Stanley visits The Summit

Here we are at The Summit. The Summit has a gymnastics arena and a hockey arena.

Here is the ice hockey arena. Brr. It is a little chilly in here. I should have worn a sweater.

The Summit is the home for the Twistars Gymnastics club.

It was the #1 ranked women's gymnastics club in the nation in 2009.

This is the club where Jordan Wieber trains. She is the ranking World Gymnastics Champion. She will also be in the 2012 Olympics.

You can watch her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show by clicking the link below.

Students are getting ready for the next recital.

I am wearing one of the leotards for the recital.

 The coach gives instructions.

 I can climb the rope.

I can walk on the balance beam.

There are a lot of trophies in this place.

Flat Stanley gets ready for Cirque du Soleil Quidam

Cirque du Soleil Quidam is coming to town.  It is kind of like a circus and a play all in one.

To let the community know about their performance there were some special activities at the MSU Federal Credit Union. 

(Hmmm....Stanley has been there a few times already!)

Here we are getting our photos taken in front of the screen.

We are learning to juggle.

We tried balancing a juggling pin on our noses.

Here we are practicing some more moves.

There was free popcorn from their bus tour.

Yes, we are going back inside the credit union.

The lovely teller is posing for our picture.

After all that hard work we needed a snack.

Flat Stanley visits Spartan Spots

(1) Dairy Store

We went to some favorite spots for MSU Spartans.

This is the MSU Dairy Store.

They make their own ice cream here. Yum!

There are so many flavors.

This "S" stands for Spartans.

(2) Red Cedar River


This is the Red Cedar River that goes through campus.

The river is so important it is mentioned in the school's fight song which was created back in 1914. You can listen to it by clicking on the picture below.

A spider web overlooking the Red Cedar River.

Here is a sign for MSU football.

(3) Sparty


"Sparty" is the MSU mascot.

The statue is 10 feet 6 inches tall.

He is so tall!!

Is Sparty posing for the camera?

(4) Library

These girls are posing for the camera in front of the library fountain!

 

Flat Stanley Smells the Flowers at the MSU Perennial Garden

We went to the Judith A. DeLapa perennial garden at Michigan State University. 

There is always something in bloom from March to November.

Here is a garden shed.

They raise bees here.

Here are the bees' homes.

One purple flower.

Two pink flowers.

This is an arbor.

Students come to this building to learn more about plants and horticulture.

These street lights look like very old lanterns used on campus many years ago.

 The swirling ball fountain was not working.

This sign tells you how to plant flowers to attract bees.

This is another kind of home to attract bees.

Here is a statue of Liberty Hyde Bailey near the gardens.

Liberty Hyde Bailey is known as "America's Father of Horticulture." He loved plants and teaching people about them.

He was born in South Haven, Michigan. (80 Miles from Goshen!)


View Larger Map

He studied at Michigan State University when it was called Michigan Agricultural College. (It has had six different names!)

When he was born in 1858, MSU was only 3 years old. 

MSU was founded in 1855 to provide higher education for all the citizens of Michigan, not just the rich or elite.

President Abraham Lincoln saw how successful this model was for Michigan that he signed a law to have one college like this in every state.

Michigan State University is in East Lansing, Michigan, about 140 miles from Goshen.


View Larger Map

We took pictures of ourselves as butterflies outside the MSU Butterfly house.