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!

The Only Animals Threatened with Fines by the State of Michigan

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

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

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

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

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

More Weird Wednesday from Absolute Michigan!

Cribbage Pegs by the photoshoparama

The American Cribbage Congress will be holding the Grand National 28 in Grand Rapids on September 25–27, 2009. In addition, the Grass Roots Tournament of Champions will be held on Friday, September 25. Entrants who want to play Grass Roots cribbage on Monday–Thursday nights will have plenty of opportunity, for Michigan boasts thirteen Grass Roots clubs.

All events will be held at the same location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, located near the airport on the southeast side of town (5700 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids MI 49546). A special cribbage rate is available for all GN players (make reservations by calling 800.227.6963).

The event received a nice writeup in the Grand Rapids Press on mlive.com titled - Cribbage tournament brings nation's best players to Grand Rapids in battle for cash

It’s the first time this Who’s Who battle of card sharks has visited the state. For cribbage groupies, it’s a chance to see De Lynn Colvert, of Missoula, Mont., who is billed as the greatest player in the cribbage universe.

Ace cribbage players are sticklers for the rules, but the state’s mightiest wooden board warrior said all is fair in friendly banter.

While game code is sacred and “timber haulers” are despicable, that doesn’t stop experts from serving up a tall tales and trash talk.

These human calculators “love to drink, play cards and tell lies,” said Jeff Shimp, 70, of Grand Haven, who holds the imposing title of Life Master One Star in cribbage circles.

The tournament is expected to draw about 350 cribbage players from across the country. They will battle for bragging rights and a top prize of about $1,500, depending on the event’s take. Other tournaments, including more than a dozen satellite tournaments, kicked off Friday at the hotel.

mlive.com also has another feature with Muskegon cribbage board collector Dan Betz who 450 boards many of which were crafted by the Drueke Co., founded in Grand Rapids in 1914 and now is located in Ludington.

Holga: Riverside Park by Matt Callow

Wisconsin and Michigan are alike in many ways; they both border Lake Michigan, feature smallish but fierce mammals as mascots, and are shaped roughly like mittens. One more unfortunate similarity is that each harbors a stretch of river that has earned a reputation for repeated, unexplained drownings. Many of the victims in both states have been college students, leading to speculation about serial killers and supernatural causes.

Wisconsin's river of death is the Mississippi where it flows past La Crosse. Starting with the death of a doctor in the 1800s, the river has claimed frequent lives, many of them students at UW-La Crosse. The apparent cause is always simple drowning, and the most recent occurred in late September 2007. Strangely, it was three days after a man and his son reported that a man-sized, bat-winged creature almost flew into the windshield of their truck. A similar creature, Mothman, was sighted around Point Pleasant, Virginia in the 60s before a local bridge collapsed and killed many, leading some to surmise that these winged things are harbingers of death. (See Strange Wisconsin, More Badger State Weirdness)

Michigan's similarly dangerous waters flow in the Huron River near Peninsular Park, in an area where a large old paper mill once commanded the river's power. According to writer James Mann in the Ann Arbor News, drownings were a yearly occurrence there throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and many victims were students at the present Eastern Michigan University. It got to the point where the school would not permit its enrollees to dip even a toe into the Huron's chill waters.

The river then turned its siren-like attention to other citizens who were still foolhardy enough to dive in. One man whose identity was never discovered was found in late September, 1930. The red-haired man, thought to be a vagrant, had tattoos on his arm -- a lovely lady's face and an ornament in the shape of a shield -- but no one ever stepped forward to claim him.

Michiganders and Wisconsinites alike can only hope the Huron and Mississippi have had their fill of human bodies. Weird Michigan's advice? Always use the buddy system, and watch out for strange flying things overhead.

A list of performers is listed on the Show Attractions page. Unfortunately, the schedule is not solidified until the morning of the air show to allow for security, safety, weather or operational concerns.

For a historical perspective and Michigan's role in it check out A Story of Airpower from World War I to the 21st Century by By Philip Handleman Historian, Selfridge Base Community Council.

Wikipedia has a slew of great info on the Selfridge Air National Guard Base

The Detroit News has a preview piece about the air show titled Tech will be really high at Selfridge air show (click to read the entire piece)

A jet just like the one Karns used Wednesday and more than 100 other types of aircraft, including the KC-135 refueling jet, the A-10 Warthog attack jet and F-16 fighter jet, will either fly over Selfridge or be on display during the air show.

In addition, the U.S. Air Force precision flight team, the Thunderbirds, will demonstrate more than 40 aerial maneuvers.

A major theme for the 2009 show is technology, said Lt. Anthony Lesterson, a spokesman for the 127th Wing.

To that end, the latest in military equipment will be on display along with an exhibit from NASA, he said.

The 127th Wing and the show's organizers are expecting as many as 200,000 spectators.

As always, the festival site will have a Disc Golf Course Designed by Stephanai Myers of Disc Golf Michigan. The festival site is also strategically located near various mountain biking trails and the Pine River, a National Wild and Scenic River, a world class blue-ribbon trout stream, and a renowned paddle sports playground. Kestelwoods restaurant, party store and campground is a convenient 6 minute walk from the festival grounds.

