Everything was going great, and then there was that proverbial fork in the road.
Decisions, decisions … I’m horrible at decisions, especially when I glimpse two vehicles behind me in my rearview mirror and their drivers are honking.
Patience is a virtue people – cut me some slack! Especially because Google Maps never mentioned no stinkin’ fork in the road in those directions I so carefully copied from my computer screen early this morning.
Well there was no time to dawdle, nor risk more horn honking and maybe even a stray finger showing up when I next glanced in the rearview mirror.
So, I chose the right fork, though I saw nowhere straight ahead that I was supposed to be making my next turn. I knew the last part of those directions would be problematic … every few tenths of a mile, it was either a left or right turn. Well, I put on my right blinker and moved along, just to get those drivers off my tail and also figure out what to do next. After all, nobody said I had to be the first one standing at the gate when the DeBuck’s Sunflower Festival opened this morning.
Just relax Linda!
But, soon I found myself on Waltz Road and I knew I was on the wrong track – sigh.
But I kept rolling along anyway.
A big sign said “Welcome to Huron Township” and before the afternoon was done I would pass through the villages of New Boston, Waltz and Willow, all part of Huron Township.
Gradually my irritation with my direction SNAFU disappeared as my mindset shifted from: “Must of Got Lost” to “Roll with it” and I eventually settled on “Out in the Country”.
I conceded I was enjoying this road trip, though it was not getting me to the sunflower farm anytime soon.
I continued on my journey, past all the tall corn stalks bending with the breeze. Okay, I could do that too … bend with the breeze, I mean, go with the flow.
Oh look – a turkey farm and a pig farm.
A sod farm too.
And a ton of road kill – eww! The road kill was gory enough to see, but I had to roll up the window, shutting out that cool breeze, when I smelled a skunk. “P.U.!” as we used to say when we were kids and smelled a skunk. (I know I just lost a few of you and I had to check Urban Dictionary to ensure it didn’t have some other meaning in 2019.)
Wow – I was really out in the boonies!
There were multiple roadside stands like this one.
The stand was unattended, so you bought your goodies on the honor system as you see from the sign. Across a narrow gravel road was a huge garden brimming with a bounty of beefsteak tomatoes in different stages of ripening on many tangled vines. A few cukes were suspended by stems that grew between large leaves that wandered around the floor of the garden. I looked for a “no trespassing” sign and there was none. I saw no humans or big dogs and the only sentries “guarding” the garden were these sunflowers. I decided to take a few pictures just in case I didn’t make it to the sunflower farm today – at least I’d have a mini sunflower fix.
Back on the road again, I passed through the tiny town of Waltz, Michigan. I haven’t been this way in decades and my head swiveled back and forth as I drove down the main street in this quaint town. There was The Waltz Inn, just as I remember it. On our Sunday-drive-in-the-country jaunts, my folks and I sometimes went there to eat. The Inn is over a century old, rumored to be haunted and has a colorful prohibition history as well.
I decided I was hopelessly lost by now and of course I did not have a paper map in the car, no GPS tracking device, nor a smart phone, just my flip phone. All I had was my written directions and I had already strayed far from my original route.
Before I turned around to head back to wherever, I saw a sign for Apple Charlies, a popular cider mill. It’s been years since I was at this venue either, so what the hay, maybe I’d make a pit stop here as well. That side trek didn’t happen since I got to the intersection to turn and it was blocked off by a brigade of police vehicles with lights flashing, but no sirens. I waited in a long queue as 100 motorcyclists with their riders rolled in front of us. Wow – pretty impressive. I wondered what the occasion was – funeral of a fellow biker, maybe a ride for a cause?
Since the police diverted traffic to accommodate the bikers, I went down still another road – “this will be interesting” I thought, glad that I had a full tank of gas.
Before I had too much angst, I saw a sign for Lower Huron Metropark – well, this was on my Trek Bucket List. Dare I go here and just skip the Sunflower Festival until another day? Sure, why not?
It was the first time here and just like the other Metroparks, it did not disappoint. I took in the sights as I walked along a pathway that wound parallel to the Lower Huron River. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with cuffs, long pants with cuffs and socks to thwart any mosquitoes, as the health department is warning everyone to keep covered when walking near any woodsy areas as we had a death from EEE, (the mosquito-borne virus), yesterday and several other cases have been discovered.
