This trek was taken June 3, 2023 at picturesque Heritage Park, the site of the 14th Annual Happy Soles 5k. Although the actual 5k event was held the following day, since there was an option to do the event virtually, I was there the day before. This would be my sixth Happy Soles 5k. In 2018 and 2019 I participated in person and for those years participants were runners or walkers only. But, along came COVID and, even though the event kept the moniker “Happy Soles” it also allowed bicyclists to do their miles on two wheels rather than two feet and rowers to row the equivalent of 5 kilometers/3.2 miles.
The Happy Soles 5k is such a worthwhile endeavor – it raises funds for the local/Downriver Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry to help stock shelves with nutritious foods for families facing food insecurity. I registered this week for the June 2, 2024 Happy Soles 5k event.
And … I was off, raring to go, albeit in a foot race with myself …
… oh, okay and this fine feathered guy or gal, putting their best foot forward.
I did not follow the same route as the certified “fast and flat course” event, which begins and ends at the Sheridan Pavilion, goes through a residential neighborhood, then around the baseball field, home of the Junior League World Series, then through the historical area and around Coan Lake. That’s all good, but a bit boring.
So instead, like before, I opted to amble around the historical area surrounding Coan Lake, with its many Mallards and Canada Geese, then I made the long trek over to the Botanical Gardens. Because it was still Spring, the Gardens were not at their full beauty, but it made for a delightful stroll and I ended up with more than the 3.2 miles/5 kilometers, plus it’s more picturesque.
It was a beautiful day when I visited, as was the following day, the actual event.
The charm of Coan Lake.
I don’t have to pack any peanuts when visiting this venue as the squirrels here don’t beg or even come near you. But on a warm day, you’re sure to find a few turtles sunbathing.
There’s also Barn Swallows flitting about grabbing insects to feed themselves or their chicks, or industriously building nests in the rafters of the covered bridge.
Coan Lake is stocked with fish for catch-and-release fishing for kids and adults.
The Great Blue Herons pretend not to read the sign, so they are often poised at the seawall, grabbing up some grub. On that day Coan Lake was devoid of Herons, Cormorants and Ring-billed Seagulls, but there were lots of the usual feathered friends.
There was a fisherman who took the time to snap a pic of his catch-of-the-day before he grudgingly had to toss that Bass back.
It was still Spring, so there were babies!
Okay, admittedly they were BIG babies and while I know you can’t resist seeing those sweet and fluffy goslings, those little nippers do grow up pretty quickly. Here are some goslings in different stages of growth. I couldn’t help but wonder if these were any of the sweet chicks I saw here earlier in the Spring.
These almost adult-sized goslings were on the move – why?
It was because this gentleman was eating Cheez-it crackers and Mama Goose and her goslings wandered over – he tossed these two a few tidbits. Uh-oh, big mistake as they soon clamored for more.
This family of geese lined up along the water’s edge pondering “to plunge or not to plunge?”
They did hop off eventually, each with a big splash, so I was happy I was clear across the pond when they sprayed water everywhere.
There was a Mama Mallard.
At first I didn’t see her ducklings as they shyly hid behind Mama and this piece of driftwood. These were also big babies, because I’ve been here at Heritage Park in June and was lucky to see tiny ducklings, yellow and dark-brown, striped balls of fluff. These ducklings still had some downy fuzz, but were almost as big as their Mama.
And, while we are discussing baby birdies, just like in past years, an enterprising Mama Sparrow made a nest in one of the pole lights around the Park. What a concept – lining the lamp with cozy nest materials, incubating the eggs and raising your young, without worries about inclement weather. I am curious why the lamp glass is left open like that – this is not the only instance.
This House Sparrow was watching the goings-on at the light. Was it Dad? Maybe a bird deciding they would stake their claim in the Spring of 2024?
The Sparrow grew weary of the food delivery service and moved on to ponder life near the covered bridge.
No trip to Heritage Park would be complete without the turtles.
The turtles are a fixture at Heritage Park. People like them and stop and take pictures as they lounge on their personal ramp or sunbathe on the warm rocks. A word to the wise: don’t even think about a selfie with the turtles because you can only get so close to them before they freak out and plop into the water. I took this photo from under the covered bridge, where I guess I remained invisible.
