Five Things you need to know about Michigan: March Meltdown Edition

Posted on by farlane

Grove

Grove, photo by Liz Glass

On my Absolute Michigan website, I have a favorite feature called Five Things you need to know about Michigan.  

1Please go out and vote in the Michigan primaries today. I am going to vote for Bernie Sanders because I feel that in Michigan and elsewhere working folks, retirees, students, and many more who have ended up on the short end of a globalizing, transforming world are hurting. It seems to me that many of those we have elected to represent us have forgotten that government can be a powerful force for the betterment of society and that when profits come at the expense of others, we all suffer. Please vote for whoever you want to, and I’d love it if you took some time today to remember that you are a part of your government.

2Wow. I had the chance to drive across Michigan yesterday, windows down, basking in near 60 degree temperatures and knowing that spring is on the way. Here’s hoping that the mercury stays moderate and our farmers, orchardists & vintners have a great growing season.

 

3Liz Glass took today’s photo. You can visit her at the Lake Street Market in Boyne City.  She shared today’s photo back in 2012 in the Absolute Michigan pool (where I get most of the photos for Michigan in Pictures). Liz wrote:

I’ve been saving some ice shots to sprinkle in during the warmer months. This is from March 15, when the ice on Lake Charlevoix had melted into a pack of splinters that could then be pushed into piles by the moving water. The color here is real. The low sun is bouncing the golden brown of the sandy lake bottom up through the ice mound, and the looser shards on top are picking up the shimmering silvers and blues of the water and sky.

View her photo bigger and see more in her crazy-awesome Ice slideshow.

4If you have a problem with me being myself, please consider not telling me to “stick to the photos” and instead follow another blog/person/path that doesn’t bother you. I love Michigan, I love Michigan in Pictures, but I am an actual person who believes as I believe and does what I do. I will continue to do this, and telling me not to will just upset us both.

5Congratulations! By making it to here, you can send me an idea for something about Michigan to feature. I can’t promise that I will be able to, but I can promise you that I will try and reply in any case. Just email me or post a comment below.

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27 thoughts on “Five Things you need to know about Michigan: March Meltdown Edition”

  1. good riddance ! ( which is the same reaction a hard-leftist would have if the person behind one of their favorite websites came out for, let’s say, ted Cruz. At least you aren’t a Trumpite ! Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2016 12:43:05 +0000 To: kessel1974@msn.com

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    1. Not sure what you’re saying Timothy. If you’re leaving because I expressed an opinion, it’s probably for the best as I know I’ll do it again. For the record, I am not a hard leftist, just a person who believes that the last 30 years have taken too much from the middle class which is the heart of our nation.

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  2. As one real person to another: thank you for ALL your election thoughts. As a retiree I want to thank you for helping me to get re-acquainted with the wonderful State of Michigan. My husband and I look forward to exploring Michigan this year! Take care, my friend and hopefully all of us who really want to vote for Bernie will make it to the polls today!

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      1. Looks like we Bernie followers might see the first step done–at least in Michigan! :D

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  3. You are entitled to your opinions. If I disagree, I just accept that we live in a free society that allows us each our own opinions. I come here for the photos and knowledge about Michigan. If you sprinkle in your own opinions and thoughts, all the better way to get to know you as a person. Just keep posting on your blog and thank you for what you do Farlane.

    Thoughts on some ideas for Michigan blog posts? How about some accents on the cities that are regenerating their older downtown regions. Lansing “Old Town”; Grand Rapids – East Grand Rapids – amazing what they are doing to their old districts; Bay City and their renovation of their downtown areas into vintage, antique and cute shopping areas; Kalamazoo and what they’ve done to their downtown. So many great things going on in the heart of our bigger cities. I’d love to see more about that and pictures of course.

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  4. Hello my favorite photographer! I didn’t remember at all that Michigan was such a beautifu and scenic state until I began following your blog. I have seen so much that makes me appreciate living in this great state! Thanks for that!

    When it comes to a person’s choice of candidate, it is an individual’s god-given right to choose according to his or her own conscious. That’s what makes this country great. I’m voting today and have done since I was 18 years old.

    I have just one request, please keep those photos coming. My husband and I want to go on a vacation and your photographs are helping us to make a good decision. Between me you and this post, I think we’ll visit Traverse City and Mackinac if all goes well.

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    1. I think Traverse City (my hometown) and Mackinac are two great choices, particularly if you include the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in your TC tour!

      I will keep the photos coming, but please note that these aren’t mine. I draw from the work of hundreds of photographers who are kind enough to share with me!

      PS: I appreciate your comments – please keep them coming! ;)

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  5. You do an awesome job not only posting wonderful pictures of our magnificent state, but by personalizing the experience, too. It is too bad that civility and respect for ALL opinions are often absent – especially in internet comment sections. Thank you for all you do!

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    1. Thank you Cam! It’s nice when people are nice, but that can be hard online because it’s so impersonal. I know I sometimes get overly zealous in making points.

      One of the reasons that I post my opinions is because I feel like we should discuss the whys and wherefores as we see them with people who don’t necessarily agree with us.

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  6. Dear Farlane…I’m so glad you posted item #4 today along with the great photo. I had to move to Sheboygan, WI in 2014 for health reasons, leaving behind 45-yrs of life in Flint, MI. I’ve been saving your photo’s and their accompanying stories on a daily basis for several years now in their own special folder on my laptop. They are my daily reminder about all of the good things about Michigan that some Michigan residents seem to take for granted. Unfortunately, some of these same people have conveniently forgotten about your 1st Amendment rights to editorialize on your own website. Shame on them! I am also a 72-yr old Army veteran who served a 13-month tour in a combat zone in Korea in 1966. That’s why I’m so glad that you reminded people to vote today. I was drafted against my will back in 1966 but I served my country and did my job over there and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let anyone take away my right to vote. So you keep right on posting all of those great photos along with the Michigan history behind them. May God bless you always…Jim Schaefer

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    1. Jim, I have never, ever read a comment on my work that touched me as deeply as yours.

      Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for your comment and your service.

      I had some doubts when I posted today’s Michigan in Pictures, but after reading your comment, I am more than certain it was the right thing to do. Helping people who’ve got a Michigan-sized hole in their heart fill even a little of that hole is one of the main reasons I started Michigan in Pictures.

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  7. I wish you would not add any political aspect to your website.
    I enjoy most of the daily posts and hope these will continue.
    Yes I understand the 1st amendment. I think I understand the importance of voting. I don’t care what your political interest is. I know it’s your website.
    I tune in to share the beauty of our state with you and appreciate those with the talent to capture the images.

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    1. I hear you Bob. While I’ll try to keep political thoughts to a minimum, they’re definitely going to continue to sneak out here and there, particularly when they involve the degradation of Michigan’s environment or heritage.

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  8. Dear Farlane,
    Thank you so much for cheering up all my days of winter. Appreciate your efforts. As far as the political comments…your web site, your privilege!

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  11. Thank you for today’s post. Your picture choices and your words reflect a deep love of Michigan and the hope to keep it environmentally healthy. Keep up the good work. I look forward to each blog.

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