The winter waiting game with Woody

Posted on by farlane

Waiting with Woody by Howell Nature Center

Waiting with Woody by Howell Nature Center

The Howell Nature Center is home to Woody, Michigan’s official groundhog. Woody has an accuracy rate is 76%, she will be making her 22nd prediction in 2022. A winter storm warning is in effect for Livingston County today, so they have rescheduled their annual festivities from today to this Saturday (Feb 5) from 7:30-9 AM. Get all the details on Facebook or their website & stay safe out there today!!

PS: If you look to Punxsutawney Phil for your Spring prognostication, I’m sad to report that the shadow was seen meaning six more weeks of winter. 

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Winter Gale at Grand Haven Pier

Posted on by farlane

Winter Gale by Bill VanderMolen

Winter Gale by Bill VanderMolen

Bill took this shot of a frosty Grand Haven Pier about a week ago. Check out more in his Explored gallery on Flickr & have a great week everyone!

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The fire that’s closest kept

Posted on by farlane

The Fire that's closest kept by Fire Fighter's Wife

The fire that’s closest kept by Fire Fighter’s Wife

“Fire that’s closest kept burns most of all.”
-William Shakespeare

Beth shared this photo from NYE 2021, and I think it’s a great reminder for all of us to keep that fire burning! See more in her 365: the 2022 Edition gallery on Flickr. 

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Amongst the Stars at the Ludington Light

Posted on by farlane

Ludington Lighthouse by S Hughes Photos

Ludington Lighthouse by S Hughes Photos

“You cannot look up at the night sky on the Planet Earth and not wonder what it’s like to be up there amongst the stars.”
– Tom Hanks

I feel this Tom Hanks quotation so deeply. Not many experiences on this earth in my book that compare with gazing into the deep night sky.

The photo was taken at the Ludington Light last year. With apologies in advance to the small but vocal minority of anti-Facebook fans, you can see a lot more on S. Hughes’ Facebook page.

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Happy 185th Birthday, Michiganders!

Posted on by farlane

Mighty Mac at 50 by Julie

Mighty Mac at 50 by Julie

On January 26, 1837 Michigan was admitted to the Union as the 26th state. The Freep has a feature with some fun facts about Michigan a few years ago. One that caught my eye was this one:

What’s a Michigander?

The term many of use and love today was coined by none other than Abraham Lincoln in 1848. Then an Illinois congressman, Lincoln referred to Michigan governor Lewis Cass, who was running for president as a Democrat, as a “Michigander”, meaning he was as silly as a goose. Lincoln was mad at the Democrats for making more than they should have of Cass’ military experience, and the term was meant as an insult. “There is one entire article of the sort I have not discussed yet;” Lincoln said, “I mean the military tale you Democrats are now engaged in dovetailing onto the great Michigander.”

They note that while neither is official, many prefer “Michiganian.” I have always been a fan of Michigander, but I confess this fact is making me reconsider!

Julie took this photo at a big birthday for Michigan, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Mackinac Bridge which (IMO) is what made Michigan, Michigan.  See MANY more photos in her Michigan album on Flickr & enjoy our collective birthday!

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Sail away to summer

Posted on by farlane

Sunrise over Lake Huron by Bruce Bugbee

Sunrise over Lake Huron by Bruce Bugbee

Is this winter wearing on anyone else? If so, I invite you to sail to summertime with me on this sailboat that Bruce photographed in July 2021 on Lake Huron. He shares:

It was a hazy summer morning in St. Ignace, Michigan, giving a unique hue to the sky and sunrise. The haze was created by the wildfires in Ontario and out west. Captured a sailboat drifting by the red rising sun on a very calm and peaceful Lake Huron.

See more in Bruce’s Michigan photo album on Flickr.

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Sunrise #1,117 at Marquette’s Orehenge

Posted on by farlane

Sunrise 1117 by Bugsy Sailor

Sunrise 1117 by Bugsy Sailor

On his Twitter, Michigan’s Sunrise King Bugsy Sailor shared a phenomenon that I’d never heard of – Orehenge! He writes: 

Twice a year, for a few days stretch, the sun rises down the center of the historic Marquette ore dock.

