Mistaken Assumptions

Did you ever have certain assumptions about something, and then found you were totally wrong? A while ago, I discovered a new nature preserve called West Bloomfield Woods Nature Preserve. I introduced it here, but I never got the chance to visit it fully.

The place is a little further away from me than several others, it was getting late in the year, and I just ran out time for it. I only went a short way up one of the trails, just so I could give myself a little preview of the place.

I attempted another visit, but it just happened to be on the day of the first snowstorm of our very rough winter. It started just as soon as I got on the trail. The wind was blowing way too hard for me, and it was making it very cold. I wasn't dressed for those conditions, so I had to turn back. In the end, none of this mattered to me anyway.

I tried to think positively about this place, but I had great suspicions that it wasn't going to be much fun when I finally did decide to go back. There seemed to be too many houses around, so I assumed it must be very small. I also didn't expect to see any wildlife, so I've been reluctant to revisit this place. I can tell you now that I was completely wrong!

I finally went back, and found one of the most wonderful places I've ever been! After turning the first corner on the path, it was like walking into a completely different world. I was transported from a little suburban neighborhood into a great wilderness, in only a few steps!

This place was huge and full of life! Of course, there were trees as far as the eye could see. And there was new green grass and flowers sprouting up everywhere, demonstrating that spring lives in this place. There were so many different animals that I could pick and choose which ones to get pictures of.

There was a small canyon running through this place, with a viewing platform to look at the river below. In a narrow section, there was a bridge that ran across the canyon, and I eagerly crossed it, twice! There were so many twists and hills along the trail, that I never knew what would be next. I was so excited that I had to stop and relax, to gather my thoughts, about halfway through.

The photos I'm showing you in this post are only a very small preview of this great place. I can't possibly show it or explain it all in this one story. I'll bring anything else I can in the next several days. There may be stories of other new adventures along the way too. And I may go back to this place very soon for new journeys. I'm really excited!