Today's adventure turned out to be a walk at the Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve, which is only a few minutes' drive away.

A sign that says Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

This is a 472-acre nature preserve and one of the last remaining stretches of wetlands in the Sandusky Bay area, preserving the lake-marsh-forest ecosystem. It harbors migrating birds, a wide variety of flowers, bugs, you name it. There are numerous hiking trails; since we are old, we picked the paved one.

The beginning of the trail, near the parking lot. There are trees and some pretty aggressive vegetation.

Near the trailhead, as we embark on our adventure.

Some pretty, pale pink, star-shaped flowers.

Some flowers. IDK what kind.

A fallen tree in a forest area, with a shorter log stump lying horizonally on the ground next to it.

Foresty scenery.

A bench, which is not on the roadway, next to a sign that says, "Please remain on roadway."

The paradox bench--do you leave the roadway to sit on it, or defy the sign?

A stretch of wetlands/marshy terrain--a lot of green on the surface of the water.

Here things are starting to get marshy-looking.

More marshy terrain with trees in the background and some reedy plants in the foreground.

More marshy-looking marsh. One might expect this area to smell bad, but it doesn't. I assume because it's a healthy marsh, and not just a lake covered in algae like I'm used to seeing.

Fallen logs sprinkled with some sort of mushroom-fungus growth that looks like white scales.

More logs with some fungi.

Marshy terrain framed by trees.

Marsh covered in wide-leafed vegetation that covers the surface of the water.

I'm not sure what kind of vegetation this is. It almost looks like water lilies but not as elegant.

Vegetation with bright red berries.

A picture I took because the berries are pretty.

The water here is covered with what looks like green pellets. It's some sort of vegetation.

An area closer to the edge of the marsh area.

The marsh area butts right into the edge of a meticulously groomed golf course.

Right next to the perserved wetlands? A golf course. The juxtaposition of habitat preservation by habitat destruction lost to late-stage capitalism as represented by rich people who want to golf.

A swan just hanging out.

We did see some of the bird population, like this guy...

A heron standing in the marsh looking regal.

...and this guy.

A sandy stretch of beach looking out over Lake Erie.

We also found a beach at the end of a trail off the main road. I'm not sure if we were supposed to be there or not. It was very quiet and secluded.

A boat buzzes by on the lake, leaving a wake behind it.

A boat on the lake.

A stretch of beach, with trees and wetland vegetation framing it.

Another view of the beach and how it abuts the wetlands area.

A snake slithers across the asphalt.

Snek!!

After that, we had had enough of nature and went to a bookstore, where I spent too much money.

Another article with more logistical information about visiting the preserve.