I said “good morning” to a few walkers or bicyclists, but I pretty much had the trail to myself. The occasional colorful leaf fluttered down onto the pathway and the refreshing cool temps were reminiscent of Fall. The camera was clicking away as I inspected wildflowers near and spilling over the split rail fence and the bees and butterflies were plentiful. I’ve included a few of those shots below.
Blooms, butterflies and bees.
The wildflowers were so vibrant …
… and a few Monarch butterflies danced and hovered over them.
Bees busied themselves, burrowing down into the blossoms.
Signs touted fishing in the area where I walked along the Huron River, but it was catch-and-release only due to PFAS contamination in the water.
You see one fellow fishing, but the dock where most of the fishing is done was empty.
There were a few oddities along the way worth noting.
We’re happy to yield to turtles, but it sure would be nice to eliminate these tent caterpillars which seem hellbent on ravaging all the leaves on this bush.
As I passed each mile it made me want to savor the perfect Summer day as this season is on the wane now.
Peaceful is the word I’d use to describe these three canoeists paddling down the Huron River Water Trail.
I walked seven miles before hopping into the car to head home. I’ll get better directions and try again next weekend – how difficult can it be? After all, this Park and the Sunflower Festival were in the same city and same zip code!
Tranquil time in nature versus the busy festival atmosphere was just perfect. In retrospect, I believe I did NOT take the wrong fork in the road after all.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Awesome! Interesting how Arabic has snuck in between English and Spanish.
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Glad you like the post Fred. I started to title it “Lemons to Lemonade” but in the end the experience was not so terrible.
I have to get new directions this time, maybe mapping from the park where I was – in the same city and zip code so how difficult could that be?
We have a large population of Spanish-speaking people here in Michigan. Many of them live in Southwest Detroit, not far from me. And in Dearborn, Michigan, also not far from me, it is the eighth largest city in Michigan and the home to the largest Muslim population in the United States.
I have never seen Arabic on the signs in the Metroparks but this is likely because they are just informational/directional signs and this is important not to eat that fish. Surprisingly in Lake Erie Metropark I’ve never seen a sign in all the fishing spots I pass while walking, and Lake Erie was in the news for its PFAS contamination long before the others. Catch-and-release only nowadays. People fish in the Detroit River all the time … I would be worried about fish consumption there too, but I am a worrier in general.
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peaceful and making the most of it – have been there myself – and it has been a long time since I heard the word the “boonies”
hahahah
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I likely enjoyed the peace of my walk more than the Sunflower Fest to be honest with you Yvette. I liked the idea of photographing the massive fields of sunflowers (14 acres or 10 football fields of 30 types of sunflowers) – that would be awesome to see. But associated with the admission fee is a petting farm, pony rides, bounce houses, a tractor ride and donuts and cider. I wrote them a few weeks ago and asked if there was a way you could pay a fee just to view the sunflowers in the fields only and they said “no” and suggested I just attend the festival. I enjoyed my time in the “boonies” – I know you never hear that expression anymore … or my folks would sometimes say “out in the sticks”. 🙂
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there should be a sliding fee to just see the flowers!!
and Linda – I recall the out in the sticks term too
–
and now (ready for it)
time for me to boogie
(bye)
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I thought so Yvette. They’d still get some customers willing to do that and forego all the noise . We had lots of terms you never hear anymore. Oh yes “boogie” was so popular awhile back too. You had the “Boogie Fever” for sure.
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🙂
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You made a great day of a wrong turn! Maybe those honking drivers did you a favor!
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I agree Kate – there was a lot to see while walking in the Park and such a beautiful day. We were gypped of so many Summer days as we always have known them. I am lucky those horn honkers were there at the right place/right time.
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I agree I don’t think you took the wrong turn at all. Great photos you captured and you got 7 glorious miles in too!
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I agree Shelley. It turned out to be peaceful and tranquil day, the exact opposite of what it would have been. I was not keen on the events (bounce house for example; petting farm and pony rides) – I’d have been happy just to see the sunflowers to be honest. But this would be nice 14 acres, 10 football fields of just sunflowers, as far as the eye can see.
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You timed it right to see the sunflowers – they only last a very short time!
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That’s what I understand Shelley – I still have my pass for next week to try the sunflower festival so if I can get some better directions, I will take another stab at going there.
