An adventure a day…

Posted on by farlane

Michigan Fall Paddle

Michigan Fall Paddle, photo by onewildwest

An adventure a day keeps the doctor away by Carol Thompson on the Great Lakes Echo is short, sweet and exactly the prescription that Michigan can be filling for an over-stressed and under-recreated nation. Carol writes:

A dose of exercise and fresh air is just what the doctor ordered.

Getting out for a bike ride is a good medicine for any Great Laker.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is partnering with Porter Health Systems in Indiana to prescribe walks, bike rides, kayak trips and other activities to patients through the Park Prescription Program. By getting out to the park, patients will get some exercise and stress relief, while hopefully boosting visitation.

Not every prescription is the same. Before they write a prescription, Porter doctors will find the right trails and activities based on the patient’s needs and abilities. Considering there are over 40 miles of trails in the Lakeshore, there’s something for everyone.

Don’t wait for your next checkup to get out for a hike or a ride. In this case, a little self-medication might be ok!

We should probably add “paddle, ski and snowshoe” to that list. Can we take a cue from out neighbors to the south and add “Michigan is good for you” to the Pure Michigan message?

Check this out bigger and in Brent’s Random slideshow.

Battered but not Beaten: Great Lakes Week 2011

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Battered

Battered, photo by James Marvin Phelps.

Invasive species, pollution, diversion – the threats facing the Great Lakes are legion.

This week (October 11-14) is Great Lakes Week, a partnership to improve the places around the Great Lakes basin basin where people live, work, learn and play. This week’s activities, meetings and conferences bring representatives of the U.S. and Canadian governments together in Detroit along with a broad coalition of public and private groups to highlight efforts to implement solutions for the lakes’ most pressing problems. It’s one of the most wide-ranging Great Lakes summits in history and you can watch it LIVE today starting at noon through Friday on Absolute Michigan or at greatlakesnow.org.

Check this photo of the Grand Haven Pier Light out background big and in James’ Michigan Lighthouses slideshow.

fall in detroit

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

fall in detroit

fall in detroit, photo by buckshot.jones.

Color touring and fall fun isn’t only for Northern Michigan – check out the Detroit Fall Color Tour on Pure Michigan, which begins:

The home of the Motown Sound is the starting point for a 195-mile fall color route that skirts three waterways to the maritime city of Port Huron, and rolls through historic Southeast Michigan towns with connections to three pop music stars. The month of October is prime for viewing autumn hues at a variety of parks, and stopping to taste seasonal treats at cider mills along the way

Read on for more!

Check it out background big and in Scott’s Cass Corridor slideshow.

More Fall Wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Fall, from the farm or at 440 miles

Posted on by farlane

Fall

Fall, photo by southarmstudio

mLive tipped us off that NOAA has a MODIS high-res satellite image showing Michigan’s fall foliage throughout northern Michigan as taken by the high-resolution satellite. Click here for the photo which shows a lot of oranges and reds across the western U.P. and increasingly in northern lower Michigan. You can check the photo out that that link or if it’s gone, here’s a copy (1.6 MB).

They also include a link to the Foilage Network’s report for the upper Midwest.

Check it out bigger and in Ron’s Earthscapes slideshow.

Yom Kippur and Hall of Famer Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg

Posted on by farlane

Detroit Tiger Hank Greenberg, source unknown

“When I was playing, I used to resent being singled out as a Jewish ballplayer. I wanted to be known as a great ballplayer, period. I’m not sure why or when I changed, because I’m still not a particularly religious person. Lately, though, I find myself wanting to be remembered not only as a great ballplayer, but even more as a great Jewish ballplayer.”
~Hank Greenberg, after his career

Tonight the Tigers continue their drive toward the World Series. Wikipedia’s entry for Hank Greenberg begins:

Henry Benjamin “Hank” Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed “Hammerin’ Hank” or “The Hebrew Hammer,” was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation. He hit 58 home runs in 1938, equaling Jimmie Foxx’s 1932 mark for the most home runs in one season by any player between 1927 (when Babe Ruth set a record of 60) and 1961 (when Roger Maris surpassed it).

The Jewish holiday Yom Kipper started last night, and this article on Greenberg’s career from the Baseball Almanac tells how rabbis got involved in the decision as to whether or not he would play on Rosh Hashanah in 1934, explaining that:

Rosh Hashanah was not the only major religious holiday that momentarily got in the way of the Tigers’ march to the 1934 World Series while simultaneously adding to the legend of Hank Greenberg. Nine days after the win over Boston, Detroit played the second place New York Yankees. Despite the fact that the pennant was not officially decided, Greenberg was not in the lineup. He was not injured, or suspended, or being benched for poor play. He had simply come up against Yom Kippur, the one day he could never hope to overcome.

Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement, the holiest day on the calendar, when all the sins of the past year are “wiped away” through fasting and prayer. Devout Jews would never think of working on such a day. The 1934 Greenberg was not particularly devout; for his entire life, in fact, he would harbor deep doubts and questions about all organized religion. He was, however, still influenced by his father, who “put his foot down” (Greenberg 57). So he sat.

Also check out this great article on Hank Greenberg’s World War II service from Baseball Reference and his induction speech for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Tons more Detroit Tigers history & photos on Michigan in Pictures!

The Bronx Zoo called…

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Altaic Warrior

Altaic Warrior, photo by country_boy_shane.