New to the Festival
New this year will be the addition of a beer tent, featuring some of the finest handcrafted brews from the great beer state, served up in a micro beer festival format. We're proud to announce our all new Farmers Market full of local produce and specialty baked goods.

Vendor Village
In Hoxeyville we understand the vendor village is the nucleus of any good festival. We always strive to feature the finest artisan, craft and food vendors from our region, with a focus on specialty foods with locally grown and organic ingredients.

Just some of the artists include:
Buddy Guy, Galactic, Bill Frisell Trio, The New Orleans All-Stars, Melvin Seals & JGB, Greensky Bluegrass, Great American Taxi, Ekoostic Hookah, Seth Bernard & May Erlewine, Steppin' In It, The Macpodz and many, many more....

Location
Located in Beautiful Northwest Lower Michigan in the Heart of the Manistee National Forest, The Festival Grounds are located just west of The Kestelwoods Store and Campground off M-37 in Wexford County (1 1/2 hrs N of Grand Rapids, 40 Min. S of Traverse City) This year the site has been expanded to 75 acres and features ample areas for shaded walk-in and car camping, and open and level fields for RVs and Campers. This year we have a new Venue area that will be home to the The Main stage, Vendor Village and a Beer Tent featuring some of the finest brews from the region.

In 1954, five-year old Tom Friggens was awed by the dinosaurs at Domke’s Prehistoric Zoo in Ossineke, Michigan. In 1987, the adult Friggens took his sons there. (The photo below, dating from 1987, depicts the latter experience. The photo to the right depicts young Tom Friggens in 1954.)

Currently, quite a few people are reliving childhood vacations—or getting a taste of places their parents visited—at Michigan’s Roadside Attractions, a special exhibit at the Michigan Historical Museum. Featuring more than fifty attractions created to lure travelers off the road, the exhibition includes advertising, artifacts and souvenirs from destinations across the state. American Road Magazine sponsored the exhibit in cooperation with Friends of Michigan History.

It turns out that roadside attractions, derided by some as “tourist traps,” have quite a history. Michiganians began thinking about attracting auto tourists almost as soon as they began making cars. In the 1920s and 1930s, many attractions aimed to make nature more accessible to the residents of Michigan’s growing cities. Castle Rock in St. Ignace and no less than four towers in the Irish Hills offered new vistas. Special rides showed off Tahquamenon Falls, Silver Lake’s sand dunes and the Soo locks.

Car travel boomed in the post-World War II period. Paul Bunyan and other giant figures appeared along the roadways. Nature, in the form of animal attractions, remained popular at Spikehorn’s Bear Den (Harrison), Call of the Wild (Gaylord) and deer parks in Coloma, Pinconning and St. Ignace. Lund’s Scenic Garden and the Cross in the Woods presented religious experiences in vacation settings. Regional foods like cherries, pasties and cheese added memorable smells and tastes to many Michigan vacations.

There was excitement along Michigan highways, too: concrete dinosaurs at Domke’s or the Prehistoric Forest in the Irish Hills and the Haunted Fort in Mackinaw City. Suspension of the laws of nature at places like Mystery Hill (Onsted), Mystery Ridge (West Tawas) or the Mystery Spot (St. Ignace) intrigued curious travelers.

Michigan’s Roadside Attractions features these sites and more! Come see the exhibit at the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing. Admission is free.

For more on this, head over to Weird Wednesday: Domke's Dinosaur Gardens & Michigan's roadside architecture on Absolute Michigan and the web site for Dinosaur Gardens Prehistoric Zoo.

Pics 126, photo by m7k7k7.

The annual Michigan Challenge Balloonfest takes place this weekend - June 26-28, 2009. It's the state championship of hot-air ballooning and in addition to a sky full of balloons, offerings include three entertainment venues, a carnival, classic car show, medieval village and skydiving shows. 2009 is the 25th anniversary:

"Twenty-five years ago, the Michigan Challenge started with a whimper and a little burner noise," said Competition Director Dick Rudlaff. "There were only a couple handfuls of balloons that first year, all good friends who flew together often. But we managed to elbow our way into the Howell community with the help of the chamber of commerce and all their volunteers who make this a true community event to be proud of."

Of course, the highlight of the Michigan Challenge weekend is the five scheduled balloon launches Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 6 and 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday mornings between 6 and 8 a.m. Site host is Howell Public Schools.

Here's more of m7k7k7's Howell Balloonfest photos (slideshow). For more, check out the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest slideshow on Flickr and also this set and this one.

Here's a cool time lapse video:

Michiganders on the eastern side of the state may think they are safe from the stealthy predations of the Michigan Dog Man. But an Ann Arbor man wrote to say he has had encounters with an upright, unknown creature for the past 12 years in this vicinity. Most of the sightings have occurred on his family's property which backs up to a marshy woods, very typical terrain for this critter.

The 26-year old says although he or his friends have never been hurt, he feels they are being watched or "played with." One of the most startling incident occurred when a visting friend saw something with a head like a German shepherd or wolf that stood six feet tall as it peered into a window on the writer's property. The window happened to be on an entry to a pole barn, and the creature was "leaning down" to have a good look inside, as if checking for livestock.

