Climate change and El Niño partnered to create a beautiful Autumn here in Southeast Michigan and Veterans Day 2023 was no exception – it was a sunny, Pure Michigan day. I was eager to explore a woodsy area located between Heritage Park and Wayne County Community College, so I decided this was the day to discover the Fletcher Discovery Trail.
I’ve written at length about picturesque Heritage Park in every season. I haven’t done a Winter walk in a while, but believe me, the Mallards huddled together on icy Coan Lake, with the covered bridge as a backdrop, or snow settled atop the Little Red Schoolhouse is a sight to behold.
I arrived around 10:00 a.m. and was happy to see the Maple trees ablaze in a fiery red and still quite showy, so the camera came out of its pouch very quickly.
After a quick meander around the historical area, I paused near the Hand Train Station for a few minutes.
The renovations were complete on the railway cars.
Heritage Park is always sprucing up this venue which the City of Taylor proudly calls “The Jewel of the City” and, since I often visit this park, I have watched the transformation of the two railroad cars, a caboose and boxcar, from faded red and worn looking, to bare wood and now they sport traditional Christmas colors of red and green.
To be honest, I liked the original worn look better, but here they are now, spiffed up with new paint.
Well, you sure won’t miss them at the entrance to the park.
You might need sunglasses to look at that bright green box car.
Its wheels look like they were refurbished as they are now brighter.
The caboose was tomato red, emblazoned with its green maple leaf logo. Did you wave at the caboose when a train passed when you were a kid? I always did.
I paused at Coan Lake, camera in hand, to take photos of a half-dozen Canada Geese that seemed pretty sedate …
… then. all of a sudden, they made a quick getaway and I hastily stepped back, lest I get splashed. I know I didn’t spook them as I wasn’t that close, so perhaps it was “false alarm flighting” (when flocks of birds suddenly take flight even when there is no known predator in sight).
The Mallard ducks weren’t interested in any goings-on with the geese nor me.
It was time to wander the Fletcher Discovery Trail, which, although created in 2018, was new to me. It is a pathway through the seven-acre woodsy area connecting Heritage Park and the Wayne County Community College campus.
I was happy to discover this Fletcher Discovery Trail.
As I strayed from the trailhead, to walk along a rather nondescript trail, the birds were singing, a squirrel was chattering and I couldn’t help thinking about the contrast to Veterans Day 2019 when we awoke to a record 9.2 inches of snow. Yes, it was a fluke and two days later no traces of the “white stuff” remained.
It was not dense woods; I could see the sky through the trees. I was alone for this entire excursion, but for a woman jogger and her German Shepherd which happily loped alongside her.
I kept swiveling my head around, hoping to find the mated pair of Wood Ducks. Our local Audubon Society saw and photographed them perching in the trees along the trail a few years back, but I had no luck seeing them.
Leaves were fluttering down fast and furiously, surprising me, since the Maples at Heritage Park were still full of leaves. Oaks seemed to be the predominant trees with leaves littering the trail, but a fair amount of Maple leaves were included in this freefall. I tried taking photos of those falling leaves but they were faster than my finger pressing the shutter button.
I found fungi on some fallen logs.
And, on the topic of fallen logs … someone scribbled a message.
This log looks like my chair seat after it cracked in two causing me to fall in a heap on the kitchen floor last Summer. Ouch!
Leaves, less vibrant, with muted gold and red tones, stood out from the crinkled leaves which crunched under my heavy walking shoes.
I guessed all the green leaves were gone until the new leaves unfurled in Spring.
The graffiti artists were working hard in the woods.
Not far off the beaten path, something caught my eye that looked a bit out of place in a woodsy area. I passed this huge container and wondered what it was used for since Heritage Park has a building, which resembles a barn near the Petting Farm, where heavy machinery is stored.
I had to stand back to get a shot of everything. You may remember the “Peace-n-Love” post I did for Valentine’s Day week featuring some of this artwork. I found those tags here.
