Windmill Island Garden, Holland Michigan

The gardens seem fairly authentic. The real 251 year old De Zwaan windmill was purchased in 1964 and it's run by a female miller.   Other attractions include a flower garden, an Amsterdam street organ and a carousel.  In May, the gadens exhibit 115,000 blooming tulips.

     De Zwaan windmill

     Looking up!  The miller can position the sails to create messages to nearby residents, such as the mill is running or not, birth, marriage or mourning.

     Costumed guide

     Sarita couldn't go in the windmill and a nice employee offered to watch her.

      Communication with the top floor.

    The millstone to grind the grain.

     The gears

     Bridge to the island where the windmill is located with costumed guide..

     Gardens

      Gift shops

Holland Michigan

We visited two different Dutch parks in Holland Michigan during our recent trip, the Nelis' Dutch Village and Windmill Island Gardens.  Both allowed us to bring our rescue dog into the parks with a few limitations.  Traveling with a dog is challenging, especially in restaurants.

We first visited the Dutch Village which was a little more targeted at children.  They had some young dancers with wooden shoes, a lovely canal and some stores.  We skipped the amusement rides and petting zoo.

  One girl wore 11 pairs of socks to keep from losing her shoes.

     Sarita looked at the ducks, but didn't get near them.

     Shapes

     Reflections

Pet pictures from a Recent Michigan Trip

We drove to Michigan to visit relatives and met a few pets on the way with our own poodle, Sarita.  So cute!

In West Virginia, we met some poodles:

      Princess

     Buddy

     Buddy

     Sarita

And Blue, the cat.

     At Norman Kruse dog beach in Michigan we met a few pets, some were quite wet from romping in Lake Michigan.

      Pug

      Dog in the Dunes

      Wrigley with his Mom

     Oops!   No dogs on beach!  Actually on the border between beaches.

Then there was Murphy, the large cat.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and St. Michaels MD

A day trip to St. Michaels

     Boats at the Museum

      A grab shot of the fence shadows

     Echinacea or Purple Cone Flower

     The real photographer was on the left out of the photo.  A house connected with Frederick Douglass (African-American Abolitionist)

     Blue crab live

      Wedding party visitors

     Pet shop in St. Michaels

     Old Brick Inn staircase

     Weird clouds

Calm Reflections is Coming to Leonardtown MD on September 2nd

We are participating in the Art Walk this Friday September 2nd from 5-8 pm as a Vendor displaying my photography crafts under a new pink canopy.

Here's my old booth from the sidewalk during Raiders and Invaders in 2014.

I'm also participating in the art competition with my framed photo called "Goose Family" at the Yellow Door Art Studio in Leonardtown (22795 Washington St).   If you really like my photo, please vote for it to win the Art Walk Competition anytime before 8 pm, September 2nd.  It's really cute and one of my most popular photos!  I saw the large family walking by all lined up in a row and almost missed the shot before they vanished down the small creek in one large group.  I have never seen so many goslings in one place, a huge family.  They were adorable.

Click to learn more about the Art Walk occurring during September's First Friday event.  Artists will also be participating in "Paint the Town", painting scenes of the Art Walk and Art Demos.