Sunflowers by Diane Greene Lent
Diane shared these sunflowers for Ukraine today in the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. I don’t really have anything to add except for my own hopes & good wishes to the Ukrainian people at this terrible time.
See more in Diane’s Photo a Day 2022 gallery on Flickr.
Kresge Library Services Paczki Day Extravaganza by Corey Seeman
A Healthier Michigan has a nice look at the history of Paczki Day in Michigan:
The making and indulging in paczki (pronounced “poonch-key”) dates back to the Middle Ages. During that time, people in Poland would make pastries to use up all of their lard, sugar, eggs and other decadent ingredients before beginning Lent (a period of 40 days where Christians cut out certain foods like sweets or dairy and avoid eating meat on Fridays). Back then, the rich pastries were filled with pork fat. The more modern versions are a lot sweeter, often filled with fruit jelly (commonly raspberry, apple or lemon) or custard and dusted in powdered sugar.
When Polish immigrants came to the United States—especially Midwestern cities like Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay and Cleveland—at the beginning of the 20th century, Paczki Day came with them. And it’s been celebrated here on Fat Tuesday ever since.
FYI, paczkis often clock in at over 1000 calories & 30 grams of fat so no, they are definitely not the best of health foods but a perfect Fat Tuesday treat!!
Corey took a picture of this nice assortment of Paczkis from Benny’s Bakery in Saline back in 2020 at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business library. Head over to Flickr for his latest which includes pics of Runyon, an adorable pup.
Lake Erie Sunrise by Charles Hildebrandt
Charles took this photo over the weekend at William C. Sterling State Park in Monroe, which Pure Michigan says is Michigan’s only state park on Lake Erie. The 1300-acre park at the mouth of Sandy Creek is known for walleye fishing and also offers lakefront camping, 7 miles of trails, and over a mile of sandy beach.
Head over to Charles’s Flickr for his latest & have a great week everyone!
Pebble on the beach by Mark Swanson
I don’t know the technical term for the process that creates these pebbles on pedestals on sandy beaches in the winter, but I do know I love it!
Mark took this photo last week on Silver Beach in St. Joseph. See more in his 2022 gallery on Flickr.
Petoskey Crucifix by Martin McReynolds
The Petoskey Visitors’ Bureau shares the story of the Petoskey Underwater Crucifix:
About 800 feet offshore and under 21 feet of water lies an Italian white marble crucifix, the only known freshwater-underwater crucifix. It came to Petoskey in 1962 in a round-about way, and has become a draw for divers and visitors alike ever since. You will not find a shrine like this anywhere else in the U.S.
The 11-foot tall crucifix, with a 5-foot 5-inch figure of Jesus Christ, was placed in the Bay, near the Petoskey breakwall at Bayfront Park, by the Wyandotte-based Superior Marine Divers Club in 1962. Its original intent was to honor Charles Raymond, a Southgate diver who drowned in Torch Lake. Later, the club expanded the focus of the monument to memorialize all those who have perished at sea.
Its origins date back to the late 1950s, when a grieving mother and father from Rapson in Michigan’s Thumb area had it crafted in memory of their son, Gerald Schipinski. Gerald was 15-years-old in 1956 when he was accidentally killed by a shotgun on the family farm.
After being crafted in Italy, the cross was broken during shipping to the Rapson Catholic church; the family rejected the damaged crucifix and it was sold in an insurance sale to the Wyandotte dive club. The crucifix made its way to Little Traverse Bay and was first placed by the U.S. Icebreaker Sundew 1,200 feet off the Petoskey breakwall on Aug. 12, 1962.
…in the early 1980s Dennis Jessick was president of the Little Traverse Bay Dive Club, and he proposed a winter viewing of the crucifix. The first was held in 1986, affording the community the chance to view the statue through a hole made in the ice. Lights are placed under water to help with viewing. The viewing of the crucifix,” as the locals call it, has continued.
The viewing of the Crucifix is always free and takes place if the ice is thick enough and other weather related conditions are right, usually in the end of February or early March. (NO VIEWING IN 2022) A tent is set up at the viewing area – which is a sure sign to the public that the viewing is taking place. It is also publicized in local media and on local Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau web sites.
More at the Petoskey Visitors Bureau & for sure check out this article on the crucifix from Northern Michigan Mish-Mash for a ton more info & some photos. Not gonna lie – I was really hoping to see this in person this year, but unfortunately there won’t be a public viewing in 2022 as there usually is.