There were feathers in the water … lots of feathers and it wasn’t even molting time for our feathered friends.
After taking a lot of photos at Coan Lake, I walked through the historical area. The old Grist Mill brightens up the perimeter of Coan Lake.
The Little Red Schoolhouse.
The Little Red Schoolhouse is my favorite building at this park. This is an actual one-room schoolhouse, originally constructed in 1882 as a catechism room for St. John’s Lutheran Church and purchased and moved to Heritage Park in 1989 and restored, then displayed here since 1992. A Magnolia bush was in the “schoolyard”.
Once a year the Taylor Historical Society has an open house to go and tour the Schoolhouse and the Log Cabin and I’d like to do that someday. Once I was curious about what the classroom looked like, so I walked around trying to take photos and not have myself reflected in the glass panes, especially on a sunny day. On the other side of the schoolhouse were two windows.
As I peered through a window on the left side, a shy young girl looked out at me.
And, as I peered through a window on the right side, there was a young man standing next to some books and seemingly waiving “hello” to me.
The historical Log Cabin house.
As mentioned above, the other historical building is the old Log Cabin house. There is a sign that informs you it is the City of Taylor’s oldest existing home, having been constructed around 1850. It was moved to Heritage Park in 1986 and is used today for various school and civic organization meetings. The back of the Log Cabin house is rather nondescript.
Yes, because I am nosy, I had to peer through each curtained window, though it is dark inside.
The Taylor Historical Society has a skeleton named “Skelly” which they often pose at one of the windows of the Log Cabin for the Halloween event at Heritage Park.
Continuing on my amble around the historical area …
Here’s another shot of the Grist Mill with its darkened windows – I’m tall but not that tall to look through those windows …
The historical West Mound Church’s beautiful stained windows were still covered up, the result of a massive fire which nearly gutted the structure in November 2020. Renovations were extensive and the Church just re-opened in August 2023.
Outside the church was this wishing well.
Having meandered around the most-picturesque park areas, including the covered bridge …
… it was time to bulk up my mileage, so I took the long way to the Botanical Gardens which are located near the Petting Farm, both on the fringe of the Heritage Park campus.
The growing season was young, so the flowers were minimal but still pretty.
The potted plants looked cheery – no butterflies or hummingbirds were around though.
A photo of the event swag is the header image of this post. Participants are invited to send in a “tagline” for the tee-shirt. My tagline was: “WE STRIDE, RIDE & GLIDE TO OVERRIDE HUNGER!” I didn’t win; as you can see, the swag tagline for 2023 was “Run & Roll Over Hunger”. Participants have until May 1st to submit a 2024 tagline entry. I’m thinking of “Strolling and Rolling for Dollars”.
All in a day’s stroll for a worthy cause. Ellen Pfafflin, Fish & Loaves Board member and event organizer advised that the 165 participants who either ran/walked/rowed or biked “helped Fish and Loaves Community Food Pantry purchase enough food to distribute over 2.2 million pounds of food to 21,634 households.”
I am joining Terri Webster Schrandt’s Sunday Stills Challenge for January 14, 2024: “Through a Window”.
P.S. – All the photos in this post were taken on my June 3, 2023 walk with the exception of the close-up photos of the kids at the Little Red Schoolhouse and the curtained windows at the Log Cabin House which were from a prior Fish & Loaves 5k event and I have included these shots for Terri’s Challenge.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
What a great walk, Linda, and for a good cause! Those ducklings were cute. That was a wonderful historical walk you took. In wonder how many miles you walked that day? Thanks for sharing the walk and windows with us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I really like this cause Terri. I was surprised the large ducklings were still so fuzzy – the geese were nearly all grown up. I looked on my notes and I did 5 1/2 miles that day. I forgot to include it. I was rushing to ensure I got the post done because we have had the high winds advisory all weekend in case I lost my internet. Glad you liked the walk and the windows – I had to borrow my prior windows shots from an on-site 5k to make “windows” happen for this post. 🙂 Enjoy your stay in sunny California.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice you sharing Strolling and Rolling for Dollars”.!
