REFUGE EXPEDITION!

 This is a photo of an endangered species!  Wil L. Hufton III is the owner/operator of the Johnny Panther Quest Adventure Trips, rated as a "GEM ATTRACTION" of Michigan by AAA.  Wil has over thirty years of experience on the trails and waterways of the Saginaw, Michigan area; he can take you places that few people have ever seen.

 Our group was led down to the shoreline of the Saginaw River, to find this unusual-looking boat waiting for us.  It was custom-built for the specialized touring that one can do in this location.

 This is not a trip for the faint hearted, nor those with physical impairments that would keep them from stepping off of the floating dock and over the seats, to get proper balancing of the pontoon.  Likewise, it is "open air", and unprotected from the weather, so it is important to dress accordingly if you are going on this adventure.

 The trip starts off calm enough, as you glide along the Saginaw River, and under the pedestrian bridge that leads over to Ojibwa Island, a division of the Saginaw City Park system.

 When you are out in the main channel of the river, the water gets a little choppier, as there is less protection from the wind, and more boat traffic.

 Captain Hufton steers from the back of the boat, as he gives interesting commentary of the sights the boat is passing.  No need for a microphone for all to hear him, due to the compact size of the tour vessel.

 In a very short time, we were beyond all traces of "civilization" and entering the Shiawassee National Wildlife REFUGE.

 Our tour was around supper time, so we enjoyed the box lunches that had been brought aboard to provide a picnic on the water. 

 The Shiawassee National Wildlife REFUGE is made up of over 9,000 acres of hardwood forests, rivers, bottomland, marshes, managed pools, fields, and croplands.

 The grain growing in this field adjacent to the water, will be an important food source to birds that visit the area, as part of their migratory pattern along the  Mississippi River Flyway. 

 The REFUGE hosts over 270 species of birds each year, and a listing of these (along with the date they were sighted) can be found on their website at www.fws.gov/midwest/Shiawassee/  

 These birds were enjoying wading in the shallow waters adjacent to the channel where our boat was cruising through.  Their calm demeanor is a reminder of the Bible verse that says "Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God.  And you count far more to him than birds."  (Matthew 6:26, The Message) 

 Even though our tour was not during a time of heavy migratory activity, we still saw LOTS of birds!

 Herons, egrets, gulls, and hawks were common sightings while we were out on the water.

 Besides the water channels, there are areas where one can go ashore (unless a sign is there warning you not to!)  This sign, indicating we were in a National Wildlife REFUGE, is the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "But let all who take REFUGE in You, be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."  Psalm 5:11-12

 The bird you can see perched on the dead tree branch in this photo is one of many bald eagles we saw during our 3 hour boat trip.

 There are sandbars located in some parts of the refuge, and it is the wind direction and wind speed that determine whether or not they are visible. 

 At one point, our boat got "stuck" on a sand bar, so Captain Hufton got out in his mudboots and scooted us off of it.

 However, he was kind enough to take this photo of our group while he was outside the boat, trying to free it from the sand bar.

 As we enjoyed watching the sun go down over the water, I remembered the motto printed on the brochure for the Johnny Panther Quests: "Eliminate stress...Get out of the mainstream and go on a Quest!"  This trip is something that will take the hard edges off your psyche---sort of soften your outlook on life, just as the edges of this photograph have been softened.  If you would like to go on one of these trips, just click on www.jpqat.com to see all the different types of adventures that are possible with Captain Hufton.  Likewise, the website www.VisitGreatLakesBay.org will give you many other ideas of fun activities to do while you are in the area.  Start a quest of your very own to pursue miles of smiles!  Tricia

PRESIDENT GERALD FORD EXPEDITION!

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.

A

reflecting pool runs the entire length of the glass wall that looks out onto the river, and adjoining parkway. 

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. 

This plaque shows one of President Ford's "life verses", and is a fitting way to end this blog post:

I am thankful that the LORD directed my path to tour this museum teaching about the nation's 38th President, and hope you get to go there as well!  This is just one of numerous attractions you can visit in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and you can go to their website www.ExperienceGR.com to learn more.  I can guarantee a GRAND time in GRAND Rapids, that will give you "Miles of Smiles"!!!  Tricia