Christmas Display by St. Laurent Photography

Below is a list of just a few Michigan festivals & events for the month of December. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information for those we missed and reviews of ones we have here in the comments below!

Fast Facts via Wikipedia

• December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days.
• In Latin, decem means "ten". December was also the tenth month in the Roman calendar until a monthless winter period was divided between January and February.
• December's flower is the narcissus or holly. December's birthstones are turquoise, lapis lazuli, zircon, topaz (blue), or tanzanite.[citation needed]
• December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
• December starts on the same day of the week as September.

Quotes

"Mankind should be our business, Ebenezer, but we seldom attend to it." ~ The Ghost of Jacob Marley, "Scrooge"

"Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?" ~ George Bailey, "It's a Wonderful Life"

"Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile." ~ Fred Gailey, "Miracle on 34th Street"

"It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!" ~ The Grinch

Places to Go and Things to Do

November 18 - January 10
Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World - Grand Rapids
Excitement surrounds us this time of year as Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World brings the glow of 300,000 lights, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and more than 40 international trees and displays. A new feature this year is a Vietnamese Ancestral Altar celebrating the Lunar New Year, Tet Nguyen Dan, along with the return of three important festive displays honoring the Chinese New Year, the Muslim celebration of Eid ul-Fitr, and the unique illumination traditions from the Philippines known as Parols. There will also be extended holiday hours on December 26, 28, 29 and 30th. The entire facility will be open until 9 pm.

November 27 - December 30
Christmas at Crossroads - Flint
This holiday fantasyland features thousands of sparkling lights and Michigan's most spectacular moving light display, the Huckleberry Railroad. The entire village is aglow with colored lights and more lights decorate the railroad's locomotive, coaches and trackside displays.

Costumed villagers prepare for the holiday season in the village's homes and shops. The Colwell Opera House presents live entertainment and Santa Claus talks with the children. See model trains, craft demonstrations, holiday music and unique shopping opportunities delight all ages.

November 27, 28, 29 & December 5, 6, 12, 13
Annual Dickens Festival - Holly
For over 30 years, the sights, sounds, smells and surprises of the Dickens Festival have been delighting holiday revelers in Historic Downtown Holly. Join in the fun as Charles Dickens’ Merry Old England comes alive in the atmosphere of turn of the century buildings, welcoming shopkeepers, and skilled craftspeople.

Nov. 28, 29, Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, & 20
The Santa Train - Coopersville
Ride with the FUN GUY! Everyone loves Santa and Santa loves kids. Each of our vintage passenger cars has a special seat reserved just for the Big Guy and his friends. Elves will escort the children to sit with Santa. All kids get a present, even the shy ones! Our story-telling Princess will read from the book, "The Polar Express" which was written by Grand Rapids native, Chris Van Allsburg.

December 3 - 6
Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend - Manistee
A whole weekend of excitement including the Sleighbell Parade with horse drawn entries, historic building tours, special Christmas production at the historic Ramsdell Theatre, Festival of Trees, concerts, museum and art exhibits, and much more.

December 4 - 6
Christmas in Ida Festival and Parade of Lights - Ida
Hosting nearly 40,000 visitors, and known as a family destination of the Midwest, the festival creates a winter wonderland known for its hospitality, entertainment and the Granddaddy of all, the spectacular Christmas in Ida Parade of Lights featuring Special Guests, the Star of the 2009 ABC romance show, the Bachelorette, Jillian Harris and fiancé Edward Swiderski.

December 5
Annual Noel Night - Detroit
The 37th annual Noel Night will take place on Saturday, December 5th from 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. in Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center Area. Over 40 institutions, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Science Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Detroit Public Library, amongst many others, open their doors to the public free of charge during this Cultural Center-wide holiday "open house." Activities include horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday shopping, family craft activities and performances by over 70 area music, theatre, and dance groups. The evening's festivities culminate with a community sing-along on Woodward Avenue led by the Salvation Army Band — a long-standing Noel Night tradition.

December 5
Brass Band of Battle Creek Holiday Concert - Battle Creek
A great night of entertainment is in store featuring jazz, classical, blues, and traditional Holiday Fair.

December 31
New Year's Fest - Kalamazoo
New Year's Fest is an all ages showcase of performing arts that takes place New Year's Eve in downtown Kalamazoo. There are a variety of activities that take place including music, magic, comedy, exhibitions, fireworks, and great food! New Year's Fest's vision is to be a premier event that introduces the greater Kalamazoo community to the performing arts by providing an array of quality, unique artists and activities. At midnight there will be fireworks.

December 31
New Year's on the Grand - Grand Rapids
Michigan's biggest New Year's celebration is only weeks away as the radio stations of Citadel Broadcasting present New Year's On The Grand. Last year, more than 20,000 people jammed Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids to ring in 2009 and watch a six foot illuminated ball drop from over 200 feet upon downtown Grand Rapids.

The evening will feature The Bud Light Happy Hour with performances from artists to be named at a press conference on November 12th. The event and performances are all free and open to the public. There are many new features to this year's celebration including a new website, new family activities, and more.

"I am standing awkwardly by caterpillars

Over half of all Michigan's public university graduates leave the state within one year of graduation. Michigan Radio Intern Lauren Silverman will probably be one of them. Lauren has launched a new series for Michigan Radio called Generation Y Michigan that explores why young adults in Generation Y are or aren't leaving Michigan. You can hear them during Morning Edition (M-F, 5-9 am) and All Things Considered (M-F, 4-6:30 pm) throughout the following several weeks.

In addition to the on-air features, there's also a blog at GenerationYMichigan.org where listeners can discuss this issue, take part in polls, and view supplementary articles, photographs and essays on the topic. It includes great features like Where Generation Y Is Headed and Why They Leave. In addition to Lauren's posts, there are also some from guest bloggers. I thought it was pretty cool that I found a now generation Y student from my hometown asking provocative questions about whether you actually leave Michigan, even when you do:

...Exposure to other environments should not be confused with brain drain. Michigan needs people who care about it but who also have perspective about how things are done in other cultures outside of Michigan, no matter how close or far.

In my opinion, convincing native young minds to stay might not always work. But travelers from distant places should know that Michigan offers opportunity. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve sensed it more and more over the past few years. There’s a burgeoning energy here. The cost of living isn’t bad, and we have at least one of everything! If it’s intelligence you crave, Ann Arbor was named the 4th smartest city in the U.S. in 2008 by Forbes.com. If it’s natural beauty you want, we have 3,052 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. When you’re in Michigan, it’s hard to get more than a few hours away from any one of the lakes.

