• Friday-What'sUP April 23 - 05:02 pm

Good, clean, unadulterated fun involving only your imagination and your limbs to propel you along! To be young and carefree, living in the U.P., isn't that the life? It's nice to see kids outdoors breathing in fresh air, instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer. Brita Haapala's bunch sure seems to be enjoying a day at the Houghton Waterfront Recreation Area, exploring the Chutes and Ladders playground. These modern day play areas that you see sprouting up in many communities are a far cry from the swings, merry-go-rounds, chicken and monkey bars of my playground day. Kind of makes me wish I could take a turn on that curvy, yellow slide, but then my stomach has never been too fond of spinning and twisting around. So I guess I'll pass!

Woo hoo!!! That looks like a blast! And those cute kids are taking advantage of every bit of it! Looks like alot more fun than work - count me in!

The "Chutes and Ladders" is fun for every age! Children and adults alike! When we have taken the kids here, you would not believe how many adults are reverting back to childhood, and playing right along with the kids on all the slides, and monkeybars! Its great to see adults, having just has much fun as the kids..a great time for all!

Good morning from Mishawaka IN. That looks like alot of fun. I'd never get my Grandson off. Some cold weather is headed our way so he would have to keep his shoes and socks on. Have a great day everyone.

Chutes and Ladders is tons of fun!!! We always spent tons of time there while at school. It is well designed for the big and little. Sledding down the slides is fun too.

I agree, the waterfront park in Houghton is a great place for everyone. All visitors with children will be glad they stopped there.

Thanks, Brita, for another great picture of your beauties.

UnADULTerated. Keen observation by the awesome staff at Pasty Central. Happy Spring!!

I'm going to have to bring my 3-year-old granddaughter up with me this summer and take her there! Earth Day tomorrow, and down here the earth will be covered with snow.

Noticed the Michigan House in the pasty.net spotlight today. I don't think I've ever been there. See, two new places I have to try out this summer when I come UP!!

Love the picture, envious of the playground. Makes me wish I was 40 years younger! But those kids will be back in boots tomorrow. I loved the warm weather the last two weeks but it made me uneasy -- too nice too soon. Michiganians are puritans at heart and distrust too much nice weather. Or maybe we are wise and know we will pay for it later. Anyway, here comes the snow!

Oh, to be young again!

I just read yesterday's discussion and have a remedy for black fly bites. The itching and swelling is caused by an allergic reaction to proteins in the fly's saliva. Your immune system has produced antibodies to the proteins from previous bites. When you are bitten again, these antibodies combine with the proteins and trigger histamine release from certain white blood cells; the histamine sets off a chain of reactions that are part of your body's inflammatory defense mechanism to an invading infection; unfortunately in this case it is misdirected against spit.

You need to stop the action of histamine to stop the inflammation. Spread the bitten area with an antihistamine cream. In black fly season I spread the stuff on behind ears and at my hair line BEFORE I go out to garden or take a hike. They bite through it, I bleed, but little or no reaction. Since I found this product I am not confined to the house for three weeks in June.

Therese ~

Any specific brand?

Never thought about a pre-application. My wife is just miserable in June.

What about the stable flies? What keeps them away. In the Porkies last year, (June) they were so bad we couldn't be outside the tent. Even 100%DEET didn't stop them from biting. Another camper said she used fabric softener sheets and rubbed them on her skin. Anyone have any other sure fire recommendations?????

My mom's side of our family had a reunion in Houghton a
few years back. After the gathering at Tech, we all went to
this park, where we ate pasties, the kids played on this
playground, and we swam in Portage Lake- the temps that
day reached nearly 100 as I recall.

;-)

Let it snow, let it snow let it snow...

http://www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/cams/view/motion.html

summers over that was last week!

;-)

What a great-looking playground! I am fast approaching the big 5-0 birthday, but I love to go down the twisty slides. Just because you are an adult, doesn't mean you can't play around anymore! I somehow missed this playground the few times I've been up to Houghton, but you can bet I'll be sliding down those slides next time we visit!

Bob,

You are too funny. When I worked in the probation department, I had the following saying on my blackboard: "August in Da UP: Bad sledding weather".

Love the pics of the Chutes and Ladder slide park...I could picture the kiddies and me playing there ;)

Mr. Bill -- I use Benadryl cream, but I suspect any antihistamine cream would work. If it is thick enough maybe the little blighters would get stuck and not even bite!

Yahooo! It's my birthday! only 10 more years and I can retire to da UP!

It looks nasty up there today.....I like the park picture better!!!
Have a good weekend.

Bill, in Colorado. Where do you work?

Great play gound - at the school ground by my house they tried to put a good one up a few years back - the local kids burned it !! But the new things are made of more sturdy material, and so far the kids like it and respect it - but this time there a concerned parents that keep an eye on things -- it takes a neighborhood is so true -

Finally cannot resist noting that my talented daughter-in-law takes great pictures of my cute grandchildren. We sure do miss not seeing them everyday now that we are in Minnesota!

Tervehdys ALAHÄRMÄstä SUOMESTA..tässä linkki meidän leikkipuistoomme;

http://www.lillbacka.com/powerpark/English/powerland.html

I work for the State in Denver. I miss the UP. I visit every summer on vacation and am happy not to be in Denver traffic with someone pushing me down the road...

Proud Granddaddy- how's Minnesota going for you and the family?? Great I hope!

During college, my friends and I played tag at night on these things. We played at the one in Marquette at Lower Harbor. We would wait until all the Kids are at home fast asleep and then we would take over. If you stepped in the bark chips you were automatically it! It was a great alternative to the party scene.

A number of times that I have been to the Chutes and Ladders, I think there were as many adults as kids going through. I have been to the top many times and only down the slides once. It was a dare (I didn't get stuck)

The Ray Keester waterfront park represents the best use of grant money a community could ask for, everyone benefits.The recent grants and proposed grants at the Houghton county Memorial airport will benefit how many ? May be 1776 locals, You know the type. Airports and airlines should pay their way . Save Amtrack now! no more flyin grants .
A politician's favorite phrase is,"If we don't get that grant , someone else will."

Everyone get out their houvees, mackinaws,swampers
and snow shovels..the snow is comming back!

To Therese from just below the bridge ~

Thank you for your advice on Benadryl atihistamine cream for the black flies. I will for sure try it this spring .... I am so allergic to them that I literally break out in swollen whelts with each bite.

May I suggest something as a wash after being bitten? A
surprising treatment for the swelling of poison ivy, sumac?,
elder? is to scrub with "IVORY LUIQI-JEL", a clear gel pump soap.
The sooner the better. My wife was really reactive and it worked
when "offical medical" treatment didn't do squat.I think it seems
to have something to do with DMDM-Hydantoin, an ingredient
that isn't in many other hand gels. Interesting enough I read
some time ago about another interesting property of DMDM:
neutralizing (and maybe protecting against?) chemical warfare
residues on clothing with just a simple washing. It would be
good to find out if the Ivory helps with fly bites, Lord knows I
shuld have thought of this a long time ago, having suffered
through too many decades of at least 7 types of flies. The worst
of course is the Ghost Fly, the one on your arm that you swat
vigorously and then discover that you imagined it. Eventually
your arm gets real sore.