Category Archives: Travel & Adventure

The Beautiful Bridges of Midland, MI

Posted on by annandmeg

I just returned home from a long weekend visit in Midland, MI where my Dad and Auntie Carol grew up. I’m still going through pictures of their childhood homes, grade schools, and local hangouts, but in the meantime, I was really impressed by all the beautiful sites Midland, MI has to offer. In particular, I was fascinated by its beautiful bridges.

This is the tri-bridge, or “Tridge” in downtown Midland. It has three bridges that meet in the middle over the water where two rivers merge into one.

This next bridge is part of Dow Garden, where visitors can see the Dow family property. The estate is comprised of Herbert and Grace Dow’s home, which was completed in 1915, the home of their son, architect Alden Dow, and surrounded by a huge garden designed by Herbet.

Okay, so this bridge is actually in Bay City along the shore of Lake Huron. We saw it when we took the short (15 min) drive over to see the Lake, and the Harley shop of course!

There were many beautiful sites, and I will share them all with you soon!

A Lazy Day on Martha’s Vineyard

Posted on by annandmeg

At the end of my “cousins trip” I met my husband and friends on Martha’s Vineyard.  The only way to get to the island is by ferry, private boat or plane, or Cape Air.  Visitors should only fly Cape Air if they have absolutely no schedule, since Cape Air’s schedule is as relaxed as the island.  We took Cape Air.

We had absolutely nothing to do for the weekend, but–to do nothing.  The company was great, the environment was soothing to the soul.  Martha’s Vineyard is all about being lazy.  And oh, we did that so well.  On the island, it seems that no one is in a hurry.  The boats are slow, the birds are tranquil and the need for speed seems nonexistent.  Even the critters are calm.  We found this old chair sitting abandoned on the beach.  apparently the owner just wants it there in case s/he comes by and wants to sit.  The bicycle seemed to be the same situation.  I did not see any children anywhere nearby. Perhaps the islanders not only live a relaxed lifestyle, but also a trusting one.

Boats are everywhere, but canoes, trawlers and similar low speed boats are preferred to power boats.  And like everything else, there seems to be a casual attitude about guarding one’s possessions.  I suspect nearby clam diggers may have been responsible for this boat.

While life is casual, laid back and relaxed, food, especially lobster, is serious business.  There is nothing better than fresh lobster, fresh corn and key lime pie shared with friends.

Hope you have a great and restful weekend.

Russian River, Meet Pacific Ocean

Posted on by annandmeg

There is nothing more humbling to me than a massive body of water. Some of my favorite moments have been staring out into the ocean, or perhaps a huge river. The Mediterranean Sea when I was in Turkey. The Amazon River in Peru. The Pacific Ocean in my new home state of California. Well, on one of our recent outings, Jake and I drove up to have dinner along the coast, and we ended up at the Russian River Delta, where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean near Jenner, CA.

And looking at the delta where the river meets the ocean…

Near the shoreline, the ocean has some beautiful rock formations jutting out from the water.

What a beautiful place, and we live here! If only we could figure out a way to have this view out our back deck….now that would really be something.

Relaxing by the Eel River

Posted on by annandmeg

A few weekends ago, Jake and I drove up to spend the night pseudo-camping at our friends’ house up in Garberville. It’s up in Humboldt County, about 3 hrs north of Petaluma. Janice and Jerry invited us up for a quick getaway, and little did I know I would be staying right on the Eel River!

For the last several months, I’ve been doing research with my friend David at Friends of the Eel River. One of the major concerns with the Eel River water supply is that much of the water is diverted to the Russian River via PG&E’s Pottery Valley Project. While I’m still learning the ins and outs of the water world in California, it is very exciting for me when I get to see the subject of my research.

According to Janice, the river level was much higher in previous summers. This summer, there is a lot more visible gravel along the river bank than in previous years.

It was a wonderful getaway, though probably too short. We look forward to going back again soon.

It’s Hot–Think Cool

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When the temperature reaches 100 to 110 degrees here in the Mid-West, I remember cooler days along the California coast.

Wouldn’t it be great to dip your toes in this clear, beautiful water. One of our most valuable resources, cool water represents life and adventure.  And it is cool, wonderfully cool.

Think cool.  Be cool.

The Trails and Gardens at Crystal Bridges

Posted on by annandmeg

Crystal Bridges is a world class Museum of American Art.  But no visit would be complete without a walk through the grounds that surround it. In fact, one of the best reasons to walk along the trails is to be able to truly admire the graceful world class architecture from various vantage points along the trails behind and adjacent to the buildings themselves.

The museum is a masterpiece by acclaimed architect and urban planner, Moshe Safdie.  In addition to Crystal Bridges, his work includes projects in such diverse environments as Old City Jerusalem; Singapore; Golden Dream Bay in Qinhuangdao, China; as well as Kansas City’s own Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

There are extensive trails through the 120 acre site.  These trails pass by creeks, a pond, and native plants. They wind through and around the grounds. Small walking bridges pass over the creeks on the property that are actually fed by the Crystal Spring.

