Urbex For Tots

Come out to the island and play.

I have been working feverishly all weekend on the next installment of Gracie Krum's story, and just as I was nearing the end of editing, I accidently deleted the whole thing. And then in trying to retrieve it, I deleted the back-up draft. Phooey. So I give up for today and we will visit the great kids playground instead. Ok? Happy Valentine's Day

Listening To The Ice Music

The ice performs a different concert daily as it passes the island. One day it creaks and groans, whines, wheezes, and clatters like factory machinery.

Another day, it giggles, chirps, plinks, and trills like a gaggle of pre-teen girls.

On this lucky day, it murmured and shushed, hummed a lullaby, and sang the blues.

Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere by Hadda Brooks

More Hadda Brooks music on iLike

And more interesting ice music below.... hope you're enjoying the holidays.

A Belated Merry Christmas

Warmest wishes to all for a happy holiday. Here's a few of my favorite old Detroit images from the Library of Congress.

10 Winter Things To Do On Belle Isle

So you have relatives coming from out of town for the holidays? Or some free time on your hands? Looking for a fun family day? You could spend a whole day hanging out on Belle Isle, inside and outside.

1) Visit the Conservatory... it is warm, green, and heavenly on a cold day... think orchids, ferns, and cactus, poinsettias in December. Bring your camera. Open 10-5, Wednesday-Sunday. Free.

2) Bird and critter-watching from inside the Nature Zoo. There is a fireplace! And a lovely comfy sofa right in front of the window overlooking the bird feeders. And spiders and turtles and such for the kids to view. Open everyday 10-5 except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Free.

3) The Dossin Great Lakes Museum has the pilot house of a Great Lakes freighter stuck on its backside. You can pretend that you are captain of the universe. Open Saturdays and Sundays 11-4. Free. (Closed Christmas and New Year's Day)

4) Be Dutch for a day... bring your ice skates and glide along the network of canals. Or be Canadian...set up a hockey rink on one of the shallower ponds.

5) Cross country ski over the river (well, creek) and through the woods. You will have the place mostly to yourself early in the morning, and the city will seem a hundred miles away. Great map of the island showing nature trails.

6) There's always the Ice Tree!

Last winter's tree

This year's model underway

7) Bring your dog for a walk... just be careful about the icy river and deeper ponds, please.
8) New Year's Eve Fun Run/Walk

9) New Year's Day Toast at the Detroit Boat Club ... had enough football? have you ever wondered about the lonely white building next to the bridge, above? want to see the inside of it? make new friends?

10) Come to the island while it is snowing...you will feel like you are on the inside of a snow globe. Bring  hot chocolate or coffee. Park where there is a good view of falling flakes. Ponder the meaning of the universe as expressed in snow angels and catching flurries on the tip of your tongue.

Links to these and many other interesting Belle Isle sights/sites can be found at the top right of this blog, in the section, "The Isle Itself". Any favorite winter memories of Belle Isle you'd like to share?

Magical Creatures of Noel Night

In case you're not from these parts, or you haven't been to it yet, Noel Night is an annual event in Detroit's Cultural Center and Midtown neighborhood where basically everybody (museums, shops, schools, churches, etc.) opens their doors, welcomes you in, and shows you a good time. It's like the twelve days of Christmas all in one night. It is magical...even the unicorns attend.

...the alpacas wouldn't dream of missing it....

stories are told of Detroit's past.... 

.. and the holiday season is kicked off joyously, with song, dance, art, too many strollers, and the perfect amount of hot cider... 

...wishing you were all here to share it.

In case you were hoping for more of Letta Crapo Smith's story, it is still a work in progress.... the DIA library research was too successful. It may be another week or so before I can finish sorting and organizing, finding links and images to go with all the new info. Sorry for the delay, but hey, it's not like I get paid for this gig. In the meantime, the blog will go on with my regular travels.