Power: Lake Huron

Langell Boys, frozen in the ice on Saginaw Bay. A series of photos from otisourcat showing the efforts to free her from the ice. Ice has long been a power on the Great Lakes that has locked ships in their harbors (or worse) and even come after those on shore.

Silence: Lake Erie

Daryl's photo of the ice on Lake Erie and demonstrates how winter turns our vibrant lakes to beautiful deserts. See more in his winter slideshow. In addition to quieting the waves, ice can provide an opportunity for animals (and crazy people) to get across to places they wouldn't normally be able to. While this guy walked to Canada on purpose, these fishermen went on an impromptu ice ride.

Motion: Lake Michigan

Photographer/videographer Ken Scott assembled some timelapse clips of winter from the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The movement of the water creates some amazing formations like ice bergs, ice volcanoes and things that you can't quite name ... and you haven't really seen a lighthouse until you've seen what ice can do to a Great Lakes Light.

Breakup: Lake Superior

Jim Sisko, a photographer from the Absolute Michigan pool, does an amazing job of chronicling the ice on Lake Superior. After looking at these, it's a little surprising to see in this NOAA satellite image that the hold of winter is even starting to loosen on Lake Superior.

I hope that the fact you can see the Apostle Islands in that satellite photo is justification enough to send you over to check out the sights and sounds from Marlin Ledin's ride to the Apostle Islands across 150 miles of Lake Superior.

Lillgrund by axelivarsson

Early in February, Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center and the University of Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute received $1.34 million in state grants to explore the feasibility of offshore wind turbines on Lake Michigan.

Although this study is not yet even off the ground, Scandia Wind and Havgul Clean Energy have already jumped beyond feasibility to propose a massive offshore wind farm. Green Beat notes that Great Lakes wind farms are failing the NIMBY test. The Michigan Policy Network notes that in a rare display of timeliness, a pair of bills are attempting to address industrial wind power in the Great Lakes:

In Michigan, one of our most promising options for renewable energy is electricity generating wind turbines. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Michigan has the potential for 16,560 Megawatts of wind energy, making us the biggest stakeholder in wind energy east of the Mississippi River. Despite that fact, we lag far behind many other eastern states in actual installed capacity. Why is that? Wind energy will last as long as the earth's atmosphere is in place, emits no greenhouse gases, and the average wind turbine generates enough electricity to 'pay back' its energy cost of production and transportation in a few months. What's not to like?

Well, wind energy happens to be generated with turbines on top of very tall towers, with rotor diameters often measuring 100 meters across. These turbines stick out in a natural landscape like a sore thumb, and create considerable noise. They have also been proven to kill birds and bats which fly into the rapidly spinning rotors...

Policy makers are now scrambling to lay down guidelines for how this rapidly expanding industry will be regulated. Senate bill 1067 compels the Michigan public service commission to create rules and procedures for the permitting, site selection, and fee regulation of offshore wind farms. A key piece of this legislation is ‘the preservation of the public trust in lands and waters of the Great Lakes', which means that the needs and wants of wind energy developers must not infringe on the needs and wants of the rest of the Lake's stakeholders. That includes the tourism industry and the cottage owners who bought their property with an unobstructed view of Lake Michigan in mind. House bill 5761 amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to provide for a public notice and comment/review process before any aspect of wind farm infrastructure can be developed. In this way, the public has a venue in which to voice their concerns with any proposed wind farm development.

mLive has a lot more about the controversy and legislation. Check it out and let us know what you think about this in the comments. One thing is certain: We'll be hearing a whole lot about wind power in the Great Lakes in 2010.

The photos above are from the Lillgrund Wind Farm, the third largest wind farm in the world which generates .33 Terawatts per year. Have a look at axelivarsson's slideshow, and consider that the wind farm proposed one off Ludington would be almost 5 times that size.

Lake Freighter ducking into Suttons Bay by jsorbieus

The AP's John Flesher takes a look at a five-year blueprint for rescuing the Great Lakes announced by the Obama Administration on Sunday:

The plan envisions spending more than $2.2 billion for long-awaited repairs after a century of damage to the lakes, which hold 20 percent of the world's fresh water...

"We're committed to creating a new standard of care that will leave the Great Lakes better for the next generation," Jackson said in a statement.

Among the goals is a "zero tolerance policy" toward future invasions by foreign species, including the Asian carp, a huge, ravenous fish that has overrun portions of the Mississippi River system and is threatening to enter Lake Michigan.

