Pure Michigan!

It was a bit wet of a drive moving from Wolcotville, Indiana up to Manchester, Michigan. Even though it was only a two and a half hour drive up to my friend Kevin, and his husband Rusty, home the rain always makes it seem further. Once I got here this is the setting Motel Miguel will be enjoying for the next month. Kevin was kind to send me this picture he took from the kitchen window. I LOVE IT!

Since Rusty has been working very long hours, Kevin took me into downtown Ann Arbor to see a small part of it. We walked around and I couldn't believe how beautiful the campus is. 

It sure feels like I was on the set of Harry Potter!

This is such beautiful history. 

After walking around the campus we walked over to Main Street where there we had seen some sort of race going on. It turned out that the Plumbers Association was in town for the week and we just stumbled onto the final race. I asked the winners if I could take a picture and they were all smiles!

The requirement is that the bike includes a toilet and this was the winner!  HAHAHA

There were tons of plumbers from all over the country and Canada. 

After the races we continued to walk around and enjoying the architecture as well as some of the uniqueness of Ann Arbor. 

For me this was the first time I have seen a woman barber, this was a barber shop and not a beauty salon. 

Look at the pole holding the stop sign, it is wrapped with a crochet palm tree trunk that someone has been putting up around town. 

Kevin showed me some of the fairy doors around downtown as well. It looks exactly as the main door of the business but very tiny. 

On Tuesday we drove around to see more of the surrounding towns. We stopped at one of the old cemeteries because they have always attracted me to the history and the old headstones that used to have history and unlike modern ones which are so plain. Most of these were from the mid eighteen hundreds on up to today. 

Did I mention yet that Kevin is a top class chef?  No I haven't but trust me when I tell you his creations are as delicious as they look!

My Mother has nothing to worry about!

I've already been birding as well and besides finding another first for me of a solitary Black-billed Cuckoo sitting on the side of a dirt road. 

I also get the pleasure of holding court with Kevin and Rusty's own farmyard menagerie!

Last knight there was a meteor shower and no matter how much I tried I didn't get much. I did learn a few things about my camera and how to take nighttime shots. 

The sky was super clear and you could see millions of stars but no meteors. 

I kept practicing for a couple of hours and wanted to get some shots of Motel Miguel with the beautiful barn, and night sky behind it. 

Thank you Kevin and Rusty for the warm welcome. 

I know I'm going to enjoy, and experience.....