Grand Valley Nature Preserve

Tucked away in Camp Dennison at a former gravel excavation site is a 379 acre preserve to restore wildlife and serve as a water system for neighboring communities. Entrance is limited to residential customers of Indian Hill Water Works. Luckily our guest’s friend is just that and we spent the morning on a leisurely stroll around one of the lakes.

As we’d round a bend, bales of turtles on the shore would enter the water en masse, making a noise like small tumbling boulders and then float with their heads popping out. (Thanks to the internet and Dan’s friend, I learned a group of turtles is called a bale — sea turtles are a flotilla.)

I want to go back and see all the seasons here! I tip my hat to Ryan for taking us along.