I saw several deflated pumpkins, no doubt left by homeowners as a treat for the wildlife … query: who were those pumpkin eaters?
The squirrels (or some hidden critter which I did not see) likely were the culprits that further decimated these orange orbs.
Interestingly, the fleshy part of the pumpkin was gone, but the seeds were left behind or embedded in the dead leaves. I guess pumpkin seeds are not a treat.
So, this begs the question, did the squirrels spit them out like we used to spit out watermelon seeds when eating a “smile” of watermelon as kids? Seedless watermelons were not available when I was a kid, so Mom would caution “Linda, spit out the seeds or a watermelon will grow inside of you.” Well that was quite a visual, so believe me, I spit out the seeds!
After exploring the entire trail, I headed back to Heritage Park where the sun was brighter and it was actually warm enough to unzip my jacket. I was happy I decided to explore beyond this pretty park and will be returning here again, in search of those elusive Wood Ducks.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Pingback: Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: Saving Daylight with #Green – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives
You get a lot of great photos at Heritage Park, Linda! Nice that they do consistent renovations and upkeep–looks like a busy place with all the waterfowl! Those green train cars are quite green and brilliant. That crisp day last autumn really brought out the clarity and colors.
I have to drive to a few parks and the entrance to the Centennial Trail about 10+ minutes from home. In Sacramento, I could ride my bicycle 10 minutes to the American River Bike Trail which was quite amazing. You reminded me that I can drive a few miles further and walk through a City of Spokane park–I’ll have to check it out soon!
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Thank you Terri. When you put out the color challenge, I knew those railway cars would be a good pick for this post. They looked bad all Summer, from bare wood to primer before the paint job. I bought corn to take to the ducks here this Winter, then had so much ice in my driveway I never made it out of the driveway when it was the coldest weather. Seeing about 50+ ducks on the frozen ice is quite a sight. That’s very close for you to get out in nature – sounds good to me. This venue is only five miles away, so it’s not too far either. I have a Mother Canada Goose there who nests in the boulders around the covered bridge every year. I’ll be going there soon to see if she does it this year, the fourth year in a row.
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You know I like nature and all but you have trains 👍😁
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Yes, trains are cool too and they don’t move just as I take the photo! These two are fairly old, but not as old as some of your vehicles you show us. 🙂
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Your love nature photography of Heritage park. Wonderful the Maple trees ablaze in a fiery red and still quite show & Nice railway, green box car and wonder Geese that seemed pretty sedate …. I like my friend Linda!
Have a sweet night!
You have nice going New week!
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Thank you Raj – I am glad you like the photos. Same back at you!
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Okay thanks,Linda!
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Wow — the fiery red maple tree is stunning and takes me back a couple of seasons! The bright green box car stands out but I wonder if it will gently fade after the sun shines on it for a few years. Very nice mallard portraits. The Fletcher Discovery Trail looks very inviting. I tried (and failed) to get pictures of the falling leaves last fall, too. I wonder if there will be a pumpkin patch growing this summer in the spot where the seeds were left. Hope you find the wood ducks on your next visit. What a lovely day you had there.
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Glad you liked this post Barbara – it was such a gorgeous day, so perfect to try out this new trail. It was not too long, so no chance to get lost. Fall is my favorite season and I was happy to still have some gorgeous Maple trees to photograph. I took a lot of photos of the falling leaves and was sure I captured some of them, but nope – nothing. Maybe next year. That’s a good question about a potential pumpkin patch because I thought squirrels ate everything. The green boxcar seemed so glaring and hopefully it does fade a bit in time. For years, they had a very weathered red barn in back of the Petting Farm. The pain was worn off, they patched up the back with old signs and the white fence around it was decrepit as well. But it made for nice photos and they had a huge lilac bush there and it was in bloom near the red barn and white fence. Very picturesque! But they tore all that down and put a huge storage building, made to resemble the Petting Farm to not destroy the ambiance, but it is not quite the same.
