Sunday in the Park, Part 2, A Dam Good Time

My friends and I still had more of the Independence State Park to explore! There were such lovely sights all around. Fall is in its glory! Just look at these beautiful leaves!
I thought this sycamore tree was rather striking. It had such an interesting shape. My son tried to jump up into it, but couldn't get a good footing. It's higher than you think!

Here is a branch from another sycamore tree that I thought looked interesting. It sort of makes me think of a python hiding in the tree!
I love the contrast between the white tree and the deep blue of the sky, spattered with these colorful fall leaves!
Jon and Monica found another place to take a picture. Here they are with the Maumee River in the background. Did I tell you that the park is between a canal and a river? Not sure how wide the river is at this point, but its a substantial waterway.I just love looking at rivers in the fall with the changing trees framing each side.

My son took this picture of the river with the water looking like glass. I like that he not only got a reflection of the clouds, but he got a great reflection of the sun too. Where does this lead?

A big dam! This is actually called Independence Dam State Park. And did we ever have a dam good time!

Look how still the water seems on one side of the dam, and how it races on the other side! You can't see it well in this shot, but there is a good drop there. In season, you will see fishermen standing in the water fishing for walleye.
I didn't realize when I took this picture that there was a rainbow effect from the water.
Awww, here is my cutie pie son! This is such a good picture of him.

Here is what you find on the other end of the dam. The river is kind of low right now, and there are shallow spots.

Such a pretty scene. What's that up ahead?

Besides the little island and the pretty trees, I think I see something else! What a beautiful bird!
Jared snuck closer with the camera to get a closer shot. Too cool!
Jared also went to the top of the end of the damn to get some good camera shots. Jon and Monica are in the forefront petting fur son Winston. He is such a good puppy!
Looks like Jared got all tuckered out from running and leaping through the park.
He didn't get much of a rest though. After this, we headed to another park on the river, this one right in the city. There were some different things to photograph there!

Come on back tomorrow for more fall fun!

Sunday at the Park, part 1

This Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day! The sun was shining, the leaves on the trees were changing, and the temp was in the high 50s, low 60s. One of my BFFs and her dear hubby wanted my son and I to take some pics of them for their Christmas cards. They decided to have pictures taken at a local state park, the Independence Dam State Park.



Here is a beautiful scene near the front of the park.

I thought this tree was so pretty against the blue sky!
Let's wander on into the park!

We noticed an interesting tree that had fallen. It looked like we might be able to take some interesting pictures here! My son Jared was first on the scene. Awww, see how cute this picture of Jon and Monica and sweet furchild Winston turned out?
Monica wanted to get some pictures of Jon too. So I took a pic of her taking pics of her hubby and Winnie!
They turned the tables on us and took a pic of Jared and I next to the tree.
Jon told me that I needed a new pic to show online suitors, lol. Notice that I am letting the hair down a little. It's not poodle poofy any more, but I still haven't had the guts to go straight.
I spotted an interesting mushroom on the tree trunk.

My son hopped up on the trunk to get a close up picture.

Then Jon headed down the hill to get a closer pic of these interesing spores. They all make me think of fairies! Couldn't you imagine fairies sitting on top of these mushrooms or using them like a giant umbrella for shelter? These were about 12" or more across.

I was also fascinated by this hollow tree! I could just imagine some woodland creature hiding deep inside. Perhaps elves lived in there!
Here is a vine on another tree. It's going to be all red eventually. I think it's poison ivy! So pretty to look at in the fall, but so itchy!
There is a canal on one side of the park. I thought it was so pretty behind these beautifu leaves.

My son was full of energy and was literally running through the park and also jumping and leaping. He decided to run...
...then jump on and balance on this post. What do you suppose he saw as he was upside down like this?
Aha, a daddy long legs! These are harmless spiders. I never have the heart to kill them unless they are in my shower.
I just heart my son!
There are even more pictures to come. This park is laid out between the canal and the beautiful Maumee River, which is a pretty substantial river. Can't wait to show you what it looked like!

