I crossed another venue off my “Parks Bucket List” on August 8th. For several years, I have wanted to visit Crosswinds Marsh and Nature Preserve, in New Boston, Michigan, which is a 50-mile round trip from home.
Crosswinds is not one of the 13 Metroparks in this region. It is a county park and highly touted as being a go-to spot for everyone who likes nature. It is comprised of 1,050 acres of wetlands, which includes an open marsh, wet meadows, forested wetlands, and upland forests. There are one and a half miles (2.4 km) of wooden boardwalks that cross ponds and streams and seven miles (11 km) of hiking trails. What wooed me most was the opportunity to see 240 species of birds and 40 species of mammals and perhaps a chance sighting of the pair of nesting bald eagles who have lived at Crosswinds for over 20 years.
So, with a large bowl of oatmeal and a couple of cups of coffee under my belt, I drove there, eager to see all that this place had to offer. Admittedly, I could have picked a cooler day, but I went anyway.
The focal point of Crosswinds is the marsh.
I have followed Crosswinds Marsh on Facebook for several years. Although there have been almost no posts this year due to COVID-19, thus no interpretive programs, Jennifer Panek, the Park Manager, often posts tidbits of facts, plus photos of what she sees in and around Crosswinds in her daily walk. This could be snakes, turtles or even one or both of the pair of nesting bald eagles. What fascinated me the most were Jennifer’s photos of Great Egrets walking on lily pads looking for their next fish dinner.
The camera was ready and so was I, as I stepped up to the wooden overlook.
There is a looooooooooog wooden walkway that stretches across the marsh. Every picture online you see of Crosswinds features the shot you saw in the header image.
This is one of the additional wooden overlooks.
From the walkway, I peered into the water where it was wall-to-wall Pond Lilies. Unlike Lake Erie Metropark’s Water Lotuses that rise high into the air out of enormous leaves, these are smaller and daintier lilies that sit near the pads. Here are a few of them.
Though it was a hot day and the venue was a marsh, meaning it would be buggy, I still wasn’t keen on slapping on a lot of bug repellent while handling the camera, so I wore long pants and a long-sleeved shirt to thwart bug bites. Whew – it was already warmish and not even 9:00 a.m.!
I used my hand to shade my eyes when I noticed a white blur in the distance. I honed in and no, it was not a Great Egret, but a Mute Swan alternately gliding through the lily pads and diving for aquatic plants that flourish beneath the lily pads.
I stood on the wooden walkway, peering into the water intensely, figuring that lily pads equal frogs, right? No frogs, but there were lots of swallows flitting about and as I neared the wooden structure, swallows were either darting all over or sitting on the wooden railing.
You see the large wooden building which is at the end of the wooden overlook? This screened-in building with picnic tables inside is where interpretive programs are held, or you can just go in and catch your breath and step out of the searing sun if you’d like. I didn’t stop here, but just kept plugging along, keen on seeing as much as possible before the heat of mid-day.
Like a fork in the road, you had a choice which trail to choose.
So I hopped off the wooden walkway and opted for the Mallard Trail. It was short, just a half-mile …
… so I soon had to make another decision. Hoping to see one or both of the bald eagles, I chose the Bald Eagle Trail.
According to the trail map posted near the parking lot …
… this was a 1.80-mile (2.9 km) trail. It began on a boardwalk and ended up in a wooded area which was great as it cooled me off a little.
Along the way I ran into a scene reminiscent of the rock group ZZ Top. This is “Angel” sporting her very cool sunglasses and her owner, that I asked to pose with her, but didn’t get his name. We had a fun chat wherein he told me his last dog had 20 pair of sunglasses – Angel only has two pair.
It seemed all the humanity was at the marsh overlook and not too many people had ventured onto the trails. Then, amazingly there was another set of signs to choose which trail to go to next.
I was already about two miles away from the marshland area and began following behind a young couple – he was explaining to his female friend where the trail would eventually lead.
We chatted briefly and he told me he’d been to Crosswinds twice, but this was the first time for his friend. I said “first time for me too – I was enjoying your tutorial and I’m awaiting the next trail as I’ll tag along behind if you don’t mind.”
Well that idea fell flat, because the woman was not as enamored of the woodsy area as he was and he next asked if she’d like to go back. I saw a head shake, so there went my guided tour. I asked if he’d ever seen the bald eagles and he said “no, but go this way and you’ll enjoy the hike.” His suggested route was “go right, then left, then right all the way and that will take you back to where you started.” That trek sounded easy enough, so I thanked him and set off once again.
