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!

Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition

Be among the first to try winning wines from the 2009 Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition and taste the breadth of quality from Michigan's vineyards. Sip a glass of wine while chatting with winning winemakers to learn more about their wines.

The Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center will host the 32nd Annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition, and a public Gold Medal Reception unveiling Michigan's top wines, on Thursday, August 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. This year marks Kellogg's ninth year hosting the competition, which will bring together wine experts to judge their way through nearly 400 Michigan wine entries. Best of Class wines will be perfectly paired with delicious foods prepared by the Kellogg Center's chefs. Other double gold, gold and silver medal wines will be available for sampling, along with a generous array of culinary treats. The Gold Medal Reception is expected to bring out an audience of 350 supportive consumers, industry members and industry associates. Tickets for the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition Gold Medal Reception are $40 per person and are available through the Kellogg Center at 517-432-4000.

The festival encourages cross-cultural understanding of our diverse society through the presentation of musicians, dancers, cooks, storytellers and craftspeople whose traditions are rooted in their communities.

The festival includes nearly 100 musicians or dancers in groups, who perform at least twice and sometimes as many as four times over the weekend. Also featured are traditional and other food vendors, craft vendors and many other individual artists/demonstrators. There are five performance stages (including one with a 2,400 sq. ft. dance floor), a children's hands-on activity area, crafts demonstrations, and crafts marketplace. In addition there are special programs every year, which feature some aspect of traditional culture.

Observes GLFF founding director Marsha MacDowell, "The folk festival is a unique celebration of the histories, traditions, and cultures of the many peoples of the world, and while we have a focus on Michigan and the Great Lakes, we also present artists from around the nation and world. This is one of the few venues in the country to regularly showcase award-winning state and national artists, including recipients of the Michigan Heritage Awards and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship Awardees. "

This award-winning event is one of the region's premiere arts programs and a summer-time high note -- and is expected to draw more than 90,000 visitors throughout the weekend to celebrate culture, tradition and community. GLFF was named the state's top public humanities program by the Michigan Humanities Council and the event received an artistic excellence grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help produce this year's activities.

Festival hours are: Friday, Aug. 7, 6 - 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 8, noon - 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 9, noon - 6 p.m. For more information, call the MSU Museum at (517) 432-GLFF (4533) or learn more at http://www.greatlakesfolkfest.net and on Facebook and Twitter.

Admission to the MSU Museum's Great Lakes Folk Festival is free (donations are encouraged).

Get a feel for what the festival is like by checking out this flickr slideshow!

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• 230 artist exhibitors from all over the U.S. and Canada
• 8 emerging artists affiliated with Michigan universities, colleges or art schools.
• Free performances on two stages highlighting a wide variety of music.
• Free arts activities for children and families.
• An international-style food court offering flavors from around the world.

East Lansing is a charming University town with a wide variety of shops, restaurants, galleries and the beautiful Michigan State University campus across the street. The East Lansing Art Festival is produced by the Art Festival Board of Directors under the auspices of the East Lansing Arts Commission/City of East Lansing.

The East Lansing Art Festival is held the weekend preceding Memorial Day weekend. The festival operates 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

Michigan State University Arts and Crafts Show

Celebrate spring at the Michigan State University Arts and Crafts Show on May 16th and 17th. In its 45th year, the show has more than 325 artists from across the nation and offers something for everyone.

The MSU Arts and Crafts Show is one of the largest arts and crafts shows in the state. This year’s show includes many returning favorites as well as brand new artists. There will be a broad range of exhibitors selling handmade items. Items include; candles, furniture, jewelry, home and yard décor, aromatherapy, clothing, children’s toys, painting, photography, pottery, sculpture and much more.

The Arts and Crafts Show is held outside on the grounds of the MSU Union. This show is held on Saturday and Sunday with over 300 exhibitors displaying items in a park-like setting on the MSU campus. Most exhibitors utilize portable structures for their displays. The UAB office can provide current booth fee prices. The East Lansing Art Festival is staged one block north of campus with over 225 exhibitors. More than 60,000 people annually attend these two outdoor shows.

The show takes place on the grounds of the MSU Union, near the corner of Grand River Ave. and Abbot Rd. in East Lansing. The show hours are Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission to the show is FREE!

