Harry Houdini put the rabbit in Jack Rabbit Beans

Posted on by farlane

Fall in Saginaw

Fall in Saginaw, photo by Urban Gurl

March 24 is Harry Houdini’s birthday and a great time to share the story of Harry Houdini and Jack Rabbit Beans via Waymarking.com:

We showed up at 9:00 am, after a two hour drive, to take a little tour of a few neon gems in Saginaw, MI. Our tour guide was local historian Thomas Mudd. This was the first one on our tour. After our tour, we spent the day looking around until it was time to go back for the night shots. According to Mr. Mudd, you can thank Harry Houdini for this sign.

Houdini performed the “Rabbit-in-the-hat-act” at the Jeffers-Strand Theater in Saginaw in the late 1920’s. He needed a volunteer and whoever helped him would get to keep the rabbit. A young girl named Phyllis R. Symons volunteered, and when the act was over she waited for her rabbit.

Houdini tried to get her off stage and told her he would give her something else afterwards. But she would not leave the stage until she received the rabbit. Houdini eventually gave her the rabbit, which in 1937 would become the symbol of Jack Rabbit Beans. Phyllis’ father, Albert L. Reidel, co-founded Port Huron-based Producers Elevator Co. It later became Michigan Bean Co., the maker of Jack Rabbit Beans.

Sadly, Phyllis could not keep the rabbit in town, so it got sent to her grandparents in Minden City. They too were unable to put up with the rambunctious bunny, and one day Phyllis and her parents paid a visit and found the rabbit on the menu. Phyllis was in shock that they could eat the rabbit. Albert Reidel thought it was funny.

Check Kimberly’s photo out big as a building and see more in her Michigan slideshow.

There’s more history and more Saginaw on Michigan in Pictures!

Drink deep of milk of spring: Snowdrops

Posted on by farlane

Push Up

Push Up, photo by Michael in A2

Michigan Gardener’s plant focus on Snowdrops begins:

The very first bulb to cheerfully announce spring is the snowdrop. As the last winter snow melts, carpets of delicate white flowers emerge through last year’s fallen leaves. Snowdrops will reliably return year after year despite Mother Nature’s most challenging winters. The botanical name, Galanthus, comes from the Greek words Gala meaning “milk” and anthos meaning “flower.” They will thrive in the rich, moist soil usually found in the shade provided by deciduous trees. Few bulbs can tolerate shade, but snowdrops develop in the winter sun well before the leaves of trees and shrubs have expanded. Their flowers last for several weeks beginning in early March and persisting through the cool days of spring in early April. Once planted, Galanthus require no maintenance.

Read on at Michigan Gardener and bring on the spring!

View Michael’s photo background big and see more in his 2014: Flowers slideshow.

More flowers and more spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Apocalyptic Spring

Posted on by farlane

Apocalyptic Spring.

Apocalyptic Spring., photo by jonathan_brandt

View Jonathan’s photo bigger, see more in his Panoramas slideshow and check it out giant-sized on Gigapan where (if you go full screen) you can zoom in for an incredible amount of detail.

Michigan March Madness Tip-off Tonight!

Posted on by farlane

atUmich

atUmich, photo by Justin_Wan

Three Michigan teams take to the hardwood today for the NCAA Men’s Basketball tourney. It starts with theWestern Michigan Broncos facing Syracuse at 2:45 followed by the media darling Michigan State Spartans vs Delaware at 4:40 and #2 Midwest seed Michigan vs Wafford at 7:10!

Justin got this awesome action shot last year at Ann Arbor’s Crisler Arena for the State News. View his photo bigger and see more in his Winter Sports 2012-2013 slideshow!

More basketball on Michigan in Pictures.

Iced Over

Posted on by farlane

Iced Over

Iced Over, photo by karstenphoto

Stephen shot this photo on Lake Michigan on February 26th using Fujifilm Velvia 100. View it background bigtacular and see more in his winter slideshow.

More film photography and more winter wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Maple Syrup Time!

Posted on by farlane

It takes a while ~ 3 of 5

It takes a while ~ 3 of 5, photo by Trish P. – K1000 Gal

I just wrapped up a post about making maple syrup over on eatdrinkTC that you might enjoy. Michigan is 6th in the nation in the production of maple syrup and with a little bit of work and a small investment, you can make it yourself!