Oh no – I strayed off the beaten path big-time!!
Soon I would regret that impetuous decision to stray from the beaten path and go it alone. I actually ALWAYS make it a point to never go too far into a wooded area, unless I’m on a 5K walk or there are other people around.
So, just like the proverbial fork in the road, there was a fork in the path – hmmm. Though there were a flurry of signs leading FROM the marsh overlook to guide you to various trails, there were signs like this …
… sadly, none of them offered much direction to get back to square one and the last one was a wee bit disconcerting.
The trail meandered as I went along – for a while I’d be hiking through a shady woodland area which cooled me off, but then I’d go through areas of gravel road or dirt trails with the sun beating down on me. It was getting very hot, but I was more uncomfortable with the fact that I was lost than I was getting very warm and I never carry water. As I walked along, I hoped I’d see that wooden structure or one of the wooden overlooks – but all I saw were trees and trails.
As I went through the multiple meadows, there were wildflowers aplenty and butterflies flitted around my head and a few landed on the path as I walked which was kind of fun. And there were a few dragonflies and damselflies too. In between grumbling to myself about being lost, I appreciated these delicate creatures entertaining me, but was surprised that even common critters like squirrels or songbirds were nowhere to be found, leading me to blurt out to no one in particular: “where are those 240 species of birds, and 40 species of mammals that are supposed to be here?”
I spotted the “Horse Trail” signage and remembered that marker from the map and saw hoof prints leading into yet another trail. The Horse Trail is 4 1/2 miles (7.2 km) … well fine, if you’re astride a horse. Thankfully I am used to extra-long weekend treks, but I was not going down this trail and tacking on another 4 1/2 miles to my meanderings, even though this trail might take me back where I started. I soldiered on, though I was getting really hot and a couple of droplets of sweat slowly rolled from my forehead into my eyes stinging them. I thought maybe I’d remove the bandana face mask and fashion it into a sweatband, but thought better of that idea in case I ran into a crowd later.
So where in the heck was I and where was the *&%# marsh?
I finally saw a human – yay! Hopefully it was someone who was familiar with Crosswinds Marsh or had a smartphone with a map. Since I have a flip phone I had suddenly become quite needy. This was a runner and he kept running in place as he explained breathlessly that I should return the way I came from and go back to the “grassy cut” and I’d be good to go … I thanked him, apologized for making him break his momentum, then walked the suggested “3/4s of a mile” back where I just walked. (Sigh.) By then, in the hot sun, it felt more like twice that amount to walk, but I found the rather nondescript grassy cut.
I remembered seeing it before, but I was sticking to the trail, so just ignored it. I must tell you that initially there were wooden signs everywhere with the names of the trails and directional arrows on the signs, but out here in the boonies with the bugs, butterflies and blooms, there were no signs, especially back to the central area where the marsh was.
I went along the grassy cut only to see this sign about trespassing. Great, just great!
I was exasperated and next I saw a couple with a baby … I went over and said “I’m a little frustrated at still another fork in the road – can you tell me if you came from the marsh to get where you are now?” Yes, they had and suggested I turn left and follow that path and walk “about a mile and a half” and I’d be there. I thanked them profusely and said they set my mind at ease.
There must be some kind of way outta here!! (Channeling some Jimi Hendrix here.)
I walked, pausing to take a few shots of the many fields of wildflowers as well as individual wildflowers, as I still craned my neck to see the high overlook and wooden structure to no avail. I kept plodding along like an old horse on the trail, with considerably less spring in my step than had been when I stepped out of the car some three hours earlier.
Finally, a wooden walkway and some reeds poking through the slats gave me a sign of hope that indeed the marsh was near and a woman named “Sue” and her dog “Pepper” came up behind me as the walkway was quite narrow. I once again told my tale of getting lost and she said “no worries – Pepper and I walk here all the time and we know our way around. Did you want to return to the marsh or the parking lot?” I said “back to the marsh please – oh thank you soooo much!!” She said “that’s how I’m going – we can walk together if you’d like.” So, we walked at least another mile. I wondered how many miles I’d walked but my pedometer was under my shirt, hooked onto my pants and covered by my fanny pack and the camera bag.
