Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, MI.

Hi everyone!

I’ve posted about Frederik Meijer Gardens before;  but we went there in late April, and I wanted to share some of the spring photos.
Frederik Meijer began one of the largest grocery chains in Michigan.   It ultimately grew to serve Illinois, Ohio and Indiana too.   Since Grand Rapids is his home base, he began Frederik Meijer Gardens as a place where the community and visitors from all over the world, can come, relax and enjoy the surroundings.

 A pond in the garden with a simple bench for reading or relaxing.

A pond in the gardens with an inviting bench.

 

A simple shed turns into a magical place with pink dogwood branches making an entrance arch.

A shed is tucked away under spring flowers, like a secret house.

Pretty falls sparkle in the sun; splashing water on the rocks as it tumbles to the bottom.

Cool spring water flows softly down the rocky falls, diving into the pond.

The palace must be her home, she thinks, as this dainty royal purple tulip bows her head.

A heavy water-laden purple tulip bows royally.

After a sleepy winter, the pond awakes with soft colors, mirroring the new buds around its perimeter.

A pond shows off its reflection with new spring buds.

A quick storm blows through and sets off a flurry of activity in the sky.  The clouds form amazing, cotton candy puffs and colors to dazzle the eyes.

The storm is over; the clouds have a party in the sky.

Shades of blue and pink decorate the late evening sky. What a treat!

Thanks for going to Grand Rapids with me!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

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Water Dragon Weekly Sunday Post: Nature

Definition for the word NATURE:  the external world in its entirety; natural scenery, (amongst others).
via Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

In Glacier National Park, Avalanche Falls spills beautiful turquoise water from high in the mountains.  The turquoise color comes from glacial silt or rock flour.  Glacial water has tiny bits of rock and minerals (rock flour) that are suspended in the water from the grinding action of the glacier.  The rock flour reflects the green spectrum of sunlight, so the water appears green or green-blue.  

Glacier National Park's Avalanche Falls slips through craggy rocks on its way to the bottom. Nature was impacted by the strength of the falls, as it cut through the rocks. The rocks have changed shape and texture, giving way to the power of the water.

Waterton Peace Park in Canada is home to Chutes Blackiston or Blackiston Falls.  Once again, nature has created a space by the forces of water.  The water in Blackiston Falls splashes noisily as it careens around two corners in its search for the peaceful, turquoise pool at the bottom.  In this case,  perhaps the water was not strong enough to go through the huge rock near the end, so a turn through an easier path was made.  Whatever the case, it is a beautiful sight and sound to behold.

At Waterton Peace Park in Canada, Chutes Blackiston, or Blackiston Falls, churn around a corner and fall dramatically into a turquoise pool.

To learn more about Glacier National Park, click Here.

To learn more about Waterton Peace Park, Canada, click Here.

Thanks for visiting!
Judy
All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

 

Wild Goose, Logan’s and Salamanders. Where are we?

We are in Glacier National Park, Montana!  It’s one of my favorite places.  I have some photos to share with you.  I took them on our last trip in 2008.  The first picture is of Wild Goose Island on St. Mary’s Lake. Hopefully you can see the tiny island in the middle of this 10 mile long lake.  

It’s a beautiful spot for photos, especially in the morning.  It’s on the east side of the park, so anything on the east side will be good for morning shots.  The west side is perfect for late afternoon and early evening photo shoots.  I’ve read that you can go to Wild Goose Island in a boat…but I haven’t tried this.  Yet!