Furthermore, Michigan stays with you as you go. Everyone I speak to who leaves misses it. Michigan invites your return. Even if I leave after I graduate, Michigan will stay with me.

We'll close with a cool slideshow about why they leave and urge you to visit generationYmichigan.org for much more!

Scoreboard by mollyali

The Game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes starts at noon on Saturday, November 21, 2009. It doesn't have quite as much on the line, but it's always a big one. Read on for the our massive post on history of this rivalry with tons of links to historical and present-day info.

Originally posted November 11, 2006

According to ESPN, UM vs Ohio State is the #1 rivalry in sports. As even today a picture of Woody Hayes is enough to send me into the berserkergang, I'm not going to argue.

Both Michigan and OSU cruised to victories yesterday, setting up a November 18, 2006 showdown of #1 vs. #2 teams and causing ABC television execs to do the ad dollar dance. We are gathering links, stories, video and more.

1940 UM vs. OSU Program Cover
from the Art of Football
Bentley Historical Library

ESPN says that when Ohio Stadium opened in 1922, Michigan christened it with a 22-0 thumping of the Buckeyes. Wikipedia chronicles this historic rivalry (and what does it say that the rivalry merits a page?), saying that many refer to it as simply "The Game". Since 1935, it's been the final regular season game on both schools' schedules. This year, as is often the case, both schools are at the top of college football's rankings, adding fuel to the fire. The best site on the UM vs. OSU Rivalry from the UM Bentley Library and the OSU Library.

The two modern symbols of the rivalry were OSU coach Wayne Woodrow Hayes and UM coach Bo Schembechler. Bucknuts, an OSU fan site, says Woody Hayes was a "hot-tempered, difficult, and aggressive man". I think they also described the surface of the sun as "a bit warm". Hayes was the perfect arch-enemy: he hated Michigan (check the Bucknuts link or scroll to the comments for a great story illustrating this) and Michigan hated him back. What many may not know is that Schembechler was an assistant to Hayes at OSU from 1959-1963. There really isn't a great site about Bo, but Wikipedia's entry on Bo Schembechler probably has the best info including great trivia like the two teams have evenly split the last fifty seven meetings (from 1949 to 2005), with 27 wins apiece and three ties. Tiebreaker!
There's a whole lot of multimedia out there. The best video we found is at the bottom of the article. On the photo front, you can click the photo to the left for a great shot from Andrew Morrell. There's a great set of photos from Michigan vs. Ohio State 2003. and (just added) photos from the 1927 UM vs. OSU game opening Michigan Stadium on Michigan in Pictures. You can hear "The Voice of Michigan Football" Bob Ufer recite Burying Woody Hayes and other classic calls.

On Google video, there's a great 3 minute intro to an hour-long special from TFN on the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. From YouTube, you can see the 1968 thrashing at the hands of OSU and Desmond Howard running back a 91 yard punt return in his Heisman season. On the musical front, you can learn about the history of the Hail to the Victors song and see it sung from the top of Ohio Stadium. There's also a photo montage to The Victors. On the slightly strange side, how about Jean Luc Picard's orders regarding the Buckeyes? (Check out this photo of Patrick Stewart at the game!)

When you put together "musical" and "strange" and add a triple the recommended dose of "Ohio State", you get something that we have to give an "R" rating but also have to admit is pretty darn funny. Via Deadspin (language, crude humor) was a link to Schembechler in good spirits, back cheering for Wolverines in an Ohio newspaper. In the article, Bo reacts to a band called The Dead Schembechlers (language, crude humor x2). All we can say is that if it turns into a battle of the bands, Michigan could be in trouble.

U of M vs. Ohio State
by Fellowship of the Rich

Radio, Television & News

The game will be shown on ABC at 3:30 PM on Saturday, Nov. 18. For radio stations, check out Michiguide.com's University of Michigan Sports Radio list.

In Let the Hype Begin Michigan TB Mike Hart says: "It feels great. It's going to be probably the biggest game in everyone's lives on our team. It's a huge game. We're undefeated, they're undefeated. We're playing for a Big Ten championship and a national championship. I don't think there's a bigger game out there."

The Freep's sports blog has History Lessons by Bill McGraw that talks about the history of the rivalry and adds that ESPN Classic will show seven of the best recent games starting this morning at 10 a.m. (1974) and 2 p.m. (1995), but they won't be airing one of the best in memory - 1969, when the 12th-ranked Wolverines upset the top-ranked Buckeyes, 24-12.

University of Michigan Wolverines Blogs & Forums

the M Zone
M Go Blog
Blue Cats & Red Sox
Michigan Football Saturdays
UM Official Athletic site
The Fort
Schembechler Hall
Mr Wolverine

Ohio State Buckeyes Blogs & Forums

BuckeyeCommentary.com
Around the Oval
OSU's Beat Michigan Week site
The Buckeye Extra
The Horseshoe Lounge
Official OSU Athletics site
OSU Expat Blog

Here's a cool Bo Schembechler commemorative video from last year:

Click here to view the embedded video.

All that reading make you thirsty? Check out the First Annual Ohio vs Michigan Wine Clash!

It's Lansing's Birthday! by Eridony

2009 is the Sesquicentennial of the City of Lansing. The Lansing 150 Grand Finale is next Friday (Nov 20) immediately following Silver Bells in the City from 8-11 PM in the Lansing Center. This event concludes Lansing’s year long Sesquicentennial Birthday Party and will include free entertainment and a free reception.

As part of the celebration they are holding an "I AM LANSING" contest. Area residents, businesses and organizations can submit photos, videos and/or essays about Lansing and judges will decide the Best Lansing Story. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and you can enter until midnight this Friday! Head over to lansing150.com for all the details!

The City of Lansing history page (and the City of Lansing) begins:

In the winter of 1835, two brothers from Lansing, New York plotted the area just south of downtown Lansing, naming the territory "Biddle Town." Most of this land was in a floodplain and underwater for much of the year. Despite the condition of the land, the brothers returned to New York to sell the plots to unsuspecting individuals wanting to test their fortunes in a new land. The group of settlers arrived to Mid-Michigan only to find their plots submerged under several feet of water. Nevertheless, many in the group chose to stay and established what is now Metropolitan Lansing. They christened the town "Lansing Township" after their home village in New York.

You can get a ton more great old photos of Lansing from Seeking Michigan, check out a sweet view of Lansing from the Lansing standpipe in the late 1800s on Michigan in Pictures and learn lots more about Lansing at absolutemichigan.com/Lansing!