Finally in the distance, the wooden structure was in view, rising high into the air. I breathed a sigh of relief and my comfort level increased immediately. Sue and I walked along companionably, chitchatting about the marsh and how many times she’d seen the eagles and told me that I “just have to return in the Fall to see the colors and the Canada Geese stepping across the marsh on the lily pads.” Finally we reached the entrance to the marsh where I also saw the second couple I’d asked for directions. They had taken a shorter trail – I, on the other hand, looked, and felt, like I’d walked the entire 1,050 acres of Crosswinds Marsh!
Sue, Pepper and I parted ways – I had one more stop to make.
Check out this interesting wild bee hotel.
If you Google Crosswinds Marsh you’re sure to see either the long wooden overlook and wooden building pictured above, or the entrance to the marsh area.
I wanted to visit this part of Crosswinds Marsh last since I figured the mid-day sun would bring out more butterflies. So, at the end of this very long trek, I stopped to view the “wild bee hotel” which was situated near that wide swath of colorful perennials.
The butterflies were also busy sipping nectar. I’d have stayed longer, but I just wanted to get back to the car and put the A/C on, cool off and sit down.
Finally, I plopped down on the car seat, pulled out the pedometer – a little over eight miles! It seemed like it should be double that amount. The perfect end to this long trek should have been a cool car before I drove home. But the A/C was on the fritz and it was horribly hot in the car. Talk about an inopportune time to need an air conditioning recharge!
Once home in the cool house, I conceded it was a long trip to get there, and getting lost was not fun, but I’m glad I went anyway.
P. S.: I had butterfly and wildflower photos, but left them out as this post is already picture laden and long – maybe down the road.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Now that is my kind of park, so much to see. I love the lotus, I have never seen those before and then to see a swan how beautiful. I really like this park, it looks like it is quite large and I always enjoy the wooden trails so you can get out onto the marsh. And the bee hotel, that is the largest one I have ever seen. A lot of great photos Linda and such a wonderful park.
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Thanks Sandra – I know it is a long post, but I didn’t want to leave anything out. I am going to do a few butterflies and wildflowers on Friday. (Although it will be similar to last Friday’s post.) I love those wooden trails too and I guess in retrospect, after the couple left, I should have turned around and taken the other two wooden trails – they have three altogether – the main one and two smaller ones. If I go back again, it would be later in the Fall as Sue told me the colors are beautiful. She said to go later in the Summer though so so more flowers would be in the water. I went early August as I figured all the heat we had this Summer, they’d be blooming earlier. That was my first bee hotel – very interesting.
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This looks like an amazing park. I love the swan photo. We don’t see those often around here. But what an ordeal you went through! I am surprised there were not signs for the return routes. The dog in sun glasses cracked me up.
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Yes, it was amazing to see all the lily pads – in some spots, you could not really see the water as they were so thick. I don’t know how the swan was paddling through them.
I felt pretty stupid for getting lost Ruth and I never stray off the path or go off on my own like that, but the longer I walked, the more worried I was. There were lots of signs leaving the marsh and the only signs I saw was “no trespassing”, “stay on trail” and “no trespassing” which did not raise my comfort level any. I could have left that part out of the post, but I just left it in as a reminder to myself not to do that again.
The dog in the sunglasses was cute and his owner was really matter of fact about it, like it was something you saw every day. I asked to take a picture as I wanted a close-up, more posed photo and Angel was well behaved and the guy was very nice to chat with.
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You had me at boardwalks! I love them! (We don’t have too many around here.) I’m sure Angel appreciated her sunglasses for practicality as well as style – the pictures indicate how bright and very sunny the day was. I can almost feel the heat. So relieved for you when you finally enountered Sue and she led you back to the marsh – phew! I saw an Insect Hotel at the Museum of Life & Science in Durham, North Carolina, similar to your wild bee hotel. Such a cool idea. What an adventure you had! Do you think you will return this fall to see the colors and the Canada geese?
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Glad you liked this post Barbara! I love the boardwalks too and usually they are not this long over a body of water. It was fascinating to see all the pond lilies and in some places you could not see the water for lily pads. I should have gone later in August to see more blooms, but since it was such a hot Summer, I figured more pond lilies would be blooming. I was monitoring water lotuses at another park and they were already blooming. It was such a hot day and when I discovered I had no A/C when I got back to the car – wow. Then, the mechanic where I go, couldn’t take me for a week to do the A/C charge – they were that jammed up. August in Michigan is always hot and humid.
