Thursday, May 24, 2018, Traverse City, MI

Just north on Michigan highway M 31 in the small town of Elk Rapids we sauntered through a sculpture park filled with modern art dubbed the "Walk of Art."

Blue Sculpture with yellow ring, 2010

by David Petrakovitz

The "bird" below was fabricated out of all sorts of scrap parts. I noticed a Volkswagen hood stretched from the head to the legs to form the creatures breast and belly. Sam didn't know what to think about the piece.

Amelia, 2017

by Ritch Branstorm

Everywhere in the woods around us the Trillium was in bloom - that was a different kind of art all together.

Hardwoods, 2016

by Sam Soet

Joani and I both agreed the work below was our favorite. She was embracing the sun and sky while facing the waters of Lake Michigan.

Becca Triumphs, 2013

by Ann Gildner

If I had a garden and a spare $15,000 lying around, Becca would be mine!

Joani spotted this uncredited work of art entitled Spalding mounted carefully in the crotch of a tree.

We returned to the coach for some lunch, but quickly headed back out on the road. North again, but this time up the Old Mission Peninsula on M 37 until we reached the end of the road where we found the Old Mission Lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed for the day, but we were happy to just roam the grounds and take pictures of the structure - I think we already know pretty much what we would see inside.

The bugs were even worse than at the campground, but we learned from a local that these were called "midge flies" or just midges. What we thought were mosquitoes when we arrived yesterday were midges - so that's why they didn't bite. Still, they were pests flying in your face and ears. Sam swallowed a couple sending him into a coughing fit.

I was relieved to find out the clouds of swarming insects were midges instead of mosquitoes.

I'll take the non-biting midges over mosquitoes any day!

Back in town, I found I was the first to arrive at the movie premiere, well, if you don't count R2-D2 and his Imperial companion. What a nice theater - nicely restored with maybe 400 seats and a balcony! I can't remember the last time I saw a balcony in a movie theater, but my favorite detail was the starry ceiling.

I guess there were maybe 200 people in the theater for the movie, so there were plenty of empty seats. Believe it or not, I didn't hear a single cell phone ring during the entire movie!