Photo: Bird's eye view of the city of Lansing (Mich.); 1866. Courtesy Seeking Michigan.

Life Magazine has a feature titled WWII: How Detroit Won The War that provides an excellent photographic look at how the Motor City retooled to become "The Arsenal of Democracy". Photos include Chrysler's Tank Assembly, Dodge's military vehicle production and Willow Run Bomber Plant where more than 18,000 B-24 Liberators were built between 1940 and 1945. They note that the auto industry's contribution to the war effort was valued at more than $50 billion worth of materials - an astounding 20% of the nation's war production.

You can see a ton more photos of the Willow Run Bomber Plant right here that provide a fascinating look into what Charles Lindbergh called "the Grand Canyon of the mechanized world." Here's the story of Willow Run (and how many newsreels did this guy voice??):

Photo Credit: Library of Congress photo LC-USE6- D-008797, Howard R. Hollem, photographer. Production. B-24E (Liberator) bombers at Willow Run. Looking up one of the assembly lines at Ford's big Willow Run plant, where B-24E (Liberator) bombers are being made in great numbers. The Liberator is capable of operation at high altitudes and over great ranges on precision bombing missions. It has proved itself an excellent performer in the Pacific, in Northern Africa, Europe and the Aleutians. Ford's Willow Run Plant, Michigan

More shipwreck features on Absolute Michigan. Also see more about the Edmund Fitzgerald and even more shipwrecks on Michigan in Pictures.

Turkey by Vaughan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Michiganians will soon be hitting the road to attend family get togethers and enjoying annual traditions. To help get ready for the upcoming holiday we have compiled a bunch of informative and entertaining Thanksgiving related links for you to enjoy.

Head over to Michigan.gov and learn all about Michigan's contribution to the traditional Thanksgiving meal. You can also find some great ideas for holiday food and wine pairings in 'Tis the Season to Taste the Bounty of Michigan, Thanksgiving Dinner Wines and Celebrate the holidays with Michigan Ice Wine and dry fruit brandies. For a healthy but flavorful take on your holiday meal check out this podcast from the University of Michigan's MFit Health Division titled 'Make Thanksgiving healthy without losing flavor'. 

Check out a ton of great Thanksgiving recipes and dinner ideas on the Food Network's website.

For more Turkey Day food ideas & articles check out Absolute Michigan keyword "turkey", a search for Thanksgiving and our Michigan Grown section in Food & Dining!

2009 marks the 83rd birthday of America's Thanksgiving Parade and this year's theme is 'Together We Shine'. The theme celebrates The Parade Company bringing a spark of magic and people together to enjoy one of Detroit’s largest and free events where for one special moment, families can be entertained, share a tradition and create a memory.. America's Thanksgiving Parade is one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated parades and will step off at 9:20 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 26, 2009. Hundreds of thousands of parade-goers will be watching as the Parade makes its way down Woodward Avenue.

If you Motown is off your radar on Thanksgiving, how about a nice set of parade photos from the our Flickr pool, a clickondetroit.com article - "Thousands Cheered As America's Thanksgiving Parade Rolled Down Woodward " (with video), a historical look at Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade and a TV tuned to WDIV-TV Local 4 at 9 AM (also on for an hour nationally). If you're the prudent type, you might consider building up a calorie credit balance at the Annual Detroit Turkey Trot.

Thanksgiving Day by Dave Hogg
Dave writes: As bad as the Lions get,
Thanksgiving is always special.

The Detroit Lions’ 70th Thanksgiving Day Classic will feature the Lions hosting long-time rival Green Bay Thursday, November 26 at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field will be aired live nationally on FOX.

Via the Detroit Lions Official web site:

Four generations of fans in Michigan share a special tradition. Every year since 1934 (with a break during World War II), Thanksgiving Day in America means a time for acknowledging our nation's forefathers and giving thanks to them for blazing the paths we travel today. For Michigan, the festive turkey dinner is also accompanied with a side of Detroit Lions football.

Amaze your family, friends with what you learn about the origins and history of Thanksgiving on Wikipedia.

Pinhole: Clock by Matt Callow

Longtime Absolute Michigan friend Laura Bein has a feature in the Ypsilanti Courier about when Ypsilanti had its own time zone. It begins:

You have to love a city that creates, out of sheer cussedness, its own time zone. That was Ypsilanti from 1883 to at least 1904.

In the early 1880s, communities observed "local time," also called "sun time." Towns and cities gauged time by taking a measurement of the sun's position. They set this time on a highly visible clock in town, such as a church clock. Townspeople set their timepieces by the church clock. However, due to varying sun-measurements, clock time differed from town to town, which made it frustrating and expensive for railroads trying to maintain efficient schedules. In 1883, the heads of the big railroad companies met in Chicago and agreed to adopt standard time, with four continental time zones, as their preferred system, in order to regulate their train schedules. Soon afterwards, individual states began to copy the railroads' time scheme.

Michigan adopted standard time on September 19, 1885. The legislative decision read, "The People of the State of Michigan enact that standard time, central division, based on the ninetieth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, shall be legal time within this state."

Ypsilanti simply ignored this state edict. With a few exceptions around town, the city stuck to local time and refused to adopt standard time. And refused it officially-at an October 1885 City Council meeting, the Council voted to reject, denounce, and squash standard time!

Read on in the Ypsilanti Courier.

Wind farm in Ubly Michigan by Ray Dumas

The 2nd annual Conference on Michigan's Future will be held Friday November 13 through Sunday, November 15, 2009 at Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City.

The conference will explores visions of a sustainable future for Michigan, from the critical challenges facing our economy to strategies for developing a stable, enduring economic, energy and environmental future. It features forty speakers providing high-powered, cutting-edge presentations including Robert Costanza, Albert Bates, Thomas Greco, Richard Douthwaite, Patrick Moore, Harvey Wasserman, Richard Gilbert, Soji Adelaja, Joe Welch, and Dan Scripps.

Last year Absolute Michigan talked with Crystal Mountain GM Jim MacInnes about the last year's conference and you can watch it right here:

Photo Credit

The photos in the video are from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. If you mouse over them you can see title and photographer's name and you can click to see more great work from them.

Pumpkin Patch by Larry the Biker

In his essay Threatening Agriculture, Michigan Radio's Jack Lessenberry says that it looks as if Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm will veto funding for agricultural extension programs after witholding the October payment for extension. He quotes dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University Jeffrey Armstrong as saying this would be devastating to Michigan's second largest industry in a variety of ways including the loss of millions more in federal matching funds.