Moving northward, a woman from Bay City had several experiences growing up near Essexville. She first experienced a phantom wolf with glowing yellow eyes in a corner of her bedroom at the age of 13, and began to feel "something" was after her whenever she went outside. Three years later, in 1998, she had just gotten her driver's license and was driving herself home one night at dusk past an area of cornfields and irrigation ditches when she noticed something running alongside her car, its back even with the bottom of the drivers side window on her GMC Jimmy . She was going 30 miles an hour, and so was the creature which was larger than a deer and covered in dark, shaggy fur. Suddenly, it bumped the truck and actually pushed it a foot to the right. She stepped on the gas and sped home, raced into the house and locked all the doors. The next day she found a large indentation where the creature had rammed her truck.

I've received many other reports of this type of creature chasing or running alongside cars, both upright and on all fours, so -- scarily -- her experience isn't all that unusual. And the reports continue weekly from all over Michigan, Wisconsin, the US and the world.

Something is out there. And it's not your father's werewolf!

(EXCERPTED from the forthcoming Dog Men! - Encounters with Dog Men, Man Wolves, and Other Strange Bipedal Creatures by Linda S. Godfrey. Artwork © Linda S. Godfrey

Watch for Linda Godfrey and more about unknown, upright canids on Fox News Sean Hannity show on July 2 or 10 on the feature segment, "Conspiracy Month."

Edward Vielmetti tipped us off to the Miner's Revenge bicycle race in Greenland (Michigan) which takes place July 11 & 12. He writes:

Here's a novel reuse of an old copper mine - the Miner's Revenge bicycle race is using a 1/3 mile long section of the mine no longer in active use as a part of the race course. Bring your own lights - it's dark in there.

The race is July 11-12, 2009, with free on-site camping for racers and a bonfire the night before. Greenland is near Ontonagon; the mine is owned by the Adventure Mining Company which also does walking tours as well as other more extreme mining adventures that involve rappelling down a mine shaft.

You can learn more about the Adventure Copper Mine and get details on the Miner's Revenge bike race.

So we present to you:

Be A Tourist In Your Own Town brought to you by the fine folks at the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. Consider organizing one in your area!

About Be A Tourist In Your Own Town

Fifteen years ago, the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau created this event to increase community awareness of it's attractions and the tourism industry's impact on the area. So once again the doors are open for you to explore culture and creativity in mid-Michigan.

As Lansing celebrates its 150th anniversary, take this opportunity to enjoy attractions that highlight both Lansing’s unique history as well as its innovative and progressive future. This year they have included old favorites such as Impression 5 Science Center, Potter Park Zoo and the Michigan Historical Museum, and added new hot spots like the FRAG Center, MSU’s Breslin Center, WKAR Studios and taste the new “Capital City Sundae” ice cream flavor at the MSU Dairy Store. You can view a complete list of the participating places to go and things right here.

How it Works:

For only $1 you can purchase a “passport” which allows you FREE admission to more than 60 area attractions, local businesses, and special activities on May 30, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. **Ages 3 and under do not require a passport. Get from place to place with CATA. For only 50 cents you will receive a stamp which will allow you to ride the Be A Tourist routes for the rest of the day for no extra charge.

Check out a slideshow of the Lansing area from the Absolute Michigan Flickr pool!

Michigan must seem a lovely place to UFOs, since they so often are sighted cruising the Wolverine State's night skies. The sightings hearken back to the strange "airships" flap of 1897 when vehicles that looked like lighted dirigibles (and may have been exactly that!) were reported over Galesburg, Holland, Bay City, Saginaw, Port Huron, Muskego, South Haven and other cities. One landed near Howard and treated locals to the sight of a naked giant. (See the full report in "Strange Michigan: More Wolverine Weirdness.")

More recently, Michigan skies seem almost clogged with otherworldly visitors. A recent issue of the online newsletter "Filer's Files" by George Filer (majorstar@verizon.net), issue 21-2009 profiled four Michigan sightings reported to him and to MUFON (MUFON Michigan)

On May 17, 2009, in Rogers City, a man and woman spotted a very bright round light heading east, and then saw what they thought was an F-16 jet chasing it. The man considers Rogers City a "UFO hot spot."

On May 5, 2009, a Melvindale man first spotted a white sphere heading east about ten pm, and then about twelve minutes later, another ball-shaped object moving toward the first one. In another twelve minutes, one of the lights returned

On May 10, 2009, a Waterford observer witnessed a strange sight directly over his neighbor's home, about 20 feet from him. He described the phenomenon as three spheres of white light hovering 30 feet over the house and slowly circling one another in varying patterns. The sight finally made the witness so uneasy that he (or she) felt compelled to stop watching.

Another person reported a sighting from last fall (2008) near Flint. Two people saw a bright, oddly shaped object which seemed to "flip" over as they watched.

Many other sightings, including the Dearborn man who saw 15 men dressed like elves standing near a landed craft with colored lights, and the Detroit UFO flap, can be found in both "Weird Michigan" and "Strange Michigan."

It's hard to say why Michigan seems so attractive to alleged aliens. Perhaps it's all the water. Or the Vernor's and pasties. Whatever their reason for buzzing the state, it's widely rumored that the zippy, self-reversing actions of their spacecrafts were the inspiration for another Wolverine phenomenon ... the famed Michigan Left Turn!

