He leads me beside the still waters… Psalm 23:2, photo by Heart Windows Art.
The full moon above (and in) Thumb Lake (aka Lake Louise near Charlevoix).
Be sure to check it out bigger and in Kathie’s Michigan Outdoors set (slideshow).
Michigan Northern Lights – October 16, 2009
Northern lights over Amygdaloid Island Ranger Station, photo by yooper1949.
Last night our Michigan Northern Lights Log on Absolute Michigan lit up like … well … the northern lights I guess with reports from Howell, Perry, Bancroft, Pleasant Lake, Eaton Rapids
They were all over. North, South, East and West. I wasn’t sure at first what they were, because of seeing them in all directions. Never seen anything quite like it.
…and Hartland, where Eddie wrote:
Finally….some verification of what myself and the rest of the family was looking at. I’m in Hartland and saw them everywhere but the northwest direction last night. Then this morning on the way to work, to the north and north east only. Saw single shafts of vertical light streaks mostly with a few areas that were “brush stroked” also, completely vertical. My kids also saw them for the first time.
Our northern lights log is set up to be a resource for notification when the aurora borealis is out. If you’ve never seen the lights, you might want to subscribe to the feed to get notification. I’m really wishing I’d checked my email last night and I’m hoping that I at least get to see some of the photos in the Absolute Michigan pool!
Carl took this photo on Northern lights over Amygdaloid Island Ranger Station on Amygdaloid Island (<– read that link) in Isle Royale National Park on November 6, 2007. You can see it bigger in his Under the Stars slideshow or check out this whole set or his Isle Royale National Park photos.
I didn’t see this one at Carl’s Mackinac Scenics web site (where you can purchase some of his work) but he does have some great shots of Isle Royale under the stars!
There’s lots more Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis photos & information on Michigan in Pictures!
8 Mile & Woodward, Detroit
Untitled, photo by justbeamensch.
Be sure to check this out bigger or in Donald’s awesome Detroit Greeting Cards set (slideshow).
This photo was also featured in the Huffington Post’s Capture The Recession: This Week’s Best Recession Photos.
Where the Wild Things Are … in Michigan
Pinhole: Acme Creek, photo by Matt Callow.
The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another. His mother called him “WILD THING!” and Max said “I’LL EAT YOU UP!” so he was sent to bed without eating anything.
That very night in Max’s room a forest grew and grew- and grew until his ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are.
One of my favorite stories of any kind is Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, and I have to say that I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s movie adaptation.
Thinking about the story and about being a kid in Michigan seeking out those places where the wild things are – and about being a person who never managed to grow all the way up who still seeks them out – made me wonder where YOU most feel the wild things are.
Post thoughts and links in the comments and let the wild rumpus start!
Be sure to check out the other photos in Matt’s Pinhole set (or the slideshow to see it bigger!) … and if you haven’t checked out Matt’s work, here’s Matt on Michigan in Pictures (our Photographer profile of Matt is a great place to start) and mattcallow.com!
Detroit Beer … and Detroit Beer Week
What was Detroit known for besides cars?, photo by Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek ).
Derek asks (and answers):
What was Detroit known for besides cars?
Goebel, Strohs, Pfeiffer, Altes, Tivoli, and a whole host of other breweries used to be here.
Among those companies, Stroh’s was certainly the leader and the Stroh’s History page says:
A name as important to the success of Detroit as Ford or Chrysler, the Stroh family began with humble roots, brewing beer in a family-owned inn during the 18th century in Kirn, Germany. In 1848, during the German Revolution, Bernhard Stroh, having apprenticed at his father side, immigrated to the United States. He established his own brewery in Detroit in 1850. Stroh named his new company Lion’s Head Brewery, adopting the Lion’s Crest logo from the Kyrburg Castle in Germany – the same crest that adorns Stroh beers today
After establishing the brewery, Bernhard’s son, Bernhard Jr., continued its expansion. A firm proponent of tradition and quality, he introduced the European method of fire-brewing to America. The fire-brewing process uses a direct flame rather than steam to heat beer-filled copper kettles. The resulting higher temperatures intensify the aroma and body of beer, resulting in a more flavorful brew.
The Stroh’s Beer site neglects to mention the final chapter of the Stroh Brewery Company that is detailed on Wikipedia. In 1999 the company sold off its brands. The Pabst Brewing Company acquired the most Stroh/Heilman brands. They currently produce Colt 45 malt liquor, Lone Star, Schaefer, Schlitz, Schmidt’s, Old Milwaukee, Old Style, Stroh’s, and St. Ides while Miller Brewing got Mickey’s Malt Liquor and Henry Weinhard’s. On Wikipedia you can also get a photo of the original Stroh Brewery.
