Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Coast Guard Fest Begins



Saturday morning following the usual walk to the bakery I went to the "Sunshine Stitches Along the Lakeshore 2012 Quilt Show." I am a novice quilter but I have always enjoyed the art form. The pictures do not do the quilts justice but here are a few for your enjoyment.






On Sunday there was another car show - bigger than the last one.







Grand Haven's old and new fire engines.


The carnival started setting up Sunday and finished up on Monday. It covers four blocks of Washington, a parking lot and spills into the cross streets. It is a large carnival.






On Monday the Coast Guard boats came into town.








The Sheriff's boats were on hand to help keep the other boats out of the way.


So far we are enjoying the Fest activities. The traffic is really picking up and it will be worse next weekend because of the parade and fireworks. It is now routine to see cars going the wrong way on Franklin and Columbus. The big red Wrong Way signs are obviously not big enough. Stops signs are ignored and it seems that people can't tell the difference between a two- and four-way stop. So they routinely pull out in front of a car that isn't stopping. I guess it comes from not only being in a new place but also being in vacation mode. We can walk everywhere so not too big of a problem - just have to remember to look both ways when one way should do. The Tribune reports that police calls have escalated with the start of the Fest - no doubt!

Meanwhile, back at home we have hung the scoreboard.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

National Parks

I love the national parks. I have a goal to visit all of them. It is a goal I most likely will not achieve but I'll see as many as I can. There are 58 national parks but the entire National Park System includes 397 "units." I would like to see all 397. Here is the complete list:
 http://www.nps.gov/news/upload/NPS-Park-Listing_11-7-11.pdf

I've been thinking about the parks because of the USA Today article "Parks less popular as hangouts." It tells us that visitors to the parks are spending less time in them. Specifically, fewer visitors are spending the night in the parks. Over the past two decades time spent in the parks has dropped 15%.

"One popular theory, park service analyst Butch Street says, ties to the park system's increasingly older visitor population. Baby Boomers are opting for local hotels, he says. 'They just don't camp out.'"

Well that is a theory and to some extent I'm sure true. However, I think the issue is bigger than that. First off, people don't take as long of vacations as they used to, as the article notes "...vacations themselves have changed." OK I'm fine with that. People are taking shorter vacations over all.

However, I think the real issue is that people don't even spend a day at a park. The article says people "...are choosing to cruise through Yosemite Valley to see a few main sites for a few hours before heading elsewhere." I spent three days at Yosemite, staying overnight at off-site lodging, and know that was about 30 days too short. You can't cruise through a national park, or any nature space, and really experience it. One needs to sit still and quite in the place and let yourself be part of it. Each bit of land has its own essence.

I know that people do quick drop-ins to the parks, check it off their list and move on.When I went to Grand Canyon National Park, I took a day tour van to get there but stayed at the Park, on-site lodging, and took the tour van back five days later. One person asked what there was to do for that long. I of course was thinking you really haven't seen the Canyon in your three hours here. One thing I did was watch the sunrise from a different location each morning. The last morning I was sitting waiting for the sunrise when a man came running up the path. He was out of breath and when he caught it, he said that seeing the Grand Canyon was a life-long dream (he was probably about 40 years old). Then he asked if I thought the fog was going to clear in time. I said that I didn't know but each sunrise is unique and the fog would change how it appeared. He said, "I'm only here for  two hours so I hope it clears. It will be the only one I see." I didn't say it, but really? A life-long dream and you set aside two hours?

Aside from limited vacation time available to people, why do people spend so little time in the parks? I don't think the parks are unique in this. People are always surprised when I say I went to x place for a week. And it isn't just younger folks. It cuts across all age groups. Even retired people with time and money seem to take short trips. I think part of it is we've become so use to a sameness everywhere we go. As Eric Schlosser pointed out in Fast Food Nation travel down the road and everything repeats every few miles. Oh look another McDonalds, Burger King, Wal-Mart. While he is indeed correct, if you get off the strip mall highway,most towns and cities have something unique. But Americans have been taught to like the sameness and safety of the known. Give most a choice between a local unknown restaurant and a chain restaurant and the majority will go with the chain. In nature, each place is unique. It is obvious that Point Reyes National Seashore is not the same as the Grand Canyon. But, within each place, walk a bit, turn around, and you are in a different place. But most don't spend the time to experience this.

