January 27 Aman Park ... overcast

Wednesday:  A few days ago I was scrolling through Facebook and ran across a photograph of a small slightly arched bridge crossing a stream--it was a beautiful picture--and then the photographer listed the location as "Aman Park", Grand Rapids, Michigan. I read that a few times and shook my head ... how could there possibly be a park in Grand Rapids with a bridge crossing a stream that I did not know about?!?! I've lived here just shy of FIFTY years now! So ... I looked it up ... and behold ... there IS an Aman Park off Lake Michigan Drive, about halfway to Lake Michigan, just short of GVSU! I determined then and there (Monday morning) that I would visit it THIS week.

To my very happy surprise, we had a significant fresh snowfall most of the day on Tuesday. I think our accumulation out here in the northwest part of Grand Rapids was about 4"--fluffy, soft, white flakes. It was colder too--low 20's--a perfect combination for some beautiful snow pictures.

I drove the 33 minutes out to Aman Park and arrived at 10:30 under rather cloudy skies. Sigh. I had SO wanted sunshine. But I was going to take whatever God gave me, so off I went into the woods ...

I was actually quite stunned with the beauty out here. A winter woods almost always makes me ... a little bit crazy ... the happy kind. The snow was SO fresh, SO white, and in many places completely unstepped on! I was completely thrilled ... equal to witnessing a storm on Lake Michigan!

Now and then the sun TRIED to poke through the gloom ...

There are many trails in Aman Park ... I took the loop that begins on one ridge (yes ... a very HIGH ridge that overlooks Sand Creek below) and then gradually descends to the floor where the creek is ... I was looking for that pretty bridge ... where could it be?

I was so delighted to be here. The QUIET was the BEST. Hardly a person in sight. A few playful birds.

I LOVE this spot by the bend in the creek ... I could hardly contain myself with the beauty of it all.

And the bridge! YES!! There it is!

Just as I approached the bridge, I noticed that the clouds had given way to quite a broad, blue sky. Oh man. Would the sun prevail?
 

I took tons of photos of this little bridge. I love bridges. The first photo is an altered version of the second photo--I can't decide which I prefer--edited or nonedited.

At this point, I was about 30 minute beyond having to use the bathroom and was getting a little bit desperate. The loop wound around near to where I was parked ... and right near my car was an outhouse. Yay! Afterwards, I decided to take a few more shots with the help of the SUN (next post).