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I enjoyed the walk with you. The red maples are so beautiful. You found a rainbow of colors there, that’s so fun! You even got a colorful comment on the mural… I love the question: “Did you wave at the caboose when a train passed when you were a kid?” YES, still do, except I don’t know if the drivers know what I’m doing when I try it now. And, I spit out the seeds too, I didn’t want a watermelon growing in my stomach either! 🤣 I’m with you on the green on the train being a tad over the top. It sure stands out though. It’ll be fun to see what you find when you revisit there this summer.
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Glad you liked tagging along Shelley. There is always something to see at this park and I saw a few more critters, but I’ll keep them for a Wordless Wednesday post sometime. I’m glad I am not the only one who waved/waves at the caboose but I only pass over one railroad track anymore and I’ve been lucky to dodge the train. We do have one local railroad crossing that’s horrible … if you get stuck, you’ll be there forever as it’s usually 100+ freight cars. Our moms thought alike! I’d be really careful eating anything with seeds – a visual that lasted throughout my childhood. 🙂 I did a double-take when I saw that green train. The last time it was bare wood and I assumed it would be red like before – they were both a darkish red color before.
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Yes, I enjoyed tagging along.
My dad’s first home as a child was in a train car. I adored the Boxcar children’s books. We live close to the train tracks so we hear them often throughout the night. The conductors seem to be a bit evil when they’re blowing their horns at 1:15 am. 🙄
Yes – I had nightmares occasionally about the seeds growing that I accidentally swallowed. 🤣
I prefer the original colors too. Bright green just seems off.
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That is interesting about your dad Shelley. I didn’t read any of the Boxcar children’s books, so I guess they came along when I was older or they didn’t have them growing up in Canada. I’m about two miles from the train tracks, but we have some conductors that blow their horn all the time, at all hours of the night. I’m not close enough to disturb my sleep though, but my mom used to say “he must be saying ‘hi’ to his sweetie – surely there is no need to blow that horn incessantly!” It’s funny we both worried so much about swallowing seeds as kids! I prefer the muted colors too.
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I wish I would’ve held on to a copy of one of those books, but then what would I do with it now? 🤔
Once again, your mom’s comments are so fun to read. She was so clever. 😄
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An interesting walk. Your pictures are wonderful as always!
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Thank you Kate!
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You are lucky to have easy access to such peaceful parks and hikes.
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Yes I am lucky Dave and every park around me, large or small, has water so that means there will be birds. Even though this is a man-made lake, it still gets its share of waterfowl. P.S. The turtles were not out on their ramp or rocks that day. A beautiful Fall day, but too chilly for them.
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Thanks for the fall tour! 🙂 Your nature photos are fabulous and I like the bright green train as well.
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Glad you enjoyed the fall tour Debbie. It’s my favorite season so that makes it easy to take a lot of picturesque photos. I was surprised that suddenly the train was bright green when it had been bare wood when I’d been up there about a month before. I know I did a double-take when I saw it!
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Grand Trunk Western has one doozy of a bright green color going on there. I like all shades of green so all your photos look good to me.
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They sure did Ally – quite a contrast from when I’d been there a few weeks before and it was still bare wood. Glad you liked the new color!
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That trail that you discovered makes me want to go trail running! It looks beautiful. I hope you find those wood ducks. Maybe this spring if they nest in the area.
I had a LOT of trouble springing forward last weekend (unlike the geese). Bill and I were in Thailand, which is 12 hours ahead of our East Coast time. We had registered for a race on Sunday morning, so we had to get up early and get going. Our internal clocks are still messed up!