Others include cleanup of the region's most heavily polluted sites, restoring wetlands and other crucial habitat, and improving water quality in shallow areas, where runoff from cities and farms has led to unsightly algae blooms and beach closings.

Read the rest of the story in the Traverse City Record-Eagle and get the details on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan from the EPA. You might also enjoy the Great Lakes slideshow from the photographers of the Absolute Michigan pool. For an idea of the challenges the Great Lakes are facing, I urge you to seek out the amazing film Waterlife by Kevin McMahon. Here's the trailer:

abigail burch (Abby Burch) says that she's always loved photography and loves taking pictures of things, places and people she finds interesting with her still relatively new Canon Rebel Xsi .

You can (and should) check this photo of the Muskegon beach out bigger and have a look at her sets including favorites, nature, city, artprize and cottage (slideshow).

Take a dip in her Flickriver.

From mysteriesofthegreatlakes.com:

The giant screen film, Mysteries of the Great Lakes, is as much a celebration of Earth’s greatest freshwater ecosystem as it is a rallying cry for protection. The story will take audiences on an inspiring voyage through these amazing inland seas. In the film, a few stops along the way highlight the stories of three key species - one each from water, air and land. The film also turns the camera on us, as humans - by touching on the human interface with the Lakes including the role of shipping to commerce, the use of the Great Lakes’ water by the millions of people who rely on it for life, and the general sense of well-being that people receive from simply being near these massive bodies of water.

The scenery and wildlife footage captured through the IMAX lens for Mysteries of the Great Lakes is spectacular, with some shots being unlike anything ever captured for this medium before. Filming took the production crews from beneath the waves of the Wolf River in Wisconsin - where thousands of lake sturgeon, the world’s largest freshwater fish, thrashed in the shallow rapids en route to their spawning grounds - into the skies to shoot aerial footage of all of the Great Lakes.

Thanks nasunto for the find! The film opens February 12, 2010 at Celebration! Cinema in Grand Rapids.

Daryl says that he took this photo in a marshy part of Lake Erie in Monroe County. You can see it and a few other shots on his map and check it out larger in his Colorful Skies slideshow.

His other sets include Barns and Outbuildings and Autumn.

Check out his Flickriver.

Conservationists and government biologists, stunned by new indications of the advance of Asian carp toward Lake Michigan, are trading ideas for poisoning Chicago-area rivers, conducting emergency electrofishing or chemically neutering the wily fish.

On Friday, sophisticated genetic testing near Chicago found evidence of the carp within 7 miles of Lake Michigan after apparently leaping an electrical barrier once called the last line of defense for the Great Lakes.

The prospect of the voracious, prolific Asian carp reaching the Great Lakes -- a fragile ecosystem reeling from other invasive species -- has been the greatest fear of the lakes coalition.

Tests for Asian carp DNA have been conducted since August. The findings, available only in recent days, indicate that the pernicious plankton eaters are only one lock and dam away from the Great Lakes, said Army Corps of Engineers Maj. Gen. John W. Peabody, commander of the corps' Great Lakes and Ohio River Division.

NPR adds that Asian Carp in the Great Lakes would threaten the existence of the multi-billion dollar sports fishing business:

The carp grow to large sizes (50-110 lbs.) and quickly become some of the most abundant fish captured from an area, possibly out competing native species for food or habitat resources. They have become so abundant in the Missouri River that there have been reports of commercial fishermen abandoning fishing sites due to the large catch of Asian carp.

Learn more about the Asian Carp from the US Fish & Wildlife Service and also see this video:

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.

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

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

Mackinac Bridge Walk by carolynne marie

Since1882 the first Monday of September has been recognized as a time to salute Americas workers with festivals, cookouts and parades on "a day off for the working man." With school starting after the Monday, September 7 holiday, the long Labor Day Weekend is an ideal time to squeeze in some last-minute summertime fun. An estimated 1.4 million Michiganians will travel during the 2009 Labor Day holiday, according to a recent AAA survey. Michigan, the Great Lake State, offers ample opportunities to celebrate the end of summer.

Labor Day via Wikipedia

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

Stuff to Do, Places to Go

August 28 - September 7
Michigan State Fair Detroit
The Nation's Oldest State Fair was officially first held in 1849, only twelve years after Michigan attained statehood. At the onset it was customary, in fact, for the fair to be held one year in one city, the next year in another, and there was always a hot contest to be the city selected. The Michigan State Fair settled down at the present fairgrounds in 1905. The 2009 Michigan State Fair will be held August 28th - September 7th.

