buckshot.jones, another fantastic Detroit storyteller writes: "This is Detroit, straight up. Justbeamensch (Donald Jones) has one of the best collections of the odd and funky in the City of Detroit. Take a cruise through his photostream and you gather a sense of the soul of the city."

The photo is part of Donald's Detroit Greeting Cards at the Book Beat set (slideshow) which are available for purchase at The Book Beat in Oak Park (248-968-1190). His other sets include Murals in the City, Flora and State Fair.

Take a ride down his Flickriver.

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!

Grand Rapids International Wine Festival by farlane

Shannon writes:

From my perspective, the show was a huge success. We had a blast tasting not only Michigan wines, but comparing them to their worldwide counterparts. I am happy to say that the local wine held up very well. I was particularly blown away by the number of young people at the show. This really excites me, as I am a huge advocate of getting the 21-30 something crowd more involved with wine.

I was really impressed that at every Michigan booth, there was representation from the winery -- most of the time it was the actual owner or winemaker.

They'll almost certainly be back in 2010 - stay tuned at  grwinefestival.com!

Abandoned Pontiac Silverdome by Derek Farr

The Detroit News reports that the long-shuttered Pontiac Silverdome has been sold for a mere $583,000 as the home for a soccer league. However, with a cost over $55 million to construct:

"This was a giveaway," said David J. Leitch, a broker with an Auburn Hills based realty firm.

"The property alone, at $10,000 an acre, should have gone for more than that. And you have the Silverdome, its contents, and the infrastructure already in place. I had estimated it would probably go for between $1.2 million and $3 million. I can't believe it."

Such sentiments weren't uncommon Monday, after city officials unsealed bids showing the property that was home to the Detroit Lions was sold at auction to an unnamed Canadian company that plans to bring a soccer league to the stadium. The company's name will be released when the sale is finalized within 45 days, said Fred Leeb, the city's emergency financial manager. Leeb acknowledged the sale "is not a windfall," but said the Silverdome's $1.5 million upkeep drained the beleaguered city's finances.

Go to about 1:20 in the video to get past the auction promo. Much more about the Pontiac Silverdome on Michigan in Pictures!

In Five questions with wine expert Claudia Tyagi, the Detroit Free Press asks Master Sommelier* Claudia Tyagi about selecting Michigan wines to go with a Thanksgiving dinner. She recommends a few and says:

I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a lot of versatility and a lot of possibility with turkey. You could use a white wine or an aromatic wine. Those tend to go well with turkey, too.

Click through to read the rest and you might also want to try this recipe for roasting your turkey with white wine & rosemary.

Photo: Ciccone by Kiran Bhat

*Wikipedia's Sommelier entry explains that a sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional who specializes in all aspects of wine service. Since the Master Sommelier Diploma was introduced in 1969, 171 people from around the world had become Master Sommeliers by 2009. Of these there were 74 active Master Sommeliers in the Americas.

Claudia is one of three in the state of Michigan, and her observations can be found at twitter.com/Winegenie. Get many more Thanksgiving ideas at absolutemichigan.com/Thanksgiving.

danenmolly (Molly) is a friend of mine from the real world and her husband Dane is a pilot - hence the rare photo opportunity showing The Whaleback and North Lake Leelanau taken from high above Lake Michigan's Manitou Passage.

Be sure to check this out bigger and you can see more from this flight in her Fishtown - Leland - Good Harbor - Manitou Islands - Leelanau Peninsula set (slideshow). Her other sets include Aerial Photographs and Lake Michigan Sunsets.

Dive into her Flickriver.

silver bells 2007 by Michphotog

The 25th Annual Silver Bells in the City will take place on Friday, November 20, 2009 from 5-9 p.m. in downtown 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.

Watch the 4 part video series Silver Bells in the City in Lansing Michigan by Barman6 on YouTube!

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

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.

Rob the Photog (Rob Gingerich) is a former TV news photographer (and current TV production manager) who loves macro photography. He also says he has a fondness for things covered in dust, rust, cobwebs, etc and that the older he gets, the more he becomes interested in old things.

He invites you to view this photo bigger. His sets include Vacation 2009 (in Manistee),East Lansing Art Fest 2007, MSU Hockey (of Michigan State University's 2006-2007 National Championship hockey team) and My Best (slideshow).

Dive into his Flickriver (where this photo is appropriately first!).

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.

This photo by photofrenzy2000 seemed perfect for the day before Halloween. See it bigger in his slideshow and check out his sets including Robinette's Photowalk 09, Holland Flickr Photo Walk, 2008 Hessell Antique Wooden Boat Show and Michigan Waterfalls (slideshow).

You can also explore his Flickriver.

Just learned that this motel was used as a set in the movie, "Road to Perdition" starring Tom Hanks.

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!

