Tiki Resort-Oscoda MI by Charles Bonham
Since tomorrow’s post is already reserved for everyone’s favorite long range winter weather forecaster, I figured it was about time to remind everyone that summer will come. Eventually.
Here are two pics from Charles of the joyfully painted Mai Tiki Resort on Lake Huron in Oscoda demonstrating that you can find a little spot of summer in Michigan even on the coldest day. See his latest on Flickr & stay warm!
Mai Tiki Resort by Charles Bonham
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.
Good to the Last Drop by Rudy Malmquist
Rudy got a stunning shot of the view from the Pierce Stocking Overlook in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Head over to his Flickr for more!
Textures, photo by JamesEyeViewPhotography
View the photo from the Sleeping Bear Dunes background bigtacular, see more in James’ The Great Lakes slideshow, and follow James Eye View Photography on Facebook.
Pink Sand at Sand Point, photo courtesy Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore shared this photo yesterday saying:
Is this sand pink? Yes it Is! The pink sand on the beach can be found on the northeast corner of Sand Point at the very end of Sand Point Rd. The pink sand is actually garnet that has eroded from one of the sandstone layers of the Pictured Rock cliffs. The garnet then washed up at Sand Point and makes a unique pink sand beach.
View it bigger on Facebook, and visit the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for much more information on Sand Point and other amazing places in one of Michigan’s most amazing parks.
PS: Better follow PicturedRocksNL on Facebook too if you want to know about things like being able to watch a sunset from a lighthouse.
High and Dry, photo by Mark Smith
Here’s a cool shot by Mark Smith of the Leland, Michigan harbor mouth that has become choked with sand through the actions of Lake Michigan. The spot where he’s standing is normally 10 feet deep, effectively blocking access to the harbor. Despite federal responsibility for the harbor, things were looking dire as no federal funds were forthcoming for a project that usually costs over $150,000.
The story has a happy ending as the harbor is buying their own dredge – click that link to read more on Leelanau.com.
View the photo background bigilicious and see more in Mark’s Leland slideshow.
Feeling Free, photo by Matt Kazmierski
Few places in Michigan have the expansive view of the Lake Michigan overlook on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It’s 450′ feet down to the water, so remember that freedom comes at a price!
View Matt’s photo bigger and see more in his slideshow.
Ghost Forest, photo by Charles Bohnam
The Silver Lake State Park page at Michigan Trail Maps says in part:
Not all of Michigan’s great hikes are trails. This trek is a journey through Silver Lake State Park’s trailless backcountry, a mile-wide strip of dunes between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan. There’s not another hike like this in Michigan or even the Midwest because no other stretch of dunes are so barren.
Perched on a plateau and rising more than 100 feet high above Silver Lake, the heart of these dunes are totally devoid of any vegetation, even dune grass. The only thing besides sand are the stumps and trunks of ghost forests, ancient trees that the migrating dunes had buried and killed. Almost half of the hike is in this Sahara Desert-like terrain, the other half is spent strolling a stretch of Lake Michigan that is free of cottages and frozen custard stands.
A rare hike indeed.
View Charles’ photo background bigilicious and see more in his slideshow.
More dunes and more summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.
The Sands of Time, photo by David Marvin
The Wheel of Time has rolled into another year. It might be my increasing age talking, but it seems as if the world has gotten harder over the last couple of decades. I hope that 2016 treats everyone more kindly, including you!
Apparently I can’t even post a simple metaphor without learning something new. David writes:
Scratch Circles or “Scharrkreise” form when plant matter is blown around by the wind, etching circular designs in the sand.
If you want to get all geeky on sand circles, scratch circles & Scharrkreise – a term coined by R. Richter in 1926 – those links are just the thing for you!
View David’s photo background bigtacular and see more in his slideshow.
Untitled, photo by Alissa Hankinson
While average highs this time of year in West Michigan are in the mid 30s, WZZM-13 reports that record high temperatures were set in many West Michigan locations yesterday:
Grand Rapids has broken the record high temperature of 57°, with a reported observation of 61°. The previous record stood for almost a century, since 1920.
Kalamazoo, Lansing and Muskegon have also surpassed previous records, each reaching 63°. Kalamazoo’s previous record sat at 59° since 1991, Lansing’s at 56° since 1975 and Muskegon’s record of 59° was in place since 1960.
The Freep adds that records were set of 61 in Detroit (topping 60 from all the way back in 1881) and 64! in Flint crushing the old high of 55 from 1991!! A look at Michigan’s current weather readings shows Flint at 61 and Ypsilanti and Benton Harbor at 60. In fact the only location in Michigan at the freezing mark is Copper Harbor!!
View Alissa’s photo bigger and see more in her Michigan’s West Lakeshore slideshow.
Michigan in Pictures 