Tiptoeing through the Tulips

 Woke up early this morning.  It was a big day for me because I was released to take an actual shower...not the sponge bath that I have been taking since my fall.  While Carol took his shower, I did my Bible Study.  When he was finished, he came out and said, "You are not taking a shower."  What?  I had been looking forward to this shower and I desperately wanted to take a shower.  He said there is no safety mat or anything in the tub to prevent a fall.  It is too slick and I don't want you to fall.  That is the care I have been receiving from him since I fell.  He is definitely a keeper and I so appreciate the care he has given me.  Anyway, we drove to a Meijer and purchased a mat so I could take a shower.  It felt so good.  Finally, after nearly three weeks, I felt really clean and fresh!

That began a day of miles and miles of tulips.  We actually walked over three miles today admiring tulips in every color.  Holland, Michigan was founded in 1847 by a group of Dutch settlers.  They settled on the banks of the Black Lake and Lake Michigan as more groups from the Netherlands followed.  Since then, Holland has literally blossomed into a city as diverse and beautiful as the tulips that represent it.  Today nearly five million tulips city wide attracte visitors from around the world. 

Our first stop was called "Immersion Display."  The tulips were displayed at eye level and we were able to walk between the displays of the tulips.

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This working windmill is on Windmill Island; however, it was a mile walk to and from the windmill so we opted to take a picture from a distance.

One lonely goose enjoyed the peace of the waterway.

Our second stop was Windows on the River.  It features tulips displayed along a path along the river.  I took the windmill picture from one of those walkways.  It turned out to be a beautiful day so the walkways were crowded.

Out last stop was Veldheer Tulip Farm.

Thousands of tulips were on display in a huge field.  Name a color or a variation of a color and you could find a tulip of that color here.  They had chairs placed all over the field so Carol and I found a couple at the edge of the field and plopped ourselves into them.  We sat for 45 minutes just admiring the tulip view and enjoying the shade and cool wind blowing.  Our  feet appreciated the kindness we showed them.

This was one of our favorites.  Each display had a sign with a number on it.  We were given booklets showing the name of the tulip with their corresponding number.  You could place an order for that tulip and it would be shipped to you in the fall.  These displays was in reality a living catalog of tulips.  It was a beautiful way to shop for tulips. 

There were at least 15 tour buses parked and all the riders were walking through the tulips.  

There was also a shop that made wooden shoes.  This man was working on a pair.

This circle of shoes is how you determine what size wooden shoe you need to buy.

These shoes are waiting for someone to buy.

It as a good day.  The weather was perfect.  The tulips were beautiful.  We ate an early supper at a local restaurant called Russ'.  Carol had fried chicken which he said was very good.  I had a Reuben Sandwich.   It too was good.  Back to the room just as a tour bus was unloading.  The halls won't be as quiet tonight. 

First Day at the Tulip Festival

 Arrived in Holland around 9:00 a.m.  We had tickets for a Dutch Lunch at11:30 a.m. so we had time to do some exploring.  We found a great parking spot near Continental Park and found an informational booth to help us get the lay of the land.  No only are the streets and parks lined with beautiful tulips, but the flowering trees are at a peak.  Everywhere you look, you see flowering trees like this one.

I don't know how she did it, but Queen Elizabeth came to see the tulips.

There were tulips of every color and all beautiful.

The streets are lined with tulips.

Murals showing the story of the Dutch coming to Holland.

This picture was taken at the Dutch Luncheon.

There were many beautiful and unusual houses down the streets we walked.  I noticed this brick house with an unusual window treatment.

At the luncheon we were served pea soup, Dutch slaw, pigs in a blanket and an almond bar.  We were both skeptical about the pea soup but it was actually very good.  Besides peas, it had bits of potato and ham.  We bought would eat it again.  The entertainment after the luncheon was several Dutch dancers.  Between the dances, we were told about the clothes they were wearing, the traditions of the Dutch people, and the origins of the dances.  I really enjoyed it.  Carol tolerated it.  There was so much information; however, I remember two facts:  one, they all wear the color red near their body on their clothes because the Dutch believe it will keep them healthy; and two, it takes wearing multiple socks to keep the wooden shoes on.  I talked to a dancer after the show and she told me she had 10 pairs of socks on.

After the luncheon, we drove to Lake Michigan.  No one was in the water.

This lighthouse is called Big Red.  We were across the causeway from it so it is hard to see that it is red!

We drove Lake Shore Drive back to Grand Haven.  We could at no time see Lake Michigan but the houses along the drive definitely had a view of it.  We stopped by an antique mall for awhile, ate supper at Applebee's and settled into our room by 5:30.  I actually took a short nap before blogging.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and less cloudy.  It should be a nice day, 

Michigan Bound

 As always happens after  few months of being away from blogging, I have trouble with downloading pictures into the blog.  I say that to point out that the very first picture should be the last one.  It was take too much time to move the picture to the end so I am not going to do that.  

Anyway, we didn't actually leave for this trip until close to 3:00 p.m. this afternoon.  That is a first but unavoidable.  On Good Friday, I fell and broke my left arm.  It was an actual bone separation not a fracture.  It was the humorous bone and broken between the elbow and shoulder.  It required surgery to insert a plate and screws.  Today, the nurse removed 55 staples.  We were able to go on our trip but only after stern rules for the use of the arm.  I cannot pick up or carry anything heavier than my cellphone.  I asked if I could wash dishes and he said, "Only if the plates are paper."  He is a funny surgeon.

We didn't get into our motel until after 9:00 p.m.  There was a McDonald's next door so we grabbed a Big Mac and shake for our supper.

Our last stop before leaving on our trip.

X-ray of the hardware now located in my upper left arm.

Heading east out of Illinois, the sky was very overcast.

This lighthouse is located at the Michigan Welcome Center.

The evening sky at sunset around 8:30 p.m. near Grand Harbor, Michigan.