Jonathan Livingston Seagull Returns

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Jonathan Livingston Seagull Returns

Jonathan Livingston Seagull Returns, photo by LadyDragonflyCC – Flowers, WE NEED Rain!.

Christine writes:

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is concerned with a young seagull’s efforts to rise above the ordinary. In a flock where individuality is frowned upon, Jonathan finds himself a loner and an outcast. After performing feats of tremendous courage and skill, Jonathan is expelled from the flock. This gives him the freedom to develop his skills, and in so doing he reaches a higher plane of achievement, a heaven of sorts. The lessons that Jonathan learns in his travels reflect both a greater peace of mind and a freedom to be himself. Jonathan continues the cycle, by returning to the flock…

She also linked to a video from the movie. The movie is based on the book of the same name, and what Christine may not know is that the author, Richard Bach spent a fair amount of time on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula. No idea if our Michigan gulls influenced the tale.

You can read the complete Jonathan Livingston Seagull online.

Check it out big as the sky and in Christine’s slideshow.

Fly high.

The Bow and the Marquette Ore Dock

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

The Bow

The Bow, photo by p.Gordon.

Hunt’s Guide to the UP has this to say about the Lower Harbor Ore Dock in Marquette:

Once rail cars moved onto this massive sandstone dock to unload iron ore into the holds of waiting ore carriers via “pockets” or chutes. After a 1971 strike the Lake Superior & Ishpeming rail line through downtown was no longer used. The newer ore dock by Presque Isle was enough to meet later needs. As part of a plan to redevelop the Lower Harbor and South Rail Yards, the 3,000-foot trestle approaching the docks was torn down, removing a longtime landmark across Front Street and opening up a long waterfront corridor for public use.

via the YouTube you can see a super-sweet video of a stand up paddleboarder making a complete circuit of the ore dock

Check this out big as a freighter and in p Gordon’s Great Lakes Ships slideshow.

More Marquette on Michigan in Pictures.

Grand Marais Harbor Light

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Grand Marais Harbor Light

Grand Marais Harbor Light, photo by James Marvin Phelps.

I looked for a winter lighthouse photo … I hope it reminds us all to be thankful for summer’s warmth…

The Grand Marais Light page from Terry Pepper says:

“Big Marsh” is the direct translation of the French “Grand Marais.” While the name was given by Voyageurs in the early seventeenth century, many subsequent observers were puzzled, since no marshes have ever been known to exist here. However, it is believed that the Voyageurs had their own unique vocabulary, and it is likely that “Marais” referred to a cove, or harbor of refuge.

…While the fur trade declined, lumber camps began to spring up along Superior’s south shore, and Grand Marais soon found itself in the center of a lumbering boom, with stacks of lumber on its docks awaiting the arrival of vessels to carry the forest’s bounty to the southern lakes.

With the associated increase in maritime traffic through the late 1870’s, the absence of a safe haven for mariners coasting the treacherous waters between Whitefish Bay and Grand Island became a matter of grave concern to maritime interests. Deducing that the natural harbor could be modified to serve as an excellent harbor of refuge, the Army Corps of Engineers embarked on an ambitious harbor improvement project at Grand Marais in 1881. Work continued over the following ten years, with the construction of a 5,770-foot timber pile breakwater stretching across the bay from Lonesome Point to a dredged channel at the western shore. Two protective piers were constructed on each side of the channel, and the protected harbor area dredged to a depth of 40 feet, allowing access to the protection of the harbor by the largest vessels of the day.

There’s much, much more at the link above (including historical photos). Also see The Grand Marais Lifesaving Station on Michigan in Pictures.

Check this out biggerand in James’ Grand Marais slideshow. You can purchase a print right here!

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.

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.