Belle Isle in April

When I decided on my 12 Month Project this year, I figured that Belle Isle would be fairly easy, since I spend a fair amount of time down there anyway.  This weekend was a perfect example since I was down there both today and yesterday.  I guess the hard part is the fact that there is so much to cover on Belle Isle, so I try to limit the places I use when I do the monthly shot.  In a way, that is not too bad but in another way, it doesn't serve the purpose of my 12 month series.  Namely an attempt to catch the passing of the seasons on a place.  As a result, there are some places that I will repeat and some that I wont.

 Sunset Drive as you are heading on the highway.  As I mentioned yesterday, they are putting barriers up because they are going to be running the Detroit Grand Prix again.  I think it is kind of cool to drive down the same space that race car drivers will use at some point.

 A shot of the Scott Fountain from the other side.

 Looking at the Detroit skyline through some flowering trees.

 It was tough to get detailed flower pictures today because of the wind but here is one.

 Another shot of the skyline.  I tried to get the flowers in the shot to give an example of spring.  Unfortunately, the up and down weather has not been kind to the flowers.

 A shot of just the skyline.

 For this shot, I lowered down to the ground in order to get the flowers with a shot of the skyline in the background.  I used a higher f-stop on this one so the buildings are slightly out of focus.

 For this shot, I used a narrower f-stop to get the buldings in flocus.  Which do you like better?

 A shot of the front end of the island.  You can see some of the flower trees.

 Looking down at a lilac bush.

 A closer shot of the lilac bush.

 A closer shot yet.

 Another clump of flowers.

 And another clump.

 A shot of the Scott Fountain from one of my normal spots.

 Looking down the Strand.  I know that I took a similar shot yesterday but I still like the look.  Although I can't wait for the barricades to go down.

 The Nancy Brown Peace Carrilon.

 A shot of the river around the Nancy Brown Peace Carrilon.

 Looking at the Conservatory through the trees.

 One of those shots where being at the right place is important.  It almost looks like the one goose is yelling at the other and the other is just trying to get away from it.

 An old Coast Guard boat in front of the Dossin Museum.  My copy of Know Your Ships from last year was getting ragged, so I decided to pick up this year's edition.

 The anchor from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 Just so you can get an idea of just how windy it was today.  The temperature would have been much nicer without the wind.

 I kind of liked this picture of the cannons set off against the Peace Carillon.  There is probably a message here but I'm not sure what.

 Another angle of the Conservatory.

 Looking down one of the streets.

 I think this is the housing for the Administration of Belle Isle.  I'm not sure about the history behind it.

 I believe this may have been a stable at one time.  People used to ride horses on Belle Isle.  Maybe they might do that again.

 A shot of the Aquarium.

 Another shot of the Aquarium.

 The koi pond which is situated between the Aquarium and the Conservatory.

 Another closeup shot of some flowers.

 Another shot of the koi pond.

 And a shot of the koi.

 One of the bigger koi.

 Another set of flowers on another tree.

 I'm not sure about this shot.  It was pretty windy when I took it, so some of the flowers may be blurry.

 As I looked back, I saw this shot of the Conservatory through the trees.  I think I would have liked it more without the cars in front.

 Another shot of the stable.

 A shot of the Alpheus Williams statue.  I tried to get a little distance from it.

 And a little closer.

 This is a shot of the MacArthur Bridge that I've been wanting to get for a while.  I may have to try again on a day when it isn't so windy.

 I try to avoid shots of decay and ruin on this blog.  For the most part, I think there are plenty of photographers who do that, however that doesn't mean I wont do it.  This is the Detroit Boat House and I think it was established at about the same time as the Detroit Yacht Club but unlike the Yacht Club, people stopped using this one and it fell into disrepair.  I think there may be some groups who are trying to restore it though.  I've seen people using the grounds.

 Another shot of the MacArthur Bridge.

I think I would like this shot more if I had gotten a little closer.  I do have to admit it is a beautiful bridge.

Well that closes out my April edition of Belle Isle.  It's hard to believe that the year is a third gone already.