Pistons Shoe by Kevin.Ward

The almost completely revamped Detroit Pistons open the 2009-2010 season tomorrow night at Memphis (who will possibly be sporting their brand new Allan Iverson). On the subject of the dramatically changed Pistons including the not-so-dearly departed AI,  Natalie at Need4Sheed (repping the D regardless of where Sheed is now) had a great Detroit Pistons 2009-2010 Season Preview:

Key Losses: Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson, Arron Afflalo, Chauncey Billups (does that still count) (I say "YES"), head coach Michael Curry (a good loss) and possibly the best loss in Pistons history, the end of Allen Iverson in red, white and blue.

Key Additions: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko and Ben Wallace.

"One thing is sure, they may not be slotted to make the ECF like they used to, but this Pistons team is going to be fun to watch."

Read on, check out another cool 2009-10 Pistons preview from Pistonpowered.com and meet the new guys in a rather offbeat manner in Absolute Michigan's Offseason Primer.

Party Like It's 1999 2004?

Alert observers may notice two more names from the Pistons 2004 championship to join Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton on this year's squad. Pistons.com blogger Keith Langlois has a nice post about Ben Wallace & Chucky Atkins that quotes new Detroit Pistons head coach John Kuester:

“(Fans) couldn’t see all the things he did from a positive standpoint,” Kuester said. “He has been a great role model for our young point guards. He’s really done an outstanding job of running the team in practice. He’s challenged both (Stuckey and Bynum) every day in practice and I’m very impressed with what he did on the court and off the court.

“It’s huge, for me being a first-year coach and having people I can trust in the locker room. That’s where Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince (are important) and I’ve talked about Ben being such a good influence on our bigs. Chucky has to fit into that category also. I’ve been very impressed with what he’s done so far.”

Along those lines, Matt at Detroit Bad Boys thinks that Chucky Atkins probably made the roster more for what he can do as a role model for Stuckey & Will Bynum than anything else. Over at the Freep they have declared that the Pistons will be a clanking machine if Rodney Stuckey doesn't step up to become a premier point guard, so here's hoping that Atkins (and Wallace) can provide a whole lot of veteran leadership (and maybe a few boards a game).

Speaking of the official Pistons web site, they've added a new Detroit Pistons Twitpic feature to their Twitter that offers some interesting glimpses behind the scenes.

If you're looking to get more in front of the scenes, how about opening night at the Palace this Friday vs the Oklahoma City Thunder? They have upper deck seats for just $15 and it's a benefit for breast cancer research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Keep up with Pistons news & links all season long at absolutemichigan.com/Pistons and we'll see you out with the first of a three part series "Pistons Recharged" (thanks Detroit Bad Boys for the find and here's part two and part three)

Check this photo from richwyllis out bigger and also have a look at his sets including Moonset at Sunset and HDR Images (slideshow). He also took a recent trip to the UP and got some sweet shots along the Chapel River in the Pictured Rocks.

Jump into his Flickriver.

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

Jared, Sadie and their new Mackinac Island friends Eric and Becky find themselves turning into detectives as strange events occur all over the island. Native American art and artifacts are vanishing from gift shops and art galleries. At the Governors’ Conference, Dr. Royalton is demanding that Great Lakes water be diverted for use by states in the southwest—and then he disappears! As the four teenagers explore the island and its historical sites looking for clues, they find themselves facing an evil Gi-bi who locks them in a dungeon. Will they get out in time to save Dr. Royalton? Will they discover who stole the copper turtle and other art from the island stores? Eric and Becky’s cousin Luke keeps interfering in their investigation. Is he involved or just the jerk Jared thinks he is? How is all this connected—or is there more than one mystery to solve?

Mystery of the Copper Turtle is the first of the Big Mitten Mysteries, a series of books for the young reader set in locations around Michigan. Look for Jared, Sadie and more of their adventures in The Mystery of the Voyageur’s Rendezvous, available for Christmas, 2009.

Published by Arbutus Press you can purchase the book online though Amazon.com.

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!

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. With the exception of the opening and closing performances, there is no charge to experience the magic of Michigan Story Festival events and presentations.

The sharing of stories, from the great myths and legends of the world to the everyday stories of everyday people, allows us to view the human experience and the world in different ways. The Michigan Story Festival, developed as an initiative among Central Michigan University, the Mount Pleasant Community, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, will provide a venue for those stories.

The aim of the festival is to bring together those who have found their narrative voices and those who have not. The resulting creative dialogues will take the form of performances, exhibits, workshops, and lectures presented both by those experienced in sharing their stories and those who would like to learn.

Even the undead enjoy Michigan apple cider!

A Dubs (Alan) runs the blog Faded Detroit.

His sets include Detroit in Black & White, Faded Detroit: City wide and Tiger Stadium Demolition.

Dive into his Flickriver.

The annual Toast the Season wine trail tour is a great chance to experience the wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula. event 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 and a holiday gift bag featuring a unique holiday ornament and food & drink from the members of Sleeping Bear Gourmet, a group of local, fair trade and organic food producers.