Shiawassee and Saginaw Counties

I decided that even though we're low on cash, I was still going to get a few counties done this weekend. (I figure that's why someone who deserves a place in hell invented credit cards.) Wes is working all weekend and yesterday was very boring at home by myself. I think I'm getting addicted to these little mini walking vacations.

So this morning I dragged myself out of bed and got my stuff together and headed up the xway to Corunna in Shiawassee County. I think maybe I was there once before for a wedding but not sure. The trail I walked on was the James S. Miner River Walkway that runs between Corunna and Owosso. I had to find McCurdy Park which is where the trail starts.

In the park they have a whole little street of old buildings, kind of their own little Greenfield Village. Pretty cool. Above is an old schoolhouse. I looked at the buildings and then headed off to the trail.


The trail was pretty muddy and the river was very high because of the excessive rain we've been getting in Michigan.

The wildflowers were beautiful and the smell was heavenly. I was thinking that it's too bad we can't smell through the internet. Then I was thinking that I should invent a smell machine that you could hook up to your computer so you could smell the honeysuckle or whatever was making the perfume in the air.

Here you can see a bench submerged in water.

When I got done with the trail I still had a little over a mile to go so walked the neighborhoods. There are lots of very pretty houses with lots of "curb appeal" and an impressive county building.

Then I went on to Saginaw County to go to the Shiawassee National Wildlife Reserve. I was really excited about this one since I have been reading about it and there are a huge number of birds that stop here during migration. This area is the confluence of 4 rivers: Shiawassee, Flint, Cass and Tittabawassee. The refuge was established in 1953. By the way, I haven't doctored any of these pictures. It really was this green!

This is one of those places that is so magical it takes my breath away. The trail I walked on was the Ferguson Bayou Trail and it was amazing. There was water everywhere with the trees submerged in it and the reflections of the trees in the water. And then the birdsong everywhere and it all sounded beautiful, even those noisy geese.

I was half expecting the animals to start talking to me. I felt like a crazy old Alice in Wonderland. The deer just stood and looked at me until I got pretty close to them. A fawn was on the side of the trail and when she saw me she went to her mama who just stood there and gazed into my eyes. There was a whole gang of them in one of the drainage ditches. As I was getting close to the end and it was all getting a little humdrum, all of a sudden there was a huge whoosh and an eagle went flying up and away. It was pretty awesome.

By the time I got done I was the only car in the parking lot which kind of freaked me out. There were park rangers driving around and checking on things and my cell phone worked there so it was ok. I limped to my car and drove up to this little mom and pop motel in Saginaw where I am ensconced on the bed blogging and watching the hockey game. All is well with the world!