I originally intended to use this collection of photos for a Wordless Wednesday post. After all, I’ve featured a seemingly endless stream of birds encountered in my 2022 treks, so why not add another bird post?
But, as I sit here on a windy and warm Saturday afternoon, with a longer picture-laden post swirling around in my head, I decided instead that we ALL need a break from the international, national and local news headlines and, for sure, a brief respite from the annoying, ever-present, midterm election ads which, thank goodness, will end tomorrow.
So, please enjoy my collection of waterfowl, et al reflections taken at Coan Lake in picturesque Heritage Park on Sunday, October 16th. I never get tired of taking photos at this park, especially when the trees are at peak and the water is perfectly calm. I’ll have a few thoughts after all the photos ….
In compiling this short post (short … yes, feel my forehead), I will conclude by saying the news headlines remind me of this song from 1970 – some of you were not even born yet. I heard the song on an oldies station while driving back from a wonderful day spent at a new nature venue (for me anyway) a few weeks ago and it got me thinking. Click here, have a listen and tell me if our world today is all that different from 52 years ago? Sadly, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
You may now return to your regularly scheduled day.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Thank you for the respite – and the song!
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You’re welcome Anne – it was so pretty and peaceful there that day and the song sure tells it like it is in 2022 as well as in 1970.
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This park is always so colorful in the fall 🙂
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Sandra, I always make a point to get up to Heritage Park in mid-October when the Maples are at peak as it is so picturesque. I took many photos that day which will be in my next two posts, but I was especially happy with the photos with reflections.
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Gorgeous, Linda. What’s that little red house?
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Thanks Pam. That is the Little Red Schoolhouse in the small historical village at Heritage Park. When I was there recently, they were ringing the school’s bell, a first for me hearing it. Once or twice a year they have an event where you can go visit all the historical buildings – you can peek inside where they have it set up just like it was in 1882 when it was built. They have old-fashioned desks, slate blackboards, a dunce chair in the corner and dolls dressed for that time period looking out the window.
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Ah how cute! 🥰 We have a farm museum near us where everything is from mid-1700s. So cool to see it.👍
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Yes, it is, especially if they are well preserved … it’s like steppin’ back in time.
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🥰
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I love all the reflection photos, Linda, nice captures. And your post is a nice break from the ads, that’s for sure. I have to admit never hearing that song before. I was only 6 when it came out and likely had no clue about how confused the world was at the time. The glaring confusion of the world right now is sadly overemphasized in the ads we will gladly say goodbye to this week! 😉
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Thank you Shelley. Coan Lake was perfectly still so it made pretty reflections that day. I got the ducklings’ reflections on another still day earlier this year … it was so picturesque with the Maple trees at peak. That song was really popular back in 1970. I was just entering high school. It was probably even more popular here in the Detroit area as the Temptations were from Detroit and Motown favorites. Thank goodness the ads will be gone in 24 hours from now.
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Calm days are so nice for photos! I’m glad you got to see more than one day and catch so many beautiful photos. You should submit some to the local park magazines (if they have one) or MI travel magazine.
I’m guessing I may have heard the song, I do remember hearing about the Temptations. I don’t remember my parents listening to their music much though.
YES – the ads will finally be done for a year. Then they’ll be back. Sigh.
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Yes, it makes it all the more peaceful, doesn’t it Shelley? I took more pictures that day at other parts of Heritage Park as they had a Halloween event the day before and the Botanical Gardens was similarly decked out with Halloween and Harvest decor. Thank goodness the polls are closed and no ads for awhile.
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Yes, it does! I look forward to seeing more of the photos.
Yes, they are closed…but the counting isn’t done, it’s another messy election. UGH. 😫
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I got pics sorted, have to write, but have to catch up here first – 8 or 9 days behind now in Reader. Yes, not your father’s election!
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🥰🤗
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Your reflections are stunning.
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Thank you Anne! Coan Lake was so still, it was easy to capture these reflections. You have told me in the past, in prior posts, that you really liked the Fall colors at this park – so many beautiful Maple trees.
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Yes, I love Fall colors wherever you share them.
I put the family jigsaw puzzle back in its box, and the table is ready for the new one. Lise arrives on the 16th. She’ll need to sleep, and then we’ll be racing around, using a few minutes a day to work the puzzle. Can’t wait!
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I remember you told me that one time about the colors. That’s great! Lise will have plenty of time to ease into puzzle mode after she catches up on sleep and deals with the time difference. You will have it done for Thanksgiving.
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Probably.
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What a lovely park at such a beautiful time of the year. Thank you.
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You’re welcome Zazzy – I always try to get to Heritage Park at peak leaf color time for their Maples, all red and yellow and it’s gorgeous. Hoping to inject a little peace in everyone’s Monday – glad I did for you too.
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Beautiful reflections!
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Thanks Kate – I like reflections on the water pics and the trees really were stunning that day!
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Such a beautiful park! Thank you for the diversion!
