Summer Solstice Scorcher!
June 20, 2012
Untitled, photo by Brooke Pennington
I thought a cool photo would be perfect for this scorching hot summer solstice! The Summer Solstice is the yearly moment when the sun’s apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost point. You can think about it as throwing a ball up in the air – when the ball reaches its maximum height, that’s the solstice.
In addition to being the longest day of the year, it’s also the first day of summer. It all happens today at 7:09 PM in Michigan! More about the solstice from National Geographic.
Check this out bigger and in Brooke’s Summer slideshow.
June in Michigan…
June 2, 2012
“June is bustin’ out all over.”
~ Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945
We’ve posted our June Michigan Event Calendar on Absolute Michigan. It’s packed full of all kinds of ways to bust out in June. I’m betting we missed some fun ones, so please share your favorite June events in the comments!
One of the events we do have is the annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival, a celebration of lilacs and Mackinac Island that runs June 8-17th. While March’s crazy weather pushed lilacs elsewhere, the unique climate of Mackinac Island coupled with a cold snap has slowed lilacs down so that they’ll have them there. Check their Facebook page for updates and more photos.
Another microclimate where lilacs are still in force are the Les Cheneaux Islands, an archipelago of 36 islands east of the Straits of Mackinac. See this photo bigger, in Suzy’s slideshow or check it out in the Les Cheneaux Islands group!
Prescription for a great Michigan summer
May 26, 2012
Flying High, photo by Steven White Photographic Art
Get out. Have fun. Repeat as necessary.
See this photo big as the Sulver Lake Dunes or in Steven’s Our World in Color slideshow.
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Welcome to May in Michigan
May 1, 2012
may light break through, photo by beaconsoul
This morning the perfectly titled photo was posted to our Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr, and while it’s actually from August, it definitely captures the light and promise of warmth that May brings.
Over on Absolute Michigan we’ve posted our May Event Calendar for Michigan that is packed full of all kinds of fun across Michigan celebrating new life and the beginning of summer in the Great Lakes State.
Check this photo out bigger and in beaconsoul’s morning slideshow.
Kayaking at Spray Falls, photo by Aaron Peterson
In Wednesday Waterfall: Spray Falls on his blog Aaron writes:
Remote Spray Creek bubbles up somewhere in the middle of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, meanders through miles of maple and beech forest—then flies foam-first over a 50-foot cliff into Lake Superior. Seeing the creek upstream, you’d never guess the little guy had it in him to become one of the most dramatic waterfalls in the region.
Due to its remote location and precipitous drop, visitors to Spray Falls will have to decide ahead of time how they’d like to view it: from land, or from water. Each gives an amazing perspective and a good workout (3 miles by foot, 12 miles by float). Either way, you can contemplate gravity and the world’s largest lake in peace, because the park’s tour boats usually turn around a couple miles short of this fascinating feature. Scan the water at the base of the falls for the rusting remnants of a boiler from an 1856 shipwreck.
Read on for directions and another stunning shot of this amazing waterfall. Click to see this photo bigger and check out some more shots by Aaron of Spray Falls and view a lot more of his photography of the Upper Peninsula and the Lake Superior region on his website.
Many more Pictured Rocks photos on Michigan in Pictures.
Run away to summer
February 16, 2012
Untitled, photo by lolamarcia
A number of summertime photos have been showing up in the Absolute Michigan pool and on our Michigan in Pictures Facebook, telling me that it must be February! This photo seems to capture the impulse to flee February perfectly.
Check it out bigger and in Franise’s slideshow.
Summertime Dreaming
February 4, 2012
Summertime Fun, photo by Ann279.
I think that I want to live here. Here’s hoping your weekend is dreamy!
Check this out on black, background big and in Ann’s slideshow.
Update: a commenter below explains that this is the Harbor Island neighborhood of Detroit in case you (like me) were wondering!
Stormy August
August 26, 2011
Here’s hoping that Hurricane Irene spares folks her worst…
Check this out bigger and in Kai’s Late August Ann Arbor Storm slideshow.
Check out the latest storm photos from the Absolute Michigan pool too!
Greeny Goodness from Michigan’s Vineyards
August 20, 2011
Greeny Goodness, photo by sgs_1019.
The sun, with all those plants revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.
~Galileo Galilei
The sun is working away on the 2011 vintage in Michigan’s vineyards, and today I’m working away on the lawn of the Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City on the 3rd annual Traverse City Wine & Art Festival. It’s a celebration of the culture & cuisine of northwest Michigan that brings together 24 wineries from Leelanau, Old Mission, Traverse City & Benzie with over 100 wines from 2010 and other years along with a slew of artists with work for show and sale, great food & music and some incredible performance art!
If you’re in the neighborhood, please come by as I think it’s going to be amazing! If not, definitely pick up a bottle of Michigan wine – you will be happy to learn what the sun has been up to! If you’re looking for some suggestions, check out the medal winners from the 2011 Michigan Wine Competition!
Check this out bigger and in Sarah’s slideshow.
Blackberries … the taste of summer
August 17, 2011
The taste of summer.., photo by Blondieyooper.
Our feature on blackberries on Absolute Michigan has some blackberry facts courtesy Taste the Local Difference says:
Blackberries are very high in Vitamin C and K and manganese and a good source of Vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium, and copper. They have one of the highest levels of the antioxidant antocyanin, which may help fight cancer, aging, and improve vision. Some fun facts:
- Blackberries are also known as “black caps”
- Blackberry tea was considered a cure for dysentery during the Civil War
- The blackberry leaf was used as a hair dye
- Blackberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow
Get more including some tasty blackberry recipes like Blackberry and Peach Buttermilk Cobbler! The article also features another photo by April, who I’m guessing really likes blackberries! She shot these wild Michigan blackberries late last August in the U.P. – check this one out background bigilicious and see more in her Nature (Upper Michigan) slideshow!
