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!

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.

Rothbury, Electric Forest and a Ticket Giveaway Explosion

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Rothbury - Out of This World
Rothbury – Out of This World, photo by tinmantaber.

In which the author explains how Rothbury & Electric Forest led to a giveaway of 72 tickets…

I’m not sure if this qualifies as a commercial, but you should know that Electric Forest Festival is a sponsor of Absolute Michigan. Plus it’s kind of long. Sorry. ;)

Over Fourth of July weekend in 2009, I was part of the Absolute Michigan crew that went to the Rothbury Music Festival (click for our coverage). Two others on the crew were Richard Taber (who took this photo) and Ryan Thompson (who’s in it). I still don’t know how they thought of it, but it’s a classic!

While Rothbury has yet to return, a new festival by the same producers called Electric Forest starts this Thursday in Rothbury and runs June 30 – July 4.

I really enjoyed Rothbury and the incredible art and entertainment that went far beyond my previous experience of music festivals, so I was really excited when Electric Forest agreed to sponsor Absolute Michigan. Part of their sponsorship was a pair of tickets that we gave away at the end of May to Mark L of Detroit. The excitement that folks felt about a chance to win tickets made me think that there might be a way to do more giveaways, and after a few weeks of calling around, we’ve got 25 pairs of tickets (and counting) that we are giving away or have given away in our “Festival Summer” promotion.

These are great events of all kinds like the incredible Maker Faire Detroit at the Henry Ford, the delicious Taste of Kalamazoo and the venerable Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival in Marquette, and I felt pretty good about that. Then one of the event organizers asked me how many pairs I wanted, and I thought “Why not give away some more?” I asked for four and now eleven festivals & events have given a second pair of tickets that we’re going to give away on July 4th, hopefully to a person or persons as crazy & fun as Ryan and Richard.

Check it out background bigtastic and in Richard’s Rothbury Festival 2009 – Greatest Hits slideshow. Many more shots in his Rothbury collection and definitely see the slideshow on the Rothbury website.

More from Ryan at ryanthompson.org.

Pile-o-Pigs

Posted on by farlane

Pile o Pigs

Pile-o-Pigs, photo by Kensington slideshow.

I Can’t Believe He Said That

Posted on by farlane

Can’t Believe He Said That, photo from the Dusty Diary

Over on the Dusty Diary, Laura writes that she would pay good money to know what the remark was is this unknown portrait.

At first I thought this was a wedding portrait. Now I think this is a family. All the guys, with the possible exception of the guy on the left, share a facial resemblance. There is a familial informality in the manner in which two of the men are grasping the chair backs. I’m guessing the person who made the remark in question is the tall guy in the center. Also suspecting that remark in question was a bit naughty. Woman on left is married… to whom? One of these gentlemen?

Also, older woman’s face is probably the single most beautiful thing I’ve seen this past week.

Click through to see the photo bigger and some details shots of their faces and definitely tune into the Dusty Diary for regular gems that Laura finds in the Yspilanti archives!

Jumping through March

Posted on by farlane

6 March 11

6 March 11, photo by singlecupofcoffee

March is one of the toughest times to be a Michigander as Mother Nature teases us with the promise of spring and then reminds us that winter isn’t yet over. Megan Elizabeth has decided (once again) that the best way to get through March is by jumping, and she’s selected umbrellas for the win.

Check this out bigger and in Megan’s march twenty-eleven JUMPS slideshow, and if you have your own strategy for dealing with March-induced cabin fever, share it in the comments!

Ice Woman: Lake Superior in March

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Ice Woman

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!

Seussian Scene, Yooper Style

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Untitled, photo by Blondieyooper.

The last Wednesday of every month is a Weird Wednesday on Absolute Michigan. In honor of that, here’s a funny little still life from the UP.

Check it out big as a blueberrishroom and in April’s Dr Seussish File slideshow!

Giant Ski Bunny & Snowpocalypse How?

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Boyne Falls MI RARE 1950s Ice Sculpture at Boyne Mountain Snow and Ice Sculptures were a popular attraction at Ski Resorts in the 50s and 60s Bob Miles Photo Card S24328 Unsent

Boyne Falls MI RARE 1950s Ice Sculpture at Boyne Mountain Snow and Ice Sculptures were a popular attraction at Ski Resorts in the 50s and 60s Bob Miles Photo Card S24328 Unsent, photo by UpNorth Memories – Donald (Don) Harrison.

In In Snowpocalypse Now Redux: When the weatherati cry wolf, what do we believe next time? Jeff Wattrick says that while we don’t want forecasts as understated as the “Snow, potentially heavy at times” that preceded the monstrous blizzard of ’78:

At some point we may actually get one of death storms with historic barometric pressure readings and the like. The forecasters may even predict it – that’ll happen when every dusting of wintery precipitation is a potential holofrost – but no one will care.

In essence, too much coverage can be as bad as not enough.

It’s like waking up every morning and predicting your own death. Eventually, you’ll be right. So what?

The wall-to-wall coverage – complete with live blogs, non-stop primetime school closure scrolls, and reports about panicked supermarket shoppers – doesn’t inform. It is absurdist theater that ignites in some a delusion that middle class life in 21st century Michigan can be a harrowing fight for survival.

…from such terrifying hazards as:

Thundersnow Is Go!: From beyond any known galaxy and bringing with it the laws and ideals of its home planet of Fontara…Thundersnow! As best as anyone can tell, it’s like a regular thunderstorm but with snow instead of rain because it’s winter. Like Murrow covering the London Blitz, the WXYZ liveblog bravely reported thundersnow rumbled through Southfield at 3:15 this morning.

As a resident and business owner in a resort destination I have railed about sensationalism in weather forecasts in the past. Definitely click through for the choice Simpson’s clip Jeff found!

Check this out bigger than a blizzard and in Don’s slideshow.

New Year’s Resolution Case Study #77: The Tufted Titmouse

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Im not Fat, Im Fluffy!

Im not Fat, Im Fluffy!, photo by Spring Noel.

All About Birds says that the Tufted Titmouse is common in eastern deciduous forests and a frequent visitor to feeders. They eat mostly insects in the summer but aren’t above seeds, nuts, and berries and (in the case of this fellow) cheesecake and jelly donuts. Fun facts:

     

  • Experiments with Tufted Titmice indicate they always choose the largest seeds they can when foraging. (see above)
  • Tufted Titmice hoard food in fall and winter, a behavior they share with many of their relatives, including the chickadees and tits. Titmice take advantage of a bird feeder’s bounty by storing many of the seeds they get. Usually, the storage sites are within 130 feet of the feeder. The birds take only one seed per trip and usually shell the seeds before hiding them.
  • Tufted Titmice nest in tree holes (and nest boxes), but they can’t excavate their own nest cavities. Instead, they use natural holes and cavities left by woodpeckers.
  • Tufted Titmice often line the inner cup of their nest with hair, sometimes plucked directly from living animals. The list of hair types identified from old nests includes raccoons, opossums, mice, woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits, livestock, pets, and even humans.
  • The oldest known wild Tufted Titmouse lived to be 13 years 3 months old.

    •  

Check out Birding in Michigan’s Ode to the Tufted Titmouse and see more birds on Michigan in Pictures.

See this bigger in Spring’s Birds slideshow.