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Thank you Holly (sorry I had to rescue you from SPAM). It is a very pretty park, especially in this historical area and combined with the trees, it was picturesque that day. We all need a diversion, a mere 24 hours and it’s over with!
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What a lovely park. Beautiful capture the nature 😍! your reflections are good. Nice !
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Thank you rajkkhoja – glad you liked the reflections. So many pretty colors of leaves that day and reflecting on the water, made it very picturesque.
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Thank you so much. You other photos You send me others photos my personal 📨!
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Yes, pretty colourful plants. I like fall colors.
Thank you so much!
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I will have lots more rajkkhoja – the next two Monday posts will be at this Park, but I took a lot of photos in October at other parks, but not as many pretty leaves as this day with all the Maple trees. The Maples are the prettiest in my opinion as they turn red and gold and sometimes a mixture of red and gold together in a single leaf. Gorgeous! I will probably stagger the posts as I have posts from back in July that I’ve not done yet.
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Brilliant choice of song! “Vote for me I’ll set you free” Uh huh
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Thank you Ally. I was driving home, a beautiful ride in the country, leaves aglow, pumpkin and produce stands along the road … and campaign signs everywhere unfortunately. I heard that song and decided nothing was different, except the reference to hippies and the Beatles. Sigh.
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I like how the song reflects our state of affairs just like your pictures Linda
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Thank you Wayne – it was such a calm and peaceful setting, a glad-to-be-alive kind of day. You and I are the same age, so you remember what a hit “Ball of Confusion” was – even more popular here as the Temptations are from Detroit/Motown, all that. That song shows nothing has changed in 52 years. Still the same old story.
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basically humans are humans, whether you go back 6000 years or 60 years. It doesn’t matter, the human creature stays the same. Which is why the same mistakes keep being made.
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We humans are not too bright sometimes. Every day I wish I had lived in an earlier era, as I’m not too enamored with this one.
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sociological side effects of too many people on the planet
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Yes … sadly so.
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Stunning reflections, Linda! Enjoy your warm November weather. We just got three inches of snow overnight, this time powder which is easier to deal with. Snow day for the schools, too.
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Thank you Terri – it was a gorgeous, calm day with the Maples at peak. Our warm November weather will come to a crashing halt this weekend with a possibly wintry mix. I hate that Mother Nature is female – she makes women look bad with her erratic behavior and indecisiveness. Powder is pretty for photos, easy to shovel … okay for now, ’til we all tire of it. Snow day already for your schools? The kids will run out of snow days at this rate!
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Beautiful autumn reflections and colors! Looks like a fun way to spend a day.
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Thank you Rebecca – the reflections and leaf colors were just stunning. I walked around the historic part several times and taking photos before finally going home.
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Thanks for the laugh – that song by the Temptations tells it all. How did you know I needed all these gorgeous reflections to ooohhh and aaahhhhh at. I love reflections and thus I loved this post. Gorgeous photos Linda.
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Glad to give you a laugh Peggy and happy you liked the photos as well. I love reflections-on-the-water photos and with the Maples at peak, it was a beautiful sight. We all need a break to gaze at the photos and forget about life for a little bit.
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😊❤️
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First of all, what absolutely gorgeous pictures Linda! Very peaceful and calming. And then the song – I do remember the song – just perfect lyrics for today’s confusing world too. I’ll be glad when tomorrow is over. I’m worried and it’s not even my country….
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Thanks Joni! It was a picture-perfect day with the Fall colors and calm Coan Lake. Didn’t the duck paddling into the brown and green remind you of an impressionist painting … a little blurry, a little bit of muted colors, especially the reflection from the gristmill? Yes, the song is perfect to describe the present state of events to a “T”. I know what you mean with these midterm elections – there has been enough campaign messages/ads to last a lifetime.
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Yes, it does look like a painting. I watch CNN and there’s been no other topic for the past week. I just hope sanity prevails.
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I thought so too with the watery colors blurred together. Yes, I hope sanity prevails too – listening to this constant commentary on my radio station day after day is wearying for sure.
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I just did two more Wordless Weds with my fall foliage pics, while watching CNN, so I’m sort of only half watching it. Mom likes it on. I did a Halloween WW one last week but had to post it on the Monday. I don’t feel like writing lately, so it’s a way to keep the blog going and try out the camera. That two part book review wore me out and I’m behind on other stuff. Soon we’ll be stuck inside when the cold weather hits and there will be lots of time for writing.
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I am behind in Reader back to Halloween. I am going to try and get there tonight – I did not get there to Reader at all last night. I did this shorter post for several reasons. We had that high wind advisory and the chance to lose power. I was not sure if the generator part would come in or not – it did and the tech arrived around 2:00 and was here for 90 minutes installing it and doing updates. So, I knew I would have power. I had intended to use this post as a WW but due to the weather I did it this way and did tomorrow’s post too. So, that freed up some time so I worked in the house on Sunday. I hate being this disorganized with everything but it’s a bad time of year … leaves to rake, final yard wrapup, things inside. I enjoyed myself for six weeks, walking everywhere I could and getting enough pics to last thru to next Spring (hopefully). Are you enjoying the new camera Joni?
