No trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan would be complete without a visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum ( fordlibrarymuseum.gov ). It is conveniently located in downtown Grand Rapids, on the banks of the Grand River. A pedestrian bridge conveniently links it to the hotels and convention center, on the opposite banks of the river.
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There is no fee to visit the lobby or gift shops, and the fee to tour the entire museum, is very modest, with group rates and discounts available. Support for the museum is provided by the Gerald R. Ford Foundation ( geraldrfordfoundation.org ).
This statue of President Ford gives a synopsis of the significant time periods of his life, but one needs to go inside the museum to find out what lies "between the dashes", that is, the period between 1913 and 2006. 
One of the most significant of those time periods, in terms of his tenure as a public servant, is referenced in this statement by the U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, who implies that for our country at the time, Gerald R. Ford was a "gift from God"----the right man at the right time.
This photo of the exterior gardens of the building, depicts a NASA astronaut, and is a nod to the achievements made in space travel during Ford's time in public office.
Inside the museum, there is an identical replica of the Oval Office, as it was furnished at the time of Ford's presidency.
This placard gave some history of the Oval Office.
Seeing the push button phone, with its curly cord connecting the ear piece to the main body, made me curious---I wonder what type of phone sits on the desk of our current president!
Gerald Ford attended the University of Michigan, where he played football, and helped the Wolverines complete two undefeated seasons in 1932 and 1933. Ford later recalled that "During 25 years of the rough-and-tumble world of politics, I often thought of the experiences before, during, and after a very memorable game between Michigan and Minnesota, in 1934. Remembering them has helped me many times face a tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible, despite adverse odds." Even though Michigan lost, his team voted him Most Valuable Player. It reminded me of a tough football game my youngest grandson had this year in the playoffs for the Arkansas State Championships. Even though my grandson's team lost, he was presented with the Brandon Burlsworth Character Award after the game. (As my grandson goes forward in life, he will probably be recalling the lessons he learned on the football field, and from his coaches, and from those countless hours of practice drills----in much the same way that President Ford recalled his football days!)
Until my grandson Jacob started playing center for his high school football team, I never paid much attention to the different positions the players assumed on the field. So when I saw that the museum made a big deal out of the fact that President Gerald Ford played "center" on his football team, I took this photo to show Jacob!
When Gerald Ford graduated from the University of Michigan in 1935, he had some tough decisions to make! After successfully playing in the College AllStar game against the Chicago Bears, in Soldier Field, he was given professional football offers from the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. Instead, he took a job as the boxing coach and assistant football coach at Yale University, where he had applied for law school. Ford earned his Juris Doctor degree from Yale in 1941. He then opened a law practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 
This photo of the section of the museum starts with the day the former president was born on July 14, 1913. (July 14 is also the birthday of my youngest granddaughter, which should make it easier for me to remember the president's birthday). It is interesting to note that when he was born, he was named Leslie Lynch King, Jr. His mother separated from his father just 14 days after his birth, due to physical abuse and King's alcoholism. His mom later married Gerald R. Ford. It was not until he was 22 years old that the former president legally changed his name from Leslie Lynch King, Jr., to Gerald R. Ford, Jr. 
Gerald Ford had a long history of public service, serving as Michigan's Congressional delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for 25 years. He actually met his future wife when he was campaigning for the Congressional seat. Betty Ford had worked in New York City as a fashion model, and part of the troupe of the Martha Graham Dance Company. They did not get married until AFTER Gerald Ford won the congressional seat. They said they waited until after the election because they did not think Michigan republicans would vote for him, if he had a wife who had been divorced and was an ex-dancer. 
Betty Ford always dressed in stylish attire, and some of the outfits she wore at important state occasions are on display in the museum. 
The exhibit in this photo not only shows the formal attire wore at a state dinner, but shows how the table was set for the official meal.
This is one of the sculptures and colorful gardens that grace the exterior of the museum. 
This stone marker shows that the visitor is entering the gated area where both the Gerald and Betty Ford are buried. 
The area is expansive, and when I asked the attendant exactly where their gravesites are located, they said they did not divulge that information. 