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That’s a good idea to return when the wood ducks might be nesting. It is so odd to see them up in the trees. I finally saw two females and some ducklings paddling around the marsh last year at Lake Erie Metropark. Oh my – that would be difficult Laurie – in fact, you might as well have not gone to bed to avoid losing momentum. I hope you slept on the plane coming home? You will now be out of whack for a while. I don’t think I’ve known anyone who visited Thailand – you are always full of adventures!
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LOL!!!😂
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On the cusp of spring, I enjoyed the vibrant colors of fall in your post.
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I know we anxiously await the arrival of Spring, but I always think Fall is a much more picturesque … you always enjoy the Maples at Heritage Park. They sometimes look like they are on fire.
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I prefer Fall.
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Seems like fall was just a short time ago, especially without the long dreary winter we usually expect.
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I know thesimlux. Fall is my favorite season and it always seems fleeting to me. We have had such a weird Winter here in SE Michigan – today 70F/21C and Sunday we had a dusting of snow.
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Such beautiful color on the maples!
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Linda, we had a good Fall color season in 2023 – the Maples were all gorgeous, especially the Red Maples – they looked like they were on fire!
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Wonderful walk among the trees, leaves, fungi, and fowl birds! What stood out the most for me were the bright green train and orange caboose. They are so brightly painted that you can’t miss them on this walk.
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Glad you enjoyed the walk Esther – my favorite time of year and it was a beautiful day fir a walk. I was very surprised to see the “new” colors of the caboose and box car since the last time they were bare wood and they sure are bright!
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The box car and caboose are so colorful and nice!!
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They do keep this park up as it gets a lot of visitors – when it is prom and homecoming time, groups of kids gather here with their friends before the event to get photos taken. They sure are colorful Esther!
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It looks like they did a nice job on the train cars. It makes me sad they don’t have a caboose anymore. I don’t remember you breaking a chair and falling! Your pictures are so beautiful Linda, keep them coming.
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Glad you liked the photos Diane. The train cars were bare wood for the longest time; then I went there that day and saw the new colors. I didn’t realize they don’t have a caboose anymore. I always used to wave at it and if the conductor saw me, he’d wave back. Every time we drove from our house in Oakville to see my grandmother in Toronto, there were train tracks so we often saw a train. I rarely see a train anymore – I have learned different routes to go around them if possible. The last time I got stopped by a train, there had to have been 150 freight cars. I thought it would never end.
I took a photo of the chair so I’ll find it and send it to you. I was sitting at the kitchen table and heard a big crack and the whole chair seat collapsed leaving a wide crack in the seat, sending me to the floor. I was lucky as I could have broken something. When we moved to the States in 1966, we brought this maple dining room set with us – it has a corner cabinet as well. I took a photo of the chair seat because I could not believe how it broke apart!
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the green train is so fun. Great choices for the theme.
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Thank you Kirstin. When Terri put out that Color Challenge, I knew that bright green train would be perfect!
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Heritage Park sounds like such a beautiful place. You must feel so blessed being able to visit ❤️
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I do enjoy going there Zena – there is always something to photograph while there, whether it is the Mallards at picturesque Coan Lake, or the old buildings in the historical district. Munch would like it there – it a popular place for dog walking in that area as well as the perimeter asphalt walking/biking path on the other side.
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Hooray, I am finally in time to comment on one of your posts!
I love the train cars – I could spend a lot of time poring over their details. And the beautiful fall photography seems like a lifetime ago, as spring gets going.
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I know it’s rough for you. I got behind that one time – 14 days and then we had the ice storm that knocked out my Comcast internet for four or five days. I actually still have the info on the history of the train cars if you are interested JP. I was going to put it in the post, then left it out at the last minute. There was a forum that I landed on when trying to figure out how old the boxcar and caboose actually were. I’ll send it to you in a different comment. It shows the boxcar before it got painted bright green. Fall is my favorite season. The colors, the whole Fall flavor and festivities.
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Here is the link I referenced JP – a forum like your car forum, only all about train restoration. I had more info on the inside of the box car with photos, but must have deleted it.
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46367
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