Michigan State's mens cagers earned their eighth trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 in the last 12 years. The Spartans will face Kansas in the Midwest Regional semifinal TONIGHT (Friday, March 27 @ in Indianapolis, Ind). If you're stuck working or something, I think that the Basketball Gods will forgive you if you watch the game online. As the tale of the tape explains, there's a bit of grudge match element to tonight's game (and you can bet Izzo will be watching the clock!):

Kansas defeated Michigan State, 96-86, in overtime in the 1986 Sweet 16 in a controversial finish. With 2:20 left in the game and MSU leading, 76-72, the clock did not run for approximately 15 seconds. MSU led 80-74 with just over a minute to play, but KU scored six straight points, the final basket came on a tip-in from Archie Marshall with :10 seconds left - 10 seconds that should never have happened.

Fresh off a surprising but convincing upset victory over Duke, the Michigan State women's basketball team heads to California this afternoon in preparation for the NCAA Tournament Berkeley Regional and a date with No. 4-seed Iowa State on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Was it really an upset though? The Spartans' have laid down the D this year:

The 2008-09 Michigan State team has a chance to finish the season as one of the greatest defensive teams in program history. Currently this year's team has allowed the fewest points per game (54.9) since 1974-75 and owns the lowest field goal percentage defense (34.5%) since records were kept for the 1976-77 season. Since the addition of the 3-point line to the women's game for the 1987-88 season, the Spartans' 26.5% is second to only the first year of the line. Also, this year's squad has the best rebound margin (+7.7) since opposing rebounds were kept in 1987-88.

Go Green, Go White!

ballin' by Beth☮♥♬

With the 2009 Final Four taking place in Detroit, it's probably fitting that both the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans have received NCAA Basketball Tournament bids

It's the first NCAA tournament bid for the Wolverines since 1998, a #10 seed in the South Region with a draw of Clemson (23-8). UM takes a record of 20-13 into the 6:10 PM game on Thursday (Mar 19).

The Spartans (26-6) secured the #2 seed in the Midwest region. This is the 12th consecutive bid and they will face Robert Morris in the opener. Despite a disappointing loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten tourney, they are expected to do well after playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.

More UM & MSU Links (add more in the comments below!)

• Green & White from the Lansing State Journal and mLive's UM Wolverine's page.
• University of Michigan and Michigan State at rivals.com
• Michigan State & University of Michigan and at ESPN's Clubhouse
• The blogs: MGoBlog & Spartan Tailgate
• YouTube: Michigan State Spartans opening video & University of Michigan team celebrates with fans on Selection Sunday

Fallen Beauty by lorainedicerbo

Welcome to 'The Week' for October 20-26. This is where we will be posting comments such as news items, interesting blog posts, cool video and media, coming events, new web sites added to Absolute Michigan and other items of note.

We invite you to do the same!

Temps are dropping and most areas have already experienced their first frost with snow coming up in the forecast. With this change in weather it is a great week to check out the The Michigan Story Festival in Mt. Pleasant on October 24 - 25. The two-day Michigan Story Festival offers a complete showcase of the power of storytelling in all its art forms. Michigan Story Festival is one of the only storytelling festivals to integrate the stories of many cultures and traditions. There is also the History, Mystery & Haunting: THE WHITNEY RESTAURANT in Detroit on October 25th for an evening to be remembered! First enjoy a three-course meal at this beautiful, 5-star restaurant. Later, Kathleen Tedsen and Beverlee Rydel, authors of "Haunted Travels of Michigan" will tell the Whitney story and, in association with paranormal team HIGHLAND GHOST HUNTERS, will share their experience and evidence collected during a two-night investigation. You may be in for a surprise! Photographs, Video & Audio Presented. A ghost hunt will follow.

Also be sure to check out our massive Michigan Haunted Houses, Mazes & Attractions page that features all kinds of haunted houses, corn mazes and scary attractions from all across Michigan.