This stone marker shows the various positions of service that Gerald Ford had for his country, starting with his enlistment in the U.S. Navy, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. 
Even though I was alive when President Ford took office, I was glad to get a refresher of how he was the only U.S. President not elected by ballot. This is how that all came about: In December 1973, two months after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew (related to charges of felony tax evasion), Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25 Amendment, by President Richard Nixon.l After the subsequent resignation of Nixon, Ford immediately assumed presidency. His 895-day long presidency is the shortest in history for any president who did not die in office. Because the stone memorial shows how he asked for the prayers of the people as he assumed the presidency, I am using this as the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verses. It says, "The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." Exodus 15:2
This statue of Betty Ford outside the museum shows one reason why she was a fashion model---she has a very svelte body frame!
I had not heard of the Betty Ford Daylily before I toured the museum, but I had definitely heard of the Betty Ford Center to help those with substance abuse issues. The latter is explained in exhibits within the museum.
This ship's wheel was in the Gerald Ford Oval Office, and references a military incident during Ford's term as president. 
I am starting out this blog with a the photo of the horse sculpture, because it was not until I heard about this particular piece of art, that I researched where it was located, so that I could see it in person. I learned that it was at Frederik Meijer Gardens ( 
Upon arrival at the gardens via motorcoach, I began a "walk with purpose" (as opposed to meadering!) to find the sculpture, and take as many photos of it as possible, while it was still daylight. As I started walking the paved path to approach the massive sculpture, I kept seeing numerous ways to photograph the horse from a distance, that showed it wonderfully framed by green plants. And this was no accident---allowing nature to enhance what man has made, and likewise, allowing what man has made enhance nature, is a major goal of Frederik Meijer Gardens!
Upon arriving at the circular plaza that was home to sculpture, I was completely in awe of its beauty, as well as its connection to the famous artist, Leonardo DaVinci. I had the wonderful blessing of seeing many of Leonardo DaVinci's creations, when I toured Italy with my father, back in the last century. However, at the time I was in Italy, it was before the 1967 finding of Leonardo's sketch books, and his design for a colossal image of an Iberian charger horse. 
It took several models (some of which were complete failures) to finally come up with the sculpture one can see today in Grand Rapids. It was the Duke of Milan that originally commissioned Leonardo DaVinci to make the sculpture in 1482. It was intended to be the largest equestrian statue in the world, and be a symbol of the power of the Duke of Milan. The Duke collected 70 tons of bronze to make the statue, based on a clay model made by DaVinci. Sadly, wars broke out in Italy, and the bronze had to be used to make cannons, to defend Milan from an invasion by Charles VIII. The enemy French soldiers ended up using the clay horse sculpture that da Vinci had made, as a shooting target. Hence, none of daVinci's equine models survived to present day.
Meijer Gardens has 200 full-time and part-time staff, plus 850 volunteers! This photo shows the female volunteer (she is the one facing the passengers) who provided a narration for the shuttle I was on. She did a magnificent job pointing out the various sculptures we were passing, telling something about the artists who created them, as well as other significant facts of interest about each piece.
This photo is a reminder of one of the many reasons I want to make a return visit to Meijer Gardens. They recently embarked on $115 million capital campaign for expansion. The result will be new LEED-certified Welcome Center, Transportation Center and Visitor Center. Plans call for expanding the amphitheater, building a new entry plaza, adding a new outdoor picnic pavilion, and expanding the parking capacity.
The 8 acres of the Japanese gardens opened in 2014 at a cost of 22 million,
This photo is included to be a reminder of "garden etiquette", as outlined on the gardens website, 
This massive sculpture is called "Four Square", and its four main supporting beams, roughly in the shape of a square, account for its name.
Folks who have been to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art ( 
This is a photo of a very large parrot sculpture, with gigantic, colorful wings. It is the image of those wings, sitting on top of "my" heart, that I am using as the visual aid to remember my First Place 4 Health ( 
I like the way the bright yellow in this contemporary piece of sculpture (called "Julia" by Keith Haring), is mirrored in the bright yellow of the flowering plants beside it. This was, in fact, one of the objectives of the Frederik Meijer Gardens---uniting human visual fine art with the visual beauty of nature!