More Michigan UFO fun at absolutemichigan.com/ufo.

morel mushroom by Latitude 45

The Boyne City National Morel Mushroom Festival takes place May 14-17, 2009. This year is the 49th annual*, and the 4 day celebration of the morel mushroom includes a morel seminar and guided mushroom hunt on Friday and of course the Boyne Valley Lions National Mushroom Hunt on on Saturday (be sure to display your finds on the Mushroom Pole too!). In addition to the Taste of Morel event where you get to try all manner of morel dishes, there is a seminar on foraging & cooking with wild food guru John Sheets and another on hunting with local expert Tony Williams, concerts with Michigan Blues legend Larry McCray and others, there's a carnival, euchre & poker tournaments, zany car race and plenty of fun for kids.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the "Morel Taste of Boyne" featuring a Chef's Challenge along with the area's finest restaurants in the big tent on Saturday afternoon serving different morel dishes and also presenting morel cooking demonstrations. This is the largest morel cooking (and eating) event in the world!

You can grab your sweetie and get warmed up with The Mushroomers Waltz and if you're hungry,Lake Magazine has a recipe for morel & hazelnut soup that looks very simple but very tasty! Chef Eric Villegas of the TV show Fork in the Road offers a recipe for midwestern risotto of carnaroli and minnesota wild rice, morel mushrooms and white truffle oil that looks more complex but every bit as tasty.

MichiganMorels.com reminds you that you can eat any mushroom ... once. They offer tips to help keep you safe, but the biggest tip is to hunt with someone who knows what they're doing! Speaking of hunting, here's a video interview of morel expert Tom Nauman that gives you a couple useful tips for morel hunting.

If you can't attend the Mushroom Festival and can't get to any morel-filled woods, you can still get morels (and leeks and other tasty treasures) courtesy of Michigan-based Earthy Delights.

Visitors will want to visit the Boyne City Chamber of Commerce and/or try Absolute Michigan keyword "Boyne" for lodging and other information. I thought it was pretty funny that the best article online about the Boyne City Mushroom Festival is from a Pittsburgh, PA newspaper. It's from May of 2003 but has great background on the festival with a focus on the National Mushroom Hunting Championship. Check out Boyne City mushroom championship has no lack of morels.

* Next year the 50th annual takes place May 13 - 16, 2010 - they are seeking recipes for a commemorative cookbook, so send them if you have them!

Where's Waldo? by murn

On her blog Relish, photographer Myra Klarman has posted Marching toward FestiFools 2009, a great collection of photographs from snooping around the studio over the last several weeks to document the massive “behind-the-scenes” effort that goes into creating the 1-hour spectacle that is the annual FestiFools.

FestiFools 2009 takes place in Ann Arbor this Sunday (April 5) at 4 PM sharp in downtown Ann Arbor (Main St., between Washington and William). You can get all the details at festifools.org and even volunteer to help if you want.

Here's a great slideshow of FestiFools photos from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

The last Wednesday of every month is a "Weird Wednesday" on Absolute Michigan.

According to maritime historian Wes Oleszewski - via Haunted Great Lakes where you can read about their investigations and perhaps a second ghost at "Wobble Shanks" - the ghost story belonging to Waugoshance is always the first told by lighthouse enthusiasts and historians. The tale below is patched together from their excellent web site and also from the Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society.

In the 1800s, Waugoshaunce was kept by John Herman, a lighthouse keeper well known both for his penchant for practical jokes and for his heavy drinking on the job. Legend has it that one night while drunk, he locked his assistant in the lantern room as a practical joke. When his assistant finally gained his freedom, he searched high and low, but Herman was nowhere to be found and never seen again.

Future lightkeepers who knew the history refused the assignment. Those that did not, however, experienced such pranks as having their chairs kicked out from underneath them when they fell asleep and even having coal shoveled into the boiler with no one around.

Eventually the story, the loneliness of the light and the opening of the larger and more powerful White Shoals light a few miles to the north, closed the light in 1912 and left the ghost alone at Waugoshance. Terry Pepper's Seeing the Light relates that the Waugoshance Light sat undisturbed by all but the forces of nature until the early 1940s when hotshot flyboys decided that the old lighthouse would make a perfect target for bombing practice during their military pilot training. Apparently a number of missiles hit their target, as a massive fire broke out on the structure, completely gutting the interior of the tower and keepers dwelling of anything combustible.

Again the light lay dormant until 1998 when Chris West formed Waugoshance Lighthouse Preservation Society. The society is working to raise funds to stabilize the lighthouse structure and they have applied for a US Coast Guard Property Lease in order to begin plans for the restoration of the lighthouse. Find out more at waugoshance.org.

Snow Plow by Seeking Michigan

As the wind howls through the state this morning, I thought it might be a good time to shovel out a few stories - you can see a photo a snowplow in Bessemer from the Archives of Michigan over on Michigan in Pictures this morning!

Last week mLive reported that the Saginaw County Road Commission became the first road agency in the state (and maybe the country) to use GPS to display where the plow trucks have gone. Road Commission Manager Brian J. Wendling acknowledged ''It's not a foolproof means of knowing what the road conditions are, but it will at least allow (motorists) the ability to see if a plow has been through the area." Check it out on the Saginaw County Road Commission web site. It's a little crude, but on days like today it's probably useful!

