Retired in Ann Arbor: Fairy village at the Arb

Many people know about the fairy doors in Ann Arbor, but there is a little fairy village in Nichols Arboretum that is not even on the map.  Last time we visited, no fairies were home, but the cottages all looked a little different from the last time-- so the fairies have been working away.

If you enter the Arb by the Gateway Garden, you can find this little village just past the peony garden, on the right, in a grove of trees.

Are you interested in our fairy geneology?












We've just finished hiking the Kerry Way (in Ireland), where I'm sure our fairies originated-- so if you want to see what the "old country" looks like, click here!

Check out the village next time you head to the Arb-- and if you have a couple of minutes, add a room-- or leave a few pennies.

Retired in Ann Arbor: Chela's

There's a new little Mexican restaurant on Maple at Liberty called Chela's, that we recently tried for lunch after one of our walks.  Maybe that's why we threw caution to the winds and ate with abandon!













I had my usual cheese quesadilla-- and it came out of the kitchen with a couple of nice details to spruce up a normally boring dish:  pickled vegetables with a little kick, and a couple of perfect slices of avocado.






The guacamole was perfect, and I also enjoyed the sweetened hibiscus tea.  We liked the food a lot, and it appeared that  the folks eating around us did as well.

Since you order at the counter and pick up your food, this might become our new carry-out Mexican destination.

Retired in Ann Arbor: Never Dull knife sharpening

I was wandering Farmer's Market on Wednesday morning, and, lo and behold, the knife sharpener was there!

Thanks to AnnArbor.com for this picture

Now I, of course, didn't have my knives with me-- but I was delighted to see that he also sharpens scissors and garden snippers.  Dull cutting utensils are one of the small irritations in my otherwise almost perfect life, so I can't wait to tour the kitchen and garage and collect everything that needs to be sharpened!