Yesterday: Sand. Today: Zebra Mussels & Quagga Mussels

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Zebra Mussels

Zebra Mussels, photo by cedarkayak.

“In terms of the whole food web, I don’t think there’s any question that zebra and quagga mussels have had the largest impact on the biological communities of the Great Lakes”
~Tom Nalepa, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

Today’s villain in our Michigan Invasive Species series are Zebra Mussels & Quagga Mussels. That feature on Absolute Michigan goes in depth about who they are and what they do so I won’t go on and on here except to say that as someone who walks the beaches of Lake Michigan often, there’s few things that make me sadder or madder than these little bastards. They’ve trashed the food chain, spawned all manner of nasty plants & algae and they slice up your feet.

Todd writes:

This stretch of beach on South Manitou Island was once filled with sugary white sand. Today, the beach is covered in razor sharp zebra mussel shells. I knelt to take then photo, and when I stood, my knee was bleeding in 3 places.

Check this out background big and in his Lake Michigan slideshow.

Ann Arbor Farmers Market and the Ann Arbor HomeGrown Festival

Posted on by farlane

squashes for sale at the farmer's market
squashes for sale at the farmer’s market, photo by msdeena

Deena took this at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market (many more photos from the market on Real Time Farms). They are a producers-only market, which means everything there is grown, baked or crafted by the vendors who sell them. This Saturday (Sept 11) they are celebrating local food at the annual Ann Arbor HomeGrown Festival! On Absolute Michigan we wrote:

The Ann Arbor HomeGrown Festival is hoping you’ll help them raise a ruckus in the historic Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market pavilion this Saturday (September 11) from 6-11 PM. They’re celebrating food, farms and community with great eats and cool beverages, live music and fun for the whole family!

Entry to the Festival is FREE, and food and drink are available to purchase. A bevy of chefs are working with nearby farms to create affordable tasting portions of the best of the region’s harvest. They’ll have dozens of local libations (beer, wine, mead and hard cider) for grown-ups to enjoy. Project Grow will be back with their astounding heirloom tomato tasting – over 50 varieties to try! Lots of kids’ activities (mural arts, music-making), a huge silent auction, a “Know Your Farmer” farmstand, dozens of artisan vendors, and a fantastic lineup of music for shaking your tailfeathers. They’re on Facebook too!

Be sure to check this out big as a pumpkin and also see her massive farmer’s markets set (slideshow).

Calm After the Storm: Empire Bluffs & North Bar Lake

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Calm After the Storm

Calm After the Storm, photo by unifiedphoto.

Yesterday the winds were absolutely howling in Northern Michigan under one of the strongest windstorms I’ve ever seen in September. The lake in the front is North Bar Lake and that’s Empire Bluffs in the background – both are part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

On his blog Ken writes that this photo is the result of a beta version of Nik HDR Efex Pro software – impressive indeed! Be sure to check it out bigger and in Ken’s Landscapes slideshow.

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, photo by Kevin Povenz.

I always love it when the perfect photo for Michigan in Pictures is waiting in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. I echo Kevin’s sentiments and wish everyone a very happy & safe Labor Day Weekend filled with all the family, friends & fun that you desire!!

Check this out background boomtacular and in Kevin’s Fun/Interesting slideshow.

Here’s some Michigan Labor Day gems from Absolute Michigan & Michigan in Pictures:

Mosquito Beach in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Mosquito Beach

Mosquito Beach, photo by cedarkayak.

Todd says that Mosquito Beach favorite spot along the Pictured Rocks. Since it’s mine too I thought we could feature it today! The beach is pretty secluded, probably because the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore doesn’t have much to say about it. It’s located on the Mosquito Falls trail – check the trail map for Chapel Basin on their map page!

Be sure to check this out big as Lake Superior and in his Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore slideshow.

Editor’s Note: The caves at the far point are known as the Caves of the Bloody Chiefs, which legend says were used by ancient chiefs to tie their captives and let Lake Superior batter them to death.

