ZIPPING THROUGH THE TOLEDO ZOO

oos are popular venues for wedding receptions nowadays, and so I happened to be zipping through the Toledo Zoo (http://www.toledozoo.org) not long ago on my way to a reception.  We managed to capture an hour of quality time with the animals and birds, and I'm glad we did. People should spend more time at zoos, less time in offices. I loved the bears!

And the cats:

and the birds:

I'm sorry I didn't have more time there. If you get a chance, visit the Toledo Zoo (http://www.toledozoo.org/site/page/driving_directions_and_maps). Nothing makes you feel more like a kid than a day at the zoo.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY:

Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, New York, Electronic Clip Art, 1200 Ornamental Letters, 2007.

SAUNTERING THROUGH SAUGATUCK

Nothing beats a hot day in Saugatuck (http://www.saugatuck.com/index.asp ). I love sitting by the water sipping a cool drink and watching the boats go by.

When we went a few weeks ago, the town was filled with people who came for the same experience and so parking was a challenge. Not to worry.  A big sign directed us to a school parking lot up the hill.  On the walk down to town I enjoyed looking at the well-manicured homes.

And then there were the flowers….

When we saw this sign advertising ice cream at the Saugatuck Drug Store (http://saugatuckdouglas.com/business/saugatuckdrugstore.htm), we could not resist.  We wandered through the spacious store until we reached the back where we found an old-fashioned counter like I used to see at Woolworth’s (http://www.saugatuck.com/NEW_Business_Directory/listing_photo.asp?ID=289).  Two bowls of soft serve ice creams arrived our way in no time. Ah, what a life!

Later we went to Coral Gables (http://www.coralgablessaugatuck.com) and watched more boats go by while dining on the deck. Good times. Go to Saugatuck!

WINDMILL ISLAND GARDENS, Holland, Michigan

Sometimes you can get the flavor of a foreign country without having to cross an ocean. This is the case with Windmill Island Gardens in Holland, Michigan (www.windmillisland.org and http://www.cityofholland.com/windmillislandgardens/windmill-island-gardens-general-information).

De Zwaan Windmill

After paying admission to the park, my husband and I entered Windmill Island Gardens. Flowers were everywhere. What a relief after the long Michigan winter!

We toured the Post House, a replica of a 14^th century wayside inn, and then strolled along the canal on our way to the 250 year old working windmill.  It was almost as if we were in the Netherlands. 

Outside the windmill, several young people were dressed in Dutch costumes and wooden shoes. One by one they introduced themselves and described the costumes they were wearing.  One girl said her dress was shorter because her parents were fishermen and long dresses would interfere with the work of the family. Another girl was wearing a special cap that, depending on how it was worn, could signal whether or not she was interested in a boy.  Another person said that wearing suspenders helped rescue attempts if he were to fall in the water.

For more information about Dutch costumes see http://www.tuliptime.com/dutch-costumes-0.

The park offers windmill tours also, but we skipped that because there was a line.

For those with little ones, there is an antique carousel and a giant checkerboard.

There’s a store with refreshments and Holland specialty foods and gifts.  

Unlike some of the larger parks, Windmill Island Gardens does not overwhelm. You can go for an hour or two or stay longer for a picnic if you like. It was just right for me. 

PIES AND WINE: FENNVILLE, MICHIGAN

Fennville is located in the Southwest corner of Michigan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennville,_Michigan), not far from Saugatuck and Grand Rapids. It is a bit off the beaten track, but it is well worth the trip. First, we stopped at Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant & Bakery at 6054 124th Ave. (http://cranespiepantry.com). We were in the country and suddenly there was Crane's with a parking lot jammed with cars.

While we waited for a table, we explored all the goodies in the bakery.  Soon it was our turn, and we were escorted to our table. The restaurant appears to be a renovated barn, and the decoration is eclectic. The tables, chairs, dishware and silverware were all different sizes and styles. The walls were covered with a wide array of signs and antiques. Even the bathrooms are unique:

It was all cute, cuter than cute. Our waitress was pleasant and efficient. We had salads with freshly chopped apple slices. For dessert we split a luscious cherry pie with ice cream. I loved it and would definitely come here again.

Here is the scenic view from the parking lot:

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Just down the road is The Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar at 6130 122nd Avenue (www.fennvalley.com). After all that food, we decided a bit of wine tasting was in order. Michigan has quite the wine industry.

I decided to skip the "photo shoot" opportunity at the door:

Inside we stepped up to a round bar and were greeted by a wine server. We were instructed to select a number of different wines from a sheet. After that, the server gave us samples of our selections. I enjoyed them all.  After choosing a white and a red, we headed out. 

Fennville was a pleasure.  Stop by and see it sometime!