And oh boy, does the community loves it! Just as they should. But my introverted self, loving my mornings of solitude and meditation, has to overcome a lot of anxious energy to walk into a crowd during my most cherished time of the day.

Orehenge, as it’s affectionately called, falls in November and January, where the sun is really seen at sunrise. From my January data over three years, there is less than a 20% chance of seeing the sun at sunrise.

There’s more observations & photos of this very cool seasonal happening and the crowd that showed up @BugsySailor on Twitter. For sure check out his Twitter for more & if you’re low on Upper Peninsula swag, his UP Supply Co is a great source!

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Make Isle Royale your office in 2022!

Posted on by farlane

Tobin Harbor Sunrise by Carl TerHaar

Tobin Harbor Sunrise by Carl TerHaar

How would you like to wake up to this view?? Well, if you are a college student, the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Research Project is seeking volunteers to assist with data collection for the 2022 summer field season. Students studying natural resources, conservation, ecology, or related fields will gain valuable field work experience working with distinguished researchers in Isle Royale National Park in the longest continuous study of any predator-prey system in the world. 

The opportunity is for 4-5 weeks between early-May and mid-June, and requires students to have documented experience backpacking & camping for extended periods of time in remote settings, proficiency with orienteering, and  the ability to get along with others in backcountry settings for 10-day periods of time are all critical. Get the full rundown of qualifications, activities & more on their website at IsleRoyaleWolf.org.

Carl is definitely Michigan in Pictures’s Isle Royale Bureau Chief! His photos feature prominently in our posts about Isle Royale & his photo of a Bull Moose Faceoff is one of the most popular photos of all time on Michigan in Pictures. He  took this way back in the summer of 2009, and you can see hundreds more in his Isle Royale National Park gallery on Flickr. For sure head over to his Mackinaw Scenics website to view & purchase his work!

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Holland gets high marks for quality of life

Posted on by farlane

The Big Red by Ayman Haykal

The Big Red by Ayman Haykal

The Great Lakes Echo shares that Holland ranks first in quality of life for Michigan small cities:

This small city nestled off Lake Michigan ranks number one in the state for quality of life in “Best Small Cities in America,” a study published by WalletHub, a personal finance website that tracks financial and other trends. It is one of five measures the study used to rank the desirability of small cities. (The other measures are affordability, economic health, education and health, and safety.)

Quality of life was assessed by measures like average commute time, city walkability and number of bars, restaurants and cultural centers per capita.

Holland, Kalamazoo, Flint, Muskegon and Saginaw ranked in the top five of 39 small Michigan cities for the quality-of-life measure. The state’s lowest were Holt, Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, Lincoln Park and Garden City.

You can read more in the Echo & see all the cities in the study at WalletHub. Also, Traverse City, Marquette, Petoskey – you weren’t in the study so continue thinking whatever you think about yourselves.

In all seriousness, “studies” like this are basically nonsense, but I’ll take any excuse for a banger photo of Big Red like this one! Ayman took this pic back in 2019. See more in their Lighthouses gallery on Flickr.

Lots more about Holland Michigan on Michigan in Pictures!

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It’s not going great for Michigan drivers

Posted on by farlane

Downtown Detroit Driver by marsha morningstar

Downtown Detroit Driver by marsha morningstar

WXYZ-ABC Detroit reports that Michigan ranks as the 8th worst state to drive in:

The study looked at all states to see which were the most driver-friendly, and compared them across 31 key metrics, ranging from rush-hour traffic congestion to road quality and average gas prices.

Michigan came in 43rd, just behind Missouri and ahead of Colorado.

The state ranked 20th in share of rush-hour congestion, 19th in traffic fatality rates and car theft rate, 26th in road quality and 39th in auto maintenance costs.

Marsha took this back in 2014 in downtown Detroit and would like you to help explain how this happens at a 25 mph speed limit. Head over to her Flickr for the latest!

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