Lots more Pictured Rocks on Michigan in Pictures.

2010 September Michigan Event Calendar

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Road 442.jpg

Road 442.jpg, photo by smartee_martee.
“When the goldenrod is yellow,
And leaves are turning brown –
Reluctantly the summer goes
In a cloud of thistledown.”
~ Beverly Ashour, September

In September, Holly steps back in time, Romeo bites into a peach, Hamtramck and everyone else celebrates Labor Day, Detroit gets its jazz on, Marquette & Old Town Lansing play the blues, Rochester celebrates art & apples, Mackinaw City enjoys hops & fun, Grand Haven reels in the salmon, Kalamazoo and Muskegon gets their Irish up, Paw Paw welcomes the wine Harvest (and Leelanau does too) and Grand Rapids comes back for seconds with the phenomenal ArtPrize! that’s just a few highlights!

You can check out many more September events and hear Earth, Wind & Fire singing their ode to the 9th month at the September 2010 Michigan Event Calendar on Absolute Michigan.

Marty took this shot on Road 442, north of Danaher in Luce County. Check it out background big and in his brilliant Michigan Fall Colors slideshow!

More fall wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Indian Head: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Boat Tour

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Boat Tour, photo by napowell30d.

“These coasts are most delightful and wondrous … for Nature made it so pleasant to the eye, the spirit and the belly.”
Pierre Radisson, 1658

The above is from the Pictured Rocks timeline on Google. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore entry on Wikipedia relates:

In October 1966, Congress passed a bill authorizing the establishment of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, “… in order to preserve for the benefit, inspiration, education, recreational use, and enjoyment of the public, a significant portion of the diminishing shoreline of the United States and its related geographic and scientific features.” When President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill, Alger County became the home of America’s first National Lakeshore.

This shot of the sandstone formation “Indian Head” was taken from the Pictured Rocks Cruises boat tour – a great way to see the many waterfalls, formations and sights of one of Michigan’s unquestioned jewels. More Pictured Rocks on Michigan in Pictures.

Check this out background big and in Norm’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore slideshow.

A sunset at sunset

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Seascape

Seascape, photo by Aaron M Jones.

Normally I get Michigan in Pictures done in the morning. Took the morning mostly off today however.

Aaron took this amazing shot off Drummond Island – No HDR or exposure blending using a circular polarizer + Cokin GND8. Wow.

Check it out background boomtacular and in his slideshow. And speaking of wow, in his slideshow he has a very cool video short titled Night.

Water Cannon!!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

CG2010-8

CG2010-8, photo by Twinz8.

From the 2010 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival.

Check it out bigger and in Paul’s Coast Guard Festival 2010 slideshow.

Hope your weekend is a blast!

Slip and Slide … down Lyon Street in Grand Rapids

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

Slip and Slide 1

Slip and Slide 1, photo by JSmith Photo.

Rob Bliss writes:

For the weekend of August 21th-22nd, Lyon St. will be shut down in heart of Grand Rapids, during which time the worlds largest inflatable water slide (500ft) will be constructed in the middle of the street in downtown Grand Rapids at NO COST to ride.

this is NOT a slip n slide! This is a fully inflatable, $30,000 WATER SLIDE, and is completely safe and approved by the City of Grand Rapids to be safe for public usage. Its all in…flatable vinyl and half a foot off the ground, it’ll be like riding on air. YOU MUST WEAR A BATHING SUIT.

Running Saturday and Sunday from 8AM-10PM on Aug 21st-22nd, this nearly two football field long, dual-laned, 10 ft. drop water slide will run COMPLETELY FREE and open to all. This slide was built in California and is professionally managed by ACP Entertainment. Whats most exciting is that by only being used once a year, this event will be able to be repeated for over 20 years to come, continuing to build in length each year!

Over 9000 people are already attending – head over to Facebook to be one of them!

Check this out bigger or in Jeffrey’s slideshow.