The bee hotel was fascinating and I’d never seen one but read up on his venue before I went so I wanted to see it up close. I took a lot of photos during that walk which I didn’t use and when I saw the shots out in the middle of nowhere, I was really mad at myself. Thank goodness for Sue who knew her way around there and took me back with ease. I will return there, but next Fall. The main boardwalk looks fairly wide in the picture, but it was crowded when I was there. Two people passing from the opposite way would be fine, but people were pushing strollers, with kids holding onto the side of the stroller, and sometimes walking dogs. I found myself going sideways a few times … this was part of the reason I decided to head out on the trail. Next year, in a non-COVID world, I will for sure go back and see the colors and those Canada geese goose-stepping over the pond lilies that Sue described.
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On a 2002 summer trip to western New York with Tim’s aunt, to do some family history research, the air-conditioning in her car broke down. What a nightmare. We were all in very bad moods for most of the trip! So I can relate to how you felt when you got back to your car with no hope of cooling off after your many hours in the heat.
I’m wary of boardwalks and narrow trails, too, and will be for the duration of the pandemic. What strange times we are living in!
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Oh Barbara – what a day for the A/C to go out. I don’t remember if I had the A/C on in the morning going out there, but I probably did as this marsh was out in the boonies, so I likely had the windows up to keep out the dust. And there is construction all over the place – that is the only good thing about Winter in my opinion … limited construction projects. Yes, it made for a miserable trip, that’s for sure.
The narrow walkways is my main reason for not going back this Fall or even next year, until things are back to normal (or “new normal”). I suppose during the work week might be okay, but a weekend not so much. I am very way of everywhere I go these days. Parks are not so worrisome as a public spot like a store, but I still wear a mask for any of the parks I go to, even my everyday park. I am taking no chances at all. I hope this time next year, we’ll be able to look back on these days and finally have them behind us.
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That is a really nice park Linda those wooden bridges look full of history.
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I think it is a park that you would really enjoy Andy. I have never seen such a long wooden bridge and they had three of them, the other ones were not as long as the one leading to the wooden structure. I was sure I would come home with lots of Egret and Waterfowl pictures given the write-ups I’d read before going, but just the one swan.
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I liked the bee hotel. Never saw one of those.
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Yes it was very cool to see – it is one of the attractions at this venue. They have a wooden and mesh cover that secures the bee hotel when the Park closes, so no one messes with it in off hours.
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I enjoyed all of it, Linda. Thanks for taking us along but I would have been in a panic re feeling lost. Wonder why there weren’t more signs, esp. since so many areas look similar among the trees. It was a long hot day and you must have been up very early to get there.
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Glad you liked it Joni. It was a big place and I was indeed in a bit of a panic when I got lost. I could have left that part out of the post and no one would have known, but chose to put it in because I was mad at myself. I saw some photos I didn’t use that were taken in the wooded area and was kicking myself, believe me. I don’t understand why they had so many signs going away from the marsh, but not returning to it. Some people I spoke to (except Sue, who knew her way around) had smartphones, so they pulled up a map but I saw the map and that would not have really helped me – everything looked alike and in the woods there was no water at all to identify where you were. I got there maybe 8:45 a.m., but had to find a place to park, then get to the start of the wooden boardwalk at 9:00 and it took me about an hour to get there as it was out in the boonies and I’d never been that way before.
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A magnificent place! Marshes and swamps are magical places! (Our elderly republican neighbor — who i, unfortunately, get mail for — now has a sign in her yard that says, “Vote Republican… Drain the Swamp.” It figures that uneducated, anti-environmentalists would hate swamps!) There was a sweet marsh at a nature reserve up north when i was a kid; it had the best creatures, snapping turtles, and ducks of every kind, salamanders, frogs, etc. 🙂
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You are right Tom – they are magical places. This place is in the boonies and I started to put the history in, but removed it as the post was so long already. It is actually a man-made swamp. The Detroit Metro Airport Authority wanted to add some runways so they took an existing wetlands area, bought that 200-acre land, but the stipulation was that they built a marsh in another nearby area. So these were once farmers’ field and the marsh was created here. That amazed me that it was once dry land. In that respect, “draining the swamp” behooved the Airport Authority – not sure it benefited the critters so much, but now it is a much larger area, 1,050 acres altogether, but not all of it is marsh, some is forested area, where I got lost.
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What a fun-looking place to walk, and you came away with some beautiful photos and interesting stories! I’ve never seen a bee hotel before. Very interesting.