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It looks like you had a great day anyway. Absolutely stunning pictures – the sunflowers (at their peak) and those monarchs! I hate that too when you’re trying to find someplace and you’re already stressed because you’re lost and all the rude impatient drivers (usually some guy in a truck), behind you make it even worse. Sometimes if I can I’ll pull over and let them all pass. I don’t know what’s with people anymore – I go the speed limit on the highway and yet everyone is passing me. Loved the produce stand too – the honor system. And the memories of where you ate on Sunday drives.
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Thanks Joni – I did have a great day and I am glad you liked the pictures. I was lucky with the monarch as they were along the row of wildflowers that were against the split rail fence and fluttering around. They were about one foot away from me so easy to get them up close.
They sure were beautiful with their wing markings. I had that happen to me yesterday and today – going the speed limit and someone passes me right up. We have so many accidents. The produce on the honor system – I remember that from years ago and was surprised they still do that and their house was not close enough to see what was going on.
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PS. I bet you’re glad you gave peace a chance!
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Now that would have been a good one too!
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You were going with the flow, Linda! Sometimes taking a “wrong” turn can lead to great adventures. What a nice adventure in the countryside and then walking along the Huron River Water Trail complete with some monarchs!
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I was Sabine – initially I was angry at going the wrong way and will have to map out a better set of directions, maybe going from the park where I ended up as it is in the same city and zip code after all. It was a gorgeous day and so many wildflowers and the monarchs were just a foot away from me so easy to get them to pose!
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I’m glad you ended up having a great outing anyway!
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It was a great outing Sabine. That was an awesome Metropark. All the butterflies were within touching distance, just a foot away from the camera. Now to either get better directions or call it done. It is supposed to be nice this weekend, so I’ll likely take another stab at going.
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Sounds good! Have fun!
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Wonderful shots, Linda! 🙂
Roadside vege stands look awesome to vegetarians like me. Our two pet parrots love sunflower seeds, but they only get two each a day, since such seeds are way too fatty for birds’ long-term health. For treats, i give them a number of things, including organic popcorn. I make it it an air popper in their room and, as it pops, Scarlet joyfully shouts out, “Popcorn”! If i ask Tweetie if she wants some, she’ll sometimes say, “Yes, I do!”
We were at the movies yesterday to see, A Peanut Butter Falcon (which was super excellent) and i passed on getting popcorn. Too GMO and full of synthetic butter at the theaters these days.
What did one tent caterpillar say to the other? “Let’s go camping.”
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Thanks Tom – glad you liked them and that nice and peaceful day may have been better than a gathering with lots of people at the Sunflower Fest, but I’d still like to go to see 30 different sunflowers … I think it would be fun. The butterflies were not a foot from my face and begging for a photo op. Your parrots are so funny – I must share that story with my friend Ann Marie who has the African Grey. You know I wondered if they were tent caterpillars. I looked up webbing caterpillars and saw both varieties and picked wrong. Thanks for the clarification – it sure was horrid to look at the damage done to the leaves wasn’t it?
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Hey, i’m no entomologist, so don’t take my joke as any light from authority.
Yes, one of the birds, Tweetie, cracks me up when she sees me carrying a bowl. She’ll either say, “What do you have?” or… “What do you got?” So she uses different words to convey the same meaning. And we did not teach her to say these things. Like when we put jackets on… she’ll say, “Are you gonna go bye-bye now?” We didn’t teach her to say that. And they say that parrots just mimic without comprehension. Ha! 🙂
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I just changed it Tom because I studied both images and read info before saying they were webworms. But I wavered on whether they were tent caterpillars – it sure looks like a tent and as ugly as the damage they inflicted on the poor bush was, it was fascinating to watch them at work.
People don’t give birds much credit and having lived in a household where we had parakeets (in Canada we call them budgies) and canaries, they are very mindful of what is going on in their little world and yours too. My mom’s favorite expression about our pet birds was “how can something so tiny, just feathers and bones, give us so much pleasure?”
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its good to get lost so you can find surprises!
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You sure are right Wayne – I think I enjoyed the nice tranquil day and the wildflowers with their butterflies and bees much more. I know it will be spectacular to look at all those sunflowers though, but it’d be nicer without all the noise.
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noise can really intrude on ones tranquil contemplations. The only noise one should hear are the close passings of bees and butterfly wings
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You are correct Wayne – it is good to hear the sounds of nature only. I should have mentioned the birdsong. I heard birds, but didn’t see a single one. The leaves fluttering down and butterflies fluttering by makes me want to return there next week, rather than attempt a trip to the sunflower festival. I was only a foot away from the monarch, watching it opening and closing its wings and it was intent on getting nourishment from the wildflowers and paid me no mind. I must have seen a thousand bees and then some – they were equally intent on burrowing into blossoms and I was able to get close to them as well.