Also, this Saturday the Michigan State University Spartans travel to Ann Arbor to play the University of Michigan Wolverines at The Big House. Check out our Michigan vs Michigan State Football Rivalry page for a ton of information on this much anticipated annual football game!

gothic splendor by dnj_Brian

Nathan Bomey of the Ann Arbor Business Review has an interesting piece showcasing how Michigan's three research universities have a direct and significant impact on our state's economy.

One of every $50 earned in the state of Michigan can be attributed to the economic impact of the state's three research universities, according to a new report.

"The economic impact of them is growing even at a time when the wages in the state are declining and the state budget support is declining," said Patrick Anderson, CEO of East Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group, which conducted the study.

The University Research Corridor - which consists of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University - registered a net economic impact of $13.3 billion in 2007, up 3.5 percent from 2006, the report concluded.

Continue reading: State's universities drive economic development in the Ann Arbor Business Review at mlive.com

Tonight in NCAA action, fifth seeded Michigan State will attempt to pull off an upset over the #1 seed Memphis. You can read the NCAA's preview of the game or just paint your monitor green & white with Spartan Tailgate, the Enlightened Spartan, mLive's MSU section and greenandwhite.com.

Be sure to also check out our Michpics March Madness features on the Breslin Center and Crisler Arena.

Photo courtesy MGOBLUE and in honor of the teams, we gave our header a little shake and bake:

Ryan took this photo at Game 2 of the CCHA semifinals between Northern Michigan vs Michigan State (NMU won the series 3-2 btw).

He seems to enjoy hockey & ruins more than just a little and is also a member of Team Lazy.

To say that sage_82 (Mark Ratliff) is a master of the art of pumpkin carving is a huge understatement. His 2006 tribute to Michigan football legend Bo Schembechler and his 2007 Sparty are simply incredible.

Take a moment and check out some of the pumpkins he's carved (view the slideshow).

Help Justin out by Sponsoring a state, becoming/nominating a host, or by promoting The Hometown Invasion Tour through word-of-mouth and the world wide web.

"In the last week since I’ve been on and around I-75 I have seen several Michigan license plates. When I was out west I hardly saw them at all. I was a long ways from home. But there is always something special about seeing a Michigan plate when on the road. It always makes me smile and reminds me of home... There is nothing like seeing another one of those deep blue Michigan plates on the road. A touch of home. Oh, but wait! Terrible news was passed my way this week that Michigan is no longer going to make the classic blue license plate... There’s not another plate like it, and it’s simplicity has always won me over. After all, it should be full of blue; our state is beautifully unique and has access to the freshest water in the world. That blue represents the Great Lakes." - Michigan Mistake

On the organization side, the plan seeks to build the leadership, organizational structures and political alliances needed to push Michigan's tourism industry to the top. It also talks about builing collaboration and communication systems.

From the perspective of the tourism "product," it talks about providing the research and technical assistance to enable effective private and public sector investment in tourism and also the importance of paying attention to the customer's experience.

You can get the Michigan Tourism Strategic Plan from TravelMichiganNews.org.

Also see Tourism plan: Spend more in the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Traverse City Images by mstephens7

They're here! Cherries, northwest Michigan's ruby red signature crop, are here in abundance and in time for Traverse City's National Cherry Festival. (Sometimes, if the weather doesn't cooperate, they're just a bit late.)

It's the sweet cherries - which promise to be a bumper crop this year - that are ripe now. Tart cherries usually ripen about the third week in July, but they may be a week earlier this year because of the heat.

Did you know?

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy-explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

Find it!

You can find Michigan Cherry Orchards at the Taste the Local Difference Farm Network

Also see Absolute Michigan keyword "Cherries"

Ripening Cherries by Sir Frog.

Try it!

OK, here's our newest discovery: Try eating tart cherries fresh. Everybody thinks they're just for pies, but if you like lemonade, you might be surprised to find you actually like fresh tart cherries better than sweet cherries.

For the sweetest of the tarts, try local certified organic cherries - four farms listed at www.LocalDifference.org grow them. The brix, or sugar content, of organic cherries often tests higher. Another sweeter option is the Balaton tart cherry, which hails from Hungary and has been found to grow well in northwest Michigan.

Sweet and tart cherries are easy to freeze - pit them if you plan to cook them later; or leave the pits in and they'll give an almond-like flavor. Just spread them out on a tray and put them in the freezer overnight. Then, put them in bags and eat them later, partially defrosted, dreaming of cherry blossoms and summer days.

