SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS! (More Michigan)

More than the ever-out sun; more than the knock-you-over sunsets, there were bright colors all around. My memories will always recollect "intensity" in the colors and in the experiences.

Here is a smorgasbord of color pops.

A stroll about Ludington:

A stroll around Sutton's Bay, on the Leelanau Peninsula:

Lake sights.  I love that all the shores, whether at the Big Lake, or other little ones, are white sand:

And speaking of little lakes, whereas this typical scene is not really full of color, it IS colorful in its character.
Lest you lose your way to the cottage:

Yes, this is the true lake color!  I do not "dude up" my photos.  Before going to Michigan I wondered if all Chamber of Commerce photos of lake water and sunsets were enhanced.  Nope, it is for real:

I love old, seasoned wood.  Driftwood, and on barns, walkways, stairways.

Here it is enhanced by this landing of geraniums:

Point Betsie Lighthouse:

Sleeping Bear State Park sand dunes:

We saw this every night!

 Shore of Lake Michigan at Ludington:

And the best colors of all!

MICHIGAN'S GEMS

Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state.  I was excited that we were able to visit 9 of them along with everything else we did.

And each, like a precious jewel, is unique to itself.

Here is the Little Sable Light.

It stands alone now; the living quarters were destroyed some time ago.

And, yes, it lists!  Historic photos show the water lapping right at its feet, and over the years, erosion has undermined the foundation.

Natural sunlight serves as the beacon here:

The listing is more evident here:

As Pat and I strolled the beach, we came across a phenomenon.

There was a patch of what we called "Sand-doos" - 4 to 5-inch-tall wind-formed shapes, like miniscule replicas of the hoodoos of Bryce National Park.

One can chuckle at my subject for this photo here, but I think it is quintessential Michigan.

White sand, nearly as fine as baby powder, and folks enjoying it:

Big Sable Light was constructed  in 1867, about 8 years before Little Sable.

We reached this by way of a 3-mile hike in Ludington Stake Park, through sand dunes and sparse woods. I liked the perspective here, with all the bikes, even as we wished we had taken that mode instead of our tired, hot feet:

Drift fences became one of my favorite photo subjects:

And board walks.  This one taken from inside the lighthouse:

WATER. WATER: YES, EVERYWHERE!

... and it's all fresh!

Our first day's hike was in Ludington State Park, the Lost Lake Trail.

There are many, many lovely ponds, besides the Lake, and these next 2 photos are reflections,

looking like abstracts, which I love to try to make:

First of the multiple wildlife we saw that day:

On the return, we followed the Sable ("Sau-ble") River, which flows into Lake Michigan.

(I began to wonder if every waterway we saw contributed to Lake Michigan!)

These buoys are above a little dam, and I loved the complementary colors, showing so blatantly here: 

And this is the frothy movement just below the dam.

I was taken with how it formed marbleized patterns around the stones and pier remnants:

Up North, at the tip of Mission Peninsula is the little Old Mission Light.

(Lighthouses to come in future postings).

I couldn't get over how the water in front of the lighthouse looked as though it was low tide, but in fact, there are no tides:

One of our favorite beach places, the Bass Lake Outlet near where Pat's family used to have a cottage:

Pier reflections during the day:

And at night:

This posting ends with a sunset, and folks silhouetted during that "Golden Hour" on the 

Ludington  Light pier: 

CONNECT THE DOTS ... er ... BARNS

 Pat and I  felt as if we were indeed connecting the "dots" by going from barn to barn along the country routes to our other destinations.  

Each one was unique; obviously designed by the original farmer and not by an architectural board. Many have attached silos:

Also evident were the lightening rods.  The really long barn roofs are prickly with phalanxes of them.

This farmhouse belongs to the above barn.

I really like that Mrs. Farmer had her say in exterior design too:

Striped silo:

And the farmer who gave a friendly wave when I held my camera high, asking permission

to photograph the barn.

He actually soon finished working the field and then pulled his tractor up to the fence to ask whatever it was "about barns" that was interesting enough to photograph!  Little did he know what conversation he was starting.

 Then he asked me, "Do you like draft horses?"  (Huh?  I know nothing about them.)

"Foh-a-low me dahown the row-ud".

We drove at putt-putt speed behind his tractor.

He was very proud to introduce us to
Beauty and Betty, a matched pair of percherons.

He uses them in plowing demonstrations.  Much better looking than his tractor!

What a friendly trio!

Then we "met" Cherry Hill Farm and the owner's son-in-law who owns an adjoining farm.  The complex has been in the family for over 100 years.  The original farmer started with a pair of Irish Shorthorns, which resultant herd (part of it) grazes here.  Was there ever a more bucolic scene?

The intent of that first farmer was to have relaxed, contented cows, so he determined to put a window at each stall!  Cherry Hill is still known as the "happy cow farm".

Pat and I were certainly happy to walk around the land with the gracious farmer.

Vintage and wonderful!:

More vintage.  

I still stand behind my observation that Michigan farms are completely tidy.

This is not junk; it is art, and a beloved old family member, deservedly put out to pasture. 

I love this vignette at Cherry Hill, with all the geometry, color, and shadow:

I need to throw in a lovely white barn after all that red.

Find any litter here?