But the grounds are not limited to natural beauty.  Sculptures the quality of the world class art in the gallery are on the grounds outside as well.  My personal favorite is Stella, by artist/sculptor, Andre Harvey.  Stella weighs in at 560 pounds.  She seems to me to be completely and utterly content.  No dieting for this lass.  Look at her smile.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy

Posted on by annandmeg

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore/Flower, dominates the central square in Florence, Italy.  Construction began in 1296 and was completed in 1436. It stands on the site of an earlier church erected during the 7th century.  Identified as a basilica or duomo, the complex of buildings at the site a cathedral, it is the home congregation for the Archbishop of Florence.  Wow.  When Terry and I visited Florence in 2011, 575 years after it was completed, I had to marvel at the comparatively pristine condition of the complex.

Our day in Northern Italy would not have been complete without visiting this architectural marvel. The architecture is alternately described as  Gothic, Classic and Romanesque, because it has elements of each of those styles and more.  The world was changing in the late 1300’s and the early 1400’s. The architecture of this magnificent structure was changing with it.

At the extreme right in the photograph is the bell tower, or Campanile, the second of the three buildings in the cathedral complex.  It’s design and construction were overseen, until his death, by the famous Italian architect and painter, Giotto di Bondone.  The pink, white and green facade reflects the natural colors of the marble from which the facade of the building was constructed. The intricate designs, exquisite windows and interior and exterior sculptures and Biblical works of art, are characteristic of the churches of Northern Italy built at that time.  But this is no less a masterpiece.

I particularly focused on the gilt bronze panels on the doors that  are situated on three sides of the duomo.  Additional, similar doors are on the baptistery, the third buildings in the cathedral complex.  Like every other aspect of the cathedral, the craftsmanship and detail are of the highest quality.  They evidence that the finest artists and intellectuals gravitated to Florence and helped usher in the Italian Renaissance.  Look at the detail of the faces and the elegance of the horns.

Surrounded by galleries, palaces and museums, the cathedral establishes Florence’s role as a center of  culture in the 1400’s.  Not surprisingly, the historic centre of the city is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  It shares that designation with Dubrovnik, Croatia, which has also been featured on this blog.

Palace of Fine Arts: a glimpse of ancient Rome in San Francisco’s Marina District

Posted on by annandmeg

While Derek was in town at the end of June, we visited many of the iconic destinations San Francisco has to offer. One of them was the Palace of Fine Arts. There are few locations in the States that make me feel like I’m wandering the beautiful old architecture of Europe, but this was definitely one of them. With my camera in hand, I proceeded to get lost in the beauty of my surroundings. What a beautiful place to go for an afternoon stroll.

Near the eastern entrance, the tops of these giant columns all have figures facing inward. I don’t know what it means, but it is beautiful architecture.

Looking toward city residences, I thought this was a beautiful view. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a house right on the park?!

This was my attempt at an artistic shot, looking straight up from underneath a set of columns.

The architecture reminds me of ancient Rome, but the color almost reminds me of ancient Egypt. How fascinating.

It was a lovely visit, and the late afternoon sun created some beautiful shots. I highly recommend adding the Palace of Fine Arts on to your visit into the city. You don’t have to stay long, and parking is free. It truly is a magical place.

“Making Water Fluid” From Snapshots to Great Shots

Posted on by annandmeg

Anyone who follows our blog knows that I am struggling to master my camera.  I bought Rob Sylvan’s Nikon D5100 From Snapshots to Great Shots, and am making baby steps toward improving my technique.  Chapter 7 on Landscape Photography explains how to get shots with silky or “smooth-flowing” water.  Among the recommendations is to set the ISO at 200 or lower and the shutter speed at 1/15th of a second or slower.

I followed the directions, sort of, and ended up with water that is silky to frozen. The shot was taken at Kauffman Garden, in Kansas City, Mo.  Too me it looks much like glass.

I hope you like it.  If you do like it, give credit to Mr. Sylvan, if you don’t, I guarantee, the fault is all mine.

Redwoods and the California Coast

Posted on by annandmeg

My husband’s younger brother, Derek, was out for a visit last week. It was his first time to California. Naturally, I wanted him to see the ocean, and maybe a few of the wonders the California Coast has to offer.

We started our day driving out D Street to Point Reyes Station. We turned South on Hwy 1, and down the coast we went. There is always a lot to see when driving the coastline, but here are a few of my favorites.

First, the view looking north from Muir Beach Outlook.

Next, we walked through Muir Woods, which is absolutely one of my favorite places out here. The trees are like giants. Some of them were even standing long before we declared our independence from Britain. Amazing.

I continue to be amazed at how much beauty surrounds us here in California. The views are stunning, the open spaces vast, and the magic of the redwoods truly humbling. I hope you are able to visit these amazing places, and appreciate them as much as I do.