Popular attractions include the FREE Concerts under the stars in the Band Shell, daily parades, competitions, horse shows, agricultural displays, arts & crafts, racing pigs, rabbits & poultry, dairy exhibits, carnival midway rides & games and the world's largest stove.

August 22 - October 4
Michigan Renaissance Festival Holly
Festival is held on weekends and Labor Day, rain or shine. "visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!"

September 3 - 7
Michigan Peach Festival Romeo
If you are looking for something fun for the whole family, there is no better place to be on Labor Day Weekend! Bring your family & friends to the Michigan Peach Festival in the beautiful Village of Romeo. There's something fun for everyone!

September 4 - 7
Hamtramck Labor Day Festival Hamtramck
Hamtramck Festival has more than 500,000 annual visitors, live music on two stages, carnival rides, Polish Day Parade, samplings of ethnic food, cultural dancers, children's activities, more.

September 4 - 7
Detroit International Jazz Fest Detroit
For 30 years, the Detroit International Jazz Festival (DJF) has attracted visitors and locals to an end-of-summer ritual on Labor Day Weekend that celebrates one of America’s most important art forms. The festival boasts five stages and 100 acts over four days in a city with a rich musical legacy. Sprawling over several city blocks in downtown Detroit – from Hart Plaza to Campus Martius – the festival also offers educational activities, giant puppets, fireworks, rare opportunities to meet the artists and much more. And it’s all FREE!

September 4 - 7
Arts, Beats & Eats Pontiac
Arts, Beats & Eats is excited to add to its name, mission and purpose in 2009. We are now Arts, Beats & Eats - Festival of Hope and we are excited to announce new changes and partners for the 2009 festival.

Arts, Beats & Eats will still feature The HealthPlus Art Fair, one of the top art shows in the US, incredible food, more than 125 bands on six stages, and dynamic and interactive fun for the kids.

September 4 - 6
Logging Fest Newaygo
The Logging Fest takes place over Labor Day Weekend. Newaygo was built around the logging industry, and we are celebrating our logging heritage. Highlights of the Logging Fest include the Chainsaw Sculpture Competition and Auction, Lumberjack's Competition and Fireman's Water Battle. The Arts & Crafts Show in Brooks Park is host to exhibitors from all over the country displaying their arts and crafts. The local merchants have sidewalk sales. The event also includes kids activities and games, and on Sunday a parade route goes through downtown Newaygo.

September 5 - 6
Marquette Area Blues Fest Marquette
The Marquette Area Blues Society has announced the headline performers for the 2009 Marquette Area Blues Fest. The festival, now in it's 6th year, will once again be held at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in downtown Marquette over Labor Day Weekend. The dates are Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2009. Featured performers on Saturday include Blue Bass entertainment recording artists Biscuit Miller & the Mix, VizzTone recording artist Gina Sicilia and Chikan Howse Records recording artist James "SUPER CHIKAN" Johnson.

On Sunday, the featured performers are Michigan's very own "The King of the Party Blues" Maurice Davis, Shanachie Entertainment recording artist Curtis Salgado and Blind Pig recording artists Smokin' Joe Kubek and B'nois King. Also on the bill for the weekend will be the finest in local and regional blues performers. The music will begin both days at 1-pm with gates opening at noon. Be sure to take in the food and merchandise vendors as well as the workshops offered during the weekend to make it a complete blues experience!

September 7
Labor Day Bridge Walk Mackinaw City
The Labor Day Bridge walk, recognized as "the world's greatest walking event", brings over 70,000 people to the area. Buses are available for transportation to the north end of the bridge. Participants walk from the north side to the south. At the finish line you are awarded a certificate of completion.

More Labor Day Getaway Resources

Stretch Your Labor Day Holiday with Michigan Fairs and Festivals from PureMichigan.org

Labor Day Getaways from the West Michigan Tourist Association

MDOT Halts Most Work for the Labor Day Weekend from MDOT (54 work zones will be active so check it out to plan your route)

Michigan's Upper Peninsula Calendar of Events - All the happenings are listed here

Thinking of doing some camping then check out this cool 'Campground Search' from the DNR

If you are not hitting the road then take a virtual Labor Day tour of Michigan courtesy of our Absolute Michigan Flickr pool

"We've extended our efforts to stay connected with travelers. Social media allows us to get the Pure Michigan message out to potential visitors on other platforms," commented George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "It opens another line of communication with travelers."

