Once Upon a Time on a Farm by Jamie MacDonald
Jamie says that it’s always an amazing feeling to find a hidden gem like this far away from the hectic roads of Michigan, and I wholeheartedly agree! Lots more hidden gems in Jamie’s Buildings & Structures gallery on Flickr & you can learn more about Jamie’s photography workshops on his website!
Slate River Falls Splendor by Eric Hackney
GoWaterfalling is the premier source for information about Michigan’s many waterfalls. Their Slate River Falls entry says:
Slate River Falls is, unsurprisingly, on the Slate River. This is the largest of many drops over a three mile stretch of the river. This is a wild waterfall, with no fences, and the only trail is one left behind by the curious feet of others.
The falls are located along Skanee Road between L’Anse and Skanee, about 10 miles east of L’Anse. There is a sign marking the Slate River, so the falls are easier to find than some. The bridge over the river is just past Arvon Road. A few hundred feet east of the bridge there is a two track that leads to a small turn around. A rough trail starts here that follows the east side of the creek.
…If you continue upstream past the falls a few hundred yards you can find two smaller falls, Slide Falls and Ecstasy Falls (so named by kayakers). About 3 miles upstream you can find Quartzite Falls, Black Slate Falls and more unnamed drops. These falls can be reached by car. From Skanee Road head south on Avron Road, which is just west of the Slate River, for about 3.3 miles. Take the road to the right, which will soon cross the Slate River. A well groomed trail will lead you downstream to Quartzite Falls. Black Slate Falls and other drops are upstream and you just have to make your way along the river.
Detailed directions & more at GoWaterfalling.
Eric took this photo last summer. You can see a lot more of his adventures in his Personal Favorites gallery on Flickr & view/purchase his work on his website!
More Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!
Another Look at Our Rainbow Last Sunday Evening by Steve Brown
One of my favorite websites, Atmospheric Optics, says that secondary rainbows or “double rainbows” feature a secondary bow that is nearly always fainter than the primary, with colors reversed and more widely separated:
Light can be reflected more than once inside a raindrop. Rays escaping after two reflections make a secondary bow.
The secondary has a radius of 51º and lies some 9º outside the primary bow. It is broader, 1.8X the width of the primary, and its colours are reversed so that the reds of the two bows always face one another. The secondary has 43% of the total brightness of the primary but its surface brightness is lower than that because its light is spread over its greater angular extent. The primary and secondary are are concentric, sharing the antisolar point for a center.
Steve took this photo last month & you can see more in his Michigan Skyscapes gallery on Flickr.
Lots more rainbows on Michigan in Pictures!
Another Night at the Museum by fotoman91
Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business dean Sanjay Gupta shares a tribute to billionaire alumnus Eli Broad who died last week at the age of 87, saying in part:
As a loyal Spartan, Mr. Broad has left an extraordinary and unparalleled legacy on the banks of the Red Cedar. In total, Eli and Edythe have given nearly $100 million to support MSU in a multitude of ways. From building the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum to supporting the College of Education, their impact has been significant across campus.
Nowhere has their giving been more evident than here in the Broad College of Business. Passionate about the MBA program, in 1991, Mr. Broad made what was at the time the largest gift ever made to a public business school. His $20 million commitment to the Eli Broad College of Business and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management — both renamed in his honor — was designed to help the university’s new full-time MBA program emerge as one of the nation’s top graduate management programs. Today, that program is a top 25 U.S. public program that has launched the careers of countless Spartans.
The Broad Museum is a contemporary art museum and is open free of charge Friday – Sunday from noon to 6 PM.
fotoman91 took this pic last summer. See more in his awesome Night Time gallery on Flickr.
Love this shot of two fox kits!! Julie observes “Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures…” and we have to agree!
See more in Julie’s Wildlife gallery & stay curious people!!
Here’s a Throwback Thursday from way back in April of 2011.
Wikipedia says that Hepatica was named for its leaves, which, like the human liver (Greek hepar), have three lobes. It was once used as a medicinal herb. Owing to the doctrine of signatures, the plant was thought an effective treatment for liver disorders. Although poisonous in large doses, the leaves and flowers may be used as an astringent, demulcent for slow-healing injuries and as a diuretic.
More in Diane’s Wildflowers gallery on Flickr.
Sunset Eagle by Charlie Schwartz
I think this is the best bald eagle photo I’ve ever seen.
See more in Charlie’s Birds album on Flickr!
Great Horned Owlet by David Marvin
David writes:
A Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) family has made Fenner Nature Center its home this spring. A wee downy owlet is currently hopping from tree branch to tree branch in the dense stand of white pine trees (Pinus strobus) on the northeast side of the property.
Video of the owlet and a couple brief appearances by its parents.
Due to the density of the foliage and the height at which the owls are perched, lighting has been a challenge when photographing and capturing video of these majestic birds.
Head over to David’s Flickr for more photos of this cute little ball of fluff!
More owls on Michigan in Pictures!
Hydrogen Bus at the Capitol by MTA Flint
Kyle Davidson of the Great Lakes Echo has an excellent feature looking at a new, $30 million program to help Michigan’s public companies and private businesses buy low emission freight trucks, buses, tugboats and cargo handling equipment:
Beneficiaries of the program choose electric, alternative fuel or new diesel models, said Nick Assendelft, a public information officer for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The first round of funding will provide $16 million to replace outdated freight trucks and buses with new models. At least half of that is earmarked for electric vehicles.
…Later rounds of funding include opportunities to replace Great Lakes tug and ferry boats, airport ground support equipment, port cargo handling equipment and forklifts.
…Some organizations are already transitioning their fleets to alternative fuels. Over the past 11 years the Mass Transportation Authority of Flint and Genesee County has reduced annual diesel fuel use from 1.4 million gallons to 30,000 gallons. The public transportation agency has done that by converting its fleet to run on compressed natural gas, propane and hydrogen, said Edgar Benning, the authority’s chief executive officer.
Fueling a hydrogen bus costs about twice as much as fueling a diesel bus, Benning said. In return for the extra cost, you get almost double the mileage. Along with the performance and the maintenance of the vehicles, you really pick the cost up on the other side, Benning said.
Alternative fuel vehicles make up 95% of the authority’s fleet. They provide fixed-route busing along with transportation services for seniors and people with disabilities. The authority also has about 200 cars to provide non-emergency medical transportation.
The photo comes from MTA Flint, Genessee County’s transit authority.
Michigan in Pictures 