You might also be interested in this article about Michigan road salt and salt mining on Michigan in Pictures. For a look at what plowing was like in the days before modern plows (and when the plow operator had a taste for whiskey), check out Old Harry in the Northern Michigan Journal:

Fifty years ago in Leelanau, so the old timers tell it, the winters were much rougher than what we have today. Whether this is really so or merely the result of memories changing over the course of time is open to debate, but without the modern snow fighting equipment we have now-a-days, it's for sure that the winters back the must have at least seemed tougher.

Anyway, back then few people had their own snow plows, snow blowers were unheard of, and the primary weapon in the war against Old Man Winter was the shovel. Harry drove plow truck for the county in those days; a great big old Osh Kosh monster that roared and belched black smoke as it pushed the snow off the roads.

Seeking Michigan posted this 16mm demo film of the Armstead Snow Motors Company concept snow vehicle. It was filmed in 1924, and the concept is applied to a Fordson tractor and a Chevrolet automobile. The original film is part of the collections of the Archives of Michigan. In case you're interested in how this wild machine works, here's the text of the original patent.

Armstead Snow Motors from Seeking Michigan on Vimeo.

At the first Pine Mountain Tournament, Bob Roecker, riding for the Duluth Ski Club, shattered the American jumping record held by Alf Engen, of Salt Lake City, with a leap of 257 feet and the current U.S. record of 140 meters/459 feet is still held there.

Can you have a videogenic event like this in the age of YouTube and not have video? Of course not! The video is Pine Mountain Ski Jumps, February 16th 2008 - be sure to view in high quality by using the arrow at the bottom right of the video!

Here's a link to part two of the program. More about the Luge run at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex from Michigan in Pictures and also visit their web site.

I'm told that sculptor Jim Gavril of East Lansing deserves the credit for the chart! Click the photos to view them bigger!

@ +70 degrees

Texans turn on the heat and unpack the thermal underwear.
People in Michigan go swimming in the rivers.

@ +60 degrees

North Carolinians try to turn on the heat.
People in Michigan plant gardens.

@ +50 degrees

Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Michigan sunbathe.

@ +40 degrees

Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Michigan drive with the windows down.

@ +32 degrees

Distilled water freezes.
Lake Michigan water gets thicker.

@ +20 degrees

Floridians put on coats, thermal underwear, gloves and woolly hats.
People in Michigan throw on a flannel shirt.

@ +15 degrees

Philadelphia landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Michigan have the last cookout before it gets cold.

@ +10 degrees

People in Miami all die.
People in Michigan lick the flagpole.

@ 0 degrees

Californians fly away to Mexico.
People in Michigan get out their winter coats.

@ -10 degrees

Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Michigan are selling cookies door to door.

@ -25 degrees

Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic.
Michigan Boy Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.

@ -30 degrees

Mount St. Helen's freezes.
People in Michigan rent some videos.

@ -40 degrees

Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Spartans get frustrated because they can't thaw the keg.

@ -45 degrees

Microbial life no longer survives on dairy products.
Cows in Michigan complain about farmers with cold hands.

@ -60 degrees

ALL atomic motion stops (absolute zero in the Kelvin scale).
People in Michigan start saying, "Cold 'nuff for ya?"

@ -100 degrees

Hell freezes over.
The Detroit Lions win the Super Bowl!

Photo Links...

• Blindfold 2X by sterk1
• Muddy River I by Summerfrost Photography (Nick & Kourt)
• Future Garden by Heart Windows Art
• Dwarfed by the giant crane by StormchaserMike Photography
• Fly By by Jamie Brokus
• Fozen Odyssey ... Lake Michigan January 2007 color version by *ojoyous1*
• Brothers in Arms by docksidepress
• Not Gonna Grill No More by sunliner500
• N. State St. by william couch
• winter morning ritual by pizzo
• Zero degree windchill by StormchaserMike Photography
• Walk in the Woods by Rudy Malmquist
• No Better Artist than Mother Nature by Ed Roth
• Drunken Fools by Kristina_5
• Curious cows by buckshot.jones
• Jake Klein by Jesse Speelman
• Hell Froze Over!!! by Kathy~

There were many bad poets in the 19th Century, an era when people penned over-the-top verses as serious and popular entertainment. But according to the Literary Encyclopedia, America's most famous bad poet was Manton, Michigan's Julia A. Moore.

The wife of a farmer and the mother of ten, Moore published her first book of poetry in 1876, unaware that people were buying it mostly to laugh at her verses about tragic death and lost love. Even Mark Twain said her poetry always made him laugh. She was finally shamed out of her writing career, although every year the Flint Public Library remembers her with a bad poetry contest. And she will remain the champion of invented, mystifying words such as the strangely undecipherable, "Hithertoherebefore."

You can read the full story of Julia A. Moore and samples of her verse in "Strange Michigan: More Wolverine Weirdness" by Linda S. Godfrey and Lisa A. Shiel. Regarding the image, I can only say that someone got a little carried away. They are resting comfortably in a safe and cushiony room.