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simple things are the best things!
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Wow! 7 miles? That’s awesome! So glad to read that you not only got some sunflower photos after taking the “wrong” fork in the road, you also got to cross another metropark off of your bucket list. This looks like a good one. Wonderful nature photos. Do you think you will try again for the sunflower farm?
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I was pretty pleased with that mileage Laurie and did a little over 7 miles yesterday – this morning I felt it and not only the walking, but I went on a lighthouse tour yesterday. I said to myself “a 40-foot lighthouse – that’s short” … I was wrong! The circular staircase was very steep, and narrow, winding up through the lighthouse and dark wood inside after the first landing so hard to see and I have glasses that darken outside – so it took a while to get lighter inside. On top of it, the last 11 steps were without a railing. I came back down sideways and was a little wobbly when I got to the base. The 50-foot walk on a narrow pier with no guardrails and the Detroit River below gave me cause to pause as I walked along. They had a person to escort you and I said to myself “no, I’m not going to do that!” Today I feel like a Mack truck ran over me – I have to do exercises to limber up. Walking alone does not do it.
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Yikes! I would not have liked those last 11 steps for sure! I saw the photo of the pier – that did look scary, especially for someone who does not swim! Hope you are feeling better soon. Rest up!
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Yes, I almost didn’t go up and the guide said “I’ve never lost anyone yet (down the stairwell).” So I thought I’d better just jolly along. You are small and I am 5′ 9″ tell, so I did not feel like I was just scurrying up and down in a heartbeat … once I got up there I kept thinking about going down. Yet, years ago I climbed up the Statue of Liberty. It was in April and a very warm day. Up I went, this narrow staircase and in those days it was all the way up to the crown if I remember correctly. It was warm in the copper, but I didn’t feel the same way and yes, that pier was narrow and no sides – yikes indeed. Plus it moved a little when you walked on top of it! I hope it is better tomorrow – it should not affect walking, but getting up/down into a chair it does.
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I will look for your post on how it went! 🙂
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What a beautiful and fun adventure!
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I am sure it ended up better than the intended event to be honest!
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Now I see where you lost… you got some awesome pictures and found your way in the end
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I did but had some angst riding around in the middle of nowhere and was thankful I had a full tank of gas. That was a beautiful Metropark and I’d go back again but not this year I don’t think due to excessive ticks and also the EEE virus. Not sure about what to do with the sunflower festival. I’ll plan to go back, but they are saying we’ll have a big, gusty storm on Friday afternoon/evening so that’ll leave everything soaking wet (as of now).
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I’m definitely glad you had petrol! It wouldn’t have been nice otherwise… and google maps to take you home.
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That’s what I worry about Ellie – not fun to get stuck in the middle of nowhere. Part of me is starting to waver on going … but I am frugal so don’t want to not go since I spent the money for the pass.
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The money isn’t the issue. The experience is. If you’re too scared don’t, but don’t not do things coz’ you’re afraid. That’s what I have to tell myself all the time.
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Me too – so many things give us angst and as the expression goes “this leopard needs to change her spots” … but it is easier said than done.
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What a beautiful walk! Those sunflowers are magnificent. Even though you were “lost” it seems that you were just where you should have been.
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Thanks Janis – I have to agree with you and had I known I could have had that little sunflower “fix” I likely would not have registered in advance for the sunflower festival. It was very beautiful and peaceful at that Metropark and the butterflies and bees buzzing around rather than the noise and festivities, was perfect, and, like you said, I think the wrong turn made for a better day and I was just where I should have been, (Truthfully I’ve never been big on crowds, and more so these days.)
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Miss Linda……………………………oh I’m so happy you found Lower Huron Metro Park by mistake……………….Steven and I went there this summer just to have lunch by the river and it was beautiful………………………..I was hoping that you would be able to get there to see it and take in the beautiful nature especially by the river docks……………………….its at one of the docks that Steven and I found a Downriver Rocks rock sitting on a picnic table!