Excellent your photography! Beautiful geese lined up along the water’s edge pondering “to plunge or not to plunge?” that’s was a nice historical walk you. Nice schoolhouse & school yards, Beautiful window.
Thanks, Linda sharing historical place!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked the post Raj – I sure wish it was a warm and sunny day like this one. It is a beautiful venue to walk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was lovely to see all your photos of greenery and flowers on a cold winter night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hopefully it helped to warm you up Anne. I resolve never to take the beautiful weather for granted, especially during ugly and brutal weather days like we have right now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely stroll Linda. Love seeing fluff ball chicks and t he red school house among all of the others 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Brian – this is a beautiful venue, right in the middle of a city. The red schoolhouse always looks so cheerful. A few years ago I took various photos of a Mama Goose in the Spring, from sitting on a nest in some boulders, to looking at her nest full of eggs on Easter Sunday, then I returned to take pictures of her goslings. They have lots of geese here, but they were the first ones that year to have goslings. I will have another 5k post from this park coming up next month related to veterans.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a fun post to read on a very chilly morning! It warmed my heart to see all the happy critters and to know your and the others’ collective efforts delighted us and over 2.2 million pounds of food to 21,634 households!! Much to celebrate. The school house photos are my favorite, I love that beautiful pop of red. Thanks for taking photos through the windows too. 🥳🙌🏻🎉🦆🏫
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, everything was so green and lush Shelley … then we look outside now. Ugh! I was amazed so much money was raised to buy all that food. The registration fee is $38.00 and they don’t ask you to get donations from supporters, so a great effort just from the registration fee from the 165 people that participated. I like those little kids looking out the schoolhouse window – that’s my favorite building too. I have to get a picture of the skeleton looking out the window at the Log Cabin. They dress him up in a costume for Halloween.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Only 165 people, wow, that’s even more impressive!
I think the adding of the little kids is a great touch.
Yes, the skeleton will be a nice touch to your October post this year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know they pose that skeleton in front of the log cabin house as well. He is sitting on a bale of hay. I saw the pictures the next day on Facebook’s Heritage Park Photo of the Day – I follow the photographer who goes there daily to take pictures, often of people, especially for weddings/prom/homecoming. They have a Halloween event with a headless horseman riding thru the park, a group of dancing wishes, and a route for kids in costume to take to get candy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so much fun, and a great photo op for you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope I am caught up on my 2023 photos/walk narratives by then. I had that grid of “excursions” to keep straight, but I have to update as I’ve skipped around to fit the walks to the Challenges. Hmm. Spring seems awfully far away now by the look and feel of outside.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the pictures of the dolls looking out the windows! The feathers on the water was also a very nice shot. It’s always fun to see the little red schoolhouse, the log cabin and the grist mill. And of course, the goose youngsters. You covered a lot of territory on your Happy Soles 5k walk — congratulations, well done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like those dolls looking out the windows too – it adds a little charm to the historical area. That’s a cute idea to do that isn’t it? This is a favorite park of mine and always something to see. I like my route better than the actual 5k route – it’s more picturesque. Thank you Barbara! Next month I’ll be doing a post about another 5k done in July at this venue to benefit veterans.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Talk about weather that is a 180 from where we are today. The schoolhouse makes me feel nostalgic about a time I never experienced. The bird building a nest in a lamp light, well… that I’m not nostalgic about at all. Those litter buggers can destroy anything.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, the weather looks so sunny and pleasant – five more months to go. I vow not to take those beautiful weather days for granted going forward after being outside today to run the car then back . The red schoolhouse is a favorite building of mine too Ally – especially when it casts reflections on Coan Lake. Sparrows have been the bane of my existence over the years – they nest and raise their young in my outside blinds. Yes, they can destroy anything.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely walk, Linda. Thanks for taking us along with you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed the walk Robin.
LikeLike
Turtles! All you had to do was post that picture and you would’ve earned my like. Blue herons can’t read signs, huh? 🙂 Also, I paused for just a second thinking the little bird on top of the lamp(post) was real.
The route of the 5k reminds me of a similar charity run/walk I did alongside my daughter in Colorado Springs a few years ago. All through a large park as well, only every half-“k” or so they had a giant inflatable you would navigate (slides, bouncy houses). It was really fun.