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Yes it was Rebecca and I’ll go back in the Fall sometime in the future to see the colors as it sounded beautiful – hopefully I’ll not get lost then. I was fascinated with the bee hotel too – that was a first for me. They protect it at night when the park closes by putting a wood and mesh cover over the front of the hotel.
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Miss Linda…………………….you are an explorer!!…………………….wow…………………it sure did look like you could get lost very easily at that nature preserve………………………I’m glad that you made it through there and made some friends along the way……………………..when I used to take my first graders to one of the metro parks for a nature walk………………………………I actually got lost and ALL of the first graders were following right behind me!!
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I know as to driving directions I am not too swift Ann Marie, but I thought walking on a trail would be a safe bet for me. 🙂 Everyone that I asked for directions was very helpful and friendly and I told Sue several times I was grateful for her help in getting me back to where I began – thank goodness for Sue who knew her way around there. It was huge. I could see getting lost at one of the Metroparks. They are large and the woodsier ones I have been too, often have more than one trail you can take to get to the same destination. Did you let on to the kids you were lost? I am smiling thinking of you trying to be nonchalant about it.
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I can’t imagine feeling lost for that length of time. You are amazing. You came back unscathed and wrote all about it.
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Thanks Anne but I have to tell you I didn’t feel too amazing at the time. I was starting to get worried and it was getting hotter by the minute. I NEVER just go wandering off by myself, but I thought it was a well-traveled path and I could remain socially distanced from other people. The long boardwalk looked wide but people pushing strollers, kids hanging onto their hands or strollers and some people walking dogs – one person walking three dogs … I decided to enjoy that wooden overlook then explore a little in a more open area. Friday I’ll have the butterflies and wildflowers mentioned in this post, then that is it for those two items for this year. I didn’t want to add them onto here as the post was already long.
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You are much more adventuresome than I would be. Really great!
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Thanks Anne – I will try not to get into that pickle again though. When I saw how dense the trees/bushes were in some areas when I looked at the photos, I was left shaking my head at myself.
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Gorgeous park and photographs to get a visual feel for it. I’d love to go for a walk there! The bee hotel is for Mason bees. They are tiny bees that hatch from the narrow tubes very early in the spring. We have them around here and these mMason bees pollinate the earliest fruit trees. Last year I bought a small one of these bee houses but haven’t seen anyone lay their eggs in it. Maybe next spring!
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I have heard of Mason bees Sabine and had only heard about them recently – do you remember the posts I did about the woman who opens up her backyard every year for a butterfly garden walk. It is a regular home but a Monarch Waystation and she has countless perennials and annuals and lots of butterflies. The price of admission is a donation for animal shelters (paper towels, dog or cat food, treats, etc.) She volunteers at several animal shelters. Anyway, there were lots of bees buzzing around and she explained to people they were Mason bees and would not harm us. That sounds like fun for the bee hotel. There were not a lot of bees buzzing about on the outside that day … a few of the openings had bees inside and I took pictures but it was like a dark hole. I hope you have visitors that stay and help pollinate next year.
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Linda, I remember your post about the butterfly garden. Beautiful place to open up to visitors for a good cause and a little nature education. I’m going to move the bee house into the plum tree once the leaves are down. Perhaps I’ll get residents that way.
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Yes, it is really a good cause and she has been doing it annually for a while now but I never knew about it until I read it in the local newspaper online in 2017. Last year she opened up the yard for an event for just Monarchs as part of their migration. Nothing this year due to COVID. I hope you get some residents and some photos Sabine.
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Perhaps next year she could do it with social distancing and appointments if it were safe. Funny how we can sometimes miss such great places right under our nose!
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Yes, I am hoping she can do this again – it is a worthwhile cause, that’s for sure. The backyard is large but there is a lot of flowers, metal yard art and also a pond with koi and that pond is surrounded by plants, so not a lot of room as it is, let alone social distancing … we were packed in like sardines. I did another virtual walk, the Mutt Strut a few weeks ago. I got my shirt in the mail yesterday, so I hope to do a post on that cause and the walk in the next few weeks. They solicit donations for a no-kill shelter, which is very modern and accommodates both cats and dogs in separate portions of the shelter.
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Fingers crossed for next year with the Butterfly Lady! Your Mutt Street walk sounds great as well. No kill shelters are definitely a very good cause!