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It was gorgeous Ann Marie and I felt it was the better “deal” for my Saturday … the wooden railings along the walk were so nice with the flowers leaning over and that is how I got so many butterfly and bee pictures – I had way more bee pics but left them out as the post was so long. I was just a foot away from the Monarch. I did not know it was such a large and sprawling park and had campgrounds too. I was going to go to Willow Park when I passed it when I was lost, and since I was in the area and so close, but having gotten lost earlier in the morning, I didn’t want that to happen again.
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What an adventure, other drivers have done that to me. They are always in such a hurry. I see them start to roll the window down and pull up beside me, as they prepare to say something. I usually dont even look at them. And never say anything, then they just drive off.
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I get rattled when that happens and it was out in the sticks and I am like you Sandra and was not going to let him say anything to me either. I stare straight ahead which is the best thing to do because of road rage. I never made it there and was mad at myself, but I can’t say the paper map would have helped either. I was annoyed with myself since I bought a pass in advance for the duration of their Fall activities – that would have been the sunflower festival and then the pumpkin patch all through October. I did that because it was essentially smarter/cheaper because I could go any of four days for the sunflower festival and any of three weekends for the harvest days festival. Due to the weather, I did not want to just have one ticket in advance and I had the Grosse Ile lighthouse tour taking up one day as it was not close to Belleville. Debucks Sunflower Farm has a large pumpkin patch and all type of colors of pumpkins, not painted, but natural colors in purple and some blue but fields and fields of pumpkins. I have found a big sunflower fields behind the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn and I will go there next August (assuming they don’t plow it over as they did the one I saw before when I was going to school in Dearborn). That is free to go and many fields but all the same sunflowers – that is fine. I saw some sunflowers the day I was out in the country and took some shots. I am not great with directions – Google maps did NOT have a fork in the road!
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I am the same way with directions, mostly I just dont pay attention, GPS really helps, but I have been known to miss my turn even using that. I actually decided I wanted to learn how to drive a semi a few years ago. I did that for two years, before they had GPS. I would be driving along enjoying the drive, and then realized I missed my turn. Oops, that job was not for me, i get to day dreaming to much.
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That is funny – I have a high school friend that moved to South Carolina and they raised their kids there and he was a long-distance truck driver. When the kids were grown, Margaret decided to go on the road with him and they would be gone for weeks at a time. She enjoyed it and went to truck-driving school so they could spell each other and that worked out well until they were on a road on a rainy night and a big flat bed trailer hauling logs was ahead of them, slid on the pavement and hit their rig. Margaret was driving and swerved and the truck tipped over on the driver’s side. She broke a hip, and cracked a pelvis and her husband had minor injuries, but his spleen removed and could not work for a while. She was airlifted home to South Carolina but she does not drive anymore as she says it is painful to sit long periods of time – I don’t think she even accompanies him anymore on trips. Probably she was spooked by the accident and sent a link to the story which the pictures were horrific where it lost its load – imagine a log rolling down toward the truck and aiming for your windshield.
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I know, I did fine on the open roads and flat country. I did not like driving in the mountains at all. Cars always wanted to hurry up and pass so they would not get stuck behind me. Bit then they would slow down right in front. That was to much for me. I keep my distance from them. Give them plenty of room.
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Yes, people are afraid they have to be behind them for too long – they forget that truck drivers can only see so much and have a blind spot and if you sneak up, well … not good news. That happened last Summer with a cement mixer – it was a full cement mixer and a woman must’ve been running late for work and went through a red light and the cement mixer was turning – crushed her car and she died instantly after the cement truck fipped over on her car.
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People are in such a hurry, and alot of the trucks are getting bigger. It just isn’t worth being in a hurry.
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No it is not.
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Your writing is so personable and fun!! I enjoyed this post and the pictures. You didn’t get to the Sunflower festival but you had quite a surprising and beautiful adventure.
lol, your comment about “the stray finger” about the driver was hilarious. Yes, we have those over zealous drivers who are way too happy to flash that finger.
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Yes, between the honking and the stray finger – makes me mad sometimes – grrr. Now, that I am always masked up, I can grumble under my mask and no one is any the wiser. Glad you liked the post Esther – I had fun that day and it brought back many instances of a drive in the country, nice memories.
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What a cute turtle sign! Funny how the wrong turns in life often tent to be just the right ones!
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I knew you’d like that Jeanine. Yes, I was glad I spent the day wandering around that big nature park rather than mingling with crowd at the sunflower festival. I have found another sunflower field and hope I can go there this year instead.
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