Talkin’ about a heat wave

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

37/365/1132 (July 18, 2011) – Squirrel on a very hot day in Ann Arbor (University of Michigan)

37/365/1132 (July 18, 2011) – Squirrel on a very hot day in Ann Arbor (University of Michigan), photo by cseeman.

This squirrel isn’t the only one broasting in Michigan’s hottest run of weather since 1995. You know I couldn’t resist Motown’s own Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Beat the Heatwave and stay cool with Absolute Michigan!

Check this out background big. He’s got one even flatter and hotter! See more from Corey and others in the hilarious Squirrel Pancakes photo group.

And don’t worry, while you might find a chipmunk or two, there’s no dead squirrels allowed!

In a Sea of Blue

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

In a Sea of Blue

In a Sea of Blue, photo by sl33stak.

Jamie took this photo last weekend at the Jackson Hot Air Jubilee.

Check it out as big as the sky (makes an awesome background) and in his Jackson Hot Air Jubilee slideshow.

While this event has passed, you can still check out the Metamora Country Days & Hot Air Balloon Festival August 26th and 27th and the Holiday Balloon Fest August 22 – August 27, 2011 in Battle Creek. The Holiday Balloon Fest is also the site of the 2011 US National Hot Air Balloon Championships!

Mud Bogging, Minus the 4×4

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Mud Races

Mud Races, photo by StormchaserMike Photography.

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, it turns out that you haven’t.

Mud Day is an annual affair held in early July at Hines Park in Westland. The recipe for fun is simple – 200 tons of dirt, 20,000 gallons of water and a bunch of people who care more about fun than fastidiousness.

Here’s a nice news report on Mud Day.

Check this out bigger and see a lot more in Mike’s massive 2011 Wayne County Parks Mud Day slideshow.

(farm) Market Love

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Market Love

Market Love, photo by aceshigh22.

Quick post today – headed to the Sara Hardy Farmers Market in Traverse City before heading to the beach.

Farmer’s markets are such a big part of Michigan, no doubt in part because Michigan is the nation’s second most agriculturally diverse state , trailing only California. No word of what will happen if South California becomes our 51st state.

Absolute Michigan has a nice (if slightly old) selection of farmer’s markets on our Michigan Map. A fantastic new resource, however, is Real Time Farms, which gives you information and photos about farm markets all across the state. You can become a part of the community and share your photos too!

However you choose to do it, I really encourage everyone to do what Taste the Local Difference (another great resource for farm market information) recommends, and spend $10 or more of your food budget with your neighborhood farmers & food producers. It makes our communities (and bodies) stronger. Take a bite out of Michigan!

Check it out background big and in Danielle’s Peeps slideshow.

You can build a home for little raptors like the Northern Saw Whet Owl!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

saw whet owl

saw whet owl, photo by Sherri & Dan.

My friend Michael told me about Ned the Saw Whet Owl, an avian ambassador that Rebecca Lessard of the nonprofit Wings of Wonder is using to tell folks about nest boxes that you can build for small raptors (pdf). Ned is just 7″ tall and belongs to the smallest species of owl native to Michigan. Click Ned’s link above to see just how tiny he is!

This home will also house a screech owl and another bird recently featured – the American Kestrel (Michigan’s smallest raptor).

The Owl Pages have this to say about the Northern Saw-whet Owl – Aegolius acadicus:

European explorers first discovered this Owl in a North American colony called Acadia (now Nova Scotia). The Latinised word “acadius” refers to this territory. The common name “Saw-whet” comes from these Owls unique calls described below. The Saw-whet Owl is also called Acadian Owl, blind Owl, Kirkland’s Owl, the saw-filer, the sawyer, sparrow Owl, white-fronted Owl, Farmland Owl, Little Nightbird, Queen Charlotte Owl, and even the Whet-saw Owl.

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a very small, short-bodied, Owl with a relatively short tail. The overly large head has no ear tufts and may appear distorted due to an asymmetrical skull. They look small when perched and tend to shuffle their feet, but in flight appear larger because of their broad wings.

…Northern Saw-whet Owls are strictly Nocturnal, with activity beginning at late dusk. During the day, they depend on plumage for camouflage when roosting in foliage, usually close to the ground.

You can hear their call at the link above and learn more at Wikipedia and All About Birds who explain that their defense upon discovery is to sit still and not fly, leading people to perceive them as “tame.”

Check this out way bigger than a saw whet owl and in Sherri & Dan’s slideshow. They took the shot at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory – read more at that link!

Many more Michigan birds on Michigan in Pictures.

Super A, Model A

Posted on by farlane

Farmall
Farmall, photo by PepOmint

Wikipedia says that the “letter series” from Farmall was introduced in 1939 by International Harvester. Reading about these affordable vehicles that put tractors within reach of small farmers all across the nation put me in mind of another vehicle series that catered to the mass market, Henry Ford’s Model T, Model A and Model B.

That in turn reminded me of a recent feature on Absolute Michigan about a Michigan man who is driving a Model A for 365 days and blogging about it.

Check it out bigger and in her Super A slideshow.

Remembering First Lady Betty Ford

Posted on by farlane

President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford

President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford, photo by Marion S. Trikosko

First Lady Betty Ford (Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren Ford) passed away on July 8, 2011. She was born in Chicago on  April 8, 1918. After a brief stint in Colorado, she moved with her family to Grand Rapids and graduated from Central High School. In 1948, she married Gerald Ford, who was campaigning for what would be his first of thirteen terms as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. They were married fifty-eight years until his death in 2006. Despite the fact that she had one of the shortest terms as First Lady, she was definitely one of the most influental women to have held the position:

In the opinion of The New York Times and several presidential historians, “Mrs. Ford’s impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president.”

