Bird Island View of Lake St. Clair

This view of Lake St. Clair is taken from the Bird-Island Trail at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

the view from the trail to Bird Island (click image to view larger)

Photo: Mary Taitt

The Bird Island Trail at the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House is a peaceful and pretty place for a stroll. The trail starts right behind (to the left of) the visitor center by the visitor parking lot and winds along the back of the bay (or lagoon) with views of the water and the mansion house. The main trail is wide enough for three or four people to walk abreast and chipped with woodchips to make is to comfortable underfoot. If you go soon, you will be sure to enjoy the splendid fall color. Read more.

Rose and friends click here to view picture of my granddaughter Sophia.

Vacation Day 8, July 6

This was maybe the highlight of the entire trip, hiking along the escarpment at Lake of the Clouds. It was incredibly beautiful. The air was so clean and it was incredibly peaceful.

And for Detroit, more cars from the car show at The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

I am having some fairly serious health issues. And since no one seems to come here any more, I may give up blogging entirely.

Vacation Day 6: Mouth of the Presque Isle River

On July 4th, the 6th day of our trip, we drove up to the tippy top of Michigan's Upper Peninsula to the Porcupine Wilderness Area and in to the Presque Isle River Campground. We hiked along Lake Superior and the lower portions of the Presque River.



We watched the sunset over Lake Superior. This was a campground community event.



And since this is a Detroit photoblog, here's another Detroit picture from the car show at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, a 1955 Corvette.

See five more pictures from July 4 and read the day's unedited journal. By unedited, I mean BB has yet to add his 2-cents worth.

Skywatch Friday: Vacation, Day 4, Lake Michigan

On day 4 of our vacation, we drove across the Mackinac Bridge to the UP and then along Lake Michigan. We camped at a Lake Michigan campground and walked along the beach in the evening to watch the sunset. See 5 more pix from this vacation day here.



Back in Detroit, the Skywatch Friday picture was a reflection taken in the fender of a Packard at the Car show at The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

Day 3 Vacation, Sleeping Bear Dunes

On the third day of our vacation, we explored sleeping bear Dunes. These are just a few of the pictures we took. It was lovely there and we really enjoyed our hikes and our driving tour through the scenic drive.



Back in Detroit, since this is a Detroit photoblog, I've included a hood ornament from an old Packard from the car show at The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House.

We returned early from our vacation because health issues, and those health issues are eating into my time. Sorry.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford's Island

This island is a pleasant place to walk. Right now, it is abundantly covered with wild and domestic flowers. These are "Virginia Bluebells," Mertensia virginica. This is part of the Ford Estate. The brightness in the background of the first picture is the lake, Lake St. Clair. It was darker in the grove, so the lake was washed out.

And, here is one of my new art pieces, a watercolor a la Tom Jones. (I've been doing lots of art been I've been too busy to post it.)

A Swan on its nest at the Ford House

This swan was sitting on a nest a the Island at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House--its mate was swimming protectively nearby.

Josephine's Playhouse III

These are the last of these for now. I find it so amazing that this one little girl, in addition to her beautiful room in the mansion (and the whole rest of the mansion) would have this house nicer than the house that many people live in.

The porch, some shots from inside and out, the tea set with its cabinet.

The door to Josephine's Playhouse

Like everything else in the house, the door is child-sized. 2/3 normal size. Josephine was Edsel and Eleanor's only daughter, but it was the grandmother that the paid to have the playhouse built.

Josephine's Playhouse II

Walking a little closer to Josephine's playhouse. I will tell more about it soon.

Josephine's Playhouse

At the Ford Estate. I will tell more about it soon.

Designing Cars

Apparently, Edsel Ford developed some equipment that allowed him to transform model cars into full-size models from which actual car parts could be designed.

The Eleanor and Edsel Ford House in Spring

This is a wonderful place to visit, walk, explore. The house and grounds are huge and impressive and attractive. You can also see how our spring is progressing.

Here is one of my recent paintings, a sketch of a magnolia tree:

The magnolias are in full flower in Detroit, but going by soon. We stopped to enjoy Sam and Joan's magnolias when we visited them yesterday and I was inspired to paint them.

This was done with three "colors," Windsor Red deep (wc), Hooker's Green Dark (wc) and white (gouache). No other paint.

The Ford House Muskrat

This muskrat was fairly tame and happily foraging for food along the shores of Lake St. Clair on the Ford House grounds.

The Ford Willows

May the bud of your new year grow into a lovely blossom! Happy New Year!

All along the edge of Lake St. Clair where the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House is located are these gnarled old willows. They are also found everywhere along the shore of Belle Isle. If you look closely in the lower right, you can see a tiny bit of the roof of the Ford Mansion.

Click image to view larger.

Boiler House

This house has the boiler and electrical equipment etc for the Ford House--and an underground tunnel to get back and forth in inclement weather.

We are on the road, in Syracuse New York, a day's drive (in good weather) from home. It's snowing. But we're not headed home for several days.

We wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Be safe and healthy--I hope you have the best year yet!!

"The Back 40"

This "Island" (Really a peninsula) belongs to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House and is a pleasant place to stroll.

The sign goes with the house but is in an awkward place to read it.

Edsel and Elenor Ford House

It's so big that it's hard to get far enough away to get it all in!

We are in Syracuse, NY. I will always have access to the internet. We're here visiting my daughters and friends for the holidays. I will probably post every day but may not be able to comment--I will catch up when we get home.

The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House Across a bay of Lake St. Clair

The beautiful Stone Mansion in the dull winter light. Cotswald Cottage.

The Last of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House Tour

The Ford House Tour is winding down. Here is a picnic basket used by
the Fords for picnicking, supposedly the real original one--note the
missing pieces. The staircase is for Jacob--it's on the back of the
gatehouse. I don't know where it goes, but I'm curious!