Apparently the Detroit Tigers got loose.

Check it out background big and in Shane’s Featured in Flickr Explore slideshow.

The PIX Theatre and the Made in Michigan Film Festival

Posted on by farlane

The PIX!

The PIX!, photo by DarrylW4

The Made-in-Michigan Film Festival (MiMFF) takes place October 21-22 in Lapeer. The festival was created to showcase independent films exclusively from the state of Michigan, thereby enhancing the quality of economic and cultural life in the State of Michigan. They’ll have nearly 50 films this year – click the link above to learn more and also get info from the MiMFF Facebook (MiMFFF?).

The host theatre is the Pix Theatre in Lapeer. Their history page begins:

The PIX Theatre was built by George Smith, who began his “show business” life in a production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin at the White Opera House. When the show went on the road, 18 year-old George went with it. Before long the troupe ended up broke in Chicago and George returned to Lapeer. Next, George began playing in theater orchestras in Flint and Saginaw where he met and married Vera, the band’s pianist. In 1914, the Smiths opened a small movie theater next door to what would become the PIX Theatre. Business was good, with tickets selling for five and ten cents. By 1921, the Smith’s were ready to expand their business, so they built the Lyric Theatre, “the fanciest show house around.” Silent movies reigned supreme, accompanied by Vera on the piano until 1928, when the “talkies” came to town.

Early in 1940, with movies at the peak of popularity, it was rumored that Harry Holboth, owner of the Deluxe Theater in neighboring Imlay City, was planning to build a new theater in Lapeer. George Smith, not to be outdone by the competition, quickly set to work locating a site for a new, modern movie house that he would name The PIX Theatre… (read more)

The PIX closed in 1996 and was purchased by the City of Lapeer Downtown Development Authority. PIX Arts Council now manages the Theatre on behalf of the DDA, offering around fifty live performances per season. FYI, the Made-in-Michigan Film Society that produces the MiMFF shows Michigan films at a monthly gathering, providing a regular opportunity for film-goers to interact with film makers.

Check Darryl’s photo out bigger and in his Lapeer slideshow.

More movies & theaters on Michigan in Pictures.

Don’t miss Michigan’s #1 rated Fall Show!

Posted on by farlane

Fall Folly 2908-08

Fall Folly 2908-08, photo by StacyN – MichiganMoments

It’s a great time to tune into fall color all across Michigan. The Upper Peninsula is about at peak with the northern half of lower Michigan looking at peak color this weekend and next. Southwest and southeast Michigan aren’t far behind!

Be sure to check out the Fall Color Tours at Pure Michigan for ideas from all across the state and also see Fall on Michigan in Pictures and absolutemichigan.com/fall!

Stacy took this photo near Maple City in Leelanau County, and it jibes with the near peak forecast we’re giving for this weekend over on Leelanau.com. Check it out bigger and in her Generic Fall Images slideshow.

An opening at the Argus Museum

Posted on by farlane

Argus Factory
Argus Factory, photo by Voxphoto

The Argus Museum has an exhibition opening Friday, October 21st entitled Sunday Afternoon on the Porch: Reflections of a Small Town in Iowa, 1939-1942, photographs by Everett W. Kuntz. The exhibition runs from October 21st through November 18th, 2011. However, as the exhibit really has nothing at all to do with Michigan, and as this blog is called Michigan in Pictures, we’ll press on and tell you that the museum is located on the second floor of the Argus l building in Ann Arbor, one of the buildings that housed the Argus Camera Co.

Several years ago, Michigan in Pictures had a piece telling the story of the Argus Camera Company, whose cameras had a big role in the explosion in consumer photography. The post has become an internet phenom of sorts, gathering nearly 100 comments from folks buying, selling or wondering about Argus cameras. The article said little, however, about the museum itself. Fortunately, the email that the museum sent me shares a bit more, adding that:

Also on display will be artifacts from the Argus Museum collections. Products manufactured by the Argus Camera Company, including rare objects and prototypes, are featured, as well as military items and employees’ personal effects. Many of the artifacts on display were manufactured in the same building which now houses the Museum.

Former Argus employees and their families will be invited to the opening, giving those interested a chance to speak with them. Argus-related presentations are planned for Saturday, October 22nd, with an afternoon field trip to the Yankee Air Museum which will include a private tour and photography opportunities. (A $2.50 admission fee per person will be charged.) The Argus Museum Archives will open for research on Sunday, October 23rd. Reservations are required for Saturday and Sunday events. If you are interested in giving a presentation (it can be an informal one), please contact Cheryl Chidester…

So it sounds like all you Argus & old camera fans out there will want to check this weekend out. Cheryl is the museum curator and her number is 734-759-0770 (or email) – contact her for questions about the weekend and reservations for Saturday & Sunday.

Ross took this shot of the former Argus camera factory with an Argus 75 pinhole conversion. See it bigger and see more in his arghole slideshow.

September Storm on Lake Superior

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

September Storm

September Storm, photo by gkretovic.

Incredible wave action on Lake Superior in Marquette from a few days ago.

Check it out bigger and in Greg’s Upper Peninsula of Michigan slideshow.

You can purchase this and other photos at MichiganNaturePhotos.com and stay connected on Facebook. Speaking of Facebook, Greg has a great slideshow there that includes this pic and several more including a cool surfing shot!