The paper went on to describe her as “a product and symbol of the cultural and political times—doing the Bump along the corridors of the White House, donning a mood ring, chatting on her CB radio with the handle First Mama—a housewife who argued passionately for equal rights for women, a mother of four who mused about drugs, abortion and premarital sex aloud and without regret.” In 1975, in an interview with McCall’s magazine, Ford said that she was asked just about everything, except for how often she and the president had sex. “And if they’d asked me that I would have told them,” she said, adding that her response would be, “As often as possible.”

Ford was also instrumental in raising awareness of breast cancer and founded the Betty Ford Center after a battle with alcoholism. You definitely have to watch this PBS feature on Betty Ford – it’s one of the best and there are also some interviews with her children as well. Also see President Gerald R. Ford – 1913 – 2006 on Absolute Michigan.

The Detroit News reports that  public viewing of her casket will be held in the atrium of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum today from 7-11 PM and Thursday from 7-10 AM. Following a 2 PM service tomorrow, Ford will be buried beside President Ford on the Museum grounds.

You can see more photos by Marion S. Trikosko at the Library of Congress. This has always been one of my favorite pictures of a couple who obviously loved each other very deeply and were among the most real politicians we’ve had in modern times.

Library of Congress Call Number: LC-U9- 30765B-6A

Neptune Rounds the Sun

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Neptune Jr.

Neptune Jr., photo by farlane.

The planet Neptune was discovered in 1846, and at 4.5 billion km from the Sun, it completes an orbit every 164.79 years. Today – July 12, 2011 – Neptune completes the first full orbit since its discovery!

And you thought it took you a long time to get the garage cleaned out…

I took this photo early this Spring along the TART Trail in Traverse City. While I had just learned this little fact about Neptune, I actually rode out that day all the way to Pluto, a distance of about 6 miles. You can see the Sun and inner planets right at the TC Library. In their list of fun weekend things for families to do, MyNorth.com writes:

Bike through a six-mile long interactive model of the solar system on a portion of the TART trail in Traverse City. Hand-crafted sculptures of each planet and plaques sharing details about each planet dot the trail according to an accurate scale of the solar system. Beginning at the Sun directly outside the Traverse Area District Library, bikers of all ages can travel to the far reaches of Pluto and back again on wide paved trail that make the trip smooth and simple. Traverse Area District Library is located at 610 Woodmere Ave Traverse City.

Check it out on black and in my Traverse City, Michigan slideshow.

Detroit Tiger All Stars, Now & Then

Posted on by farlane

Charlie Gheringer

In 2011, the Detroit Tigers are rolling into the All Star break leading the AL Central. Their sizzling play is reflected in the lineup for tomorrow night’s All Star Game with 5 All Stars. In addition to the starting catcher Alex Avila, the Bengals are also sending pitcher Justin Verlander, first baseman Miguel Cabrera, pitcher Jose Valverde and newly acquired shortstop Jhonny Peralta. That’s one short of the most All-Stars they’ve had (in 1984 and 1985).

You can check out the complete list of Detroit Tiger All-Stars from MLB.com. It dates back to the first All Star game in 1933. Tigers’ Hall of Fame second basemen Charlie Gheringer played played every inning of the first six All-Star Games as the starting second baseman for the American League, and played a pivotal role in the very first All Star game:

The novel idea of a single game made up of the most exciting assemblage of ball-playing talent ever brought together on the diamond at one time, seemed too good to be true. In 1933 and 1934, All-Star teams were selected by the managers and the fans. The National League’s manager John McGraw and American League’s Connie Mack were chosen to lead a line-up of big hitters including Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and the one and only Babe Ruth. “We wanted to see the Babe,” said Bill Hallahan, the National League starter. “Sure, he was old and had a big waistline, but that didn’t make any difference. We were on the same field as Babe Ruth.”

With fellow All-Star, Charlie Gehringer on first in the bottom of the third, The Babe drove one into the right-field stands, the first homer in All-Star history. The crowd, according to one account, “roared in acclamation” and the first All-Star Game, won by the American League on the strength of Ruth’s homer, was a resounding success.

I’m not sure who took this photo, but I found it through Brian DeWagner’s blog where he posted it with What’s in a Name?.

Charles Leonard Gehringer was born in Fowlerville, Michigan. Nicknamed “The Mechanical Man” for his astonishing consistancy, he batted over .300 13 times  and was one of the greatest 2nd basemen ever to play the game. Learn more about his career at the Baseball Hall of Fame and via Wikipedia!

Update! Just found a great account of Charlie Gehringer’s 1934 All-Star game at Bless You Boys – check it out!

Spray Falls in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

"Spray Falls" Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

“Spray Falls” Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by Michigan Nut.

Go Waterfalling’s page on Spray Falls says that:

Spray Falls is the remotest, and perhaps the most impressive of the several waterfalls in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The 70′ waterfall plunges over the cliffs at Pictured Rocks and lands directly in Lake Superior.

The falls is right on the edge of the cliffs, and the creek has not cut back into the cliffs at all, so it is impossible to view the falls from the front unless you are on the water. The cliffs are sheer for miles in both directions, so there is no way to get near the base of the falls without a watercraft. Lake Superior is too cold for swimming. :)

The Lakeshore Trail passes right over the top of the falls, and you can get right to the brink of the falls.

There’s more information on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore waterfalls page and I can add from personal experience that if you’re not up to the 1.5 mile hike from Chapel Beach, the Pictured Rocks Boat Tours from Munising can give you a great view as well! (one note – they can’t make it all the way there if it’s wavy though!)

Check this out on black and in John’s Michigan Waterfalls slideshow.

More of the Pictured Rocks on Michigan in Pictures!