into the 10s

Mulligans Hollow, photo by GH Patriot.

I had originally thought about a more sober and reflective photo as we head into 2010, but when I saw this one in the Absolute Michigan pool this morning, I changed my mind.

I don’t think that anyone can deny that the first decade of the 21st century has been a brutal one for Michigan. We’ve lost a staggering amount of jobs, countless public services and tens of thousands of residents.

While we probably have farther to fall, it feels to me like we’re reaching the point where we’ll have to readjust to the world as it is and make some changes in what we do and the way we do it in Michigan.

My mood as we head into 2010? Happy. Hopeful. Ready for some hard work.

How about you?

View this photo bigger or check out his whole Mulligans Hollow slideshow for more big air.

PS: If you’re looking for something to do tonight, here’s Absolute Michigan’s New Year’s Eve Happenings.

PPS: Governor Granholm has proclaimed January as Michigan Snow Sports Month. I hear that Absolute Michigan will be doing something with that.

Happy Birthday, Michigan in Pictures

Happy Birthday, photo by Bill Streicher.

Michigan in Pictures turns four today.

When I started this blog on December 30, 2005, I had no idea that it would be so warmly received and enjoy such success.

I also had no idea that I would love it so much.

I’d like to thank all the photographers and everyone who’s been involved over the years for being so supportive of Michigan in Pictures.

You all rock. Thanks.

See this photo in Bill’s Self Shots set (slideshow).

winter on lake michigan

winter on lake michigan, photo by haglundc.

Cathy says she didn’t get in the water this time. Here’s a shot of Kirk Park in warmer times (and info about the beach including a map).

Check this out background big or in the Michigan Woods, Water & Nature group slideshow.

Sunset Boulevard: Michigan Avenue version

Sunset Boulevard, photo by Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek ).

This last week of December always feels like you’re waiting at the light for it to change so you can cruise into the next year. As you wait, if there’s anything you’re hoping for Michigan or yourself for 2010 (or anything you’d prefer to leave in 2009), why don’t you post it as a comment below?

View this bigger in Derek’s Explored slideshow (view the set).

Lansing Winter, 1935

Lansing (Mich.) , photo courtesy Seeking Michigan

I saw this photo of a winter’s day in Lansing in the mid 1930s when I found the photo of the Soo last week. The old cars and the chill wind made me think about how folks in Michigan were probably feeling at the time. This was the depths of the Great Depression, when the Civilian Conservation Corps sought to engage young men in meaningful work, when the UAW was founded and the workers in Flint held their famous sit-down strike – a period of wrenching change for Michigan and the nation.

Probably no time until the present day featured so many people whose way of life had vanished, leaving so much in the way of challenge and so little hope in front of them.

Still, from those dark days Michigan climbed to previously unthinkable heights, led by entrepreneurs, bold leaders and a citizenry that was willing to work hard to realize their dreams.

I hope that gives you the same measure of hope that it gives me.

You can see this photo bigger if you click through and choose “Printable Version”.

Happy Holidays, Michigan

Untitled, photo by caterpillars

Hope you’re warm, dry and with the ones you love, whatever holiday you are or are not celebrating.

See this bigger in Laura’s slideshow.

A pocket full of sunshine

A pocket full of sunshine, photo by cae3 – Anita

The other day Anita wrote:

It is freezing cold here in Michigan, and I was going through my summer archives and found this one. Ah…how I really miss summer right about now.

However much I love winter, I feel the same way some days. Hope you’re staying warm & sunny. See this bigger in her slideshow.

Night Moves: Homeless in Michigan

Night Moves, photo by SGallagh.

At this time of year, the thought of all the people without homes weighs heavily on me. The Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness is a nonprofit association of emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, nonprofit housing and service programs, government programs and concerned citizens from across the state. Visit their web site for information about organizations & events across Michigan where your money or time can make a huge difference.

While reading some of the articles on their web site, I found it surprising that families make up more than half the homeless in Michigan. 77% of families are homeless due to a lack of affordable housing, and one out of every 3 homeless persons is a child. Here’s a Michigan Radio series on homeless teens in Michigan and a Free Press feature on first-time homelessness in MIchigan that I think are worth your time.

Check out this photo from Bay City bigger or in Sean’s Street set (slideshow).

Speaking of streets, Sean is the photo of the day editor for a cool new site for Saginaw/Bay City/Midland and beyond called 360 Main Street.

WPA Art in Michigan: Blissfield Post Office

Blissfield, Michigan Post Office, photo © Dirk Bakker

The latest feature from the Michigan Radio Picture Project is WPA Art in Michigan, featuring the photography of Dirk Bakker, who photographed over over fifty Michigan WPA projects for a book from Wayne State University Press (that was actually never published):

Among the bold experimental programs that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt enlisted to aid the profoundly depressed U.S. economy of the early 1930s were “public works” programs to aggressively move people back to work. There was the Civilian Conservation Corp that put young unemployed men to work planting trees to reforest America. The Civilian Works Administration put people to work building or rebuilding the infrastructure of the country by teaching, or by building roads, bridges and dams.

George Biddel, a classmate of Roosevelt’s from Harvard and an artist himself, suggested that FDR follow Mexico’s lead and employ artists to paint murals on government buildings. Roosevelt was convinced and in 1933 founded the “Public Works of Art Project,” funded by the Civilian Works Administration. It was succeeded by numerous other federally aided projects that, in addition to the visual arts, funded theater, music and writing projects.

One of the most productive as well as controversial programs was the Treasury Section of Fine Arts, which selected artists by jury and commissioned them to paint murals in U.S. Post Offices. The State of Michigan was the beneficiary of more than fifty Section post office “murals,” as well as numerous other institutional painting and sculpture commissions.

The Michigan Radio Picture Project is a new site from Michigan Radio that aims to be a forum for photographs that address Michigan people, places, events, and issues. They hope to develop a broad mixture of photo essays to expand on stories from Michigan Radio and to go deeper into Michigan historical photographs, fine art photography and pictures from various archives and collections. Have an idea? Pitch their website coordinators Eric Smith, Doug Aikenhead, and Tamar Charney at michiganradiopictureproject@umich.edu.

You can also check out a cool WPA-themed poster contest over on Absolute Michigan!

Winter lies through that door

quiet, photo by artsy_T.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
~Anne Bradstreet

The Winter solstice happens today at 12:47 PM (if I’ve done my math right). It’s the shortest day of the year and the official start of the season of winter.

Windows to the Universe, a cool astronomy site from the University of Michigan, has a diagram of how the sun moves through the sky today. Hint: short & south handles it in two words.

See this bigger in Tina’s michigan – misc set (slideshow).

I hope you stay warm this winter and that Michigan’s season of adversity gives way to prosperity before too long.