Short Eared Owl

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

P1090935

P1090935, photo by Sherri & Dan.

The Short-eared Owl – Asio flammeus entry at Owl Pages says:

A Danish bishop and amateur naturalist, Erich Ludvigsen Pontoppidan, published the first description of this Owl in 1763. In Latin, the word “flammeus” means fiery, flaming, or the colour of fire. Local names for the Short-eared Owl include the Evening Owl, Marsh Owl Bog or Swamp Owl, Grass Owl, Meadow Owl, Mouse-hawk, and Flat-faced Owl.

The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized Owl. The plumage is buffy brown with dark streaks on the chest, belly, and back. Males tend to be lighter in colour than females. This colouring provides good camouflage, but if this fails, a Short-eared Owl will feign death to avoid detection. The wings and tail are strongly barred. The yellow eyes are circled with black and set in whitish or buffy-white facial disks, which are suffused with a ring of brown. The bill is black. The head appears round without ear tufts, but at very close range small ear tufts are visible. In flight, the dark “wrist” on the underwing is the key field mark.

Check it out background big and in see more great shots of this bird in Sherri & Dan’s Animals slideshow.

The Bird Girl

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

The Bird Girl Angie

The Bird Girl Angie, photo by sharona 315 사론아.

Michigan in Pictures has a lot of Michigan birds but nothing quite like Angie!!

Check this out bigger in Sharon’s Winter slideshow.

Banished Words: Epic Viral Fail

Posted on by farlane

Face Plant

Face Plant photo by Rudy Malmquist

Every year, Lake Superior State University puts together their list of Banished Words. Before we get to the current list, here’s a little back story:

In 1977, one year after Lake Superior State University Public Relations Director W.T. (Bill) Rabe released the first “banished words list,” he said that the international reaction from news media and the public told him “it would go on forever.”

Forever may be stretching it, but the annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness has been going strong since New Year’s Day 1976 and shows no signs of stopping. People from around the world have nominated hundreds of words and phrases such as “you know,” “user friendly,” “at this point in time,” and “have a nice day,” to be purged from the language.

Here’s a few choice words from their 2011 Banished Words List:

“Standards for using ‘epic’ are so low, even ‘awesome’ is embarrassed.” Mike of Kettering, Ohio.

It may have been word of the year in some wheelhouses, but “refudiate” wasn’t looked upon favorably by many who sent in nominations.

“Aren’t all Americans people? Every political speech refers to the ‘American’ people as if simply saying ‘Americans’ (or ‘people’) is not enough.” Deb of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

But words and phrases related to technology and the way we communicate dominated the list for 2011, including “viral,” “epic,” “fail,” and the use of websites “Facebook” and “Google” as verbs. “Viral” received the most nominations.

“Facebook is a great, addicting website. Google is a great search engine. However, their use as verbs causes some deep problems. As bad as they are, the trend can only get worse, i.e. ‘I’m going to Twitter a few people, then Yahoo the movie listings and maybe Amazon a book or two.” Jordan of Waterloo, Ont.

Lake Superior State University accepts nominations all year, and you can post comments about this year’s words (or any other words that you wish to refudiate) on the LSSU Banished Words Facebook.

Check this photo out too big to fail or in Rudy’s slideshow.

X is for (e)Xhiliration

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

X is for (e)Xhiliration

X is for (e)Xhiliration, photo by whitepuffycloud.

How do you feel as you face the New Year?

Check this out bigger in Shannon’s personal favorites slideshow.

A micro-lesson in tectonophysics

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

A micro-lesson in tectonophysics (a word I just learned from the Wiki).

A micro-lesson in tectonophysics (a word I just learned from the Wiki)., photo by Elizabeth Glass.

Elizabeth says the just learned tectonophysics from the Wiki and writes:

Plate tectonics, right? A process that took (sorry, I mean “is taking”) millions of years, and yet if you get outside every day and watch your lake freeze you can see the whole drama unfold over the course of one winter. Sections of surface are continually pushed until they begin to overlap and rise up into mountains. Geysers and volcanos are formed, because sometimes what’s underneath needs to be able to get out. Geologic layers develop that rival the beauty of any canyon you’ve ever seen, and they change from day to day! Is it winter where you are? Lucky you! GO OUTSIDE!!!

