I don't remember much from chemistry class. I wish I did. How does moving water turn into ice? How does it create such amazing structures? Those are the questions that arise when you visit O Kun De Kun Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula at the end of March. More photos and thoughts below... Flowing water … Continue reading Icefalls
Yay! Spring!? Nope....not yet. In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, spring teases you. One day it's here and the next, it's gone. Actually, it is "here," officially. The calendar says so, even if my eyes don't. The vernal equinox, spring's astronomical arrival, occurred a week ago. At my other home in Zone 7 (Virginia), daffodils are blooming. … Continue reading Spring? Not!
More than 3' feet fell in some places. In the end, it was an historic winter storm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula -- in some places. But not right here. Almost 40" fell on Mount Arvon, just 15 miles away. But here on the west side of Huron Bay, maybe 16" based on my twice-daily shoveling. … Continue reading Winter Storm – Prediction Vs. Outcome
Sometimes, you have to "lose" something in order to find something else. News of an expanding war is distressing to many of us military vets and retirees who served during the Iraq War and 9/11 and have studied wars through history. The "what's-happening-now?!" question lives too much in our brains. The "what-happens-next?" question follows closely … Continue reading Losing “The War,” Finding Nature
Human-animal interactions are complex! At least for us humans; maybe not for the animals. I've been observing this dynamic close-up -- and participating in it, too -- and it's raised some questions in me. At what point does a wild animal become a pet? When is it a bad idea to support wild animals and … Continue reading Dogs & Deer + Humans = ?
Most full-time locals are tired of it by now -- they've been dealing with it since November. But I'm a "seasonal resident" (albeit one who visits in all seasons). And a "remigrant" (one who moved away and came back.) My northern winter started at the end of January. And I love it! Here on the … Continue reading Winter on the 46th Parallel
When I arrive in Virginia, I hear "welcome home!" When I arrive in Michigan, I hear "welcome home!" Michigan's U.P. in the far-north is my original home--where I was born and raised, and returned as an adult to buy some land and create a camp. Northern Virginia became my adult home while working in and … Continue reading Home
Houses and landscaping need maintenance, and sometimes fixes. Visions do, too. Also nations. While our nation argues (and argues!) about how to maintain its foundations and what needs fixing, here's a few examples from Camp Many Moons on Huron Bay - because visitors don't see the messy behind-the-scenes labor that produces the visual "wow." And … Continue reading Fixes
Herewith, a hodge-podge of odd, unusual, and interesting items from the far north in the past month, in photos and captions. This 12-inch-diameter fungus -- also called mushroom, because "fungus" is a yucky word -- appeared on my sandy beach overnight. My plant identifier app calls it polyporaceae. (How to pronounce that??) Contains neurotoxins, yikes! … Continue reading Weird Stuff
Many people live on the water, or wish they did, for the calm that it offers. They appreciate simply looking at it. It calms me, too -- but some of us need to experience it with more than our eyes. We want to feel it under us, and around us. We want to play with … Continue reading Water Play
For Many Moons 