More about Julia Ann Moore (because we just couldn't leave well enough alone)

The Wikipedia entry for Julia Ann Moore relates that her first book of verse, The Sentimental Song Book was published in 1876 and it quickly went to a second printing and then was republished under the title The Sweet Singer of Michigan Salutes the Public. It sounds as if it was very consciously promoted as bad poetry and received extremely biting reviews ("Shakespeare, could he read it, would be glad that he was dead"). An excerpt from Grand Rapids suggests that they might have been somewhat justified:

Indian girls and boys were seen,
With their bow and quiver,
Riding in their light canoes
Up and down the river.
Their hearts were full of joy,
Happy voices singing
Made music with forest birds,
They kept the valley ringing.

While she was the butt of jokes for much of her career, Moore ended her last appearance at the Grand Rapids Opera House by telling the jeering crowd: "You have come here and paid twenty-five cents to see a fool; I receive seventy-five dollars, and see a whole houseful of fools."

Star Dream by Conlawprof

Our Michigan February Event Calendar seems to demonstrate that the more the weather tries to keep us bottled up, the more innovative ways Michiganians will find to tell the weather what they think about that!! Of course, there's still many, many more and we invite you to fill us in on other February events in the comments.

Notable February Dates from Michigan History Magazine

• February 13, 1855 The Michigan legislature protects escaped slaves. more>>
• February 24, 1863 Michigan supports the Emancipation Proclamation. more>>
• February 17, 1864 The First Michigan Colored Infantry is mustered into federal service. more>>
• February 21, 1905 The National Ski Association is organized in Ishpeming. more>>
• February 20, 1909 The Hudson Motor Car Company is organized. more>>
• February 2, 1936 Ty Cobb becomes one of the first players selected to enter the newly formed Baseball Hall of Fame. more>>
• February 8, 1985 The Stroh Brewery announces it is closing its Detroit plant. more>>

The Events
February 1 - 7
Winter Carnival - Houghton
Michigan Tech often registers more than 200 inches of snow in a season. Not content to let this abundant natural resource go to waste, students band together in an annual celebrtion of our beautiful, tough, exhilarating, and character-building climate. For complete event detail visit their website.

February 3 - 8
International 500 Snowmobile Race Sault - Sault Sainte Marie
2009 marks the 41st running of the International 500 Snowmobile Race and they invite YOU to join them for this outstanding event that is second to none! "All the thrills of NASCAR" All the excitement of I-500 Snowmobile Racing.

February 4
122nd Annual & Super Tour Ski Jumping Tournament - Ishpeming
The 122nd Annual & Super Tour Ski Jumping Tournament will take place on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 on Famous Suicide Hill. Junior jumping begins at 5:00 p.m. EST. The trial and competition rounds begin at 7:00 p.m. EST. Featuring jumpers from the U.S., Norway, Russia & Poland! There will be a bonfire with fireworks following the tournament. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate with children 15 and under get in FREE!

February 5 - 8
11th Annual Michigan International Auto Show - Grand Rapids
Nearly 40 car manufacturers from around the world will bring their finest traveling displays to the Michigan International Auto Show, where more than 300 new vehicles – including sedans, vans, SUVs, trucks, hybrids and sports cars – will be showcased with factory representatives on hand to answer questions.

February 5 - 8
North American Snow Festival - Cadillac
Opening ceremonies begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Fox Hill Event Center on February 5. Various events take place on Lake Cadillac on February 6, 7 & 8th.

February 6 - 8
Detroit's Winter Blast - Detroit
Detroit's Winter Blast features hip and cool winter events centered around Campus Martius Park and great city attractions throughout Detroit. Many signature winter activities are returning with free ice-skating in Campus Martius Park, Professional skating demonstrations, unique sculptures in the Ice Garden, the Meijer Kid’s Family Fun Zone and more. This year we are still working on expanding our mission to celebrate entertainment throughout Detroit.

February 6 - 8
59th Annual Perchville USA - Tawas
The 59th Annual Tawas Perchville Festival includes a Perchville queen, live entertainment, a Polar Bear Swim, a "Chilly" Cook-off, ice-fishing contest, the Perchville USA Parade, and many more fun winter events.

February 6 - 8
West Michigan Youth Wintersportsfest
Three days, 22 Sports competitions and 3,000 athletes. Open to any athletes 18 and under. This will be an awesome event with youth athletes from all over the state and Midwest! There will be 20 sporting events taking place in 3 days with 3,000 athletes in participation. There will be indoor and outdoor activities including events like bowling, target shooting, figure skating, and many more

February 7
White Pine Stampede - Mancelona
The White Pine Stampede is a major Nordic Ski race, part of the Michigan Cup series and the Midwest's premier Nordic event. The White Pine Stampede has a 50 Kilometer Event, a 20 Kilometer Event, and a 10 Kilometer Timed Tour.

February 7 & 8
Taste the Passion - Leelanau
Love is in the air as you celebrate the upcoming Valentine's Day at the "Taste the Passion" weekend February 7-8, 2009. This special weekend celebrates wine, chocolate and love in anticipation of Valentine's Day! The combination of winter's beauty in Leelanau with the special pleasures of life always makes for wonderful weekend.

February 13 - 15
Ice Carving Festival - Rochester Hills
World-class ice carving professionals will take up their laser sharp ice tools and chain saws when the Village of Rochester Hills hosts a weekend of ice sculpting, shopping and dining. Nearly 25 entertaining, and artistic ice sculptures will grace the streets and parks of the Village February 13, 14 and 15, 2009.