“The Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station system and MSU extension are providing the research, development, and education for Michigan’s emerging green economy,” Armstrong said.

If that funding is eliminated, or even if it is withheld, he says it would “destroy our ability to build the one economic sector in which Michigan has an advantage,” he says.

What that would mean is that MSU would have to shut down its 83 extension offices -- one per county - plus 15 agricultural and biological research stations and some other programs.

Jack notes that we're not just talking 4H here - we're talking after school programs in inner cities and a wide range of health and education issues that touch all aspects of our lives in Michigan.

I'll switch to italics to editorialize: This is about the most senseless thing I've ever heard of. Michigan is defined by what we grow and right now it seems like we're growing stupidity.

Scroll down to tell folks in the comments. Please keep them brief and friendly! Subscribe to Michitwitter via RSS or check out Absolute Michigan on Twitter!

Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

Here's Ford's 2010 Mustang, the history of the Ford Mustang from classic pony cars and the Ford Mustang entry on Wikipedia. You can check out the first Mustang commercial or settle back and watch this video on the making of the Ford Mustang:

Gateway Ghost by mellowhummer

Lost children are a recurring theme in ghost sightings. Almost everyone feels a tug to the old heartstrings at the implied death of a child, making these one of the most poignant type of paranormal reports.

A writer from Greenville sent me one of the most detailed such stories that I've received. He lived with his family in a house built in the 1920s that was rumored to once have housed two children who were later lost in the adjacent woods.

The writer was about ten or eleven at the time and was walking up the stairs at night when he saw a little boy wearing an "odd-shaped" hat. The boy, who seemed to be about six years old, was looking at him from behind a low partition between the kitchen and living room, and backed farther behind it to remove himself from view. The writer moved higher on the stairs to get a better look and the ghostly little figure crept behind the living room sofa and disappeared from view.

The sightings continued. The little boy appeared again behind the sofa, playing checkers with a little girl ghost who seemed a year or two younger. The writer had recently received the game of giant checkers for Christmas. He said both children appeared well-dressed, but in rather out-of-style clothing. The writer says he saw the children many other times over the two years the family lived there, and has always wondered if the story about the lost brother and sister was true.

The man says he is in his 30s now but has never forgotten the two little ghosts of Greenville and has told the story many times. It would be interesting to know whether anyone in that town has seen the same little children at play.

More Weird Wednesday from Absolute Michigan and also absolutemichigan.com/ghost for Michigan ghosts & ghost hunting!

Autumn Pathways by pentax hammer (gary syrba)

The crowds and traffic have subsided, the harvests are bountiful and the mosquitoes are few and far between. What we're trying to say is that autumn is perfect time to get out and enjoy a color tour, take in a late season festival or event, go camping or hit some of Michigan's numerous wineries and pick up a few bottles for holiday gifts or get-togethers.

MyNorth.com produced a great video a while back that takes you on a tour of Northern Michigan's wine country and we think it is worth a watch and will entice you to plan a visit. On that note we should point out that Absolute Michigan is giving away a pair of tickets for the Toast the Season wine trail event which takes place on the Leelanau Peninsula on November 14 & 15.

MyNorth.com Video: Sit Back and Tour Northern Michigan's Wine Country

Hoping to get one more wine tour in this summer? Or maybe you're envisioning those glorious fall days when wine is an excellent excuse to drive through our wine country. Sit back and get some ideas as we visit Chateau Grand Traverse (cgtwines.com) on the Old Mission Peninsula; Traverse City's urban wineries, Left Foot Charley (leftfootcharley.com) at The Village in Grand Traverse Commons (old state hospital grounds) and Black Star Farms (blackstarfarms.com) in the Mercato, also in the Commons (Black Star also has its winery just south of Suttons Bay); and Shady Lane Cellars (shadylanecellars.com) near Suttons Bay.

Enjoy watching the lush landscape as the vintners each tell us what makes them unique and what it is like growing and selling wine in Northern Michigan.

Also be sure to check out our monthly calendars on Absolute Michigan's home page as well as keywords Halloween, maze, pumpkin, cider and more!

Green Rocks by {D}

Scientists say that 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the safe upper limit for life as we know it. We're currently pushing 400, and this Saturday (October 24, 2009) is the 350 International Day of Climate Action, a day designed to show through public action that life as we know it is something we're interested in keeping.

The science of 350 is as inexorable as an approaching train and basically goes like this: For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. Beginning in the 18th century, people began to burn coal and gas and oil, causing the stored carbon in the fuel to rise. It's currently at 390, and is rising by about 2 parts per million every year. CO2 traps heat, and this heat causes glaciers to melt, water sources to fail, farmland to turn to desert and lakes to dry up. It also helps diseases like malaria to spread and is a prime factor in the rise of invasive plant and animal species (and growth of the seaweeds like that on the rocks above that are increasing on Michigan's beaches).

Although Michigan is just about the best place to be in a warming, drying world, Lisa from Ishpeming notes in the posting for her talk titled Three Degrees: The Great Lakes and Climate Change that:

NOAA scientist have predicted that if the world temperature increases by three degrees, the Great Lakes will be come incontinuous, ie, they will shrink to a point where they will no longer be connected.

If the concept of your great-grandchildren walking to the UP without the need for the Mackinac Bridge (as they fight off a water-starved world probably) bothers you, it might be time to raise your voice to say that you'd prefer a different future. Below is a map of 350 actions scheduled for in Michigan. A couple that caught our eye were:

• Saginaw River Basin 350 Festival
• TC-350 Climate Action Festival and TC-350 Ball
• 350 @ The Big House (Ann Arbor)
• Bike Rally to the Michigan Capitol

167|365 ride the wind by nicole st. john

The Huron Daily Tribune noted last week in Final report: Wind potential high that the final report issued Thursday by the Michigan Wind Energy Resource Zone Board (view PDF) identified key regions for wind energy generation and a potential annual energy output of an eye-popping 17,720,522 megawatts! The report found that major region in Michigan for wind power generation is:

... the Thumb Region — which includes Huron County and portions of Bay, Saginaw, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties — has the potential of having a minimum of 1,578 and maximum of 2,824 turbines. The wind board derived this figure with the assumption there were no turbines placed within the boundaries of the villages and cities, as well as three townships.