Check it out along with many others in her Ice slideshow.

Want more ice? How about Great Lakes Ice: A Play in Four Acts from Absolute Michigan?

A Very Happy Holiday Season, Michigan!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Ada Michigan Winter 2010

Ada Michigan Winter 2010, photo by RichardDemingPhotography.

Here’s hoping that all of you enjoy all of the season, in whatever flavor it comes in.

See this bigger in Richard’s Winter in Michigan 2009/2010 slideshow.

Indian Village and the 12 Days of Christmas in Detroit

Posted on by farlane

Untitled, photo by BareBonesDetroit

The folks at BareBones Detroit are doing the Twelve Days of Christmas in Detroit, a series on some of the best things to do and see around the holidays. Check their set out on Flickr at the link above (view slideshow) and don’t miss their cool map of Detroit! Of this photo they write:

Day 2: Indian Village. There’s never a better time to take a drive through Detroit’s historic Indian Village neighborhood. Just east of downtown, many of these homes were owned by some of the city’s most prominent, wealthy families. Grab some hot chocolate, turn the radio to 100.3 WNIC and tour some of the Detroit’s most historic homes lit up for the season.

Detroit’s historic Indian Village by Zena Simmons of The Detroit News says that the architecturally diverse Indian Village was home to famous Detroiters including Edsel Ford & Bernard Stroh. Their homes were designed by some of Detroit’s most renowned architects including Albert Kahn, Louis Kamper and William Stratton. The first Village home was built in 1895 at Jefferson and Iroquois and later became the headquarters for WXYZ and the home of the Lone Ranger.

According to the Indian Village Historical Collections, originally, the land belonged to Francois Rivard and Jacques St. Aubin, recipients of French land-grant “ribbon” farms, long narrow strips of land that gave each farmer some river frontage. Abraham Cook acquired the farms between 1811 and 1815. The area consisted mostly of farms, and a couple of upper-class river cottages, but the main attraction was a mile long oval race track. The track was the site of several Michigan State Fairs during the 1860s and was known as the Hamtramck Race Course.

Around 1893, Cook’s heirs formed the Cook Farm Company, Ltd. to develop a “first class residential district on a generous scale”, and the prices were set high so that only the wealthy could build there.

Many assumed that at one time Indians lived on the land. That may be, but John Owen Jr., a key player in the development of the area, selected the name “Indian Village” because he felt the romantic title would add to the sales appeal.

You can also check out Wikipedia’s entry for the Indian Village Historic District and the Historic Indian Village neighborhood site.

Exit 180: Blizzard Version

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Exit 180

Exit 180, photo by isopleth.

Today’s post goes out to Blizzard Baby Bradley, born Sunday morning at the peak of last weekend’s blizzard in northern Michigan.

Check this photo from near Cadillac out bigger and in David’s slideshow.

More winter on Michigan in Pictures.

Cool Morning on the Farm

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Cool Morning on the Farm.

Cool Morning on the Farm., photo by photoshoparama – Dan.

Whenever I see a photo like this, I think of Nature Baroque: Snowflakes & Crystals by my friends Jerry Dennis and Glenn Wolff from their great book It’s Raining Frogs & Fishes.

Daniel shot this in Newaygo County yesterday morning.  Check it out bigger in his Colors slideshow.

Discover December

Posted on by farlane

Curves Ahead
Curves Ahead, photo by ( Jennifer )

“Look Doris, someday you’re going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work. And when you do, don’t overlook those lovely intangibles. You’ll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile.”
~ Fred Gailey, “Miracle on 34th Street”

Our Absolute Michigan December Event Calendar has some great events from all over Michigan for you to enjoy in the last month of the year. Check them out and post comments about your favorites!

Jennifer took this shot in Kalkaska County on Valley Road near the Seven Bridges Trail a couple of Decembers ago, but this morning folks all around Michigan are waking up to a similar scene. Check it out bigger in her Kalkaska County slideshow.