Month: May 2012

The Grand River at Fulton

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Mindfulness is a philosophy I try to live my life by.

Today was one of those very hectic days where my mind was consumed with my work and looming deadlines. I had to make a run to Kinkos for one last minute errand, so I decided to wait outside while the work was completed. It was my moment to try to regain some mindfulness. I took a look at the river and found this:

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It was probably one of those things you had to be there for, but to me it was a nice surprise and reward for making time to enjoy the moment.

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@ Division

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I took these photos on Weston Street facing Division Ave. Division used to have a bad reputation. When I used to tell people I lived downtown they’d say to me, ‘OH, stay away from Division.’ I realized after a while that the people who used to say this to me were all from the suburbs.

If they had taken the time to visit this street in recent years they would have realized the charm of this area. Numerous shops and galleries line this street and all of them are locally owned. This area has a special vibe. It is very down to earth, with shop owners accepting the old buildings for what they are and working with that, instead of feeling the need to tear them down and destroy the city’s history in the name of commercialism.

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Grand Rapids Public Library

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My number one most favorite building in downtown Grand Rapids is the Public Library. I recently made the move to the suburbs, but lived downtown for many years. I have fond memories of my Saturday walks to this library. It is a beautiful building inside and out. It was built in 1904. I think around the late 1960’s the main enterance was moved from the front to the side of the building, and the original Ryerson wing of the library was closed to the public. Thank goodness in the late 1990’s a renovation took place, and this entrance and wing was once again made public. Pictured below is an image taken from the second floor. The window in the background is the large arched window front and center in this picture.

In Memoriam

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When I was a child, Memorial Day was about the official beginning of boating season. As I have grown older, I have began to appreciate the true intent of this day. I decided to take a drive over to the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans and Veterans Cemetery. I haven’t visited my facility since my dad’s memorial service back in 2007. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war.

I had forgotten about this absolutely huge flag that hangs at the entrance to the buildings.

The cemetery was pretty busy today with visitors. It is overwhelming to see the number of gravestones at the site.

It was a good Memorial Day for me. I left feeling good about taking the time to visit where my dad had lived for the last year and a half of his life. He had a kind soul, and I will dedicate this day to my memories of him from now on. It all comes full circle–me choosing this day in memory of my dad. When I was little, it was my dad who was most excited about the official beginning of boating season.

Our boat, circa 1988. I’m pretty sure I took this photo.