In addition to the Thumb Region (Region 4), other areas included as having the highest level of wind energy harvest potential in the wind board’s final report include portions of Allegan County (Region 1), portions of Antrim and Charlevoix counties (Region 2), and portions of Benzie, Leelanau and Manistee counties (Region 3).

Yesterday, in GVSU Lake Michigan wind energy test project gets $1.4 million federal grant, the Grand Haven Tribune reported that:

Grand Valley State University's efforts to launch a wind turbine testing project on Lake Michigan will receive a $1.4 million federal grant.

The school's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC), based in Muskegon, is planning to put a turbine on a floating platform to test how it works on the Great Lakes. Researchers hope to have the platform installed by fall 2010.

MAREC notes that the wind potential of Lake Michigan is in the range of 4 to 6 wind class with 7 being the highest possible. A tenth of the wind power potential of Lake Michigan alone is equivalent to some 20 nuclear power plants and when you look at that and at the state's overall potential for wind power, it seems to make a ton of sense for Michigan to support wind energy development as aggressively as we once pushed the auto industry.

Speaking of industry & wind, check out this video of Dr. Soji Adelaja from the Michigan Land Policy Institute (the organization that produced the map to the right) talking about wind energy generation at industrial brownfield sites:

See absolutemichigan.com/wind for much more about wind power, windmills and wind energy generation in Michigan.

November by Karen from Michigan

Here's a bunch Michigan festivals & events for the month of November. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information about the one's we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below.

November Fast Facts

• The Leonids meteor shower reaches its peak around November 17
• November's birthstone is the yellow topaz.
• Its birth flower is the chrysanthemum.
• November 10th is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps
• November 11th is Veterans Day
• Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
• The day after Thanksgiving in the USA, a famous day for shopping, known as "Black Friday."
• Monday immediately following Thanksgiving Day in the USA is know as Cyber Monday

- November, Wikipedia

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a National Day of Thanksgiving(pdf).

November Quotes

"All in November's soaking mist
We stand and prune the naked tree,
While all our love and interest
Seem quenched in the blue-nosed misery."
- Ruth Pitter

"November always seemed to me the Norway of the year."
- Emily Dickinson

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
- John Clare, November

"November's sky is chill and drear,
November's leaf is red and sear."
- Sir Walter Scott

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early."
- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"

Things to Do, Places to Go

October 23 - November 30
Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival - Traverse City
The Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival welcomes you to our annual month-long celebration. Events take place during late October and November in the Petoskey area on Little Traverse Bay, including music & theater performances, school & library programs, scholarly lectures, community discussion groups, and more.

November 7 & 8 and November 14 & 15
Toast the Season Wine Tour - Leelanau Peninsula
The annual Toast the Season wine trail tour features a special wine pour, accompanied by holiday themed gourmet food, at each of the 17 Leelanau Peninsula member wineries. At your starting winery you will be given a commemorative glass, a unique holiday ornament and a holiday gift basket from the members of Sleeping Bear Gourmet (a group of local, fair trade and organic food producers).

November 10
31st Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service - Whitefish Point
The service includes reflections, music, and the Call to the Last Watch Ceremony in which the ship’s bell is run 29 times for each crewman who went down with this famous vessel – plus a 30th ring for all who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes.

November 10
Annual Fitzgerald Memorial Service - River Rouge
November 10 - Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service. A memorial service for the men lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald will be held on November 10 at Dr. Henri Belanger Park in River Rouge, Mi. The service will be held near the Mariners Memorial Lighthouse beginning at 6:00 p.m. The tug boat will be on hand to take out a wreath to be placed on the river. The service will feature a plaque presentation, bell ringing, lantern lighting, and refreshments will be served.

November 14 - 21
Kalamazoo Russian Festival - Kalamazoo
Celebrate the partnership between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Pushkin, Russia at this years Kalamazoo Russian Festival; a unique Russian cultural event in the Midwest.

November 12 -14
International Wine & Food Festival - Grand Rapids
After celebrating an amazing opening year, Michigan's largest International Wine & Food Festival returns to grace the 40,000 square foot elegance of DeVos Place's Steelcase Ballroom. This festival has established itself as Michigan's premier event for the celebration and tasting of the finest foods, wines, beers and spirits. From the connoisseur who lives and breathes for the finer things in life to the novice looking for an introduction to the world of food and spirits, the International Wine & Food Festival will deliver a grand experience that is sure to please every palette.

November 15 - 30
Deer Hunting (Regular Firearm Season)
If you think this isn't a major event, then you probably live south of Clare.

November 16 - 21
7th Annual Children's Film Festival - Saugatuck
Artful, educational, funny, thought-provoking films for young audiences (made by both adult and young filmmakers).

November 20
Silver Bells in the City - Lansing
Silver Bells in the City, which attracts 120,000 attendees, annually features an Electric Light Parade followed by the lighting of Michigan’s official Christmas tree and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol.

The entire evening is also filled with free family entertainment including free admission to Lansing’s cultural institutions, horse-drawn wagon rides on Washington Square, and performances by more than 50 local arts and cultural institutions throughout downtown Lansing.

November 21 - December 31
Battle Creek International Festival of Lights - Battle Creek
The six-week holiday lighting extravaganza in greater Battle Creek, Michigan, features over one million sparkling lights, special events, lighting displays, and entertainment.

November 26
Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Detroit
The theme for the 83rd America’s Thanksgiving Parade® is Together We Shine. The theme celebrates The Parade Company bringing a spark of magic and people together to enjoy one of Detroit’s largest and free events where for one special moment, families can be entertained, share a tradition and create a memory. As we celebrate the theme of this year’s Parade, we are asking the metro Detroit community to join together to celebrate this civic event that is so important to our community.

November 27
Fantasy of Lights - Howell
Parade & Town Activities in Historic Howell, Michigan

November 27 - 29
Dickens Festival - Holly
In the quaint Village of Holly, Michigan, amidst the great Victorian period architecture, Charles Dickens characters come to life in the streets at the annual Dickens Festival. Music and merriment is what it's all about. Come join the fun and be sure to visit the businesses who sponsor this event for you. Dress warm. Better yet, dress period and participate in the all new costume contest.

November 27 - December 20
Santa's Village - Chesaning
Experience Santa's Village - North Pole USA.Young and old alike will enjoy a visit to the enchanged village. Nestled snugly at the North Pole (aka, Saginaw County Fairgrounds, Chesaning, Michigan), Santa's Village embodies the spirit and excitement of the holiday season.

