Ready to run at Michigan Sled Dog Camp!

Posted on by farlane
Sled Dog Camp by Monika Kross

Sled Dog Camp by Monika Kross

I was today years old when I learned that Michigan has summer sled dog center where you can hang with huskies!! MI Dog Summer Sled Dog Center is located near Tahquamenon Falls in the eastern UP. They share that while you can’t take sled dog rides (too hot!) it’s a pretty cool & affordable experience:

Start your tour with puppy cuddles and an informational area, complete with hands-on activities like packing a dog sled for a race and dressing up as a musher. After you get your puppy fill, take a short walk down to the kennel and dog play pen where you will meet Laura Neese and her adult sled dog team. Relax in the shade while you watch the dogs during their play time and listen while Laura introduces you to the dogs and tells stories from her time on race trails, including the only two 1,000 mile long dogsled races in the world. Each tour includes a Q&A session with Laura and time to pet and love on some of dogs.

Monika says (in part) I can’t stop raving about not only the snuggling puppies factor but the quality build of the building and fencing system. At only two years old, this local business is still brand new and I’m here to blog about it to get you to go and make them feel welcome … I imagined it would be loud, stinky, and that I’d be jumped on which never happened. The center is pristine and these are well mannered, trained dogs used to being handled – even the puppies were calm!

She too a bunch more great shots – head over to her Facebook to see them & follow her on Instagram @Michiganunsaltedgirl!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

The Spirit of ’76 … Grand Ledge Edition

Posted on by farlane
4th of July, 1976 - Grand Ledge, Michigan by Robb

4th of July, 1976 – Grand Ledge, Michigan by Robb

I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember the July 4, 1976 but boy oh boy did my bike have SO MANY STREAMERS 😅

Robb shares “This was the 4th of July parade in my hometown of Grand Ledge, Michigan, commemorating the Bicentennial. I was standing at the north end ot the town’s main drag, Bridge Street, and I got lucky when I shot this photo, showing four Hueys about to do a flyover of the parade. The Air National Guard field was a few miles down the road, to the left of the photo.”

See more in his Vintage Photos – Film gallery on Flickr and have a great Fourth of July.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

2024 West Michigan Photo Contest

Posted on by farlane

Hoffmaster State Park Rainbow by Lillian Dotzlaf

The West Michigan Tourist Association invites you to participate in their 2024 West Michigan Photo Contest. Prizes include packages from some great businesses & they are looking for traveler photo submissions from the entire west half of Michigan – all the way from the Indiana border to Mackinac Island and into the Upper Peninsula.

“We love getting to see all of the amazing photos from all throughout West Michigan – it’s a highlight of the summer!” said Kaylie Pomper, Marketing Manager. “We love seeing so many different perspectives from the photos shared with us. It’s a great way to see involvement from the communities that make up our beautiful state.”

Pomper also noted that photos do not need to be taken this month in order to submit them to the photo contest. “If you have West Michigan photos from your past visits to the area, we encourage you to enter those as well! West Michigan is photogenic all seasons of the year, so don’t feel that you’re only limited to submitting summer photos.”

All photo entries must be received by July 29th, 2024. Judges will be awarding prizes in the categories of “Beach/Lake Photo; Travelers Exploring Iconic West Michigan Destinations; Downtown Photo; Fairs & Festivals Photo” with an additional prize awarded via public voting by WMTA’s Facebook audience.

Lillian won the public vote last year & shared “I am elated I won the public vote category with the rainbow photo I took just after my Dad passed away. I am so blessed to call this place home. Thank you WMTA for giving me the opportunity and to Mackinac Island for the phenomenal prize package. I know I’ve got an extra angel looking out for me.”

Indeed!! Check out Lillian’s work on Instagram and at Little Lill’s Photography on Facebook!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Detroit Grand Prix this weekend!

Posted on by farlane
Gabby Chaves Harding Racing Chevrolet 88 by Detroit Grand Prix

Gabby Chaves Harding Racing Chevrolet 88 by Detroit Grand Prix

The Detroit Grand Prix takes place May 31-June 2 in downtown Detroit where it began in 1982:

Again in 2024, the Grand Prix will provide unprecedented access with more than half of the event’s footprint along Jefferson Avenue and the beautiful Detroit Riverfront open to the public, free of charge. Grand Prix visitors will be able to enjoy complimentary access to the main fan activation areas at the event, including Spirit Plaza, Hart Plaza as well as the Riverwalk. Fans will be welcomed in these key areas that will feature live music, food, games and displays all weekend long, without the purchase of a Grand Prix ticket.

The Detroit Grand Prix has all the details!