In addition to the most popular state tourism Web site, michigan.org, visitors now have other means to stay up-to-date on Michigan tourism deals, discounts and events.

Connect and get the inside scoop on where the fish are biting, what greens are running fast and how you can make your visit Pure Michigan at the newly launched blog, Pure Michigan Connect. Read about bloggers' experiences along the nation's longest fresh water coastline or experience at a small town celebration. Take a minute to comment on the blog posts, or submit one of your own.

Follow @PureMichigan on Twitter for the latest events and breaking news, along with some fun behind-the-scenes information on all the things going on with Michigan tourism. Search hashtags #puremichigan, #MIevents, #MIdine, #MIgolf, #MIfish, and #MIwine, for all the latest.

Join the Pure Michigan Fan Page on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all the latest events in Michigan and talk to others with the same love for Michigan. The fan page is another great resource for planning a trip.

In addition, visitors can now enjoy all the photos from the Pure Michigan Photo Contest on Flickr, or watch all of the Pure Michigan commercials on YouTube.

Michigan.org continues to be a source for Michigan travel information, featuring more than 12,000 attractions, events, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses.

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services.

michiganartisan (Robert deJonge) says that he thrives in both the digital and natural worlds, creating images with camera and computer.

Some of his tags are sleeping bear dunes, Petoskey and Michigan (slideshow).

Dive into his Flickriver and see and purchase his work at Robert DeJonge Images.

Welcome to a very special Photo Friday on Absolute Michigan, the 75,000th photo in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!! I can't tell you how amazingly cool it is that so many people have graciously allowed us to use their photos to help tell the stories of Michigan. Thank you, all of you.

[ JARED ] (Jared Fossum) says that photography is a passion of his and he posts photos of anything that he thought was interesting or for a moment made him stop, look, and think about it.

His sets include Fake TTV & Canon S3 IS (slideshow) and while he hails from Minnesota (wherever that is) he has a few more photos from the Upper Peninsula.

Check out his Flickriver.

tbug2 (Tenille) says she's just a girl on the loose with a camera.

Be sure to check this photo from Silver Lake near Traverse City out bigger (a great background for sure!)and her sets including Flora, Fauna, Structures and Landscapes (slideshow).

Check out her Flickriver.

Sets from kmay include home (glen arbor) and naturescape (slideshow).

Check out their Flickriver.

Au Sable River by lorainedicerbo

Absolute Michigan contributor Scott Allman took a trip to the Au Sable and has produced an interesting piece on reintroducing Michigan white cedar trees along the banks of the Au Sable river.

From the website Cedars for the Au Sable we learn:

The northern white-cedars along the river’s banks provide needed shade to maintain the cold water fishery of the Au Sable river. The presence of the cedar sweepers at the water line provides protection for the fish, increases the amount of large woody debris in the water, as well as the preservation of the riverbank by locking in the soil.

Furthermore the Anglers of the Au Sable website tells us:

In 2003 the Anglers signed a stewardship agreement with Howard Johnson of the Bay City Club. The agreement called for 250 trees over a five year period including their annual maintenance and subsequent replantings along the South Branch in the Mason Tract. Several dedicated members have volunteered their time and talent building cages, clearing ground, planting seedlings or watering growing trees. The cages are built on Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend while the seedlings are planted during the annual river cleanup held the following Saturday.

Wikipedia informs us that:

The Au Sable River in Michigan runs approximately 129 miles (208 km) through the northern Lower Peninsula, through the towns of Grayling and Mio, and enters Lake Huron at Oscoda. It is considered one of the best brown trout fisheries east of the Rockies and has been designated a blue ribbon trout stream by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. In French, au sable literally means "with sand." A 1795 map calls it the Beauais River.

There is plenty more at Wikipedia about the Au Sable...

SashaW (Sasha Wolff) says she's an ordinary girl who loves being behind and in front of the camera. She has a cool blog with thoughts about social media called Social Sasha.

Be sure and check this out bigger. Her sets include Project 365, Summer & Fall 2008, and Explore (slideshow)

Here's Sasha's Flickriver.

You might also want to hear what the Talking Heads have to say about Heaven.

