Holga: Lake Erie, photo by Matt Callow.
Matt took this shot of an ice-locked Lake Erie 4 years ago. A check of Great Lakes Coastwatch shows that there’s still considerable ice on Lake Erie!
You can see it bigger in his Holga slideshow.
Many more Holga camera shots – including another one from this location by Matt – on Michigan in Pictures!
Untitled, photo by ansonredford
Yesterday was the busiest day ever on Michigan in Pictures thanks to Pure Michigan featuring us on the PureMichigan.org Facebook. It’s so great that they noticed us and I wanted to post a little note of thanks and also to let new folks know a thing or two about Michigan in Pictures, so (stealing a page from Absolute Michigan) here we go with Five Things You Need to Know about Michigan in Pictures:
Anyway, thanks for reading Michigan in Pictures and please feel welcome to subscribe to Michigan in Pictures for new posts by email using the form at the top right!
Anson took this photo in September of 2006 – check it out background boomtacular and in his Porcupine Mountains slideshow!
The Beach at Green Point Dunes, photo by jimflix!.
The 2011 Benzie County Water Festival takes place next weekend (March 19-21, 2011) in Frankfort. The Water Festival moves around Michigan, bringing the message of the vitality of Michigan’s water all around the state in different seasons.
We have an in-depth feature on Absolute Michigan about the festival that includes a number of videos featuring Water Festival presenters including Tom Kelly of the Inland Seas Educations Association; Derek Bailey Tribal Chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Hans VanSumeren, Director of Northwestern Michigan College’s Water Studies Institute and musicians Seth Bernard & May Erlewine.
This will be a unique event designed to engage folks in the stewardship of the Great Lakes, the global freshwater crisis and the cultivation of a vibrant and sustainable local culture. A family-oriented, community-centered program will feature Michigan musicians, speeches from water luminaries, interactive multimedia projects and presentations, artisan foods and beverages, workshops, visual art, theater and dance, children’s activities, an ice fishing contest, as well as connections to campaigns and projects protecting our water locally and/or addressing global water challenges.
The Benzie County Water Festival is co-sponsored by the Benzie Conservation District and Absolute Michigan. For more information, check out the Benzie Water Festival Facebook
Get much more information about performers, presenters and special events at water-festival.org!
Jim took this shot at the Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve, a gorgeous nature area that is part of a huge swath of Lake Michigan shore that has been protected. If you check it out bigger, you can see the Frankfort Lighthouse in the distance (and yes – Jim has one or two shots of that!).
aurora borealis #6, photo by ats8110.
In Best northern lights viewing in Michigan on mLive, Kim Schneider writes that:
The Aurora Borealis is entering a new cycle of higher activity, offering the best viewing in 10 years in Michigan, said astronomer Dick Cookman, a retired professor of astronomy, geology and environmental science at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. Cookman posts monthly night sky updates at enerdynet.com, the website of his Suttons Bay science and nature store, Enerdyne.
The strongest solar flare in four years erupted a couple of weeks ago, Cookman said. If not for the cloud cover that obscured the drama, it would have led to light displays visible as far south as Upper Iowa, South-Central Wisconsin and mid-Michigan. The best part, he noted, is that the 7- to 11-year cycle is just beginning, offering great northern lights viewing possibilities likely to peak in 2012 or 2013.
Read on for viewing tips and some great links. You can see more of the aurora borealis on Michigan in Pictures including what makes the colors of the northern lights, predicting the northern lights and unlocking the mystery of the northern lights. If you do see the aurora borealis, be sure to post it to the Northern Lights Log on Absolute Michigan.
Aaron took these near Clare in November of 2004 and asks if you see the Big Dipper. Check out the Northern Lights gallery on his website or his aurora borealis slideshow.
Winter Stars, photo by marubozo.
One of my favorite local radio programs is Bob Moler’s Ephemeris, which has tons of information about the stars and night sky and serves as a great reminder to “Look up!”
Check this photo out bigger and in Jeremy’s Astronomy slideshow.
Lake Superior Ice Wall, photo by kmaz.
Konrad writes People from all over the world come to climb the Lake Superior walls, I want to do this next year.
View it bigger in his UP Winter 2011 slideshow.
Wind farm in Ubly Michigan, photo by Ray Dumas RTD Photography
An in-depth article on the cost of renewable energy in Michigan in the Muskegon Chronicle notes that although a common argument from wind turbine opponents is that wind farms will significantly increase our electric bills, the State of Michigan reports initial contracts show significantly lower costs than the power generated from new coal plants. This excellent feature on the hard numbers and debate on renewable energy is well worth a read.
State regulators find the current cost of a new coal power plant over the life of the facility is $133 per mega watt hour of production.
Based on more than two dozen actual renewable energy contracts for solar, wind and bio-gas generated electricity, the average price is about $100 per mega watt hour of production. Bio-mass incineration is at $98, wind $101, landfill gas $113, digesters $128 and several small-scale solar installations at approximately $500.
“Wind is competitive with coal and natural gas on cost as long as you find the best winds,” said Paul Isely, the head of Grand Valley State University’s economic department.
See this photo and others from the wind farm in Ubly bigger in Ray’s alternative energy slideshow.
Ice Woman, photo by evenstar22.
Today’s photo comes to you from the “For real??!!” department.
Kate says that yes, she actually did this. See it on black, and here’s hoping that you are living life to the fullest!
A Rough and Icy Great Lake, Velvia Edition, photo by friday1970.
About this photo from Burtchville near Lakeport in the Thumb, Tim writes:
A very windy night produced large waves for Lake Huron, causing the ice shelves built up along shore to break up and float down the coast. About 50 ft out were these mushroom shaped mounds of ice, which served as a subject in this photo.
Just before I shot this, a wave splashed up and instantly froze to my camera. I had to quickly scrape/wipe the ice from the lens to capture the sun behind the clouds while it lasted. The filters threads were covered in ice, so I hand held the GND in place during the shot.
A photographer’s version of drama?
Check this out background bigtastic and see this and another shot from the day in his slideshow.
Country road, photo by R.J.E..
Check this out bigger and in R.J.E.’s slideshow. (seriously – his slideshow is off the hook!)
See more barns on Michigan in Pictures, and I hope everyone has a really great weekend too!
Michigan in Pictures 
