'Twas a good day. A fun excursion. When we were nearly home we suddenly decided to take a little detour. We had recently realized that we had not yet visited the nearby town of Holly and we wanted to explore it a bit before we move away in a couple weeks. So we did. We found the depot and the old hotel and lots of other cool stuff.

The depot was our first priority. We wandered around it - delighted to find it in good repair and wondered about what plans there were for restoration. I peered into the windows imagining what it would have been like back in the day - until hubby pointed out the little post-it note that said "If you can read this, you are trespassing." Oops. The rule-keeper in me began to argue with the adventurer but not for long - because just then we saw someone walking purposefully and directly toward us.

We assumed our exploration was finished. We greeted him and were pleased to discover that we weren't in trouble. To the contrary, he asked if we would like to see more. Turns out he had a key - a new one that he had just acquired and was wanting to try out! How fun! Having lived next door for 25 years, he keeps an eye on the place. He understandably has a wealth of information about its history and seemed to enjoy sharing it.
And then, still another bonus. As we wandered around the big rooms inside, he said "You are in luck; there's a train coming."

Cameraman* hubby scurried outside and quickly found a way to climb some scaffolding to a better vantage point in time to shoot the very long freight train coming through on the fast track. Yes, this depot has tracks on both sides - a fast track and a slow track. The so-called fast track comes through town on a fairly straight course (generally northwest/southeast) while the other comes in at a much sharper turn as part of a line north to Flint and south to west Detroit. I am fascinated with trains and railroads - something I seemed to inherit from my dad - so this was great fun for me.

We meandered through the rest of the historic downtown - enthralled by the old hotel and lots of other cool buildings.

I think we found the best eatery in town - thanks to Kevin, our helpful depot host. He had recommended the Bittersweet Cafe and we loved it.

It's the kind of place that we hope to find in our travels - a tiny store-front tucked in among other shops with an antique door opening into a long narrow row of tables.

How delightful to sit there and rest our weary feet and
gaze up at the awesome tin plate ceiling or notice the nostalgic decor covering the walls - AND to enjoy good food.

The perfect spot to end a fun touristy day. 

... or so I thought.

However...

as we were walking back to our truck...

there was one more sweet little surprise waiting for me...

We walked around a corner to see this...

... which felt like some kind of a secret treasure for me.

I love it!

...

* Photo credit: Almost all of the photos in this post are by Bob Sims of SimsShots Photography.  

** Later note - like four years later! 
Little did we know that we would end up moving to Flint. 
The day described above probably planted some of the first seeds that began to attract us to this city.

Living in a campground

I like living in a campground. At least sometimes I do. I like how the place fills up with families on the weekends. It's fun to notice the variety of camping rigs and equipment, to observe the newcomers unloading bikes and rubbers rafts, expanding their sliders and rolling out their awnings - and maybe even pitching their tents. Before long there are sounds of happiness and the smell of campfires.

I also like the Monday mornings and Tuesday mornings when it is relatively quiet and peaceful again with mostly just the regulars around. The seasonal people - some of whom leave for work between 6 and 8 a.m. and many who are retirees. People that we have begun to know a little bit. Several work in construction and several at the Michigan Renaissance Festival a few miles away which just opened for the season. One neighbor walks across the highway to her job at the animal hospital behind Frosty Boy and McDonald's.

There might be a few "campers" still scattered on sites here and there - maybe because it is vacation week for them - or maybe they live close enough that either mom or dad can commute to work from here.

On the mid-week mornings I don't meet many people while walking around the lake and I don't have much concern about being overtaken by golf carts. The pontoon raft is usually empty and silent and still on Tuesdays. The rentable log cabins may or may not be occupied during the week.

...

There is a bi-weekly rhythm around here. The atmosphere changes. When the rigs start pulling in on Thursday evenings it begins to feel like the weekend.  And when people start hitching up and packing up and pulling out on Sunday morning and throughout the day, it's as if normalcy returns - but with a twinge of sadness. I always feel a teeny bit sorry for those who have to leave so soon. To go back home and back to work and the real world. The week-end must have seemed so short. Once again I'm glad that we live in a campground - and we don't have to pack up and go anywhere. Because we are already home.

