I love hills. Midland, where we grew up, is flat, flat, and yes, really pancake flat. Dave and I moved a little ways out of town where our backyard sloped down to a creek. Heaven. We loved having the little hill. When our son was younger he would take his sled to the top of the steps, slide down the steps, turn and go down the hill, stopping just before the creek.
Something about a hill is magical.
When we looked for our new home in southwest Michigan we wanted hills, rolling terrain. We saw a lot of houses squashed up against the front of a hill, and that wasn’t what we wanted. We saw lots of houses perched precariously on top a hill, with their decks cantilevered out over a ravine. That wasn’t what we wanted either.
The house we bought sets on the top of a long, gentle ridge. Driving up to the front you wouldn’t even realize there is quite a slope in the back because the front yard is flat. The back slopes down about 15 feet from the back of the house to the end of the fenced section and then gentle hills beyond the fence.
This ridge is about about a half mile wide. One of my walks, that I take only when it’s not blisteringly hot, goes around the corner and down a small hill, the other side of the ridge. There is one place where you get the most amazing views.
The Hill Around the Corner July 2013
I love to stop when I get here and walk slowly down the hill to savor the lovely view. The hill is only about 10 feet high on the street, but you get the sense of a wide, rolling vista. The far end of the hill is a farmer’s field and a golf course, and that small tree in the middle anchors the whole view. I love the peaceful feeling.
I’ve not taken many scenery pictures with this camera. This one I tried to zoom up on the larger tree.
The Hill Around the Corner July 2013
Last week it was cool enough that I took this walk several times – there is no shade for about a fourth of a mile so I go a different way when it is too hot – and got these pictures. Here is the very top of the hill.
Walking down a couple feet gives this view.
The Hill Around the Corner July 2013
I’m so glad we have this. Even a gentle, small hill like we have makes everything look better.
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