Greeny Goodness from Michigan’s Vineyards

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Greeny Goodness

Greeny Goodness, photo by sgs_1019.

The sun, with all those plants revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.
~Galileo Galilei

The sun is working away on the 2011 vintage in Michigan’s vineyards, and today I’m working away on the lawn of the Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City on the 3rd annual Traverse City Wine & Art Festival. It’s a celebration of the culture & cuisine of northwest Michigan that brings together 24 wineries from Leelanau, Old Mission, Traverse City & Benzie with over 100 wines from 2010 and other years along with a slew of artists with work for show and sale, great food & music and some incredible performance art!

If you’re in the neighborhood, please come by as I think it’s going to be amazing! If not, definitely pick up a bottle of Michigan wine – you will be happy to learn what the sun has been up to! If you’re looking for some suggestions, check out the medal winners from the 2011 Michigan Wine Competition!

Check this out bigger and in Sarah’s slideshow.

Battle Creek Holiday Balloon Fest hosting National Hot Air Balloon Championships!

Posted on by farlane

Awesome Aerials
Awesome Aerials, photo by StacyN – MichiganMoments

The Holiday Balloon Fest in Battle Creek takes place August 22-27. This year’s Holiday Balloon Fest is also the site of the 2011 US National Hot Air Balloon Championships! Holiday Balloon Fest began in 1998 at Kellogg’s Cereal City USA in Battle Creek and has grown from just 13 pilots that first year to over 70 balloonists, drawing over 25,000 people to enjoy this graceful spectacle.

You can check them out on Facebook and see more in their photo gallery and a few video slideshows as well.

See this photo bigger and in Stacy’s Hot Air Balloon slideshow!

Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes is the most beautiful place in (Good Morning) America!

Posted on by farlane

Please Just Come
Please Just Come, photo by Happyhiker4

 

On Leelanau.com yesterday, I reported that the Sleeping Bear Dunes have been named the most beautiful place in America by the viewers of Good Morning America.

Today I’ve been reading here and there of folks who are wondering if in fact the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore deserves that distinction. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s 1600+ pictures of the Sleeping Bear Dunes from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. Even better, here’s the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore homepage – take a trip and decide for yourself!

One of my favorite photographers who shoots in the dunes is Mark Lindsay. See this photo bigger and also in his Dunes slideshow.

 

Blackberries … the taste of summer

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

The taste of summer.. The taste of summer.., photo by Blondieyooper.

Our feature on blackberries on Absolute Michigan has some blackberry facts courtesy Taste the Local Difference says:

Blackberries are very high in Vitamin C and K and manganese and a good source of Vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium, and copper. They have one of the highest levels of the antioxidant antocyanin, which may help fight cancer, aging, and improve vision. Some fun facts:

  • Blackberries are also known as “black caps”
  • Blackberry tea was considered a cure for dysentery during the Civil War
  • The blackberry leaf was used as a hair dye
  • Blackberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow

Get more including some tasty blackberry recipes like Blackberry and Peach Buttermilk Cobbler! The article also features another photo by April, who I’m guessing really likes blackberries! She shot these wild Michigan blackberries late last August in the U.P. – check this one out background bigilicious and see more in her Nature (Upper Michigan) slideshow!

Pride and Joy at the Woodward Dream Cruise

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Pride and Joy

Pride and Joy, photo by country_boy_shane.

The annual Woodward Dream Cruise is the is the world’s largest one-day automotive event, drawing 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars. It takes place this Saturday (August 20, 2011) and has come a long way since August 1995, Nelson House and a group of volunteers looked to relive and recreate the cruisin’ heydays of the 50s and 60s.

The one day cruise is paired with the Ferndale Woodward Dream Cruise which happens August 18-20 and has many special exhibitions and musical performances.

More about the Woodward Dream Cruise on Michigan in Pictures.

Check this out background big and in Shane’s Woodward Dream Cruise 2008 slideshow. You can also get your own copy from Shane Gorski Photography!

Want more? Have a look at the Woodward Dream Cruise Group on Flickr!

Sunset for Fishing on the Great Lakes?