After tallying the votes from an enormous number of submissions we have identified our winner. Drum roll please......

"I moved from Michigan to Florida this January for work. People said "Florida in the winter....wow, you're lucky" and "you got a job in this economy, man, you're lucky". Well let me tell you something my Michigan friends....you can take a man out of Flint, but you'll never take the Flintstone out of the Man. Give me one excuse to leave this this oceanside resort for a reunion with the best people in the world, my Michigander soul people, and I won't be taking Interstate 75 south again. This Michigan Man is ready to find a way to join all the spirited people celebrating our nations birth with some Great Times in the Great Lakes.....and I thank you absolutemichigan.com for bringing me home!!! Say Yeah to Rothbury, the best music line up of the year....Say Yes to Me in M!ch!gan!!!"

Stace S

Rothbury Snoop Dogg Crowd by Dave Vann

We are pleased to announce that just as we did last year we are having another Rothbury Ticket Giveaway thanks to the very generous festival organizers. This year we will be giving away a pair of 4 day GA Tickets camping included!

Tickets can still be purchased and just like last year's Rothbury Festival they are offering a variety of packages to suit all lifestyles. Unique to this year's festival are the 2 day Saturday & Sunday tickets.

About the Rothbury Music Festival

This year the Rothbury Music Festival takes place July 2-5, 2009 in Rothbury, Michigan (near Muskegon). Four days of music on six stages feature some of the biggest musical acts around including THE DEAD • BOB DYLAN AND HIS BAND • THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT • WILLIE NELSON & FAMILY • THE BLACK CROWES • DAMIAN 'JR. GONG' MARLEY & NAS • STS9 • G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE • GOV'T MULE • UMPHREY'S MCGEE • BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE • YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND • and about a jillion others!

The festival also will be showcasing "Circus & Theater", a feature that demonstrates the festival's commitment to the performing arts and theatrical culture.

All kinds of interesting Environments & Experiences where you can wander through the Sherwood Forest and stumble upon its many mysteries. Put your hands on some great new gadgets and games at the Festival’s Epicenter or wake up and get loose in a unique yoga journey.

The Rothbury Think Tank will be focused on finding energy independence and feature the innovators, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, celebs, and rabble rousers who – in this time of economic, energy and climate crisis – are offering a green path to a brighter future.

Rothbury in Video and Pictures

Checkout more Rothbury videos on their YouTube channel!

There is also this awesome slideshow from Rothbury 2008 via Flickr...

Shell Cluster by johndecember

2009 is the 50th anniversary of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and while linking ports on Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario to the world's shipping hubs increased trade in the Great Lakes region, it also opened the door to zebra mussels and a host of invasive species.

Journalist Jeff Alexander has a new book titled Pandora's Locks that explores this issue. The publisher's web site says:

Pandora's Locks is the story of politicians and engineers who, driven by hubris and handicapped by ignorance, demanded that the Seaway be built at any cost. It is the tragic tale of government agencies that could have prevented ocean freighters from laying waste to the Great Lakes ecosystems, but failed to act until it was too late. Blending science with compelling personal accounts, this book is the first comprehensive account of how inviting transoceanic freighters into North America's freshwater seas transformed these wondrous lakes.

There's a nice interview with Alexander from the Environment Report where he notes that while offloading cargo in Montreal would cost an extra $55 million per year, it's a fraction of the $200 million cost of invasive species, not to mention the unknown cost of ruining an ecosystem.

You can check out the list of invasive species in the Great Lakes from the EPA and get some information about the history of the St. Lawrence Seaway and events surrounding the 50th anniversary from the Seaway's web site.

Happy Memorial Day by lorainedicerbo

Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season in Michigan and the weather forecasts around the state look to be favorable. Businesses in sleepy towns are waking up, and community plans for festivals and ongoing summer fun are taking shape after weathering it through an extended winter.  

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the biggest travel holidays and this year will be no exception. With gas prices almost 40% lower than last year and MDOT halting road work for the holiday, travel is expected to be up this year. In fact according to AAA around 1.1 million travelers will be out on the road headed to and from their holiday destinations.  For many, this weekend is the first trip up north of the year and if you want to set up camp in one of our beautiful state parks there is still availability. Even if you are planning on sticking close to home for the holiday, we have found plenty of events happening all around Michigan.

Parades, Festivals, Reenactments and more!