Go LIONS! The extra home game is a huge bonus. You owe one to Green Bay.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a fun venue to walk Dave and I’ll have another post coming up next month for another virtual 5k at Heritage Park – that one done in July was to benefit veterans. A little more subdued and more flowers at the Botanical Gardens as they were blooming profusely by then. You have to sneak up on the turtles or they are gone in a flash. 🙂 That light post was a bit dilapidated as were several others with the one glass plate out – the sparrow in the picture kept flitting in and out of the lamp post and feeling pretty happy with itself. Your charity run/walk sounds fun. The two, in-person Fish & Loaves 5ks I did in 2018 and 2019 were fun events, but not as much action as yours though.
Everyone is pumped up about the Lions! A reporter at Metro Airport this morning said there were a lot of fans from other states for last night’s game and they did mention a thank you to Green Bay. We are lucky to have the next game at home which will bode well for another win!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the turtles and duckies! It looks like you had a wonderful day.
Although I imagine it’s better than ending up as someone’s dinner, catch and release has always seemed a bit cruel to me. The pain of the hook and stress of being taken out of the water – even for a little while – can’t be good for the fish. Maybe I’m just too much of a softy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure you are right Janis. I have a friend who is a fly fisherman and he and his fishing buddies go to various locations for a week of non-stop fishing. They never keep what they catch. I’ve seen Joe’s videos how he brings them out of the water into a tub of water in the boat, so they don’t lose oxygen, then are gently released again, but I don’t know if everyone does that gentle method. They’re probably gasping for air the entire time. I’m a softy too!
LikeLike
A nice variety of birds and flowers, and of course, it’s always fun to see turtles! An interesting stroll for a good cause.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was nice seeing all the flowers blooming Rebecca. Another five months before we see blooms like that again. I had more turtle pics and reluctantly left them out as they looked so similar. They love sunbathing on the little ramp the Park made for them around the seawall. I like this charity. I will have another 5k post from this venue next month – it was a 5k for veterans.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great post for a very cold day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kate – I wish it was like that today – brrr and endless ice everywhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun for you to watch all the babies jump into the water and for you to see the turtles climbing out of the water.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it was TD – I think Mama Goose said “go ahead, jump!” But her very large goslings were reluctant for the longest time. Those turtles are sweet. They also sit on the rocks to sunbathe. Last year I did a Father’s Day post about a lot of the turtles that were sitting on a big rock around “Dad”. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think mama duck said “last one in is the rotten egg!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was all they needed TD! Mama’s word is like gospel. 🙂
LikeLike
What a beautiful late spring/early summer day to walk! I bet if you visited the same venue now, it would be all gray and brown…or maybe white! Not a fan of this cold weather. We are on our way to Florida to visit my sister. Very happy to have an excuse to escape the cold.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it was exceptionally warm and sunny that day Laurie – a perfect Summer day. I went to Heritage Park once or twice in Winter through the years. The little red schoolhouse made for a pretty photo and the ducks were lined up on the ice-covered pond by the covered bridge, huddled together and looked so very cold. You’re like me about this cold. We are day #3 in the deep freeze and it’s ice-covered outside. Tonight it’s going down to -25 again. Florida sounds like the perfect place to visit and wait out these extreme temps.
LikeLiked by 1 person
NEGATIVE 25?!?! That’s crazy! Stay warm, Linda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Laurie – we are going to the same real-feel temps tonight and have a windchill advisory until noon on Wednesday. (Right now at 7:30 p.m., it is 6 degrees and -4 real-feel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
WOW. So many fun photos!!!! Great choices.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Kirstin – I am glad you enjoyed seeing them. It is always difficult to pick what pics to leave in or out. I got rid of some of the turtle photos and today people were saying they liked the turtles – next time I’ll leave them all in!