I'll be back tomorrow!

Son's Homecoming!

My 16 year old son came home yesterday! He flew all the way from Houston to Detroit with a connecting flight in Atlanta. It was the first time he had ever flown!

He had to go through this tunnel in Detroit to get to the concourse where the baggage claim was located. I have walked through this and it's really cool! The colors change and you hear different soothing noises.
My older son Sean and I were eagerly awaiting his arrival, but were enjoying the rest after a 2 hour drive to the airport!
Finally I spotted him! Yay! It had been 7 weeks since I last saw my son! I don't know why he has glowing eyes in this pic.

I was so happy to see him and ran to give him a big hug. He loves being an aloof teen so he just acted like, "eh, no big deal," and acted like I had just seen him yesterday.

Here we are waiting in baggage claim for his 47 pound bag. Fifty pounds was the limit!
We didn't have to wait long at all! We found a parking space that was very close to the terminal. The boys loved the moving sidewalk to the parking garage. They loved it so much that they got way ahead of me. You can hardly see them!
Here they are a little closer, but blurry. Uh, hey guys, just remember, I have the keys!
After another two hour trip back home, we were all very happy to be together again! Sean was happy.
And the Jake the dog was thrilled and jumped all over him! I think he is happy to see Jake too!

This room has stayed a little too clean in the last few weeks. Wonder how long that will last!
Probably not too long! Look at all the stuff in his suitcase! Gee, he didn't listen to me very well when I told him not to put his underwear on the top! I learned that lesson the hard way when my bag got searched once and there lay my dainties right on top as scores of people walked by!
It didn't take him long to get on the computer and get caught up with all his friends!
I'm just happy to have him home again!
By the way, that's a pic from this spring when he was looking a little less scruffy!

This is the first time I have driven to the Detroit Metro Airport and I was pleased with how easy it was to find and navigate! Although I truly HATE driving on the interstate, and normally go out of my way to avoid it, there really was no other sensible route, but I made it through just fine!

Here's to family and happy homecomings!

July birthday, July flowers

Today was my youngest son's 16th birthday. You may have read about him in this post. He is in Texas right now visiting his father for 6 weeks.

He has been gone for just over 3 weeks, and I really wasn't missing him that much, but this week he got sick with an abscessed tooth, and he was in pain and not feeling well. Of course, this made my heart ache to be there with my baby boy. He is being well cared for though, and he is in good hands with his father and step-mom and the capable doctors. It still doesn't take away my mother's heart's desire to be with her little one when he is sick. He sounded a little better today, but you can just tell he wishes he was with me right now. What a sucky 16th birthday!

So anyhow, I decided to post something that would cheer me up a little. The lady who lived her before me and planted my beautiful flower gardens must have loved purple. This is the time of summer that all the purple flowers come out to shine! I don't know what all of them are, so if anyone knows, I would so appreciate it if you can enlighten me!

Edited to add: Thank you so much to Diana Lyn for telling me what kind of flowers I have!

This hibiscus grows on one of the bushes next to my deck, and another outside my kitchen window. Oddly enough, the purple bush has bloomed, but the one right next to it in white has yet to flower.

This phlox also grows next to my deck.

Warning! Spider pic follows! Honestly, its just a teeny one that I spotted on a petal. In real life it is very small. I just thought it made a cool pic though.

This coneflower, is also growing next to the deck.

These pretty daisies are growing next to my patio in the flowerbed at the end of the driveway.

And these last flowers grow in the flowerbed between my driveway and the garage. They are cosmos and they are so pretty that even though I thought they might be weeds, I am not about to pull them.

Hope that these gave you a smile too!

On Saturday I am joining Pink Saturday sponsored by Bev of How Sweet the Sound. Should be fun! I have a lot of pink things that I would love to show!