“the best way to resolve any problem in the human world
is for all sides to sit down and talk.”
-dalai lama
—
miller nature area, ann arbor, mi, usa
(110 parks down – 50ish to go)
Sep21
Tag Archives: parks
Sep13
september tries.
“september tries its best to have us forget summer. “
-bernard williams
—
leslie woods park, ann arbor, michigan, usa
(now deep into the 90’s of the 160 parks adventure)
Sep6
landslide.
i parked along a beautiful winding road
walked a few hundred feet
to find this unmarked path
winding its way in switchbacks
all the way up to the top of this park
with natural steps made of roots and branches
and proceeded to climb
in my new shoes
1/2 size larger than the 1st pair that i’d worn out
now a size 6 1/2 instead of a solid 6
it was my first time out in them
and quickly found that
i was not yet used to the extra bit of shoe
suddenly it felt like i was walking in
giant slippery clown shoes or snorkel flippers
it was awkward
i kept kicking things
lots of near misses
almost tripping over things
until i finally really tripped on a large tree root
way up high
and found myself sliding
all the way back down to the bottom of the hill
like a scene from an old spaghetti western
i’m sure i yelled out something
and
stopping again right back where i’d started
near the beautiful road
where a cyclist happened to be riding by
who stopped to see if i was okay
just a bit dusty and surprised really
i stood up once more
and used my giant paddle feet to climb again
this time making it all the way to the top and into the park
none the worse for wear
and i am happy that i was not hiking in the grand canyon.
—
“here at the fountain’s sliding foot, / or at some fruit tree’s mossy root, /
casting the body’s vest aside, / my soul into the boughs does glide.”
-andrew marvell
—
kuebler langford park, ann arbor, mi, usa
Aug28
forts.
bird hills park
dolph park
dhu varen park
eberwhite woods park
—
loving all the forts, both big and small that i’ve discovered as i continue my journey through the ann arbor parks. forts are very sacred places. lots of heart and hard work go into the making of them – special spaces to meet and hang out with your gang.
(i’m about half way through the parks now -through the letter ‘i’)
– 80 down and 80-ish to go! –
onward.
—
“i have a lot of growing up to do. i realized that the other day inside my fort. “
-zach galifianakis
Aug10
land as community.
a beautiful morning walk
sharing earhart park with this lovely creature
an evening spent at the first and second sister lakes in dolph nature area
“when we begin to see land as a community to which we belong,
we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
– aldo leopold
—
*i’ve now walked 60 of the ann arbor parks,
(all of the way through the letter ‘e’), only 100ish more to go-
i hope to have found and walked all of them by halloween, october 31
as i look forward to the beauty to be found in the change of seasons.
Aug3
small enough.
swimming off of belle isle in the detroit river
with the city keeping watch in the background
—
belle isle is the country’s largest city island park; at approximately 948 acres, it is larger than new york city’s central park. both were designed by famed landscape architect frederick law olmstead. the island officially opened in1845, when it became known as belle isle. in 2014, it became michigan’s newest state park and is being lovingly restored to it’s original splendor.
—
“detroit is big enough to matter in the world
and small enough for you to matter in it.”
― jeanette pierce
—
https://www.belleisleconservancy.org
Jul21
magic place.
Magic Place
see the mermaid bathing in her pool, as fairies scamper through the woods. -jack horne -- *still walking the 150 parks, into the b parks on the list now more beautiful discoveries every day shot above taken in bird hills park, ann arbor
Jul18
adventure.
treasure discovered during this week’s adventures in the parks.
—
“you can either be a victim of the world
or an adventurer in search of treasure.
it all depends on how you view your life.”
― paulo coelho
Jul14
parks – a
and so –
my ann arbor parks walk (150+) has begun
here are the ‘a’s
#1 – Allmendinger Park
old school merry go round, in neighborhood in town, near the stadium, got really lost walking home from there and doubled my walk, picnic spots with grills, volleyball, old trees, basketball, tennis, baseball diamonds, ice skating in winter
– 8 acres
#2 – arbor hills nature area
between neighborhoods, ponds, loud frogs, birds, picnic spots in sweeping expanses under trees, wooded trails, scared a woman when i emerged from the woods who was shocked that i had found it
– 6 acres
#3 – Arbor Oaks
neighborhood park, basketball, open pergolas, open fields, picnic area, pirate themed playground, rain garden, baseball, i was the only person there on the day i visited
-8 acres
#4 – Argo Nature Area
– unpaved trails with beautiful views of the river, livery with canoes/kayak/paddle board rentals, river cascades, long, narrow park, large variety of trees, wildflowers, very quiet in the woods
-22 acres
and onward……many more to follow
—
“i believe that there is a subtle magnetism in nature,
which, if we unconsciously yield to it,
will direct us aright.”
―henry david thoreau
Jul3
parks.
as i’ve been walking and exploring
the parks and outdoor recreation areas around town
i realize how many i have yet to visit
so i’ve decided to walk in each of the parks
in ann arbor
all 159+ of them
to see what is unique about each
with more than
2,000 acres of parkland
50,000 trees
a river, dams, falls, hills, ponds, gardens,
woods, meadows, prairies, and rec areas
found in spaces ranging from
tiny neighborhood green spots to wide open expanses
i see an adventure ahead
with no planned deadline or timeline
so i began the list alphabetically yesterday
and have walked 2 of them so far
only 157+ to go.
—
“parks are works of art just as a painting or sculpture is.”
-thomas hoving
—
credits: ann arbor parks and recreation
I didn't have my glasses on.... 