North Pole Express Engine 1225 arrives at Santa's Village at 11 am and 5 pm daily while the Village is open. View the steam engine made famous in the movie Polar Express. North Pole Express passengers will join the festivities in the Village for approximately two hours each trip.

November 27 - December 30
Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic - Flint
This holiday fantasyland features thousands of sparkling lights and Michigan’s most spectacular moving light display, the Huckleberry Railroad. The entire village is aglow with colored lights and more lights decorate the railroad’s locomotive, coaches and trackside displays.

Costumed villagers prepare for the holiday season in the village’s homes and shops. The Colwell Opera House presents live entertainment and Santa Claus talks with the children. See model trains, craft demonstrations, holiday music and unique shopping opportunities delight all ages.

November 28
Great macaroni & Cheese Bake-Off - Old Mission Peninsula
The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula will host local restaurants who have turned the classic comfort food, Macaroni and Cheese, into culinary marvels! This rich and creamy fare is paired with wines from Old Mission - Rieslings, Pinot Grigios, Chardonnays and more. Taste what our local Chefs have come up with this year!

Not the Upper Peninsula, but the Northern Peninsula. by Jenna Belle

NPR ran a special series a few weeks back exploring the culture, traditions and economy of Michigan's Upper Peninsula that we felt was worth bubbling back up. In addition to the articles there are also audio pieces worth checking out in - Michigan's Upper Peninsula: A Trip U.P. North.

Articles

Often Left Out, U.P. Ducks Michigan's Worst Woes

If there's a Michigan map in your mind, it probably looks like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula — separated from the rest of the state by the Great Lakes — often gets left off the map entirely. While that can be irksome, the remote nature of Michigan's northern section can also insulate it from the rest of the state's economic distress.

Initially, Michigan's Upper Peninsula

This week's puzzle is in honor of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Because U.P. is short for Upper Peninsula, each answer has "U" and "P" in it. The first clue is: "U" and "P" are the initials of a common two-word phrase naming something holding a street lamp. What is it?

Pasties: The Meaty Center Of 'Yooper' Food

The meat turnovers were brought to Michigan's Upper Peninsula by immigrant miners from Cornwall, England. "Yoopers" — the local population — are very opinionated about them. A pasty isn't just a meal — it's a heritage. Here's the recipe, too.

In Michigan's U.P., Visitors Welcome, Just Don't Stay

Folks from Michigan's Upper Peninsula — or "Yoopers," as they call themselves — want you to know how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful place, how hard it is to do that, how their jokes about themselves are funnier than anything you've heard — and why you shouldn't move there.

Audio and transcripts from the series

What's A Yooper? [5 min 20 sec]

The people of Michigan's Upper Peninsula are nicknamed Yoopers. Weekend Edition Host Liane Hansen explores what defines the Yooper identity.

U.P. TV Anchor Moonlights At Target [4 min 39 sec]

Host Liane Hansen profiles TV Anchor Vicki Crystal of Marquette, Michigan. Crystal not only works as a full time anchor and reporter, but she also works part-time at Target.

Iron Mine At Core Of U.P. History, Culture [7 min 52 sec]

Host Liane Hansen visits the Cliffs Natural Resources iron ore mining operation near Ishpeming Michigan. Mining has long been a part of the U.P. economy, and Cliffs has been operating there since 1847.

U.P. County Tops State Unemployment Rate [3 min 56 sec]

Michigan's Baraga County has the state's highest unemployment rate, and at around 25 percent it's the third highest in the nation. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Baraga Village Manager Roy Kemppainin.

The Civil War That You Never Heard About [2 min 15 sec]

Stories about war are common. Unusual is the true story of an American war with no casualties. One of the spoils of the Toledo War was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And the early 19th century combatants were the Michigan and Ohio militias. Host Liane Hansen talks to State Representative Mike Lahti about the often-forgotten war.

In Contrast, This U.P. Town Is Thriving [6 min 30 sec]

In a country that's seen its share of downtown decay, central Marquette seems to be thriving. There's a bustling farmer's market, and along Washington Street there are coffee shops and quirky businesses including hockey and bingo supply stores. Host Liane Hansen pays a visit to Getz's Clothiers, a business dating from the 1880's that now draws 80 percent of its sales from online business.

Here's a boatload of Michigan charter fishing companies and also check out our Michigan Hunting & Fishing page and the salmon slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photographers.

my island by tbug2

October 16, 17 and 18th will find people from all walks of life gathering on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, MI for the 8th annual Great Lakes Bioneers Traverse City Conference. Organizers expect over 800 participants over the three day conference weekend and there's also the Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit conference.

Bioneers is a national conference that attract people from all walks of life who care about sustainable social change, green building, environmental justice, how we educate our children, and how we grow our food and care for our planet. It takes place at a number of satellite sites, and speakers are beamed in from the "headwaters" conference in San Rafael, CA. This year the Bioneers are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the organization and founder Kenny Ausubel will be one of the speakers.

Friday night at 8:00 PM in The Milliken Auditorium will be a Water Festival Concert featuring members of the Earthwork Music Collective. Seth Bernard and May Erlewine will be joined on stage by Breath Owl Breath, Susan Fawcett, Darlene, DeDe Alderman and others. On Saturday night at 7:30 PM at the State Theatre, the documentary film "Fierce Light" will be shown. This documentary explores what ignites the fire inside and take an active part in a cause. There will also be a dance and mixer featuring Jamie Register and the Glendales. Get all the details at Great Lakes Bioneers or call them at 231-947-0312.

Let's close with May Erlewine singing Waterfall...

ArtPrize 09-Open Water no.24 by deviant_anomaly

ART PRIZE 2009-0032 by RichardD72

AND THE WINNER IS... by rkramer62

DETAIL FROM WINNERS CANVAS by bitsorf

The first-ever ArtPrize in Grand Rapids has ended with Open Water no. 24, a 6' x 19' oil painting by Ran Ortner being chosen as the winner by public vote from 1,262 artists who exhibited at 157 venues across the city. A former pro motorcycle racer, Ortner will receive a quarter of a million dollars for his finish. The Freep reports:

Ortner said he was stunned by his win. “Wow. Exhilarating, captivating, ridiculous. Can’t get my head around it.”

It means a lot to him that those choosing his work were not professional art critics but people who were moved by his work. “There’s been a heart connection here,” he said.

And it has been good for those who voted, Ortner said. “All of a sudden, those who know nothing about art have an opinion that matters,” he said. “It really has a life larger than anything anybody anticipated.”