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures…

Posted on by farlane
I Spy You Both by Julie

I Spy You Both……. by smiles7

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
-Albert Einstein

Julie shared this photo back in April of 2021, but I wanted to make sure everybody saw these sweet little fox babies. She has more great photos of these foxes & others having fun on Flickr.

Have a great weekend everyone, and if you have an extra dollar or three & enjoy Michigan in Pictures, consider clicking the Patreon button below to help me reach my current goal, an asiago bacon croissant at Cannelle Detroit! 😋

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Tulip Time 2024 … and the cover for 2025

Posted on by farlane

The Winning Tulip by Measie Elizabeth

It’s almost Tulip Time, (May 4-12, 2024) and Discover Holland is once again inviting anyone with a passion for petals to take part in their 2025 Holland Area Visitor’s Guide Cover Contest. They say that the cover shot must be taken in 2024 and stand out when surrounded by other brochures. Photos must be vertical (portrait) in orientation or be able to be cropped as such. The winning photographer gets a $500 cash prize and photo credit when it’s used editorially. The top ten photos each get $50 and the winner of the “People’s Choice” vote online will receive $150.

This photo by Measie Elizabeth was the winner last year. Learn more about the photographer at Measie Elizabeth Photography.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

Shelf cloud over the Mackinac Bridge

Posted on by farlane
Shelf Cloud Over Mackinac Bridge by Michigan Native Photography

Shelf Cloud Over Mackinac Bridge by Michigan Native Photography

I saw a couple other photos of this cloud as it rolled across the Straits of Mackinac & northeast Michigan the other day but wowzas – the Mighty Mac takes it!! Our friends at the Earth Science Picture of the Day have an excellent post on the difference between roll clouds & shelf clouds:

Roll clouds and shelf clouds are found near the leading edge of thunderstorms and form when relatively cool air, from the storm’s downdraft, forges ahead into the warm, moist air that’s feeding the storm. The main difference between roll clouds and shelf clouds (both are called arcus clouds) is that a roll cloud is detached from the parent thunderstorm, whereas a shelf cloud (right) is affixed to the base of a cumulonimbus cloud.

NOTE: Just learned that this picture is from 2018 – still love it! (buy it here)

You can follow Michigan Native Photography on Facebook or Instagram and view & purchase more work on their website.

There’s more weird, wild Michigan weather on Michpics including a monster roll cloud over Lake Michigan from June of 2016.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

2024 NFL Draft in Detroit

Posted on by farlane

2024 NFL Draft Stage in Detroit by Brad Galli WXYZ

The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off TODAY in Detroit, Michigan. WXYZ Sports Director Brad Galli shared this photo of the stage lit up & ready to go! In case you’re wondering, they didn’t use Ford Field, Comerica Park, Fox Theatre or any of Detroit’s other big venues because the crowd is so massive. Detroit is anticipating 300,000 – 400,000 people over three days!!

I live in Detroit & will be posting a lot of updates to the Michigan in Pictures Facebook & also to my personal Instagram. You can get a lot of general info about the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit along with some events I’m looking forward to right here.

Support Michigan in Pictures with Patreon

You know who needs a Happy Earth Day?

Posted on by farlane

Happy Earth Day by James Eye View Photography

via Leelanau.com…

Who needs a happy Earth Day? All of us really. 2023 was the warmest year since global records began nearly 200 years ago. The global temperature beat the previous high from 2016 & the 10 warmest years have ALL been from the last 10 years. If you know anything at all about math, 10 out of 10 is 100% and we are 100% in trouble because we seem unable as a species to process what actual danger is when it is this big. There’s probably nothing I can say if you don’t believe in science, so here is a link to a story about Earth Day’s Michigan roots & here is EarthDay.org where they are trying to raise awareness about microplastics, which many scientists believe are behind the explosion of Alzheimers.

James is an Empire-based photographer who shared this barred owl – based in parts unknown – along with some other great pics to wish everyone a happy Earth Day! See more by clicking the picture & on his website.

“Your pictures are so pretty” (Torch Lake Edition)

Posted on by farlane

Crazy Fast Times on Torch Lake by Drew Shaffer

This morning I saw this fantastic pic shared without attribution for probably the 100th time. I knew the attribution because I had shared it from Instagram back in 2017.

I know that a million bots building social media using AI will only make things worse, so I really (really) want to make a plea to all of you to FOLLOW THE PHOTOGRAPHER. Every time you do, even if you don’t purchase their work, you build their following which makes it more likely that their work is credited and profitable because making pretty pictures is hard and takes lots of glass & gas!!

Drew Shaffer is a photographer/filmmaker from Ohio with a whole lot of fun stuff going on including some awesome eclipse shots & a very cool looking documentary called The Long Way Forward. You can follow him on Instagram or YouTube!

PS: Yes, dear skeptic. This photo is real and Torch Lake is really that clear some days. Michigan is lovely 😻