Parades abound and if fudge is calling your name then head to Mackinaw City and honor our nation's Veterans at the biggest parade in Northern Michigan, the Mackinaw Memorial Parade. Held on Saturday, at 1:00pm this parade complete with floats, queen, and clowns is a family fun, must attend event. For events happening in your area please check with your local media outlets.

Step back in time and experience Civil War Remembrance at Greenfield Village in Dearborn. Become a part of living history as you travel through a microcosm of the American Civil War. Union and Confederate soldier re-enactors, civilians, musicians and historic presenters—all in period costume—are eager to immerse you in the life of this turbulent American era.

If your looking for something a little more cutting edge then check out Detroit's Electronic Music Festival or head to Marshall for the first weekend of their Renaissance Festival. You will find these events, other Memorial weekend events, and yet even more Michigan events happening throughout the year in the Absolute Michigan Calendar.

Since most of Michigan Memorial Day travel is done via the highways and byways why not check out a celebration of cars?  Northport hosts their 12th annual Cars in the Park on Saturday, with food, music, and prizes.  Manton combines their 14th annual Classic Car and Truck Show with a craft fair and in Frankenmuth visitors can enjoy a Ford classic car show featuring 125 vehicles, plus a gathering of hot air balloons.

Eat, Drink and be Grateful

For those who just want to kick back at home, support Michigan and grab your favorite bottle of Michigan wine, some fine Michigan made beer , stock up on the Faygo and fire up the grill. The Detroit News has a delicious looking recipe and basic grilling information in their article Grilled dishes add sizzle to Memorial Day weekend. For all you localvores we present Planked Great Lakes Whitefish with a Potato Chip and Parmesan Crust from Michigan-centric chef Eric Villegas. This recipe can easily be prepared on the grill and we recommend using Better Maid chips, Michigan cooking planks and any other ingredients the recipe calls for that you can purchase from Michigan based producers.

Another Villegas classic and a good Memorial Day twist would be to whip up Eric's Michigan White Shrimp & Smoked Whitefish "Gumbo" using Michigan white shrimp. Shrimp in Michigan? You better believe it! Russ Allen, after having transformed Belize and Ecuador from shrimp niche players to powerhouses returned to Michigan as a modern-day seafood equivalent of Johnny Appleseed and created an indoor shrimp farm in Okemos that is aiming to produce around 5 million pounds of shrimp per year.

Absolute Michigan Memorial Day Archives

Some articles worth revisiting on Absolute Michigan include one on poet Will Carleton's visit to Arlington Cemetery as well as Michigan's first Memorial Day from Michigan History Magazine. Also, do not miss the post about the Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Detroit from Michigan in Pictures.

Lest We Forget by scherbis

Last and Certainly not Least...

A visit to Wikipedia for insight to what this day truly stands for and why we all should take a moment, step back from our grills and give pause says it all. It is a lengthy page and we are posting just a blurb so we invite you to head over for further information.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each gravesite at National Cemeteries. Many Americans also use Memorial Day to honor other family members who have died.

Although pleasure boating and shipping have held steady over the years another form of once popular vacation travel is making a regal comeback - seeing the Great Lakes by passenger ship. According to the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition it was 1865 when it first became established upon the founding of the company Anchor Line. The industry carried on albeit with it's shares of ups and downs into the early 1970's.

Cruising…perhaps more accurately described as using the Great Lakes for transportation by indigenous North Americans, had been happening long before this. But in 1865 it took on a more formal aspect when Anchor Line, formerly Erie & Western Transportation co, was formed.

Their historical account of cruising the Great Lakes also takes note of Mark Twain's famous 1895 world tour.

Later that century, on July 17, 1895 Mark Twain traveling on his “At home around the world” tour, boards the S.S. Northland in Cleveland bound for Mackinac. Twain wrote “All that has been said of this fine ocean ship on the Great Lakes is not exaggerated. Across Lake Erie to the Detroit River, Lake St Clair and the St Clair River is a most charming trip”.

The Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries has a brief but interesting glimpse into the history of recreational travel on the Great Lakes.

In spite of the hard times during the Great Depression, some people vacationed by taking a cruise of the Great Lakes on the S.S. South American or on the S.S. North American. The whole trip took one week and covered 2,200 miles. The ships made stops, and passengers had a few hours to sightsee and shop at each of the ports.

One of the stops was Mackinac Island, which was called the "Bermuda of the North." Advertisements claimed that there were no mosquitoes or automobiles on the island and that people did not get hay fever.