LikeLike
A great cause and I liked your 2023 tagline suggestion better than the winner! It’s great that they’ve preserved these historic building in a heritage park.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it is Eilene, especially with inflation at a 40-year high. Thank you – I always try to come up with a fun tagline, but I’ve not had one chosen yet. I like the historical buildings. They are what make this park a local jewel and a popular stop for poses after weddings, homecoming and prom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You always seem to find interesting creatures on your walk abouts Linda and with this being a fundraiser a real win win for everybody!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Wayne – this walk was fun as there were all these grown-up goslings walking around. They were huge and hungry. They were together, like they were in a pack, looking for food. The guy threw out the crackers and they went crazy. 🙂 It is for a good cause and I will have another 5K to write about at the same park and it was to raise money for the memory of fallen soldiers and for veterans from last July.
LikeLike
I am already at that place in winter when I doubt that spring and/or summer are ever going to come back. This usually happens sometime in February.
Anyway, I used to do 5Ks in person, with a group of women that ran together. Well, Ran is a word open to interpretation. But we had fun for sure. Then on a 10 mile race I fell within sight of the finish line, tripped on uneven bricks in the road, and broke my little finger and that’s the last time I ran. Didn’t know you needed your little finger to run, did you!
I have done a couple virtual races, running with a friend who lives in California. Because of the time difference between her and me, I started later in the day than I’d like to and she started earlier in the day than she’d want. We started at the same time and I usually posted a selfie of my sweatie self at the half way mark. She could walk so fast that I’d have to jog to finish in a time even remotely similar to hers.
Rambling, but good memories, even the broken finger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds fun Dawn, but too bad about the broken finger … well, thank goodness it wasn’t more breaks – you actually lucked out. I liked doing the 5ks in person rather than virtually, but have not done any in-person events since Covid. I have another 5k to write about from last year – I am always behind writing about my walks since I take a lot of them in the good weather (which seems like eons ago). That other 5k was also at this park with money going to honor fallen soldiers and veterans … they allow virtual runs. It is “Run to Honor”.
My most-fun 5k was in Dearborn near the Ford Estate – the event was the Mutt Strut where people brought their dogs to the event. You could run/walk the 5k with your dog (or yourself if you had no dog) and if you had a senior dog, or, if you were a senior owner, you could do a one-mile event. There were a lot of dog breeds there at Ford Field Park in Dearborn and there were vendors all related to pets, plus something cute where a pit bull had her own kissing booth – $1.00 for each kiss. All the money went to “Friends of Animals” a no-kill shelter in Dearborn. I’m no fan of Winter to begin with and this long spell of ice, snow and brutal wind chills will make Winter linger on, despite being so mild before this. I walk daily at a small park, so I have my squirrels and birds I feed and I am hoping they stay up in their nests and don’t venture down until I can get there. Speaking of uneven pavement and falling – they do not plow the pathway at the Park so it has to look better on the streets and sidewalks for me to even try walking to the Park.
LikeLike
That sounds like a lot of fun! In the old days my Katie was much to old to do a 5K. Now I have Penny, 13 months old. The longest walk we’ve done is 2. something miles around a lake at Independence Oaks. Slowly. I’ll have to see if she and I can get in shape to walk 5K! I did both my virtual ‘runs’ at Indian Springs. When it gets a little nicer I’ll take her there and we’re work our way up to walking a bit longer. I don’t think I realized you were here in Michigan. Maybe you told me, I have the worst memory these days. Also I think you said you, too, were born in 1956? Or was that someone else? 1956 was a very good year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it was a lot of fun Dawn. I enjoyed it even though I don’t have a dog … I will send you a separate comment with the link to that post if you want to see the pictures of the dogs and event. I am glad I went because I saw the Henry and Clara Ford Estate – we walked past it and I’ve gone back many times since then to walk and write about it. Yes, I am in Lincoln Park … you and I were discussing the Rochester Light Show. And yes, it was me – also born in 1956 … it was a very good year. 🙂
LikeLike
Here is the link to the Mutt Strut – already almost five years ago. I lose track of time and think in terms of “before COVID” and “after COVID” anymore.