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I didn’t realize you were that far behind! Why don’t you just skip the REader and pick up with today’s date. I’m sure people wouldn’t mind. Haven’t had the camera out that much, but it seems a bit better on the auto setting, at least for zoom. Not as many photo opportunities this time of year now that most of the leaves are down. I’m watching the early election results…..
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Yes, I was four or five days behind consistently and now 8 days behind and it is a little disheartening. I should just do that to be honest with you. I was just responding to a comment and nodded off. I am trying to get more sleep and not exist on 5-6 hours of sleep but at least I kept up. Too many things going on right now and like you said, once the cold and snow settles in, there will be more time. I just popped onto Twitter to see what is happening election-wise.
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Yes do that, just start fresh with Reader. I did that one fall when my mom was in hospital with gallbladder and was off for a whole month and just couldn’t catch up, so I just gave up on it and started fresh with today’s date. Go to bed!
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I remember that time period for you. I have to do something … I won’t make it there now and will listen to the 10:00 p.m. news and go to bed. I have made a good effort to get at least seven hours of sleep and can walk more in the a.m. due to the time change again … it will be dark longer again in the morning in another month.
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Love your “reflections”, Linda. It was exactly what I needed on the day before the US elections. Reflection photos, especially ones with the image inverted in water, have always been a favorite of mine. My son once took a photo of a barn and silo reflected in a local lake. I have it framed in our living room.
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Thanks Laurie – we needed the calming presence of these images to take us to the end of of the ads, the dialogue, etc.
The weather was perfect with calm winds to get those inverted images, a gorgeous Fall day. That sounds like a stunning photo by your son – is this the same son who took the photo of the teasels and you framed it?
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Yep. The same son. He was a serious photographer for a while and took some beautiful photos. He doesn’t do it anymore, though.
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I’ve spoken to several people who say they stopped taking photos with their camera and rely on their smartphones now since they take just as good of photos. Hopefully he’ll get back to this hobby again one day.
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Lovely photos Linda and I liked the building with the water wheel (the name escapes me today lol) I love the Temptations but I can’t remember if I have heard that song before. Yes you are right, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
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Thanks Susan – yes, a water-powered mill. You are right. Now it is a home for the Ecology Club and not in service as a mill anymore. I almost used that picture up top as the reflections were prettier; it was a toss-up what to use. Temptations were really big here due to Motown and they’ve been around for decades.. Things should change for the better, but it doesn’t always happen unfortunately.
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I like that they are using it for an ecology club. So many wonderful old buildings like that and sometimes they just let rot or keep shut down. I love Motown music, actually I like all music lol
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I like that idea of using it for an ecology club too rather than just empty. Motown Music is a big thing here – one day I’m going to get to the Motown Museum. They are closed for renovations again. I like all music too. I used to listen to an oldies station and they played mostly 70s and 80s music; now they added 90s to their format – once they go to 2000+ I’m lost. 🙂
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I love the old water mill and schoolhouse photos, with the colorful trees and reflections.
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Thanks Eilene – the water was so calm, I got a lot of reflections on Coan Lake at peak time for the leaves. Those two buildings are my favorites in this little historical village.
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I thoroughly enjoyed these lovely autumn reflections, Linda. The sunlight played on the water perfectly for you on that memorable day. It’s nice to escape into the beauty of nature when the world gets too crazy. I remember that song, too. Human nature has remained pretty constant since the dawn of our existence. The props may change with the times but the the play is the same one over and over again.
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Glad you liked these reflections Barbara, both the images and the song. I usually get to this Park earlier, but on this day I did my Halloween shoot at Council Point Park so got here later than usual, so I lucked out with the reflections. The duck looked like it was gliding into a Monet painting to me … colorful yet calm water. That is true – the world and its people go “off the rails” from time to time and it seemed to me that it was more so now, but maybe I pay attention to the news more now than I did when I was younger.
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Yes, the pictures do look like Monet paintings!
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Glad you thought so too Barbara – it struck me right away, especially the reflection of the mill and its nearby trees and the duck paddling toward those reflections.
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The photos are gorgeous. Something about photos of reflections is always intriguing to me. The song is a real counterweight to the peaceful scenes in your pictures.
I have thought for awhile now that there are some realistic comparisons to be made from the era of the song and today.
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Thank you JP – I was just awestruck by those reflections on the perfectly calm water that day. Fall has always been my favorite season and I have to stop myself from having weeks and weeks of endless photos of colorful foliage in my blog. Yes, reflecting on that song is the exact opposite of the calm reflection photos. I heard the song when driving in the country, where, on a normally peaceful drive, there were lots of election signs, all that seemed to scream out “Vote for Me!”
Yes, that was a very controversial time, not unlike today. I was still a teenager but it seemed that everyone might have been wearing “peace symbol” jewelry or emblems on tee-shirts, but it was far from a peaceful time.
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