 

Tiny steps I can take

The recent racial tension in our culture has been more than a little upsetting to me. It makes me very sad and it scares me. I certainly don't have the answers, but I wish somebody did because I sure would love to see things get better. Yes, I know there are no simple answers to such complex issues.

On the other hand, I can't help wondering if there are some "simple steps" that each of us could do to make things better in our own corner of the world. Things like kindness and respect and treating others the way we would want to be treated. Of course, we need to start by learning to understand what life must be like in the shoes of the "other."

People don't like to be labeled as racist - even when their attitudes and actions seem to betray their racism. I get that. I sure don't want to be racist and yet I am aware that there are traces of racism within me. I'm guessing that would be true for most of us - so why would we not admit it?

A young friend of mine has done just that. Today on Facebook he "confessed" a bit of racism that he spotted within himself. Daniel describes sitting in the dentist chair when "...my dentist, a young black man, walked in, and I immediately felt nervous. I so quickly had (unspoken) concerns about his credentials and his ability to do this work effectively."

Daniel "thankfully realized his foolishness" and reports that of course the doctor was professional and that the procedure was quick and painless. "While I'm somewhat ashamed to admit my prejudice, I think its important that we acknowledge these moments so that we can grow from them. As long as we are living in a society that tells us that black people consistently and distinctly inferior to whites, we are going to have racism seeping into our minds. We need to be diligent in rooting it out and confessing it."

I can learn from wise friends like Daniel. I hope to follow his example of honesty.

How about you?
What steps can you take to make the world a better place?
  

Five years!

Date: August 15 - a significant date. It was just five years ago today that we had our epiphany. Our moment of coming awake to the possibilities of freedom. How well we remember that conversation that started this whole process. How unbelievable it was that one of us dared to mention the idea of selling the farm - and even more astounding that the response was favorable!!! It was the beginning. The turning point. The decision to start letting go of things.

Location: at home - which is Lot #143, Clearwater Campground, Ortonville, MI at the moment. We are very much enjoying this campground. We love the area and being so close to some of our kids. After being away for a long weekend we moved to a different campsite. We were hoping for more shade which we now have with an added bonus of lots more space as well as a bit of privacy. How lovely.

Outside: Hot and sunny, blue sky, heading to 90 degrees

Miles traveled: Just a few planned for today - to the store and perhaps our daughter's place - AND out to eat because it is a special day. One worth celebrating.

Walked: 1.7 miles around the lake and through the campground. I just passed 450 miles for the year!

Hubby is: heading out for a bike ride

Recent happenings: Bob's big birthday blast concert and the subsequent recovery time

Discoveries: After living in this little rig from January to August last year and again this year, we are happy to discover how much we love it. It has exceeded our expectations and we are thankful. We really like our home!!!

Made me sad: That time when I got so busy with STUFF that I forgot to ask really mattered - so then I missed it. *sniff*

Made me thankful: That those branches that came down during the crazy wind last evening all missed our home and our vehicle.

Made me drool: the yummy chicken salad I made yesterday - chock full of grapes and pecans with a dash of curry. AND thinking about the crepes I want to order tonight at the Royal Diner.

Blessings:

• This place - comfortable, convenient, rather lovely and in a great location
• Good friends
• Repeated confirmations that we are on the right path
• My guy
• Good health

Reading: some of my old writings - getting ready to start editing

Watching tonight: Probably some NCIS episodes from the Netflix disc that has been waiting

Considering: menu options for tomorrow's cookout

Working on: Deleting stuff - whether online or in the magazine basket or the boxes in storage

Accomplishments: Cleaned out the office cabinet and pitched a pile of stuff

Lessons:

• Delete, delete, delete.
• Keep current.
• One thing at a time
• Don't forget to take care of me.

Looking forward to: having friends here tomorrow! Life on the road gets lonely sometimes so we are grateful whenever we can spend time with dear friends.

Home is

Home,

I learned,

can be anywhere you make it.

Home is also the place

to which you come back

again and again.

- Margaret Mead