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Yes, I hope so too Sabine. This is supposed to be a state-of-the-art shelter not only for separating cats and dogs, but for other amenities as well. They have people who volunteer to take the dogs out for walks – nope, not going to do that, though I don’t think I’ll come home with another pet. I don’t have a smartphone, but they arranged to tell at different times of the morning like start and finish and tried to get you pumped up to walk or run.
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Wow! 8 miles? You certainly got your steps in that day. And on a very hot day, too! I must admit, I am easily lost on the trails. I don’t typically go trail running without someone who knows their way around. At least you had some adventures, got to talk to some interesting people, and got some very pretty photos. I think that of those 240 bird species, some are probably migratory. I bet if you go back in May, you would see many more varieties of birds. Maybe some frogs and turtles in the marsh too.
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Yes, that was my longest walk I’ve taken to date. This was the trek I mentioned to you about a month ago Laurie and you said to be careful if I do it again. Having done that getting-lost-in-the-woods-alone routine once, I know will never do that again. It was a bit scary and hot – yes, very hot and I was there to see the animals and birds. Who knows what type of critter might have been lurking about? I will return again, not this year, maybe not next year either. The wooden outlooks were not as wide as they appear in the photo and there were more people than anticipated on that boardwalk. I’ll go in Spring (still looking for Spring Peepers) or in the Fall for some color shots and to see the geese stepping on the lily pads.
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Well it looked like no matter which path in the road you took, you wouldn’t be fishing! I like the wild bee hotel. I see them in our nature preserve, but nobody seems to be visiting when I’m there. The dog wearing shades is cool. Not exactly what I’d expect to see along that path.
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I liked that wild bee hotel too Ally – it was a first for me seeing it. Yes, they were adamant about no fishing there (not that you could see the fish anyway as the water was so thick with pond lilies). I liked that dog too and the sunglasses fit perfectly, so Angel ambled along wearing those cool blue sunglasses. I had to take a photo of them.
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Oh Linda, you’re just not good with cross roads, are you? Would be a bit scarry to be out in the woods by yourself …
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You have a good memory Jeanine … I had sent you that picture of the turtle crossing when we first “met” – that was when I got lost in the boonies while driving. I am not great with directions and I don’t have a smartphone (just a flip phone) and no Garmin for directions. I bought a paper map after that fateful day and swore up and down I’d use the paper map and not Google directions because Google maps did not mention the fork in the road. I should have really returned to the marsh after that young couple left the trail. I thought “how difficult could this be?” I have to admit I was scared out there in the middle of nowhere … it was not very smart of me and I am usually more careful.
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How on earth do you live with a flip phone? — As for my memory, it’s odd which facts stick sometimes 😉
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I had a smartphone briefly when my phone carrier would no longer support my 2G phone I had had for years. So I got a voucher to buy a new phone. It was not an expensive smartphone and I had issues – it dropped calls, said “no memory” all the time, so I went and got a flip phone to replace it. I have worked at home for nearly 10 years. I got laid off, then when I got hired back I started working from home. So I really don’t need a smartphone as I’m online on a computer many hours in a day and so I contact people through social media, not the phone. I text from the computer to my boss or friends’ phones. But it is becoming so that everything requires a smartphone anymore – eventually I’m sure I will succumb and buy one, but likely when I no longer work and won’t need a landline then.
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Such a wonderful post! The wild bee hotel and that is a long wooden crosswalk! Bravo to those who installed it!
And angel is wonderful – woof!
Two things amaze me about that photo – first – it makes me smile because I often get the key name but forget to get the owners name – lol
And two – another reminder of how dog owners sometimes match their pets in essence – I feel a good match there
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Well I guess a third thought with that photo is even tho sunglasses are cute – there has been talk recently about the dangers of sunglasses / it signals to the brain that it is night and could impact hormones
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Lastly- you might know this / but
There are some awesome essential oils you can use for bug repellant – and they work
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It was a pretty amazing venue Yvette. I wanted to go there for a while and had been following this park on Facebook so I knew some of their main attractions and wanted to see them all. It is hard to believe but it is a man-made park. There was another marsh/wetland not too far away and the Detroit Metro Airport wanted to expand a runway, so they bought that wetland and used it for their own use but it was with the stipulation they would create a new wetland nearby. So, Crosswinds was created. I like those wooden overlooks also – what a great overview of the marsh and those exquisite pond lilies. Angel was cute in those sunglasses and I asked the owner if she didn’t try to pull them off with a paw? “Nope” he said, “she likes them.” We went our separate ways and belatedly I realized I didn’t get his name. I didn’t know that info about the sunglasses (yikes) nor the essential oils for bug repellent. I did buy a strong Deet-free bug repellent but didn’t want to get it on the camera and figured I’d use it just in the backyard. A friend of mine tracks with her dogs (a hobby of hers) and she makes her own tick repellent for her dogs and herself. She uses Avon’s Skin So Soft bath oil as the main ingredient and she sprays it on and says it works well.