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Fishing

Fishing, photo by kevindooley.

On this photo Kevin writes:

I think one of our best indicators of the planet’s health is the price of a fish sandwich. Notice how much the price has gone up in last 5 years? It’s because we’re depleting our fisheries.

Seems to me an Earth without fish is not a good sign.

Here in the Great Lakes we are waging a desperate battle against invasive species including Asian Carp and zebra & quagga mussels. Today on Absolute Michigan I featured a sobering article about how we are losing the battle to control sea lamprey, a longtime invasive that we once had under control due to funding cuts that are projected to get even worse in the years to come. Click through to check it out and to go up close with the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s lamprey control efforts via Michigan Radio and also Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs.

View this big as the Great Lakes and in Kevin’s Lake Michigan Sunsets slideshow.

Come on with the rain

Posted on by farlane

Come on with the rain
Come on with the rain, photo by hardyc

Looks like Chris finally got that job as VP of Umbrella Safety at the Detroit Bumbershoot Co.

Check it out bigger and see lots more of Chris’s creative genius in his slideshow.

More portraits on Michigan in Pictures.

Back To the Bricks in Flint!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Back To the Bricks: Flint Michigan

Back To the Bricks: Flint Michigan, photo by maryn0503.

The annual Back to the Bricks Cruise Weekend takes place August 16-20 in Flint. Vehicle City goes back to its roots as around 25,000 show car owners and hundreds of thousands of car fans celebrate classic cars and car culture with a rolling cruise, car show and many more events.

One of the coolest things is that the showing and cruising are free, so if you have a car that meets their criteria, you can just head over! Check backtothebricks.org for all the details.

Check this out big as the 70s and in Mary’s Back to the Bricks slideshow.

For even more, see Back to the Bricks 2010 slideshow from Flint Foto Factory.

Into the Big Sky in the Huron National Forest

Posted on by farlane

Into the Big Sky
Into the Big Sky, photo by Neil Weaver

The Huron-Manistee National Forest is actually two separate and non-contiguous national forests, the Huron National Forest (established in 1909) and the Manistee National Forest (established 1938). They were combined in 1945 for administrative purposes. Wikipedia says:

The Huron National Forest portion is in northeast lower Michigan. Its southern boundary is approximately at the latitude of Manistee’s northern boundary. It has a total area of 438,538 acres (685.22 sq mi, or 1,774.70 km²). It lies in parts of Oscoda, Alcona, Iosco, Crawford, and Ogemaw counties. There are local ranger district offices in Mio and Oscoda.

The threatened Kirtland’s Warbler nests in the area, and tours are available, subject to time restrictions.

Check this out bigger and see more in Neil’s Huron National Forest slideshow. You can purchase Neil’s photos from his website and also keep up with his travels around Michigan on Facebook!

Michigan in Pictures has more about Kirtland’s Warbler.

Fancy a stay at the Grand Hotel?

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Privileged

Privileged, photo by cmu chem prof.

mLive reports:

Mackinac Island’s grande dame of lodging, recently named among the top 50 hotels in North America, is hosting its fourth wildly popular Celebrate Michigan promotion, during which residents of the state can stay for half the hotel’s usual rate.

The package costs $95 per person, per night (taxes and fees are extra), and is offered Sept. 11, Sept. 20-22, Oct. 3 and Oct 23. It includes one night’s lodging, a full breakfast and five-course dinner, Michigan-themed reception and complimentary golf green fees.

I feel like I have to mention a particular movie that was shot here so let me say that if you’re interested, you probably better act fast so you can be somewhere in time for this offer which usually sells out. ;)

Seriously, while there’s no doubt that the Grand Hotel can be a little hoity, but the Mackinac Island landmark is also one of the coolest properties in Michigan. This morning I sorted through photos of the Grand Hotel from the water, the Grand Hotel’s signature front porch (including a very interesting composition on the porch), a panorama of the Grand Hotel and even a sight I’d never seen in quite this way, the Grand Hotel at night. Next year the hotel turns 125, so I’ll return then for some of the history and such.

Check it out big as the Grand and in Phil’s massive Northern Michigan slideshow.