Sunday, May 12 Scenic M22, orchards and more Michigan

 Sunday, May 12

39 Degrees this morning!  Beth got up and put an extra blanket on the bed last night!

We continue north, taking scenic M22 which we had read about and the fisherman back in Grand Haven recommended.

Lots more orchards along the way,  Almost enough to make me want to come back in June/July for the Cherry Festivals at Lake Traverse and other places.  Beautiful clouds of pink and white blooms!

First stop is Acadia Marsh Boardwalk.  Perfect morning light. 

 Though part of the boardwalk is closed due to breeding season, there is still a nice walk.  We admire this trumpeter swan for a while and then a whole flock of them arrive!  We've never seen so many in one place!

A few geese with their fluffy yellow babies.

Lots of noisy red-winged blackbirds, song sparrows, herons and more.  We see a few sandhill cranes and a birder we talk with says sometimes there are hundreds.  More than 230 species have been spotted here! This is great to see since the number of birds we see has been dwindling.

We also see a muskrat which quickly disappears.

Next is an overlook.  

And then a quick gander at Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse. 

 

Then on to Point Betsie Lighthouse which was established in 1858.  Rain threatens but only a few drops fall.    There are a half dozen or so people searching the rocky shore - for Petoskey Stones I imagine.  They are a combination of limestone and coral.  

The dunes shift over time, as this all-but-buried bench shows!

Several of the lighthouses are open to the public in the Summer, but we only find one open for tours this time of year.

We travel up the Leelanau peninsula with Grand Traverse Lighthouse at its point.  Built in the 1850's, it had a fog signal building as well as the lighthouse.  Part of Leelanau State Park, this is the one lighthouse open for tours.  Lots of photos and history, with assorted furnishings and stories. It was automated in 1972.  

Below is a "pig", that was filled with hot water and used to warm beds.

We walk the rocky beach a bit, but there are annoying little bugs - I think called midges.  They don't bite, but swarm, and they seem to prefer Greg over Beth.  We climbed up to the light, but the windows were covered with these bugs.

The gift shop is open as well and we have a nice chat with the woman working there.  She shows us some petoskey stones and explains how they were formed from limestone and coral. (Her son has a rock shop not too far away.) 

We head back down the east side of the peninsula and stop for ice cream in Sutton's Bay.  The day has turned lovely and ice cream is a popular choice.  The dairy that runs the shop has been in the same family for a long time.  Yum!

Lots more orchards in the area. 

 We are heading to Traverse City, which has a big Cherry Festival near the end of June/beginning of July.  They grow both the sweet cherries and the ones for pies.  We pass this "largest cherry pie in the world" at a local firehouse.

We stop tonight at Turtle Creek Casino, where, after some ups and downs,  Beth changes $10 into an 11 cent souvenir.  Last of the big-time spenders - lol!

We wish Greg's Mom a happy Mother's Day and get nice calls from Matt and Bryan.  Glad we have signal here - it has been spotty a few places.