Lowell, MI – As the nature awakens, we celebrate Earth Day today. The first widely recognized Earth Day was held in 1970 when an environmental Teach-In group planned an event for April 22.

But every day is an Earth Day celebration to recognize the greatest resource of all, and that is our planet Earth.

To celebrate the Earth Week, I started my annual walk to the Franciscan Life Process Center (FLPC) on Monday. The 1.8 mile hike on a gravel road has been a staple of my mental and physical sanity since 1995 when we moved out into this northeast corner of Kent County in West Michigan.

I marveled at the untouched nature coming to life; plants vigorously emerging from the wet dirt from yesterday’s rains, robins hopping under the pine trees among the new ground cover.

Crisp morning air and dew covered the new grass and stems.

The area consists of preserved farmland thanks to late philanthropist Peter Wege, apple orchards, woods and streams. Wild flowers are now popping out in the woods, and morel mushrooms are around the corner, or should I say around the stumps.

I love the farm markets with the local produce starting soon with local asparagus.

Different trail systems like the Fred Meijer River Valley trails and Lowell Area trials meet here at the confluence of Grand River and Flat River. We’ve been blessed with an abundance of natural resources from the Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve in Lowell Township, Wege Wittenbach AgriScience center, Sessions Lake and Fallasburg Park. Hundreds of inland lakes dot the picturesque region.

The Midwest entices with its variety of seasons, landscapes, Great Lakes and diverse communities.

For more info on the trails go to:

www.traillink.com

Land Conservancy of West Michigan

www.naturenearby.org

Wittenbach/Wege Center

http://www.lowellschools.com

Franciscan Life Process Center

http://www.lifeprocesscenter.org

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Spring into the Past museum tour

April 21, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Explore the “Spring into the Past” museum tour to celebrate spring and history. You will step back into the past, as the museums deck out their interiors with fashion of the past.
It is the best time to tour the communities nestling on the three rivers; Grand River, Thornapple River and the Flat.
The five counties make up the West, Central and Southwest regions of Michigan.
You can also do some morel mushroom hunting in the nearby forests. It is the best time to visit Michigan as the nature and the communities come to full blossom.
Thank you for visiting with us,
Emma
writer and nature lover

Fallasburg Today

“Spring Into the Past” and bring the family to tour the small museums of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network in Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent and Montcalm counties on May 6 & 7.

“Youngsters will be amazed at how folks got along without all of today’s technology and older folks will enjoy reminiscing the good old days,” said publicity director Judy Gager.

New signs in Fallasburg

“Fashions through the Ages” is this year’s theme as more than thirty member museums or historical societies roll out their red carpet to show off the unique history of their communities.

Fallasburg pioneer village located three miles northeast of Lowell is one of the 30 participating museums this year. The quaint village is waiting to be discovered. The one-room schoolhouse will open for the season on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.

Inside @fallasburg Ghost hunters inside the Fallasburg schoolhouse museum last October.

During this…

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Celebrating Earth Day

April 20, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Watch for my upcoming Earth Day posts to celebrate the amazing planet we live on.

Source: Celebrating Earth Day

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Happy Easter

April 16, 2017 emmapalova 1 Comment

Picture perfect Norman Rockwell style “Easter eggs in the grass.”

20170415_141852_001 — Preji vsem krasne Velikonoce

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Happy Easter

April 16, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Czech and Slovak republics also celebrate Easter Monday with traditional customs of whipping and dousing with water girls and women in exchange for eggs, shots and ribbons.

Source: Happy Easter

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Happy Easter

April 16, 2017 emmapalova 1 Comment

Happy Easter to all. Easter Sunday is the biggest holiday in the Catholic year following weeks of preparation and transformation in Lent.

Czech Republic also celebrates Easter Monday with the age old tradition of “schmigrust” or whipping of girls and women with willow branches in exchange for eggs and ribbons.
In Slovak Republic girls are doused with water or colognes.

With joy in our hearts we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
However in many cultures around the world it is also the celebration of spring and new life.

We rejoice with nature awakening from long winter sleep.

Watch for Earth day observation on Saturday, April 22.

Don’t forget to plant something.

Easter, Uncategorized

Good Friday

April 14, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

The Good Friday commemoration of the Christ’s passion took place at 3 p.m. today at Saint Pat’s Church in Parnell. One billion catholics around the world sat in silence to observe Christ’s death.

“We wait in silence,” said Father Mark Peacock.

During this liturgy, the narrator, the priest and the crowd read the scriptures according to John in a powerful ceremony.

I find the Passion script, that was also read on Palm Sunday, fascinating. I am not surprised it has been worked into a movie.

Photos are coming.

In conclusion, the faithful venerated the Cross. Saturday is the vigil of Easter that takes place in the chapel.

The Triduum invites all to enter without reserve into the mystery and death unto resurrection in Christ Jesus.

Easter Sunday is the culmination of all these liturgies.

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