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Hi – I forgot about Avon’s skin so soft!!
And heard it works well – even though I am not partial to the smell.
And I bought some different hand sanitizers during the early pandemic months and one of them (two pack) had lemon grass and other essential oils – it arrived On a hot summer day and was liquified (not gel like at all) and when I smelled it – I decided to try it as a room spray and then as a gentle bug repellent (not maybe for deep woods stuff) and it has been awesome!
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I looked for my friend’s “recipe” for her dogs and herself and can’t find it. I am like you and find the SO smell too powerful. My aunt used to sell Avon for years and she gave us presents and/or samples of Avon products and that’s one I didn’t care for. Then Ilene told me that Avon has a product that is a bug repellent and made using the Skin So Soft formula – they probably figured people would like having something already made up – hmm. I just went on Amazon to find the name of the product I bought based on my boss’ recommendation (he is allergic to black fly bites and they are bad in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where he goes with friends). I won’t send the link as it will keep visiting you, but it is Deet-free and called: “All Terrain Herbal Armor Natural Insect Repellent, DEET-Free Pump Spray”.
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Thanks for that suggestion 1 and the name herbal armor sounds amazing
And funny but I think so many of us hand an “aunt” that sold Avon!! Haha
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Yes, my boss swears by it – he came home one time covered in black fly bites. And they stay in a lodge where the mosquitoes manage to get into the lodge, so more bites. I think you are right about that Yvette … my aunt used to have those tiny lipstick samples in the white tubes which she would be passing out to my mom and me. Their cologne scents were always strong.
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Oh Linda / have enjoyed this chat so much! And the White tubes – I know those !
And as a very young girl – I remember my lily of the valley perfume in a glass bottle and the box was all yellow and floral design – not sure i wouod like the smell now.
Also – guess what a neighbor gifted me? “Skin so soft body scrub stress relief ” — I couldn’t say “no” because she and I swap all
Kinda of stuff – anyhow – I will let you know how it works and how it smells – how cool is the timing of this little goody?
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Regarding the black flies – yuck!! That stinks that the mosquitoes can also get in to the house – glad he found something that worked –
And one too I have heard of (and used) that is good for “many” things – and bug repellant is one of the perks – is to make a skin brine and gently pour it over the body after a shower.
Take a large cup – 20 ounces – or large bowl
Add a good sea salt – baking soda – Diatomaceous earth (DE) and a little coconut oil or vitamin e oil (the amounts vary but the idea is to make a brine that is lightly salty and balanced with the baking soda )
Mix well with warm to extra warm water
Slowly pout over body and let dry!
I use this before gardening or walks and Linda – I did not get even one mosquito but this year!
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I am going to save this recipe Yvette – for next year probably, though we are going to warm up next week they say. It was just 39 when I went out this morning and I spent some time down at the River walking and it was darn cold.
It is so funny after we spoke of Avon that you were gifted with some. Timing is everything sometimes. We always got samples of sachets I think they were called which were the cream that you put behind your ears and it was in a little jar. I remember the scent you mentioned and they were always in unique containers as well. Thank you again for the “recipe” – we have not only regular mosquitoes but the West Nile and the EEE disease in some counties as well.
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Well I look forward to hearing if the recipe works – the little bit of coconut oil makes it less drying and Linda- I just love this mix! I used to add a few drops of Lugol’s iodine (a recipe from Dave Asprey from bulletproof blog has a sinus rinse with salt and iodine and xylitol) and that actually led to my “Summer brine” –
I will let you know how the body wash works
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Yes, do let me know Yvette – I am terribly tardy here. I never finished comments last night and have not been to Reader since Thursday or Friday. Hopefully I can get caught up, but had to work late tonight, which didn’t help matters. Thank you again for mentioning me in your flower post.
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My pleasure and have a good week
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Thank you Yvette.. You do the same.
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Hello LInda.
What a stunning park – what an awesome post.! I enjoyed your text and photos. Thank you.
Have a wonderful day!
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Thank you Matti – glad you enjoyed this post. It is a huge park as you saw and there was so much to see.