You can see pictures and get information on passenger ships that once sailed the Great Lakes at the Marine Historical Society of Detroit website.

For more historical articles on cruising the Great Lakes check out this Google Timeline - 1800 - 2009.

The photo above is that of the City of Detroit III courtesy of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit.

This vessel was the most beautiful of all the ships in the D & C fleet. Her parlors, 21 in all, were exquisitely furnished and the 477 staterooms were fitted out with the latest equipment. For close to 40 years, this ship sailed between Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo.

The Present and Future of Cruising the Great Lakes

There is currently a renewed public interest and resurgence of businesses offer cruises around the lakes and the port cities are eagerly anticipating revenues from this age old form of tourism. There are currently 23 port city members seeking ways to market themselves to cruise companies through the Port Cities Collaborative (pdf).

The Detroit Free Press recently ran an article this potential boost to the economies around the Great Lakes. They also focus on the new docking terminal in Detroit that should be completed in 2010. In "Detroit could cash in on cruise industry" it is stated that:

This summer, three cruise ships will glide through Michigan waters and stop at ports in Wyandotte, Mackinac Island, Manistee, Holland and Houghton.

But within two years, downtown Detroit hopes to get in on the Michigan cruising action.

The photo above is of the extensively refurbished, redecorated and improved Clelia II which will sail between Toronto and Duluth, Minn., this summer, stopping at Mackinac Island and Houghton. To be launched in early 2009 the all-suite Clelia II will offer the finest in small-ship cruise travel. Public facilities include a restaurant that accommodates guests at a single, unassigned seating, two lounges, expansive library with Internet access, state-of-the-art gym/spa, beauty salon, boutique, Jacuzzi, hospital, and ample deck areas for relaxing and sunbathing.

A New Breed of Luxury Small Ship

2010 will see the launch of a new style of luxury small ship the Pearl Mist. The interior of the ship offers luxury accommodations with oversized staterooms, all with private balconies. Exquisite cuisine will be enjoyed in the spacious, glass lined dining salon and relaxing time can be spent in one of the many comfortable lounges. The ship is also designed with latest in cruising comfort featuring fully stabilized hulls, and the ability to reach each port of call more quickly so there will be more time to explore each destination.

Waves Of Fire by siskokid

Students For Sustainable Living, Students Against Sulfide Mining and other Northern Michigan University student organizations invite you to attend the Superior Water Festival in Marquette this weekend (April 3-5, 2009).

The latest in the ongoing Water Festival takes place on the campus of Northern Michigan University in beautiful Marquette on the shore of the world's largest freshwater body, Lake Superior. The weekend will feature regional water luminaries, local legends, world-class Michigan musicians, students from Northern and all over the state and people who care about water issues gathering for a weekend of music, food, community, panels, workshops, dances and celebration to honor & protect our water locally and address global challenges.

Friday's activities will include guided hikes throughout the day. Saturday will mark the start of on-campus festivities at 10:00 a.m. and will continue until 5:00 p.m., to be followed by an evening potluck, a film showing by Jeff Gibbs and a concert featuring Seth Bernard, Daisy May, Michael Beauchamp, Brandon Foote, Susan Fawcett, Frank Youngman, Hawks & Owls and Grassmonkey. Sunday's schedule will feature more activities and music.

Panels, workshops, films and presentations will cover topics including the spirituality & symbolism of water in different cultures & religions; food systems, ethics and their impact on our environment; Great Lakes/Lake Superior watershed discussions; case studies on the past, present and future of dams; Native American/First Nations unique perspective on and relationship with water; health and social justice issues pertaining to water; and the legacy of mining in the U.P. and its impact, among others.

There will be many family-oriented activities throughout the weekend including music by the Earthwork musicians, NMU students and Michigan performers, the Marshland kids' parade, story-telling, poetry readings, Native American dance and a community sing.

Please join our coalition to celebrate the water and culture of the Great Lakes Basin and the U.P. For more information, please email us at cyoungma@nmu.edu.

The event is free and open to the public and you can get more information by contacting Callie Youngman, from The Water Festival web site and also on Facebook.

Here's a little pickin' on Old Man at the Mill from Hawks & Owls:

Weird Wednesday already? Nope. Huge piles of ice were pushed by NE winds into homes along Linwood Beach (just north of Bay City), forcing evacuations and causing damage. Linwood Beach residents return to find ice piled around, inside and atop their homes from the Bay City Times begins:

"I was making a grocery list in the kitchen and the next thing you know, we had this," said Angie Hughes, nodding at the ice resting inside her kitchen.

