Ok – Here are some pictures from last weekend.
The Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore is famous for (you guessed it) DUNES! There is a beautiful scenic drive with beautiful lookouts and trails to hike. We took one of the hikes through the dunes and found that it took us to the top of the “Dune Climbâ€. (Believe me, there was plenty of climbing to get to the top our way – it just took a more round about way!).
Here is the view from the top looking down –
And here is the view from the bottom looking up….(we were just in the parking lot – and decided not to head up from this spot!)
After our hike we continued on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive which took us to an even larger dune that went right down to the lake’s edge. There, another lookout took us out 450 ft. above the lake – and a view of that huge dune and the lake beyond.
Here is a shot from the top – at this point I didn’t really even know how DOWN it really was, but I did know I wasn’t getting any closer to the edge.
We walked out to the lookout and saw just what was involved in climbing this dune….Yikes!
Yes, those specks are people……but the view is outstanding nonetheless!
And here are just some shots from our wanderings along the coast. Like I said, a very pretty area!
Pebbles on the shore
A view of the Sleeping Bear
A view from one of many Lighthouses on this stretch of the Lake. This is Betsie Point Lighthouse
Through the grass….to the Lake
Besides the great new friends we made, and the lovely (well most of the time) weather we enjoyed, there was also the livestock that kept us smiling! Ponies, llamas, deer, buffalo, horses, goats, donkeys – some were in the petting zoo, some were free roaming, and some were actually wild! Here is Beuford the Buffalo – he lived just up the hill from us. We just waved as we went by! We really enjoyed the horses at SOTO. There were always some that were free roaming- and you never knew where you would find them in the morning. These guys just seemed to pose for us…
We took a long trail ride on one of our last days there. John took us across Big Creek and high up to one of the bluffs. This is a shot of Gary and I with a view of Big Creek behind us. I’m sure you can see why we loved this project!
Finally – I’ve gotten some of these pictures uploaded! Here are some shots from our “get-away” in Eureka Springs. This was at Blue Springs Nature Center. This was from the top of the Crescent Hotel – the highest point in in Eureka Springs (and one of the oldest hotels). That’s Gary enjoying the view and the bag by the table is from the Thrift Shop. Ah, yes, it was a good day! And this is a view of the White River which runs past Eureka Springs.
As you can see, we had great weather in a beautiful place. I’d recommend the spot to anyone!
Here is a composite of some scenes at the Teen Challenge Ranch. We had some very beautiful time here! Here is where we started the day on our “day off” – The lake at DeFuniak Springs, FL And this is the beautiful beach on the Emerald Coast of Florida – Yes, it was a good thing!
And finally – here’s the view from our lunch table
I don’t have any pictures of me washing the windows, but it happened, honest!