February 13 - 15
North American VASA - Traverse City
The VASA weekend festival of Races includes both a 27 and 50km special classic skiing race, a 12km Timed Class, and a 6km and 16km challenge. Junior VASA Races are also part of the weekend festival.

February 13 - 15
Pine Mountain Continental Cup Ski Jumping Tournament - Iron Mountain
Pine Mountain Slide is known throughout the world as one of the best jumping hills. The Kiwanis Ski Club hosts the best tournament in the United States. Year after year, they have the top foreign jumpers competing. All classes of records have been set on Pine Mountain, and the record of the U.S at 140 meters/459 feet is still held here. Annual attendance is over 20,000 spectators.

February 13 - 16
Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest - Traverse City
The Third Annual Cherry Capital Winter WonderFest is a three-day wintertime celebration chock-full of fun for all ages in the Cherry Capital of the World, President’s Day Weekend, February 13-16, 2009. Whether you enjoy outdoor activities with wintry frost nipping at your nose, or indoor activities that warm the body and soul, we have something sure to please you and your loved ones.

February 14 - 22
Detroit Boat Show - Detroit
The Detroit Boat Show is gearing up to celebrate 51 years of boating with its 2009 event. Boats of all types and sizes for fishing, cruising, wakeboarding, skiing, and other types of water fun will be on display for 9-days at Cobo Center.

February 14 - 15
Free Fishing Weekend
For many, the annual Free Fishing Weekend has become a tradition - a time to get together and have some fishing fun. While some may find time to reflect while fishing, there are no limits to variations on a great theme! All fishing license fees will be waived for two days. Residents and outstate visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes' waters for all species of fish. All fishing regulations will still apply.

February 20 - 22
U.P. Pond Hockey Championship - St. Ignace
The 2009 U.P. Pond Hockey Championship will be played on the Wild Ice of Moran Bay, Lake Huron, downtown St. Ignace, Michigan! We hope to have 104 teams competing for prizes!

February 20 - 22
UP 200, Midnight Run Sled-Dog Championships and The Jack Pine 30 - Marquette
Three UP sled dog races provide a variety of challenges for mushers. The UP 200 is actually 240 miles in length and is a qualifying race for the Iditarod. Over 15,000 visitors come to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) to see the U.P. 200! It is a favorite winter event for local residents and out of town guests. The U.P. 200 has a dedicated group of over 500 volunteers from the U.P. and the mid-west region that come together to stage this great event each year.

February 21
Frost Bite Winter Festival - Harrison
Event takes place on 5 groomed nine-hole courses, where novice and veteran golfers hit brightly colored tennis balls over the snow. Bring a partner and sign up for the two-person scramble. Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, men's and women's divisions.

February 23
The Outhouse 500 - Coopersville
Join in with the hilarious and wacky fun of the 5th Annual Outhouse 500 on Main Street in Historic Downtown Coopersville! Hosted by the Main Street Merchants Association. Teams parade, then race their uniquely decorated outhouses down Main Street! View footage from the 2007 Outhouse 500.

February 27
The Great Wine & Food Symposium
Escape the snow with an evening of indulgence at The Great Wine & Food Symposium, west Michigan’s premier wine tasting event. You'll enjoy gourmet food selections, as well as over 300 wines and beers from around the world. Sample these tastes as classical music drifts through the halls and the snowflakes drift outside.

February 28
Winter Beer Festival - Grand Rapids
Hundres of hand-crafted beers from microbreweries across the state will serve up samples at this 4th annual outdoor event. Tickets are $35 each in advance and will be available January 1 at www.michiganbrewersguild.org, at the Fifth-Third Ballpark box office and at participating Guild member breweries. If any tickets remain, they’ll be available at the gate the day of, for $40 each. Sponsored by the Michigan Brewers Guild.

February 28
Trenary Outhouse Classic - The Outhouse Races - Trenary
The Outhouse Classic is an annual race in Trenary where outhouses are built and raced down the main street. There are categories: speed, presentation, best use of theme, most humorous, best workmanship, and most miles traveled. Families come to the event to watch and to compete, there are two different age brackets making competitions fair. A few years ago nuns came to compete and built the Vati-Can. Make sure to head on up to Trenary for the annual Outhouse Classic. Read Absolute Michigan's Sports that ARE Silly: Outhouse Racing or watch Outhouse Classic Outhouse Race in Trenary, Michigan.

Dan #1 by radiospike photography

Tip Up Town USA has come to be the very description of winter fun and enjoyment for the whole family at Houghton Lake. Thousands of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and neighboring residents return each year to see this largest Winter Festival in Michigan, held annually the last two weekends in January. Whatever the weather, TUT will be fun, fun, fun all the way. There will be all the usual popular attractions - the carnival, parade, Polar Bear Dip, Family Fun Tent, Beverage Tent, crazy games and more! Plus, the Ice Fishing contests will be bigger and better than ever and we're adding Broomball this year!

For more than 20 years, TUT USA has been acclaimed among the top ten festivals in the nation. In 1963, the United States Chamber of Commerce acclaimed it the seventh largest winter activity in the month of January in the United States. Approximately 80,000 people turned out during the past festivals to enjoy the results of hundreds of hours work put in by individual volunteers and various community committees.