ArtPrize 2009 Winners

1. Ran Ortner – Open Water no. 24
2. Tracy Van Duinen – Imagine That!
3. Eric Daigh – Portraits
4. David Lubbers – The Grand Dance
5. Bill Secunda – Moose
6. Nessie Project – Nessie on the Grand
7. John Douglas Powers – Field of Reeds
8. Sarah Grant – The Furniture City Sets the Table for the World of Art
9. Jason Hackenwerth – Ecstasy of The Scarlet Empress
10. Michael Westra – winddancer 2

You can get some more links to coverage at Who won ArtPrize? on the ArtPrize blog and stay tuned to absolutemichigan.com/ArtPrize for news about ArtPrize 2010!

Check out this video below for some scenes from the Winners Celebration - the close of this dance number is really impressive!

More videos can be found at ArtPrize 2009 Absolute Michigan.

ART PRIZE 2009 by RichardD72

Michigan has taken the national stage with one eye on the ArtPrize competition in Grand Rapids and the other on it's burgeoning and award winning wine industry which gaining credibility amongst wine experts and wine lovers. This is truly a positive and a definite 180 degree flip from most of the national news our state receives as of late.

ArtPrize garners national attention in the New York Times

The New York Times reports on the competition and the overwhelming positive response and impact on Grand Rapids in their article Eyes on the ArtPrize by Micheline Maynard. The article also takes note of several of the exhibits including some of the final top 10 entries. The winner of ArtPrize drew over 1,200 artists and has had about 32,000 people register to vote on the works. The winner will be awarded 250,00 with a minimum of $7,000 for the nine runners-up.

No matter who wins, the 17-day competition has spurred a lively debate in Grand Rapids, a city of about 200,000 with a tradition of interest in art. It is home to several museums and a college of art and design.

“Every conversation I’ve had here for the past two weeks has been about art,” said Dustin Dwyer, a correspondent for Michigan Radio, a public radio network, who is based in Grand Rapids and has reported on the competition since its inception earlier this year. “From that perspective, it’s a success. But are we rewarding good art? That’s up for question.”

Be sure to check out Absolute Michigan on Location - ArtPrize and the Absolute Michigan's ArtPrize 2009 Page.

Michigan wine continues to gain ground as a world class product

The 45th parallel yielding good wine from Michigan, ABC reports.

Other national news regarding Michigan wines and wine trails

Off the beaten wine trail: Explore four emerging regions - USA Today

Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan: The state's 56 wineries are spread across Michigan along four wine trails, but most of the best grapes are grown near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and its bays.

Exotic vacations may be closer than you think: Napa Valley-esque wine tastings - CNN

If it's wine you want, find an alternative to Napa Valley in Michigan's Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. Here you'll discover more than 850 acres of land and more than 20 wineries for your choosing.

The area offers tastings and gourmet meals, and Kantrowitz says, "The region is particularly known for its great pinot blancs."

The new Napa Valley: Taste one of Obama's favorite wines at this Michigan winery - Examiner.com

The rumor is that Michigan is soon to become the new Napa Valley. With climate changes potentially affecting the California coastline, Napa vineyard owners are looking to Northern Michigan to grow their grapes.

Part of the appeal of Northern Michigan is the colder climate on the 45th Parallel where grapes for rare ice wines flourish. For more information on why wines do so well along the 45th parallel, read the Chicago Tribune’s story on this region.

Best North American Wine Destinations - Digital City

8. Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City lends itself to making Baco Noir and Cabernet Franc, thanks to grapes that grow near the shores of Lake Michigan, offering a unique climate. The rest of the state's wines come from Michigan wine country, where you can also find rare fruit and ice wines.

According to Michigan Wines - The Official Website of Michigan's Wine Industry:

Michigan's wine, grapes and grape juice products and related industries ...

... produced nearly $790 million of total economic value to the State of Michigan in 2005

... paid more than $42 million in state and local taxes in Michigan, and an additional $42 million in federal taxes

... account for more than 5,000 jobs across the state, for a payroll of more than $190 million

Check out their collection of photos of Michigan's vineyards and wineries.

Local Apples by nasunto

Fall is here and that means it is once again time to enjoy Michigan's largest and most valuable crop - the apple. With temperatures unseasonably flirting with the freezing point, the race is on to harvest the prized fruit. Adding to this challenge is the fact that Michigan is enjoying it's largest crop in nearly 10 years with an expected crop of 26 million bushels compared to the typical crop of 20 million bushels. The uptick in the number of bushels has been attributed to this year's cool temperatures and more than average rain.

Michigan Farms & Mills

Fresh is the air in the orchards. Fresh are the fruits and vegetables we pick ourselves. Fresh is the fun we have with our families on a visit to Michigan’s farms and mills. This is the refreshing way to answer questions like “Mom, where do apples come from?” This is where open-air markets and u-pick farms enliven our recipes. This is the true meaning of the phrase: farm fresh. So let’s visit the farms and mills. Because nothing refreshes our lives like Pure Michigan.

Check out the huge list of Michigan farms and mills from PureMichigan.org.

Some Michigan Apple Quick Facts - check out more at the Michigan Apple Committee website.

• Apples are Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop, with a value of about $100 million annually to the apple grower.
• Value-added marketing and processing enhance the economic contribution of Michigan Apples up to $700 million of economic impact annually.
• There are over 7.5 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 37,000 acres, on 950 family-run farms throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
• Small family farmers who operate their own orchards dominate the Michigan apple industry. According to statistics, 99 percent of Michigan orchards had fewer than 100 acres in apples.
• Longtime favorite varieties still dominate Michigan’s orchards. The most prevalent variety remains the Red Delicious, followed closely by the Golden Delicious. The Gala is rapidly gaining on tradition, however.
• The Honeycrisp variety is continually growing in popularity. Look for it in September and October, and enjoy it while you can, as it will most likely be gone by mid-November! A growing number of Honeycrisp tree plantings still aren’t in pace with its popularity among consumers! Honeycrisp has a crisp, juicy bite and a sweet flavor. They are best for fresh eating and also a great addition to salads!

New Kid on the Branch

A newcomer to Michigan's apple varieties is the SeeTango. MyNorth.com takes a at this much anticipated arrival in their article - The SweeTango Apple Makes Its Northern Michigan Debut.

