The "Home Town" of President Gerald Ford.

Hello Daylily Friends,

The past four days have been so exciting.  On Thursday morning I got up early to go to the airport to fly to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  At the airport I was met by my new friend, Ms. Ginny Pearce, who happens to live near the airport.  We went to Ginny's house, and guess what we did?  We looked at pictures of daylilies.  Also got the chance to see many of Ginny's seedling that were in containers inside her kitchen.  Later, we went outside to see Ginny's garden where I know she longs to see green growth and emerging scapes.  We stayed for a while, but then we went to Marlarky's Restaurant where we met 15 other Club members, and we had dinner together.  It is good to get together with daylily friends anywhere because we really like the one subject that you know we will discuss: "daylilies."

After supper we went to the Club
meeting, and my new friend, Ms. Lori Hankinson, wanted to make sure that I saw the butterfly display there at the botanical garden.  So, she took me by the hand and we went through the back door because the time for visits had passed.  The display was closed, but Lori got us in anyway.  I'm so glad we went.  I saw lots of "chrysalises" which is a place a butterfly lives before it becomes  real butterfly.  Then, I saw lots of butterflies throughout the building.  Some big, some small, but all were beautiful.  Then we hurried to the meeting.  The Club's President, Ms. Barb Baikema, was ready to begin, and so the presentation began.

My beautiful wife Diana Rae did not go with me because of the cost of the flight, and so there was no one to tell me when to "stop talking."  I offered to stop once, but everyone wanted to hear more.  So, we just had fun talking more and more about daylilies.  I didn't get a meeting of the Club posing together, but I did get a picture of part of the club when business was being discussed.  I had a chance to talk to many members of the Club, and it is good to know that there are so many others who also love daylilies.  I should also add that Lori also gave me a number of gifts for Little Lily Rae.  We'll see her in the morning, and I'll give them to her then.

After the meeting Ginny took me on an evening tour of Grand Rapids.  I saw downtown, I saw homes that were owned by many in years past who built furniture, and soon we arrived at the place where President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty are buried.  There is a place for visitors, but of course it was closed.  It had not occurred to me that President Ford was from East Grand Rapids.  Soon  our evening adventure ended, and I very soon was sleeping in the hotel.

On Saturday morning Ginny and I had breakfast together, and we talked about a multitude of subjects.  Soon, I was on my way back to Atlanta.

When I got home I was pleased to learn that my friends Larry Grace, Jamie Gossard and Mike Holmes were all coming by to visit.  We had a wonderful meal together that Diana prepared, and we watched the basketball game together.  Jamie and Mike were glad Michigan won.  We had many visits to the Greenhouse, and we walked all over the garden.  Daylily friends are always interested in new seedlings, conversions, and garden preparation.  There was much to talk about.  Then, sadly, everyone had to go.

Thanks again to Ginny and to the Grand Valley Daylily Society for the wonderful opportunity to visit their Club.  I'll always remember the trip.

I'll soon post some pictures of daylilies from the Greenhouse.

Bill