Horses, Bears, and Cars, oh my!

One of the perks about living in Southwest Michigan is being able as a "local" to enjoy some of the cool things these communities create to attract tourists. We don't always agree with the choices our local administrators make in this regards. But, they really hit the nail on the head this summer!

The summer after Flicka was born was the first year one city began this public art display. Our understanding was that it would not only attract tourism but would possibly raise money for a real carousel "in memory" of an amusement park that use to stand on the local beach. The horses were beautiful to look at but that's about it. They were somewhat fragile and succumbed to quite a bit of vandalism. They were removed at the end of the season and (I believe) were offered for purchase to local businesses and residents which raised funds for the future carousel.

Last summer, Flicka was thrilled to see these bears all over a nearby downtown. Much more kid-friendly and many had a cute sense of humor as the local artists dressed 'em in some really creative ways!

Then, the 2007 summer "fleet" was debuted last month. OH MY! Climb-able. Kid-proof. Adorable. Funny. Everything that makes them friendly to all ages. We took Pojke and Flicka there last week and they never spent time on one for long - they just kept running to the next one...and the next one...and the next one. LOL

(Warning: sweetness overdose in the following pictures...)