Les Flâneurs

Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

Less than a 20-minute walk from our home, we just can't get enough of this incredible green space. . .

Mark di Suvero "Ben Webster"

Ollveiro Rainaldi "The Tribute"

Igor Mitoraj “Light of the Moon “and Jonathan Borofsky “Male/Female”

Igor Mitoraj “Light of the Moon

Jonathan Borofsky “Male/Female”

Beverly Pepper "Galileo's Wedge"

Kiki Smith "Sleepwalker"

Kenneth Nelson "B-Tree-II"

Magdalena Abakanawicz "Figure on a Trunk"

view in the Grove

Henry Moore "Bronze Form"

Antony Gormley "One and Other"

Ai Weiwei "Iron Tree"

Sophie Ryder "Introspective"

Fourth of July 2016 at Clear Lake

For some years now Clear Lake has become a haven of sorts, at least for me.

It began, I suppose, many years ago when we first lived in Michigan and Uncle John and I -- and occasionally a somewhat puzzled and puzzling Peter Moll, would spend quality time in the large garden where I searched out the best -- the smallest -- of cucumbers to make my dill pickles. But even after we moved out East, every time we would visit Grand Rapids a trip to Clear Lake was always on our to-do list. We didn't always get there but just knowing it was there was somehow soothing.

In those final few years in Rhode Island, Clear Lake became a refuge from the noise, dirt and grit of Providence, a place to spend time not just losing oneself in that wonderful green ribbon around a lake that was truly made of clear water; it was also a place to reconnect with family who have become good friends over these many years.

And it's not just family but old neighbors from Giddings Street or friends of family who are always welcome out at "the lake." And so it was this past Fourth of July holiday. . .

Susie's mom Bernice

the French Tarte herself

a visitor from Philadelphia

Scott Galloway

Berenice

Uncle John and Susie

Kristi

Gordon Galloway

Lisa

Jim Jack

Laurie

Jennifer

Grandfather and granddaughter

Matt

a day at the lake

Susan goes to Texas

Back in June Susie flew off to Austin, Texas with her sister Joyce -- she had been visting us here in Michigan -- for a reunion of sorts in the Lone Star State.

They were joined by sister-in-law Dorothy from Massachusetts and together the three of them were in Texas to celebrate our niece Mallory's graduation from high school. They made the most of their veery brief time down south, as you can see.