Five Northern Michigan apple growers were among the first in the country to plant and harvest the world’s newest designer apple, the SweeTango. The apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, is a cross between the crispy, juicy Honeycrisp (the must-have apple of the last decade, also developed by the University of Minnesota) and the sweet flavored Zestar apple. The SweeTango is "a fabulous piece of fruit," says Mark Evans of Evans Brothers Fruit Company in Frankfort, one of the five Northern Michigan members of the Next Big Thing, the SweeTango growers’ cooperative.

SweeTango - A Sneak Preview

Find out all kinds of interest information about apples at the Michigan Apple Committee's website including the history of apples, the growers and the most popular varieties.

Little do most people realize that there are actually thousands of apple varieties and Michigan has many antique apple farms who strive to preserve them. Absolute Michigan's own Andrew McFarlane took note of one such orchard, Christmas Cove Farm in Leelanau in his article - Antique Apples.

Over on Michigan in Pictures there's a cool old apple picking photo from Old Mission in the 1890s courtesy the Archives of Michigan.

Check out more apple related information and websites using Absolute Michigan keyword apple.

Michigan Apple Recipes

Honey Crisp Apple and Endive Salad with Maple Apple Vinaigrette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Double Apple Galette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Barbeque "Mopping" Sauce W/Apple Cider Vinegar, Maple and Jalapeno - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Ginger Apple Stir Fry - via Taste the Local Difference

Grilled Chicken with Apples and Feta - via Taste the Local Difference

Apple Lime Salsa - via Taste the Local Difference

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Photo: You with the camera, enough pictures!! by Daylily18

Herbert Jeffries has acted, sung, even ridden--his way to the top of the entertaining world.

In the 1930s, when white singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers carved out names for themselves, Jeffries decided there should be black cowboy films* especially since there had been many African American cowboys in the American west.

Born in Detroit in 1911, Jeffries raised money for his first feature film. Playing the part of Bob Blake, a fearless singing cowboy, Jeffries became this country's first African American film hero when Harlem on the Prairie opened in 1936. Nicknamed the "Bronze Buckaroo," Jeffries did all his own riding and performed all his own stunts. After starring in three more cowboy movies, Jeffries left movies to start singing with Duke Ellington's orchestra. With that band as his backup, he recorded "Flamingo," which sold fourteen million copies and propelled him to the top of the jazz world.

After running a club in France for a decade following World War II, Jeffries returned to the United States where he continues to perform. In 1995, at the age of eighty-three, Jeffries recorded a Nashville album of songs entitled, The Bronze Buckaroo (Rides Again).

Among his many awards and recognitions, Jeffries earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. According to one observer in 2004, "The man is a marvel. In appearance and in voice, he seems a person half his age. . . . His voice sounds stronger now than it has ever been."

Here's Herb Jeffries singing Happy Cowboy in the 1938 movie "Two Gun Man From Harlem":

For more about Jeffries, check out herbjeffries.com. To learn more about other important African Americans in Michigan, order the book African Americans You Need to Know or subscribe to Michigan History or Michigan History for Kids by calling (800) 366-3703 or visiting www.michiganhistorymagazine.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This Saturday the University of Michigan Wolverines travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State University Spartans at Spartan Stadium. The rivalry between the two teams and their fans is intense and the Lansing State Journal takes note of this in their article "Rivalry ingrained in players from families - Intense feelings have bubbled up since childhood."

Wikipedia says that the Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual football game between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State University Spartans. U of M holds the series edge at 67-29-5, and the trophy has been in Ann Arbor until last year when the Spartans defeated the Wolverines 35-21 and ended a five-game losing streak in the series. Relive the Spartan 2008 victory through this slideshow from the Detroit Free Press.

The game takes place at Noon EST and pits the 1-3 Spartans vs the No. 22 ranked 4-0 Wolverines. Although Michigan has the unbeaten record and the national ranking, the home team has won the last 12 out of 17 games and the Spartans are desperate for a win following a 3 game losing streak. That being said Michigan hasn't lost to Michigan State in consecutive seasons since 1967.

You can read a transcript of a live chat with Shannon Shelton and Mark Snyder, who will cover Saturday's game on the Detroit Free Press's website. Another transcript is available at mlive.com "Live chat: Join Michigan football beat writer Dave Birkett at noon to talk Michigan-Michigan State." Also at mlive.com you can listen to "The Press Box Podcast: There's pressure on Wolverines, Rodriguez to beat Spartans." The Lansing State Journal's Assistant Sports Editor, Barry Kiel and MSU beat reporter, Joe Rexrode discuss the upcoming match-up against Michigan in this streaming video.

MSU vs U of M Video Spirit Rally

Choose sides and get in on the discussion over at SpartanTailgate.com or MGoBlog. These are great resources with all the news and updates you need regarding MSU and U of M sports.

Michigan in Pictures has a couple of posts from awhile back about Spartan Stadium in East Lansing (where Saturday's game will be played) and Michigan Stadium aka The Big House.

Somewhere we have to note Whack-a-Wolverine from the Lansing State Journal and we definitely want to hear what YOU think about the rivalry and the game!

The Only Animals Threatened with Fines by the State of Michigan

Humans generally think they have it all over the rest of the animal kingdom, but those creatures not classified as Homo sapiens generally do get a few breaks. For one thing, animals are usually immune to having to pay taxes or, say, follow government building regulations.

Some beavers in the Pierson area found themselves the exceptions to those rules when area resident Ryan DeVries received a letter from the state of Michigan in December, 1997. The Detroit News and Wall Street Journal both reported that Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality sent DeVries a notice that the contractor who did the unauthorized activity of constructing two wood debris dams on the outlet stream of Spring Pond faced charges of $10,000 a day if said unauthorized activities weren't stopped.

DeVries passed the letter on to his landlord, Stephen Tvedten, who fired back a letter still on file with Montcalm County that stated a couple of beavers were the contractors engaged in the unauthorized activity, and that Tvedten did not authorize or pay for the illegal dams. Tvedten further suggested that all beavers in Michigan should be required to fill out permits to build dams if the Spring Pond beavers were so required, and suggested the wardens instead go after some bears in the habit of despoiling the adjacent woods with defecation.

Eventually, the department figured out that the whole episode was triggered by a neighbor who complained about the dams because he was afraid of flooding on his property. The responding agent had written the cease-and-desist letter to the dam builders without inspecting the property. When Spring Pond was finally inspected by a DEQ employee, the agency dropped its investigation and the beavers were finally left to their own dam devices.

Excerpted with permission from Strange Michigan; More Wolverine Weirdness by Linda S. Godfrey and Lisa A. Shiel, by Trails Books

More Weird Wednesday from Absolute Michigan!