LikeLike
I love that you use some of your walks to do fundraising. The baby geese and ducks are in what I call the awkward teenage stage. Our chickens always look funny what they still have some fluff but are getting their feathers. It’s cute that they have the dolls looking out the schoolhouse windows. My favorite picture has to be the turtles. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have one more 5k from 2023 to write about and it was at this same park in July – “Running to Honor” to honor the memories of fallen soldiers, plus to spotlight veterans’ suicides. There are 22 suicides a day in the U.S. by veterans. I will writ about that event for my February 11th post as I took some more subdued photos, among them some photos of the large heart they have at the Botanical Gardens. So it will be Valentine’s week. I have registered for three 5ks for 2024 (these two again and Run for the Trees). Those turtles are sweet Ruth – I should have used more pictures – I had three more and thought they might look alike, so I didn’t use them. Now I’m sorry. The ducks, like your chickens, were a little fluffy, but some of the goslings were almost as big as their parents with more adult plumage. I thought that is a cute look having the dolls in their old-fashioned clothing looking out the windows. I would like to go inside one time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the old buildings, especially the red school house. Fundraising is great and you can enjoy yourself while doing it !
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like these historical buildings too Susan, especially that cute little red schoolhouse. I have another 5k to write about from last July at the same venue, a 5k to honor veterans – I’ll write about that in February. I like the virtual 5ks because I can meander around like I normally do. When I did the in-person 5ks, I lagged behind the rest of the walkers as I was taking photos along the way, but that was okay as I wasn’t aiming for a record or a prize, just capturing the ambiance of the event.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I usually like to walk alone too because of those reasons plus I don’t want to have to keep up with faster walkers. I hurt myself once doing that lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
There are a couple of women race walkers at the Park. They only walk together in the Summer when school is out as one of them works at one of the schools. A couple of times they said “come, walk with us” … no more. They zip around the pathway – no joy in that at all – that’s not an enjoyable walk to me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for taking us on your walk with you, Linda! I too was drawn to that little red schoolhouse. My grandmother taught in a one-room school, around 1910. Five of her nine grandchildren became teachers; I was one of them (26 years).
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you enjoyed the walk Nancy and Happy New Year. I also like the little red schoolhouse … it is so cute and picturesque, especially when there are reflections on Coan Lake. I would say your grandmother inspired her grandchildren since so many of you went into this profession. Congratulations on being a schoolteacher all those years!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our grandmother was a rare woman of strong faith in God, gentle kindness, and consistent goodness–not because life had been easy. She suffered through at least several tragedies. Her example lives in the hearts of all of us cousins. / Thank you for the congratulations on surviving (😁) the classroom for 26 years! Most of the time I greatly enjoyed my work–it was very rewarding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nancy, it is probably those tragedies in your grandmother’s lifetime that made her the woman that she was and much stronger for having lived through them. School is a lot different than when we were growing up so yes, congratulations are in order to you for sure. I am sure when you read about or run into students you had through the years, it gives you a sense of pride that you helped mold them into what they are today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How commendable for you to participate in your sixth Happy Soles 5k to help people in need Linda! I love the picture of the church and all those beautiful flowers, bring on spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Diane – I appreciate you saying that! I do like this event as it is a very worthwhile charity and its food pantry serves many people in the community. It’s nice the church finally opened after its extensive restoration and as it got close to the end of 2023, there was a news story that now that the church was open there would be many people getting married or renewing their vows on New Year’s Eve because of the unusual date: 123123.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I forgot about that! Terry had told me they were expecting that somewhere else like Vegas or someplace.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I heard that too Diane. They always have a lot of people trying to get married on unique dates to that they can remember their anniversary date. 🙂
LikeLike
I would vote for “Strolling and Rolling for dollars.” The little red schoolhouse is adorable!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Linda! I think I will submit it. We raised a lot of money for food with only 165 participants. I think it is very cute. I was there last Summer once when they were ringing the bell. That was a first – you could hear it all around Coan Lake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do you know that one of the things I love about you, aside from your stories and pictures, is your willingness to find your own path. And in doing so, you see and experience things the rest of us miss. As always, I enjoy following you on your journey.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for saying that Zazzy – that makes me feel good. I hope I can always appreciate and capture photos of the small things. I went on another 5K virtual stroll through this same park in July 2023; I will write about that walk in February. That event was for veterans and the plight of veteran suicide in the U.S. (22 a day). Instead of taking photos of the fun things and critters in this park, I took more subdued pics, reflections mostly and some dew on spider webs and some flowers. It was a peaceful morning walk. I just signed up for both 5ks a week or so ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person