Michigan in Pictures

The Name of the Plow

Posted on January 4, 2022 by farlane

WWJ 950 Detroit shares that last winter Nick Schirripa of the Michigan Department of Transportation, “put some feelers out” on Twitter, asking for help naming Michigan’s snow plows. A year later, all 330 of Michigan’s snow plows have new names.

You can check the plows out in realtime on the M-DOT map. The only one I found out & about this morning was Blizzard T Snowplow, listed as “applying material” way up on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Other names include Alice Scooper & Gordie Plowe, movie references like Darth Blader & Han Snowlo, and even “Control, Salt, Delete” for computer nerds.

Bill got this shot along M-72 along the border of Leelanau & Grand Traverse Counties in northwest lower Michigan back in 2018. See more in his Pics from the Car gallery on Flickr.

shoutout to @hksbks on Twitter for the heads up!

Welcome 2022!

Posted on January 3, 2022 by farlane

Cloud Climb by John Allen

While this year doesn’t seem to be opening with as much hopefulness as 2021, here’s hoping that 2022 has all of us feeling like we’re walking on clouds!

John took this photo yesterday at Saugatuck Dunes State Park. See more in his Michigan 2021 gallery on Flickr.

Sunset on 2021

Posted on December 31, 2021 by farlane

Icy Sunset on Torch Lake by T P Mann

“Even the most terrible days eventually have their sunsets.”
-Andrew McFarlane

Since a Google search finds exactly ZERO results for “Even the most terrible days eventually have their sunsets” I am low key happy to close the year with an original quotation that I think is perfect for the end of 2021. Here’s hoping that the unfolding of 2022 will be miles better & that you are all happy, healthy, and with the ones you love in the coming year!

TP took this back in March of 2021. See more in his Torch Lake gallery on Flickr.

Michigan in Pictures Top 5 for 2021

Posted on December 30, 2021 by farlane

It’s once again time for me to look back on another year of Michigan in Pictures. Today is actually the 16th anniversary of the very first Michigan in Pictures post! In 2021, I posted 232 photos of the Great Lakes State along with exactly 35,693 words that were viewed on Facebook, Twitter & here nearly 2 million times! Definitely pretty cool to know my offerings are well received. OK, on to the list…

#1

Frozen Lake Michigan & the Mighty Mac by Shelbydiamondstar Photography

Some years the top photo is a close one but with well over 250,000 views, this stunning shot of the Mighty Mac in shared March 5th left absolutely no doubt! Head over to her Facebook page for more great shots!

#2

Frankfort Light Dream Shot by Noah Sorensen

If you can believe it (and I can because it happened) the year’s second most popular pic was shared one day before on March 4th! For reference, the top of the tower is 67 feet above Lake Michigan! Follow Noah on Facebook or Instagram and definitely follow your dreams!

#3

Sunset over Munising Bay by Michigan Nut Photography

I’ve been featuring photos from John McCormick aka Michigan Nut here for quite a while, and once again he’s got one of the year’s top photos with this beauty he shared in April. See lots more on his Facebook page and view & purchase his work (including calendars) at michigannutphotography.com.

#4

Sunrise at Tahquamenon by Dan Gaken

Seems like there was something in the air in March of 2021 in addition to Covid, because this a stunning sunrise at Tahquamenon Falls that I shared on March 1st is clocks in at number 4 on the list. See more from Dan in his Michigan’s Upper Peninsula gallery on Flickr!

#5

Mac & Trees by Noah Sorensen Photo

All props to Noah for two appearances on the list as well as the absolute banger of a title on this pic shared November 1st! Head over to his Instagram for the latest.

Thank you all for another great year & if you’re able, I always appreciate a little love through my Patreon!

Remembering the 0-16 Detroit Lions

Posted on December 29, 2021December 29, 2021 by farlane

Unable to Watch by Sam

“This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there’s people going through a lot worse than this.”
-Lions head coach Rod Marinelli (2008)

Detroit Lions fans who haven’t successfully repressed the memories know that yesterday (December 28th) was the 13-year anniversary of the Lions finishing 0-16. With their 31-21 loss on Dec 28, 2008 to the Green Bay Packers they became the first team ever to go winless in a 16-game season. While they have been far from amazing in the first year of the Dan Campbell era, there are at least a few glimmers of hope to be found in their 2-12-1 season. At least that’s what I’m told. 😅

Sam took this photo at the Thanksgiving Day game when it was already pretty clear where the team was heading. See more in her Thanksgiving Day Football ’08 gallery on Flickr & for sure follow her blog Roar of the Tigers for entertaining content!