Over the next week (October 16-24, 2009) the city of Detroit will host the first-ever Detroit Beer Week. From Absolute Michigan:
The week-long series of beer-centric events will be held at participating venues in Detroit, with satellite events at Metro-Detroit brewpubs. These events will consist of brewery tours, tasting flights, meet-the-brewer sessions, food pairings, and a wide array of other unique activities. Events will be hosted by Detroit Beer Week staff and the Detroit Beer Barons, a group of Metro-area brewery personalities…
The grand finale of Beer Week is the Inaugural Harvest Festival, hosted by the Michigan Brewers’ Guild and Metrotimes on Saturday, October 24, in Eastern Market.
This photo is part of Derek’s Detroit set (slideshow).
Fall colors Up North … and everywhere in Michigan!
The trees are catching fire with the colors of autumn – it’s the perfect time to take a short or long drive for a fall color tour.
We have a few on fall color tours on Michigan in Pictures and you can get a bunch more color tours from michigan.org along with a whole ton more michigan fall information!
Ross took this shot last weekend up near Harbor Springs. Be sure to check it out bigger or in his slideshow.
Know Your Michigan Birds: Great Blue Heron
backyard-heron-triptych, photo by numstead.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) on Animal Diversity Web at UM – where you can get complete information, pictures & sounds – says that these birds are the largest and most common herons in North America. The Michigan DNR’s Blue Heron page explains that:
This is the familiar, large grayish-blue heron seen wading in shallow water in marshes, ponds and along lakeshores and stream edges. They are sometimes confused with the sandhill crane; the heron is smaller and flies with its neck folded back, while cranes fly with their neck extended. Great blue herons are commonly seen in small suburban wetlands (cranes are generally less tolerant of close presence). Herons feed on fish, frogs, and other small animals, captured by a quick jab of the beak. They nest in colonies, usually building their stick platform nests in trees in lowland hardwood swamps. In recent years many rookeries have been displaced by shoreline development or timber cutting. Every attempt must be made to preserve known nesting sites if these beautiful birds are to remain common in Michigan’s wetlands.
Wikipedia has more about the Great Blue Heron and you can get more info (and typical calls) from All About Birds. There’s even a short video of a Michigan blue heron on the Kalamazoo River on YouTube.
Nathan says he looked out the window, saw this guy chillin’ by the frog pond and couldn’t believe his eyes when he stretched his neck. Be sure to check this out bigger or in his Great Outdoors set (slideshow).
ArtPrize winner: Open Water no. 24 by Ran Ortner
 ArtPrize 09-Open Water no.24 by deviant_anomaly |
 ART PRIZE 2009-0032 by RichardD72 |
Head over to Winners of the 2009 Grand Rapids ArtPrize on Absolute Michigan for more about Ortner, the other 9 winners and ArtPrize.
For more photos check out the streams of the photographers above and also the ArtPrize slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool and theGrand Rapids ArtPrize group on Flickr. Bloggers, there’s also the Grand Rapids ArtPrize Promotion group for photos you can use (with credit).
MMMMMMM-Michigan Apples!
MMMMMMM-Michigan Apples….., photo by rowrlm.
While our cool fall has been rough on some farmers, it has produced one of the best years for apples in Michigan history!
Michigan apples, not only delicious but prized on Absolute Michigan has a ton of apple information (including a new Honeycrisp apple hybrid). You can also check out absolutemichigan.com/Apple for much more appley goodness including links to U-pick, farm markets and apple cider!
Be sure to check this out bigger or in rowrlm’s slideshow.
As the hayride, corn maze and spooky old barn season returns…
Halloween Terror Follows the Northern Calm, photo by Jen E. is just taking random photos!.
As you’re enjoying some of the fun in Absolute Michigan’s 2009 Michigan Haunted Attractions, Corn Mazes & Halloween Guide, remember this cautionary tale (especially if you’re a smoker). Jen writes:
Same weekend, same place as the previous photo….Halloween night no less (notice the large fake cobweb). They ran a Halloween hayride every autumn. (They still do.) A cigarette in the barn started the fire and ended up destroying acres of property, including the horse stables. It was a terrifying night.
Check it out bigger in Jen’s slideshow and please have a safe and spooky Halloween season!
Michigan in Pictures 