One of the photographers we featured is Trish, who has several more from March of 2011. View her photo bigger and see more in her sap slideshow!

More maple syrup on Michigan in Pictures!

Stephen Foster School, Brush Park

Posted on by farlane

Detroit T3200 Roll 2 exp. 18

Detroit T3200 Roll 2 exp. 18, photo by Marty Hogan

You’ve seen a lot of Marty’s ranging in the U.P. and lost rural places on Michigan in Pictures and he recently posted photos from a visit to Detroit.

View his photo background big and see more in Marty’s Detroit Kodak T3200 Film slideshow.

Frozen Adventures in Pictured Rocks

Posted on by farlane

Ice Column / Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Ice Column / Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by DIsnowshoe

Jay writes:

Many have cursed the cold of this winter that is almost over now though spring seems a long way off. It has caused hardships and pain but has also given rare opportunities to many who have been willing to bundle up and seek the wonders the cold has brought about.

A few weeks ago a friend asked me on somewhat short notice if I’d join him for a walk along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I’d walked the cliffs above the Lake before but the extreme cold of this wonderful winter granted us the opportunity to walk on even the Greatest of Lakes. We had two nights out with no fire to warm us but it was well worth it and a most amazing hike.

View his photo background bigtacular and definitely check out more stunning photos from his Pictured Rocks adventure.

Much more from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and more winter wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Running Out of Ice

Posted on by farlane

Running Out of Ice

Running Out of Ice, photo by Aaron Springer

Probably wishful thinking, but I’m guessing that’s better than wishless thinking. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

View Aaron’s photo bigger and see more in his Northern Michigan slideshow.

The DN Ice Boat and the 2014 Central Regional Ice Boating Championship

Posted on by farlane

DN hiking it, Elk Lake- Elk Rapids, Michigan

DN hiking it, Elk Lake- Elk Rapids, Michigan, photo by rickrjw

Last night I learned from my iceboating friend Andy that the 2014 Central Regional DN Iceboating Championship will be held this Saturday & Sunday (March 15-16, 2014) on West Grand Traverse Bay. The primary launch site will be the DNR launch at Hilltop Rd. and M-22, approximately 9 miles north of Traverse City and 5 miles south of Suttons Bay on the Leelanau Peninsula. More details at DNA America.

Wikipedia explains that the International DN is a class of ice boat:

The name stands for Detroit News, where the first iceboat of this type was designed and built in the winter of 1936-1937. Archie Arrol was a master craftsman working in the Detroit News hobby shop, and together with iceboaters Joe Lodge and Norman Jarrait designed a racing boat they called the “Blue Streak 60”, later to become known as the “DN 60”. In 1937 a group of 50 laymen worked with Archie in the hobby shop to produce the first fleet of the new iceboats. These first boats broke during the initial season, and after Norm and Joe modified the design to increase the strength, the group got back together to build a second set of iceboats in 1938.

This design, featuring a narrow, single-person cockpit, three steel blades in tricycle style arrangement and a steeply raked mast, remains to this day the most popular ice boat design in use.

…The class has a devout following. The International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association (IDNIYRA) is the governing body for the class. It publishes standards for boat design and allows enthusiasts to assemble for races and to share good ice locations. The DN is raced extensively in the northern United States, Canada, and throughout Northern Europe, with World Championships alternating between North American and Europe each year.

One of the reasons that the DN Ice Boat Class has become so popular over the years has been largely in part to how transportable and fast they truly are. With a steady 10-12 mile per hour wind and good ice conditions, the DN, when piloted properly, can reach speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour. And with just a 12-15 mile per hour steady wind, the DN ice boat can reach a readily attainable 55–65 miles per hour, providing a thrilling rush of purely unadulterated bone chilling wind powered ice sailing.

Rick took this photo of a DN on Elk Lake almost exactly 5 years ago, and March is prime season for ice boating in Michigan due to typical snow melts that lay the thickest ice of the year bare. GT Bay is nearly in my front yard and I can assure you that the ice is thick and almost like glass this year! View his photo bigger and see lots more in his Iceboating slideshow.

More ice boating on Michigan in Pictures including one of my favorite videos, Ice Boat vs Chevy!