Midland MI

 

Midland

October 2022

            Haven’t seen Russ’ brother Doug & sister-in-law Ann in, well, way too long. Thought to drive with some other visits along the way, but too daunting. And we have lots of United miles accumulated during the pandemic. Reasonable connections, so flying won out.

 Tuesday, October 4: “Club Hopping”

            Our usual very early start, to Albany International Airport (sounds impressive!) at 4:30am for our 6:15 flight. Easy check-in and thru security, 1^st time with our TSA “Known Traveler Numbers.” Pretty sunrise at takeoff, early to O’Hare. 

Layover of 6+ hours! We have Lounge Passes thru our United credit cards to ease the stay. To the nearest Club, sign says “Not Accepting One-Time Passes.” Oh no! But Marjorie charms our way in. It is quite crowded, but clears out pretty quickly. We find comfortable chairs and partake of the breakfast buffet. A gate listed for our next flight looks to be a long walk to a different concourse (C to F) in a different terminal. We’re told there’s another Club Lounge near the F gate (nicer than this one, the agent says) and that it’s OK to “hop” to another. A 15-minute walk takes us underground (pretty lights) to F concourse, where it’s now time for the lunch buffet and watching planes take off.

A smaller regional plane operated by Air Wisconsin. Across Lake Michigan and over pretty farm country. Very tidy looking farms, almost toy-like from above; solar windmills. A bit early again into Saginaw/Midland MBS International Airport, quite a bit smaller than Albany. 

Doug greets us, a short wait for our checked bag, then a 15-minute drive to Midland. Their daughter Katie is visiting, and we’re energetically & loudly greeted by dogs-in-law Mi’Ja & Cindy. We settle in for the evening, enjoying Ann’s pretty fabric & fiber creations throughout the house, including our bedroom.     

 Wednesday, October 5: “From Big Bugs to Massaweepie”

            I’m up early as usual. The sun is up much later than Albany here at the western edge of Eastern time. Out for a walk as the sky begins to brighten. Pretty neighborhoods & homes, some nice Halloween decorations & a collection of birdhouses, black squirrels. Confusion coming back (and most of the time we’re here) finding the right house- address & front door are Windy Gyle but driveway is on Abigail. Sports news: Judge has finally hit his 62^nd home run, breaking the Yankee & American League record; and higher totals are steroid-tainted. Ann & Katie off to a meeting, Doug waits for their cleaning crew, so we’re given keys to their big Toyota Highlander hybrid to go tour Dow Gardens.

          The Gardens are fabulous! The 110-acre site was the home of Herbert H. & Grace Dow beginning in 1899; she established a foundation to honor his legacy thru education & culture. Spring sees flowering of more than 20,000 bulbs, by summer more than 35,000 annuals. Beautiful trees sprinkled with fall color, meandering streams & ponds, many different flower garden areas with lots of colorful blossoms for this time of year. 

“Big Bug” sculptures up to 17’ high spread around; e.g., praying mantis, daddy long-legs, 3 10’ ants, dragonfly with 17’ wingspan. 

Some disappointments: can’t connect with the audio tour, no tram to ride around (“stupid garden,” says Marjorie). We follow Stream Walk to a small Conservatory that steams up my glasses; nevertheless I’m able to take a photo for a mother & baby. To the Color Garden, sculpture of a leaping gazelle & nearby “Dora” sculpture. 

Children’s Garden is especially colorful, plus frog, pig, and other sculptures.

 

Lots of nice reflections throughout the Gardens. Definitely a “Wow!” morning.

            Back home for lunch. Doug shows us his photo & interview on the front page of the Midland Daily News. He represented the “Silent Generation” to comment on Biden becoming the 1^st President from their generation. Then we’re off for more Midland adventures.

          Dahlia Hill provides another “Wow!” An 8-level terraced hillside filled with some 3000 dahlias, more than 250 varieties. So many colors, so many distinctive blossoms. Marjorie enjoys a lengthy chat with one of the volunteer gardeners about how this is all handled in the different seasons. 4 “Seasons of Life” metal sculptures placed among the dahlias. Top of the hill has Equiline Museum: studio & colorful artwork of Charles Breed. One interesting composition: 4 photos of the same man at 20/40/60/80 to represent Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter.

           

We continue into the tidy downtown. Ann is one of 6 co-owners of “Imagine That!” local artist coop that includes some 50 artists on consignment. Beautiful work, and such variety! We find a distinctive mug for our collection. I walk a couple of blocks to the river, a view of the Tridge (triple bridge). 

Down the street from Ann’s shop is colorful “Heather and Holly.” We continue to support regional specialties by buying handmade chocolate bark with cherries (to share). This also continues a cherry theme begun with tasty Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry at the house. We head back home past the Courthouse with pretty decorated exterior.

          

  A good dinner of steak & seafood at Lucky’s Steakhouse. Back home to watch family photos I brought. That encourages Doug to show old Ward family photos, including yours truly at Massaweepie Boy Scout Camp. Today has gone from sublime to ridiculous.

 

Thursday, October 6: “Mid-Century Modern”

            Awake early again but don’t want to go downstairs yet- waking the dogs might wake the people. Breakfast with Doug, Ann, & Katie, then Katie leaves for her cute house (we saw some photos last night). It was so nice we could see her too.