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Linda, your pictures make it seem like the reader is there too! Thanks for taking us on the marsh journey with you.
It’s a beautiful place with so much variety of nature finds, landscape, and close up of the lotus on the marsh. I wish it could’ve been a less frustrating experience for you and not got lost. Good thing you saw some people on the trail. I would’ve had freaked out after a few wrong turns. Brave soul you are!
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Thanks Esther – I was freaked out when I kept walking and walking and did not see the wooden structure/house in the distance. I saw nothing that looked like it would take me to square one. I know that Sue knew how grateful I was to find her. Next time I’m sticking to the main drag and the wooden overlooks only. I’ll go back but not for a while. I am always very cautious on any trail in the larger venues and I never stray into a deeply wooded part of a forest if I’m by myself.
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I’m glad that you kept going and did not get into a panicked state. Thank goodness for Sue whom you met on the route…a friendly face does wonders for the soul when you’re scared.
I agree….stick to the main routes. I used to wonder how people get lost on hikes and things like that, but now I realize how simple it is to miss a turn or overlook a sign.
Yea, take a break from visiting that place again!!
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Oh, she was so nice and I must’ve thanked her 10 times Esther – very scary. I wonder too why people would stray from the beaten path in a huge forest where there might be bears or other large animals. I never saw anything but butterflies thankfully. I’m not going to do that again and next time I go to the marsh, I’m staying in the marsh area on the overlooks only. Will go in a year or so – maybe during the week with less people.
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Thank goodness you didn’t encounter any wild animals!! There have been some sightings of coyotes in our parks and few mountain lion sightings. One person fended off a mountain lion from a kid. So wild! WIth the quarantine, animals are making the trek out of the woods.
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I saw something on “Sixty Minutes” a few years ago about cougars having no natural habitats, thus moving into the neighborhoods in California. Not sure where it was – thought it was San Diego, but not sure. One had moved into a house, getting in through an open lower level window – yikes!
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So much land is being cleared for homes and businesses that destroys habitats for wildlife. I believe the news…I recently read about a mountain lion wandering around in a residential area. And you read of bears who take dips in people’s jacuzzies outdoors.
That’s a scary discovery to come home, turn on the light, and you see a cougar lounging on the couch.
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Yes, and it will happen more and more. The cougar story was interesting on “Sixty Minutes” and I searched for it for a wildlife photographer I follow here on WP but couldn’t find it. He is in British Columbia and he sees black bears roaming around, but is always on the lookout for a cougar/mountain lion. He’s very wary of them as they sneak up behind they prey and jump on them to attack. Shudder!
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Pouncing is their natural instinct! He’s a brave photographer. I’m sure he’s educated himself all about these animal’s behaviors and keeping himself safe.
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Yes, he is careful … he is in a boat shooting photos of bears more than on land, so that part is good. He takes really wonderful photos – you and I need one of those long lenses. Ask Chris to get one so you can practice on them. I follow a local woman photographer on Twitter – her photos are all birds taken at a Metropark. Just gorgeous. Someone asked what type of camera and lens. She gave it … the lens was something like $14,000.00!
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That’s one expensive camera and lens! For that price, it better take awesome pictures.
I would like to have one of those wi-fi compact DSLR. YouTube has a bunch of camera reviews; too many to review really. Long lens may be right for me when kids are older and they are more independent. A nice camera would be like a 3rd child for me…yikes!
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Esther – I can’t imagine paying that much and would be afraid to use it to be honest.
I take more pics with my digital compact camera than the DSLR just because it is always handy and except for photos taken from a distance, I am more comfortable with it. It is easy to use one handed too. It is a Canon PowerShot ELPH 340 HS and it does have wi-fi capability but I don’t use it – just wait til next time I am on the computer. I’ve always used Canon cameras as they are so reliable.
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Quite a day! The nice thing about staying close to my recliner is that I never get either lost or overly hot. 🙂
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Yes it was JP and I was never so glad to see someone come to my aid and rescue me so I could return to the marsh! I am always wary of going too deep into a wooded area for that very reason. The hot and humid day just compounded my miseries. That was the first and last time I assure you!
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That would have been so scary being alone and lost! Then no A/C in the car….what an end to the day.
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It was nice and scenic (the marsh especially) but never again on a walk alone in the woods. Crosswinds Marsh was just voted one of the best places to hike in Michigan – there were nine places and it was one of them!
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