Try fresh or frozen cherries - tart or sweet - in yogurt with a bit of maple syrup for breakfast. Fruit is nature's fast food, and it's both healthy and delicious. Trade in your chips for cherries this month.

Add cherries to yogurt, cereal, or fruit salads.

Try sweet, pitted cherries with gorgonzola cheese, green onions, and baby lettuce with locally made cherry vinaigrette.

If you have access to a food dryer, try drying a batch of cherries to enjoy this winter, either as a snack or a granola ingredient.

And for a savory recipe, try this one from the Cherry Marketing Institute:

Carmelized Salmon with Cherry Salsa

Stir together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon grated orange peel and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and rub over 1-1/2 pounds fresh or thawed salmon that you've placed skin side down in a shallow pan. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.

Place salmon, skin-side down, on a gas grill over medium heat or on a charcoal grill four to six inches from medium-hot coals. Grill for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Do not turn the fish.

Meanwhile, toss together one ripe mango or papaya, seeded, peeled, and chopped, with one cup halved tart cherries (thawed and drained if frozen) and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, basil or cilantro, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Spoon salsa over the warm fish and serve immediately. Serves four.

Cherry-Almond Muffins from CulinaryCafe.com:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cherries, pitted, coarsely chopped, and drained
• 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• granulated sugar
• Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Sift together dry ingredients and add them to butter/sugar mixture alternately with milk. Stir in almond extract, then gently fold in almonds and cherries.
• Spoon muffin batter into 12 greased muffin cups; cups will be quite full. Sprinkle each muffin with a little granulated sugar, and bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 30 minutes, or until muffins test done.

June 4, 2006: Almost ripe by Matt McGee

Want to make that cherry pie? A homemade crust is much easier if you chill the fat and flour first, then pull out the food processor. Pulse the chilled flour, salt and fat (butter or shortening) together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Then pulse in a few tablespoons of iced water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just starts holding together. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface (chill the rolling pin, then dust it with flour so it doesn't stick), then transfer the crust to a pie pan. This basic technique will work for just about any pie recipe.

NPR recognizes Northern Michigan as a leading Cherry grower. Sour Cherries: A Tart, Tasty Michigan Treat. Listen to interview about tart cherries.
Cherries are great to eat and a great reason to celebrate. Join in the celebrations at the Traverse City Cherry Festival. As well as being delicious, cherries are also good for you, visit the Cherry Marketing Institute to read all about their benefits to your health.

Taste the Local Difference is part of the Michigan Land Use Institute's Entrepreneurial Agriculture Project, which aims to grow jobs, save farmland, and build healthier communities with food that's thousands of miles fresher. Find more than 160 farms and fishers who sell fresh foods on their farms, in farmers markets, and to restaurants and stores at www.LocalDifference.org . TLD lead sponsors are Traverse City State Bank and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

reaching to the moon by oldbrushes

As the state's auto industry takes one hit after another, Michigan residents now have one more reason to consider heading back to the farm, corn-based ethanol. Today's cover story in the Lansing State Journal looks at how corn may change the face of automotive fuel.

The rising emergence of ethanol-producing plants here in Michigan are causing motorists, farmers, and government officials all to sit up and take notice. The state's second-largest industry, agriculture pulled in $61 Billion last year, and stands to radically grow with increased demand for corn.

Economists credit ethanol with raising average corn prices more than a $1 a bushel in the past year. If crop yields stay stable, that means the harvest of an 80-acre corn field this fall could be worth nearly $40,000 more than in 2005.

Even with the good news, an MSU study released last month explains how this boom could negatively affect the price of other things like how much you pay for that steak.

For more on Michigan's Corn Industry, you can check out Michigan Corn Online and the Department of Agriculture has a fun fact-filled Kidz Korner all about Michigan's corn.

Jack Lessenberry says that even though he voted against Proposal 2 last month, and would vote against it again and is a a proud member of the American Civil Liberties Union, he thinks that the suits filed by the ACLU and the NAACP are flat-out wrong.

Find out why over at Jack's blog.

Photo: Thirds Rule by docksidepress