Bobcat Bingo!

Posted on December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 by farlane

Bobcat by Paulv21

Bobcats are one of the most elusive animals in Michigan. Last winter I was “lucky” enough to have two of them race in front of me while driving. I say “lucky” because even though they were able to run in front of my car from a starting point almost next to me, I was able to slow enough to see them close up. The thing that surprised me most in addition to their speed was how muscular they are – seriously ripped!

Paul captured this bobcat last week with his trail cam which ~~I think is in the UP~~ is from Loomis near Clare, but as The Leader shares, bobcats are found all across Michigan, even in cities! See lots more shots in his 2020 Trail Camera gallery on Flickr.

More about bobcats aka Lynx rufus on Michigan in Pictures.

Happy Birthday Jill

Posted on December 27, 2021 by farlane

Jill & Kids

Jill & Kids photo by Allan L McFarlane

Hey everyone, today is my mother’s birthday & the first since we lost her to Alzheimer’s last month. My dad took this photo of my mom & my siblings & I on the hill across the road from our house. I’m the boy next to her & today I really miss her.

If you would like to donate to help end the scourge of Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association is doing some good work.

The Night Before Christmas at the Ludington Light

Posted on December 24, 2021 by farlane

Watch the Skies on Christmas Eve by Fire Fighter’s Wife

Beth shares a great sentiment for the holidays or any season: May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.

About this photo (which I’m still pretty sure is totally authentic) she writes: I wanted to do something I’ve never done and I couldn’t help myself. This year I was so inspired and thought it’d be great to bring out my Christmas album with a bang! This lead me to thinking, with a suggestion from a friend, to add a flying Santa sleigh to the moon. I debated back and forth but decided, it’s Christmas. Step out of the box and do something magical!

Indeed!! See more in her 25 Days of Christmas Gallery on Flickr & never grow up!!

Father Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2021 by farlane

Father Christmas by Marsha Morningstar

I’d like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season, which includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Yule, Twelfth Night, St. Stephen’s Day, Festivus, New Year, and of course general good will and fortune.

If an inclusive wish of holiday cheer is in any way offensive to you, please remember the giving and loving that is the spirit of the holiday season. And also it never hurts to recall that Father Christmas himself has deep roots in the pagan midwinter feast with echos of the wild Hunt still seen in his famous sleigh ride across the sky.

Marsha took this photo back in 2014 at the Holly Dickens Festival. Head over to her Flickr for the latest!

Waterfallish Wednesday: Seasons Greetings from Fishtown

Posted on December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 by farlane

via Leelanau.com…

Flowing All Night Long by Mark Smith

Flowing all night long by Mark Smith

While this dam isn’t an actual waterfall, I’m going to overlook it due to seasonal appropriateness. In their excellent overview of the history of Fishtown in Leland, the Glen Arbor Sun shares:

Fishtown is located where there once was a natural fish ladder on these traditional Native American fishing grounds. It is one of only few commercial fishing villages still operating today in Michigan. The Native Americans called this spot Mishi-me-go-bing, or alternatively Che-ma-go-bing or Chi-mak-a-ping, meaning “the place where canoes run up into the river to land, because they have no harbor.”

French Canadian millwright, Antoine Manseau, along with his family, are thought to be among some of the first whites to settle here. They came from North Manitou Island in 1853. The following year Manseau and his family, along with John Miller, built the dam at Fishtown. It raised the water level in the river and in Lake Leelanau by as much as an astonishing 12 feet. Since the dam prevented boat traffic from going back and forth in their daily business, launches were, and still are provided on both sides of the dam.

Lots more in the Sun. You can learn more about the history of the dam from Fishtown Preservation.

Mark took this photo a week ago. See more in his Leland gallery & view and purchase his work at Leelanau Landscapes.

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