Ice Caves of Leelanau: The Book

Posted on by farlane

Lake Michigan ... ice cave sunset

Lake Michigan … ice cave sunset, photo by Ken Scott

Last winter some incredible ice formations piled up off the coast of the Leelanau Peninsula, and the photographer on the scene was my friend & Michigan in Pictures regular Ken Scott. Ken has published a book, Ice Caves of Leelanau, that features some of his best shots and essays by noted Michigan author Jerry Dennis. Right now his books are mostly sold out (reprint coming in July) but you might be able to sweet talk one out of Ken – email him here.

If you’re in northwest Lower Michigan you can catch Ken’s talk on the ice caves tomorrow from 4-6 PM at the Leland Township Library.

View the photo bigger on Flickr and see more in his Lake Michigan Ice & Caves slideshow. You can also see some videos of the Ice Caves on Ken’s site!

Michigan Frog Files: The Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)

Posted on by farlane

Michigan Wood Frog

Frog, photo by Ron Abfalter

Word on the pond is that Michigan’s frogs are a little put out by all the attention my readers are paying to Michigan turtles, so here’s a little payback. The DNR’s page on Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) says:

DESCRIPTION: A brown or tan frog with a dark band (“robber’s mask”) through the eye and a white stripe on the upper lip. Small to medium – 2 to 21/2 inches long.

HABITAT: Woodlands, wooded swamps.

BREEDING: March-April, in woodland ponds and swamps often before ice is completely melted from pond. Egg masses are globular; many females may deposit in one area, often in deepest part of pond. Tadpoles will transform about 2 months later.

VOICE: A duck like “quack,” some describe it as “a lot of chuckling.”

RANGE AND STATUS: Common in moist wooded habitats state-wide.

You can hear the quacking call of the Wood Frog in this video and also learn more about wood frogs from the UM Animal Diversity Web.

View Rob’s photo bigger and see more of his photos from thePalms Supper Club & Dharma Cafe on Flickr.

More Michigan frogs on Michigan in Pictures!

Country Roads

Posted on by farlane

Country Road

Country Road, photo by ruimc77

Hope your roads lead to someplace wonderful this weekend.

View the photo background big and see more in ruimc’s slideshow.

Spring Showers on Spring Flowers

Posted on by farlane

Spring Showers on Spring Flowers

Spring Showers on Spring Flowers, photo by David Marvin

View David’s photo background big and see more rainy, tulipy, irisy goodness in his slideshow.

More Spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Sunset on Crisp Point

Posted on by farlane

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Untitled, photo by Paul Wojtkowski

Crisp Point on Lake Superior is home to the Crisp Point Lighthouse, one of Michigan’s most remote lighthouses. Here’s a map and you can check out the Crisp Point Lighthouse Society’s website for a photo of the docks that were once on these pilings.

View Paul’s photo background bigilicious and see more in his slideshow including this shot of the light. Also be sure to check out his photography website at the-woj.com. (music alert)

There’s more sunsets , more summer wallpaper and more about Crisp Point Lighthouse on Michigan in Pictures.

Mirror Morning

Posted on by farlane

Hasrot Beach

Haserot Beach, photo by lomeranger

One of the things I love about Spring and early Summer is how calm the water can be.

Jason shot this at 6 AM on the Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City. View his photo background bigtacular, see more in his Landscapes VII slideshow and purchase it if you wish at his photography website.

There’s more sunrises and more Spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

School’s out for Summer

Posted on by farlane

School Bus Heap by squareforever

School Bus Heap, photo by Rust and Roses

Out for summer, Out till fall
We might not go back at all
~Alice Cooper (School’s Out)

Not in these buses at least…

Rust and Roses shot these retired school buses in Elsie, Michigan last September. View the photo background bigtacular and see more in their awesome slideshow.

Because half of you were probably going to Google it anyway, here’s Alice Cooper doing School’s Out for Summer on BBC’s Top of the Pops in 1972.

Michigan’s Blue Economy

Posted on by farlane

Where Two Waters Meet

Where Two Waters Meet, photo by Robby Ryke

Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, the three universities that make up Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC), have released a report titled “Innovating for the Blue Economy“. The report cites nearly $300 million in awards for water-related research and outreach from 2009 to 2013 that have led to innovations from dealing with invasive species and monitoring water quality to finding ways to optimize water use in agriculture. Their news release on the report prepared by the Anderson Economic Group (AEG) says in part:

AEG’s analysis showed that Michigan ranked fourth in the nation in the percentage of jobs associated with industries related to water, at 718,700.

“One in five Michigan jobs is tied to having good and plentiful water,” said AEG founder and CEO Patrick Anderson. “It is an important economic driver in Michigan, and extends to Great Lakes shipping, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and fishing, and over 80 other industry subsectors where Michigan workers are employed today.”

While most of Michigan’s water-related jobs are in water-enabled industries such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing, about 138,000 are in core water products and services producing water treatment facilities and solving water quality and quantity issues.

“Water isn’t just Michigan’s defining characteristic but the foundation of life on earth,” said Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon. “Our three universities make significant commitments to support water-related research and programs. These not only support Michigan’s economy and quality of life, but position the state as a knowledge wellspring for the world’s most precious natural resource.”

Read on and read the full report right here. The report is chock full of interesting facts including that those 718,700 jobs represent 21.3% of Michigan’s total employment (4th in the nation) and details many of the accomplishments of Michigan’s investment in our “Big Three” university research programs. Also note that “downstream” industries like tourism that rely on healthy water resources aren’t included in the numbers.

Robby writes that Otter Creek Beach has to be the reason why Sleeping Bear Dunes was Voted “Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America. View his photo bigger and see more in his slideshow.

Michigan in Pictures has over 40 pages of water-related photos – drink deep!

Bees & Blossoms

Posted on by farlane

Bees and Blossoms by 45th parallel exposure

Blossoms & Bees, photo by Lee Lynn Awe

View Lee Lynn’s photo background bigtacular and see more in her slideshow.

More spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Middle Hungarian Falls

Posted on by farlane

Middle Hungarian Falls

Middle Hungarian Falls, photo by David Clark

GoWaterfalling.com is the go-to site for Michigan waterfalls. About Middle Hungarian Falls they write (in part):

There are three falls 15 feet or higher on a half mile stretch of Dover Creek, plus a couple of smaller drops. In the spring time, or after some good rains, these waterfalls are very impressive. Unfortunately the creek has a very small watershed, and the falls are often reduced to trickles.

The three main drops are usually referred to as the upper, middle and lower falls. The upper falls is around 20 feet high. The water spills over an irreguarly shaped cliff into a small gorge.

Downstream of the upper falls is a dam and artificial lake. Below the dam are a couple of smaller drops, and the middle falls. The middle falls is also about 20 feet high, and is perhaps the most scenic in lower water. The cliff face here is smoother, and the water is not segmented the way it is at the upper falls. The middle falls is also the easiest to reach and there are plenty of good viewing spots.

Read on for more including directions and info about the lower Hungarian Falls.

View David’s photo background big and see more in his Waterfalls slideshow.

Many (many) more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.