That Summertime Vibe…

Summertime by Charles Bonham

This pic of a kid deep in his vibes in Leland’s Fishtown from a decade ago is one of my all-time favorite photos. It’s also kind of perfect for news from mLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa that Michigan (well southern Michigan at least) might hit 70 degrees multiple times next week! Mark offers the caveat that the problem with temperature forecasts in Michigan in April & May is that even light north winds can work with Lake Michigan or Huron to push cold air down the lake. Pretty cool article – check it out at mLive.

See more in Charles’s Funky Photos and/or Leland/MI Fishtown galleries on Flickr!

Marche du Nain Rouge ~ Sunday, March 20, 2022

Marche du Nain Rouge by Joel Williams

The Nain Rouge has been a harbinger of doom since the time of Detroit’s founding. Every spring, Detroiters celebrate liberation from the fearsome Red Dwarf of Detroit by holding a parade in the Cass Corridor to trick the Nain with their terrible French and costumes in the Mardi Gras-esque Marche du Nain Rouge!

The event is symbolic of a new beginning and speaking as someone who has been to a couple of these, it’s a heck of a lot of fun! Next Sunday, March 20, 2022 from 1-3 PM join thousands of revelers to celebrate and once again banish the fiendish imp intent on ruining Detroit!  Tradition holds that a citizen of Detroit dresses up as Le Nain Rouge, temporarily embodying its spirit, wearing a mask to conceal identity. As Le Nain Rouge, this person accepts responsibility for leading people through the streets of Detroit to La Marche’s final destination.

Joel took this at the Marche back in 2017. You can see more in his Marche du Nain Rouge 2017 gallery on Flickr.

PS: Turns out I was there in 2017 as well so you can also check out my Flickr gallery!

Coach Izzo is the Big Ten’s winningest!

MSU vs South Carolina by Matt Hallowell

Last night Michigan State University Spartans mens basketball head coach Tom Izzo notched his 663rd win to pass Bobby Knight for most wins at one Big Ten school. From his first victory in 1995 to last night’s,  Izzo has enjoyed an extraordinary career at Michigan State with 23 straight NCAA tourney appearances (soon to be 24), 10 Final Four appearances, and a 2000 NCAA championship. Congratulations to Coach Izzo on a stellar career that’s still going!

Matt took this way back in November of 2010 when he was working for the State News. See more in his Sports Portfolio gallery on Flickr.

PS: I also wanted to make sure you all saw this Instagram photo that Adam Ruff took last night of Izzo!

Remembering the 0-16 Detroit Lions

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!

Happy Birthday Jill

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.

Father Christmas

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!

Dinner on Main

Dinner on Main by Charles Bonham

The latest entry in the “Things I Want to See in My City” sweepstakes is this photo of fundraiser for Cancer Services of Midland for 200 people on Main St. in Midland. Hosted by The H Hotel, the dinner was served at the same time by 100 volunteers carrying two covered plates each in single file and set down simultaneously!

Head over to Charles’s Flickr for more including a couple more from this event!

Sofa, Sand & Saipan

Private First Class Raymond L Hubbard from Detroit by Andrew B Knight

My buddy Cave Canem shared this absolute gem of a photo in our Michigan in Pictures group on Facebook. He writes:

A Special Treat…

“Sitting on top of the world: Of all things, Private First Class Raymond L. Hubbard from Detroit, Michigan chooses a huge exploded naval shell as a sofa as he removes a three day accumulation of Saipan sand from his field shoes.”

Photograph by: Staff Sergeant Andrew B. Knight, US Marine Corps WWII 1939 – 1945

PS: You can see some of Cave Canem’s photos from back in the day on Michigan in Pictures right here!

Michigan Beach Fashion: February Edition

South Haven Area Fire-Rescue-EMS by William Dolak

We’re getting to the portion of the winter where the ice begins to build out on the Great Lakes. As a person who grew up on Lake Michigan, I’ve enjoyed the ice safely for decades & will undoubtedly continue to do so and also to share photos of the incredible beauty of the frozen lakes. I want to make sure however that folks understand venturing on the ice in winter can be deadly, particularly if you don’t take precautions. Though EMT workers know this and train to help people in peril, if you fall into one of the Great Lakes, you will very probably die. You can read more of my thoughts on this post on Michigan in Pictures.

Bill took this last weekend in South Haven & writes:

It’s 16 degrees at the beach – this is what the cool kids are wearing on South Beach, South Haven. These three are with the South Haven Area Fire-Rescue-EMS and were out to practice a little cold-water rescue, ‘cuz, unfortunately, someone is gonna need it sooner or later.

See the photo bigger in our Michigan in Pictures Group on Facebook & for sure follow him on Flickr!

Detroit will never forget

Belle Isle Coronavirus Memorial by Eric Milliken

“I want everyone to look at this to understand what happened to the city of Detroit.”
~Eric Millikin

This image represents the 1,500 Detroiters lost to COVID-19. Families of 900 of the victims of Covid-19 provided the City of Detroit with the photos to create this powerful image. Residents can drive thru Belle Isle and pay their condolences and view all photos as well as the collage made by artist Eric Millikin on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 1st and 2nd.

The Detroit Free Press interviewed montage creator Eric Millikin:

For artist Eric Millikin, this is the ugly truth behind COVID-19 — a truth he sought to reveal in a powerful image commissioned by the city of Detroit, a mural featuring the faces of 900 Detroiters who lost their lives to the novel coronavirus.

Husbands. Wives. Children. Grandparents. More than 1,500 died between March and August, mostly from Detroit.

Millikin created a montage that forms the iconic “Spirit of Detroit,” using the faces of the people Detroiters long to remember.

…”I want people to see the enormity of that and understand it. It’s absolutely immeasurable. These people — they touched so many other people, and they will never get the chance to touch them again,” Millikin said, his voice trailing off as he choked up. “When they see the enormity of it, they can understand — it didn’t have to be this bad.”

You can click to view the photo bigger on the City of Detroit Facebook. Learn more about Eric on his website & @EricMillikin on Instagram.