Hidden Marsh

One of the stops on tomorrow's Three Rivers Color Tour is the The Hidden Marsh Sanctuary along the Portage River in Three Rivers. Most of the color I saw walking through the preserve today was the glowing yellow of the big hickories and maples, accented with pinks and purples of the dogwoods and the bright red of small oaks. At this peaceful spot overlooking the river and fens, the sassafrass contribute copper and gold. (Click the photo for a larger view.)

The Hidden Marsh Sanctuary is one of the preserves of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, whose mission is "to permanently protect the natural, historic and scenic landscapes to ensure the health and quality of life for the people of southwest Michigan."

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Today is Divali, Happiness to all who are celebrating!

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Today is also the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which started at 5:03 and lasted the longest period of time in my life.

Friday Sky

It was sunny for a while in the middle of the day here in Three Rivers, but for most of the day the sky was like this: grey, with big trees in fall color, and electrical lines.

What do you see when you look up? The question is answered at Skywatch Friday.

More Color

More Fall color in more colors... Looking west on Bennett Street.

Fall Color

The leaves seem to glow with their own inner light. Even when it is overcast, I love walking beneath the glowing trees.

This weekend is the annual Three Rivers Fall Color Tour; right on time!

Fall means Color

Trees are changing color; I especially love the enormous, immense sugar maples that line the streets of Three Rivers. This one towers over the two story Victorian houses. The tree across the street is still green, perhaps puzzled by the change in its neighbor. On Ninth Street; the larger view (click) looks sunnier than the small view.

Hobo Hotel

This old barn by the Portage River was known locally as the "Hobo Hotel", a place where hobos would stay during the great depression of the 1930s, when many unemployed young men wandered about the country.

B/w gives the image a ghostly quality, a remembrance of the history of those old hard times.

See more people's monochrome takes on their world at The Monochrome Weekly.

Dog Walk

Dogs and their people showed up yesterday for the annual ARF (Animal Rescue Fund, http://arfund.homestead.com) dog-walk in Broadway-Meyer Park in Three Rivers, in which walkers collected pledges to raise money for the organization. ARF helps cover the cost of pet spay-neuter for those who cannot afford the total cost of the operation, food for the pets of people in crisis, and many other services. The sun came out and it was a lovely day.

I wasn't able to attend, but Lynda Molter sent me a few pictures, including this one. "The top prize winner collected over $900.00 for ARF", she writes. Lynda is the ARF President, and besides being an angel of mercy for local animals, she also designs and makes beautiful jewels from glass.

Besides the walk, they had a maze for the dogs. I would like to have seen that! Next year.