Martin took this photo back in 2009. Head over to his Well Liked gallery on Flickr for lots more great shots from Petoskey & elsewhere.
Victoria Dam & Falls December 2021-11 by Nathan Miller
The Waterfalls of the Keweenaw entry for Victoria Dam Falls has directions & says in part:
This section of West Branch Ontonagon River was once the home of the famous Ontonagon Boulder (a copper boulder now housed in the Smithsonian weighing almost two tons) and a tall, impressive waterfall. A dam and basin now covers both landmarks and only an overflow channel, one that is rarely flowing, remains. Viewing the drop is easy as it flows down from the opposite bank facing an access point.
Nathan took this back in December of 2021. For sure head over to Flickr to see this & other shots extra big in his Victoria Dam & Falls gallery.
I can’t think of a better pic for 2-22-22 than this shot from Tate that I featured 14 years ago. Check out this & others of his most popular photos on Flickr and have a great day!
Off to the Races by Hannah Frames Moments
The annual UP 200, Midnight Run, and Jack Pine 30 Sled Dog races took place in Marquette & the surrounding area last weekend. They share that musher Ryan Anderson of Cushing, WI finished first in the 228-mile UP200 Dog Sled Race followed by Wade Marrs & Nick Vigilante. Michael Bestgen & Joanna Oberg had the top 2 finishes in the 82-mile Midnight Run, and Erin Schouweiler was the top finisher in the Jack Pine 30.
Get all the results at UP200.org.
The photo was taken by Hannah Wescott. You can see a bunch more on her Facebook page & for sure head over to her website to view & purchase her work!
Ontonagon Copper Boulder at the Smithsonian by Ian Shackleford
Today’s post is what we call a foreshadowing in the photo blog game. It concerns the extremely messy saga of the Ontonagon Boulder which is now at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. You can (and should) read it all, but here’s some highlights:
In 1669 the French government sent Louis Joliet to search for copper deposits in the area. Joliet decided to discover the Mississippi River instead.
English adventurer and fur trader Alexander Henry trips up the Ontonagon River in 1765 and 1771. An underwhelmed (and astoundingly wrong) Henry was unimpressed writing, “The copper ores of Lake Superior can never be profitably sought for but for local consumption….” The 5 million plus tons of copper 5,400,000 disagree.
In 1819 Gen. Lewis Cass directed an expedition to the boulder & sought to move it by burning thirty cords of wood around the boulder & throwing water on the hot copper which didn’t succeed in fracturing the boulder.
In 1841, Detroit hardware merchant Julius Eldred and an interpreter set out to buy the boulder from the Chippewa on whose land it stood for $150. He failed that time & the next, but in 1843 with a portable railway & car managed to move it (after having to buy the rock AGAIN from some Wisconsin miners for $1,365).
From the U.S. National Museum report of 1895: For four miles and a half, over hills 600 feet high, through valleys and deep ravines; through thick forests where the path had to be cut; through tangled underbrush, the home of pestiferous mosquitoes, this railway was laid and the copper bowlder (sic) was transported; and when at last the rock was lowered to the main stream, nature smiled on the labors of the workmen by sending a freshet to carry their heavily laden boat over the lower rapids and down to the lake.
At this long-awaited, triumphant point, Eldred was confronted by an order from the Secretary of War to General Cunningham, directing that the copper boulder be seized for transportation to Washington.
“The persons [Eldred and his sons] claiming the rock have no right to it,” the Secretary decreed, “but justice and equity would require that they be amply compensated for the trouble and expense of its removal from its position on the Ontonagon to the lake; and for this purpose General C. will examine their accounts and allow them the costs, compensating them fully and fairly therefore, the sum, however, not to exceed $700….”
In the end & with the help of Congress, Eldred received $5,664.98 which is roughly $200,000 in today’s dollars.
Read lots more from the Smithsonian & also check out a more detailed look at the drama around Eldred from The Mining Journal.
The photo was taken by Ian Shackleford & appears in the Wikipedia entry for the Boulder.
Ice Cave Sunset by Mark Miller
Today a photo from back in 2014 of the massive ice coverage along the coast of the Leelanau Peninsula showed up in my memories. While we’ve got nothing like that this year, I figured it would still be nice to take a look back.
You can see some more shots in Mark’s Leelanau’s Ice Caves of 2014 gallery on Flickr.
Get more on Leelanau’s ice caves from Leelanau.com & please remember, walking on the ice on Lake Michigan (or any lake) in the winter is never “safe” so please miss me with your complaints.
Michigan in Pictures 