"Once we saw the first two piles of ice coming over the seawall, we just ran," Steve Hughes said Monday, returning to assess the damage. "I just remember hearing the kitchen window explode and the kitchen table getting thrown back.

"It was just incredible to see. It's got to be about 50 tons of ice that came up here in less than a few minutes."

It has some great photos from this latest ice incursion from Saginaw Bay and also from a similar incident in 1946 when Lake Huron ice devastated homes along the bay.

Just found out that the 2009 DN Gold Cup iceboat races are being held on Torch Lake today! If you go to that link during the racing, you'll be able to watch them on the webcam I'm told!

The photo above of yesterday's opening ceremonies on Torch Lake is part of Gretchen Dorian's great DN World Championships 2009 set (slideshow). More of her amazing work on her web site!

***The contest is now over*** Even if you were not one of the winners we strongly encourage you to go check out the show and start thinking summer!

About the Grand Rapids Boat Show
More than 300 new power boats, pontoons, ski boats, deck boats, runabouts and other family-fun boats from 16 to 50 feet long are coming to DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Over 35 dealers will unveil the newest and best watercraft from more than 100 manufacturers at Michigan's longest running boat show, now in its 64th year. Also, many brokers, ships stores, marinas and other boating services will be at the show. Current boat owners will find a broad selection of accessories, including new advances in lifts, hoists and docks. It is one of the finest watersports expos in the country!

Enjoy this slideshow of the Grand Rapids Boat Show from years past courtesy of flickr.

Tim says that he's a resident of Northern Michigan who loves the area and all it has to offer. When he's not behind the camera, he's either working, writing, out on the water, on his bike or on a trail - or just relaxing and thinking of that next image.

This photo is part of his pictured rocks 2007 kayaking trip set (slideshow). Some of his other sets include ann arbor car show 2008, petoskey images and Kayaking Point Aux Barques.

Check out some of gorgeous winter photos from Tahquamenon Falls in his Flickriver.

The photo is Shall We? Let's Shall by photoshoparama and I think that about all I want to add is check out Michitwitter for all kinds of Michigan news nuggets.

AuSable river flood waters by sunrisepenny

Michigan is known as The Great Lakes State, but we could easily be called "The Water State". 10,000 lakes? Please. Michigan has over 11,000 lakes (15,000 if you count the little ones!). All that water - FRESH water - means that Michigan has a big responsibility.

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) is holding a fund-raiser and reception this Sunday (Nov 16) in Traverse City to launch a campaign to protect the public trust in the waters of the Great Lakes Basin. MCWC will be showing the film FLOW: For Love of Water (trailer below), an award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. On hand will be filmmaker Irena Salina along with former Governor Milliken, Terry Swier, Jim Olson and Dave Dempsey.

Another upcoming event focused around water is the latest Water Festival. It will be held December 12-14 in Traverse City and is a fusion of music and learning - learn about it in this Absolute Michigan video featuring May Erlewine!

Iron River Paddle by lexup

You may be thinking, what is the deal with Traverse City and water? I'm thinking that, and thinking that made me think about a childhood friend of mine, J. Carl Ganter and the amazing project he has build called Circle of Blue. Circle of blue is an international network of journalists, scientists and communications designers that is telling the story of the global freshwater crisis - a crisis that Michigan appears destined to play a central role in.

mLive points out a cool startup that could have a surprising impact:

The Mattawan-based Select A Flush this morning unveiled the device that allows users to easily retrofit a toilet. The company expects to sell 200,000 to 250,000 of the devices in the first year at a cost of $24.95 each, as opposed to $300 or more for a dual-flush toilet that adjusts water flow based on whether a full flush or partial rinse is needed.

...Select A Flush President David Bauer and his uncle, John Bauer, devised their device amid a growing global market for water conservation. The cite data showing a huge market potential, with 180 million to 300 million toilets in the U.S. alone that are candidates for their device.

While it's not anything that impact our earthly water needs, University of Michigan astronomer Ted Bergin has identified giant molecular clouds are light-years in size that eventually collapse to form stars and planets. Check out the podcast titled Space clouds contain enough water to fill oceans at Earth & Sky for a fascinating look at the formation of planets.