When a visitor comes to the garden, they may want to just spend time, sitting with their arms resting on their knees, and contemplate their existence. And, that seems to be what this sculpture (titled Grosser Trefree, by Dietrick Klinge) is doing!
Other visitors to the garden, may just want to stretch out and look at the beautiful greenery that surrounds them. Although, it appears that this visitor is doing just that, this is actually a very realistic piece of sculpture! It is called Lying Man, by Sean Henry. 
Regardless of what language one speaks, the "body language" spoken by this sculpture accounts for its title---MAD MOM---and is a product of artist Tom Otterness. The mom might be commanding her children to NOT being throwing their baseballs near here, because LOOK AT WHAT IS BEHIND ME! All that glass you see is the 5-story, 15,000 square foot Lena Meijer Conservatory. It houses tropical plants from around the world, and connects to event spaces indoors.
This photo shows the the home of the 3-acre Michigan Farm Garden, opened in 2003, so families could experience a farm in the context of the 1930's. It replicates the farmhouse of Lena Rader Meijer's childhood. I read that Lena was the daughter of farmers, and met Fred Meijer, when she worked as a cashier in the Meijer grocery store. 
How would you like to be the employee in charge of dusting this incredibly fragile, and priceless, chandelier that hangs from the ceiling of the conservatory??!!
Glass art on a smaller scale (as well as a myriad of other delightful and artistically designed items) is available in the Meijer Gardens gift shop . 
The Meijer Gardens Amphitheater opened in 2003. It is an outdoor musical and theatrical venue that features a covered stage, and a tiered lawn, seating 1,900 persons. On the day I visited, concert goers had already started gathering for a group of "big-name" recording artists who were performing that evening. 
These motor coaches waited to pick up our group, as we finished our tour of Meijer Gardens, and the sun was setting in the west. Hopefully, this blog post has helped you understand why Meijer Gardens are such a popular group destination, as well as a fun place for all types of travelers to visit. Considering, the gardens have hosted more than 12 million visitors since they opened, it is safe to say that a trip to Meijer Gardens will give you "MILES OF SMILES"!! Tricia
We were also able to get quite close to a gigantic rhinoceros that seemed unamused to being photographed. 
Our guide did a wonderful demonstration of getting this camel to gallop, by running just outside its fence, causing the camel to gallop along after her.
There was also an exhibit of pink flamingos, which are an iconic symbol of this part of the Southern waterways. 
Our group was able to get in a good bit of walking, by following the deck that weaved through the spring-fed, black gum swamp. There were educational signs posted all along the walkways, that helped us interpret what we were seeing.
At another attraction in Albany, we saw this antique candy delivery truck, and learned about the origin of the name "Albany". The Native American inhabitants called the area Thronateeska (meaning "the place where Flint is picked up"), and thus the name "Flint River". Then, in 1836, Mr. Nelson Tift, chose the city's site because of its river location and named it "Albany" with the hope that it would prosper as a trade location like Albany, New York.
Our group visited the Flint Riverquarium (
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Although this beautiful fish is not a fresh-water native, I have yet to visit an aquarium anywhere in the country, that did not have one of these colorful swimmers on view. As a kid, this was my favorite fish shape to draw and color in my art classes.
The Flint Riverquarium is unique in that it is built around a recreated 175,000-gallon blue hole spring, and houses more than 120 species of fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians that inhabit the Flint River watershed. 
Another very popular attraction in this city is the Albany Civil Rights Institute ( 
The Institute was built so that it could be adjacent to the original Mt. Zion Baptist Church, that played a key role in what came to be known as the "Albany Movement". 
We were at the Institute shortly after the national day recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., so his portrait was still on display in the lobby, along with memorial wreaths. 
The Institute courtyard has a recreated covered porch, and it includes signage that comments on the importance of the front porch in Southern history (before air conditioning was developed!)
After we toured the Institute, we walked into the adjacent Old Mt. Zion Baptist Church. There we were treated to a choral recital by Rutha Harris.
I want to thank all those who made it possible ( 