Well you might be thinking. Fine, you sit on your rock and contemplate the shadows in the meadow. Me I'm stopping by and then moving on. Sure live and let live. However, when we're talking the national parks it isn't about me or you. It is about them. If people don't understand what a treasure these preserved lands are, they are less likely to support them. The National Park Service budget is one-thirteenth of 1% of the federal budget. Nothing at all. But it is under attack and being cut. How long before someone decides private industry will do a better job of this and start selling off land? I believe that even if no human ever set foot in these parks again, having them preserved in their own right is of value. But I know if Americans stop visiting and don't see a value in these lands, they could be lost. I don't want that to happen.

"How narrow we selfish conceited creatures are in our sympathies! How blind to the rights of all the rest of creation!" John Muir

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Tuesday in Central Park

There are free concerts in Central Park on Tuesdays. Free popcorn too! Last night the performance was by the Fred Knapp Trio - Jazz. It was a beautiful evening.





Bella in a bike basket stopped to listen.



A listing of the upcoming music schedule is here:

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

July Beginnings

The ridiculously hot weather and lack of rain has left the grass dry and crunchy. I hope it survives. I can't remember when we last had rain. Jack has been watering the flowers, veggies, and the new grass seed. All of these are doing well. The temps broke over the weekend so it is again pleasant walking about.


On July 4th after walking Sugar, we rode our bikes to the farmers' market.


By 9am most lawn areas were marked off for viewing the fireworks.


We went out to lunch and then spent the rest of the day at home. We skipped the fireworks show. Sugar was of course traumatized by all the booming. At least none of the amateurs setting off fireworks burned the dry town down. I hope they change the fireworks laws back before next year. Of course, there will be more fireworks for Coast Guard Fest at the end of the month.

The various flower beds around town are all in full bloom. This one in Central Park reminds me I want day lilies in the yard.


On July 5th it was clear that dry Dewey Hill survived the fireworks. Workers on the hill picking up left over trash from the night before.


There are more and more Arf Walk dogs out and about. I will share two. The first is outside the Chamber of Commerce. I like dogs and maps. A dog that is a map is excellent. The second one doesn't need an explanation.



Right now I'm between jobs so yesterday we decided to take a trip to Pentwater. It is about an hour north of Grand Haven. We picked it because Jack heard about a shop there - The Bitchen Kitchen. I'm always up for looking at kitchen gizmos. It is a great shop but it was really packed with people so hard to browse. It turns out that there are also several antique stores in town, too. In one I found some cookbooks. I'll have more on that in another blog. I have a plan for my cookbooks. All in all, Pentwater seems like a real nice little town. We've decided we'll go back in fall when it is less crowded.

Today we rode our bikes down to the beach. Yes the bike basket comes off for easy transport of items. I don't know how new of an invention that is but it was new to me when we bought the bikes.


Jack went swimming. Well mostly he walked about in the water as the water temperature had dropped to 48 degrees. He said it was colder than when he swam off Bermuda in December. I think probably not but who knows?


I on the other hand flew my dragon kite.


When he got out of the water, Jack had a go at kite flying.


The history of the beach can be found here:
http://www.grandhaven.org/recreation/parks/grand-haven-state-park-city-beach/

And finally, for the car lovers I give you two cars seen around town while out walking.



Sunday, July 1, 2012

Random Wandering

Except for the lack of rain, it has been a beautiful week in Grand Haven. We've enjoyed much walking about.

Somethings you see are fun. I just thought this bike was cool looking.


Other things one sees are just odd. I have no explanation for this scene in Central Park.


Two days later the pillow and shoe were gone. Found by owner? Thrown out?

On Friday night we had pizza, with plenty to bring home along with peanuts from Fortino's.


Saturday on our way to the bakery we spotted a new Arf Walk dog that will be of interest to car lovers.



Sunday morning we walked by as the vendors were setting up the Art Market at Chinook Pier. We were a little early but Sugar was happy the homemade dog biscuits were out and ready for sale.


I really hope that no one will get up at midnight so they can stake out a fireworks viewing spot. But there probably will be a few.


Jack takes a break. Sugar is still raring to go.


Last walk of the week - evening of Sunday. Fiddling around.


And almost home...another car guy pic...