            We’re off on another exploration of Midland on another gorgeous AM. Past the Center for the Arts to the Dow Gardens again, but this time to Canopy Walk in neighboring Whiting Forest. Opened in 2018, it’s the longest such walk in the US (1400’, 40’ above the forest floor). It took 2720 tons of steel to create. Past a Big Bug we missed yesterday: spider on web; altogether we saw 7 of the 8 Bugs (missed the Assassin Bug). 

The walk is so beautiful, winding thru the trees, sun catching the fall colors, overlooks to see below. One overlooks an elaborate playground. The walk ends at a stunning pond reflection where we chat with a family from Branson and trade taking family photos. Past an apple orchard and lovely varieties of grasses. Marjorie notes the use of celery plants to line some garden areas. To Culver’s for lunch. Nicely decorated for Halloween. Doug & Ann join us. Marjorie has her coveted turtle sundae.

           

          Still more to do. Doug got us tour reservations at Alden Dow Studio and Home. We’re early, so time to appreciate the gate house and pretty blue house across from it. Tour requires masks, no interior photos. Alden Dow, son of Herbert (founder of Dow Chemical Co.), was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and a renowned Mid-Modern architect himself. The studio and home, a National Historic Landmark, was built 1934-41. Tour begins in a room partly below pond level; surprisingly this didn’t flood when so much did in 2020 (including Doug & Ann’s basement and Katie’s car). Excellent docent Sarah provides historical/biographical info and architectural details. Another Wow! Dow was “inspired by nature” and his “living spaces reflect harmony with nature and a dynamic interplay of angles, colors, and textures.” 

He made skilled use of natural light. We go thru many rooms: spacious living room, bedrooms & bathrooms, kitchen, a long narrow drafting room parallel to the pond. 

Outside to see the rooms along the pond and angled copper roof. His clever patented “unit blocks” design combined the look he wanted with the strength needed, and were made of waste materials from the Dow plant. Such beautiful, fascinating spaces- he was so inventive & creative. Even a fascinating assortment of art & toys, plus train running thruout. Marjorie’s sister Mary, a big Mid-Modern fan, would love this.

            Off we go, dodging turkeys crossing the road (Why?...I don’t know). Stops at Joanne’s and Family Fare as dark clouds bring some rain. Back home we watch Dr. Fauci get his 3^rd booster on Colbert. After dinner an enjoyable family call with stepsister Mar.     

 

Friday, October 7: “Gourmet Trifecta”

 

           Yet another beautiful AM, tho only 40 to begin. A stop at Tim Horton’s for coffee & donuts; to answer Marjorie’s query, TH was a hockey player. To Chippewa Nature Center at the confluence of Pine & Chippewa Rivers for another Wow!  One of the largest nonprofit nature centers in the US, 1500 acres. A variety of trails, Nature Preschool, and Nature Play Area.  Beautiful exhibits in the Ecosystem Gallery. Visitor Center also includes a good river overlook and windows for viewing busy bird feeders. 

We take the River Trail. Many geese, one group takes off as we near. The trail leads to an 1870s Homestead Farm and a Log Schoolhouse. Wild turkeys wandering about. Leaving we again pass a beautiful golf course.

           

Some relaxing activities before leaving for our flight; Doug assures us we don’t need to be very early to the small airport. Ann gives Marjorie a “fabric & fiber tour” of her artistry. We learn a new game: RAGE, “The Outrageous Card Game.” Excellent lunch at Grand Traverse Pie Company (“Michigan Grown, Midland Handmade”), topped off by cherry pie with crumb topping that combined with turtle sundae & Tim Horton donuts completes a “gourmet trifecta” for Marjorie. In the news: Pebbles, the oldest known dog dies at 22, had 22 puppies with Rocky.

Time to go. Doug takes a short detour to show us “Lake Sanford,” drained when 2020 flooding washed out a dam. To the airport already knowing our flight delayed 37 minutes. Agent tries hard but can’t find alternatives, moves our seats close to the front of the plane, assures us the arrival & departure gates are close. Plane leaves the gate efficiently, maybe we’ll make our flight. But we sit 20 minutes due to O’Hare traffic control!. 

Pretty views on takeoff and Chicago skyline coming in. Unfortunately, we reach out arrival gate about the same time our departing flight leaves its gate. To Customer Service for hotel & meal vouchers and boarding passes for a flight tomorrow. Shuttle to the Marriott O’Hare. A nice room, good dinner, Business Center computer to check e-mail.

 

Saturday, October 8:

            The delay of one day is no big deal. We’re missing a historical driving tour we signed up for, but it was free. Sunny, breezy, chilly AM. Hotel breakfast, shuttle to the airport. On-time departure, skyline view again after takeoff. Early into Albany, home a little after 5pm. Yay, checked bag arrives too . . . with car key inside! (We’d foolishly/optimistically packed the toilet case with key in the checked bag.)

 

            A wonderful time! So good to spend time with Doug, Ann, & Katie. And we like Midland: beautiful excursions, such a neat & tidy city.