YouTube has a slew of videos showcasing the good times to be had at Tip Up Town USA such as this one from WildWeekendTV.com.

Byron Goggin and the Wild Weekend Adventure crew find insanity at its best! Strip down to your drawyers and jump into a hole cut in the ice. Can you asy "Scared Turtle".

How to get there....

View Larger Map

One consistently described feature of the Dog Man, an upright-walking canine many witnesses claim stalks the woods and roadsides of Michigan, is its size… usually six to seven feet tall on its hind legs. It stands to reason, then, that massive, wolfen creatures should be glimpsed or even bagged by hunters now and then. That is exactly what happened to a deer hunter named Eastman around noon on November 18, 1935, on the third day of deer hunting season. Eastman was hunting near Flint around Rhody Creek Trail, and despite good weather and a great layer of tracking snow, there were absolutely no deer to be seen.

Eastman soon found out why. He suddenly heard what sounded like “horses running,” and turned to see a massive timber wolf at a dead run. Eastman ended up shooting a wolf rather than a deer that day. He gutted it and dragged it into town to have it weighed and measured; it was 182 pounds even after gutting, and measured seven feet, 11 inches tall when measured hanging vertically. The creature stood 39 inches at the shoulder! It was considered such a magnificent specimen that the carcass was sent to the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh where it was mounted and displayed. The entire story of the great Flint Wolf was told in the Great Lakes Pilot, Vol. 3, No. 6, 2005. And Strange Michigan found a copy of it displayed in the North Star Tavern in Luther, the town known for Dog Man sightings and incidents. Click the image to the left to see the pic from the Pilot!

Excerpted by permission from Strange Michigan: More Michigan Weirdness, by Linda S. Godfrey and Lisa Shiel, 2008, Trails Books

The Timber Wolf in Michigan

The timber wolf (also known as the gray wolf or simply wolf) is the largest member of the Canidae family. Michigan DNR page on the Gray Wolf (canis lupus) says:

It is believed that wolves were once present in all 83 counties in the state of Michigan. A combination of European werewolf mythology, fairy tales, views that wolves were incompatible with civilization, and active predator control programs throughout the 20th century virtually eliminated the gray wolf from Michigan: by 1840, they could no longer be found in the southern portion of the Lower Peninsula; by around 1910 they had completely disappeared from the Lower Peninsula; and by 1960, when the state-paid bounty on wolves was repealed, they had nearly vanished from the Upper Peninsula.

...The comeback of the gray wolf in Michigan is a remarkable wildlife success story. Estimated at 20 animals in 1992, Michigan's gray wolf population has grown to 361 animals in 2004, and the 2004-2005 winter count is expected to be even higher. While state and federal endangered species laws have helped make this comeback a reality, the most important factor has been the willingness of Michigan's citizens to accept the gray wolf as part of our natural heritage. This continued public support for wolf recovery is critical as our wolf population continues to grow.

You can see some pictures & sounds of the gray wolf from Wikimedia including this pic of a wolf print and the uncropped version of the photo above.

Snowshoeing by nasunto

Billed as a blog about camping, hiking, nature and Michigan with occasional sarcasm and embellishment, Black Coffee At Sunrise was recently recognized at Backpacker Magazine in their Daily Dirt section online. We think the recognition is well deserved.

Blogger Nina describes her blog:

Despite the unstable times we are facing, there is a lot to love about Michigan. Those of us who enjoy the outdoors and are fortunate enough to live in the Great Lakes State have beautiful landscapes, fascinating natural history, and four wonderful seasons to enjoy. My blog, Black Coffee At Sunrise, is an attempt to acknowledge my experiences and show appreciation for my home state and the things I love about Michigan outdoors.

As dog lovers we also dig her blog 'Crooked Ear Chronicles'. Check out her blogs and then get on out and enjoy what the 'Great Lakes State' has to offer. No matter what time of year it is Michigan is a 'one stop funspot' for it's residents and visitors!

Star Trek - TOS Bridge Set by tkksummers

The Detroit Free Press reports that:

"Star Trek: The Exhibition" is to make its first Midwest stop at the Detroit Science Center beginning Feb. 14, the museum is to announce today. Tickets are to go on sale Friday, in time for people to buy as Christmas gifts for their favorite Trekkies.

"We are thrilled to be the first Midwest venue for the exhibit," said Todd Slisher, vice president of science programs at the museum. "I think it's one of the major blockbuster exhibitions traveling around the country."

You can learn more about the exhibition (with photos) from TrekMovie.com and though the Detroit Science Center web page on the Star Trek exhibit.

While you're checking out the strange and unusual, be sure to take a trip to the salt mines beneath Detroit via Michigan in Pictures!

Distant frontiers appear to have gotten closer in Washington as well, with the Detroit News reporting yesterday that Democrats in Congress and the White House have reached an agreement in principle on a bailout package. It's clear that the auto industry will have nothing like the free reign of the finance markets, however:

The changes to the plan hammered out Tuesday leave little wiggle room for the automakers, which will have to radically cut costs, restructure debt and negotiate new concessions with the United Auto Workers in a few short months to hold on to the loan money. Shareholders and others are also likely to have to make concessions.

OK, here's a little (low quality) video tour of the exhibition:

The Chick Inn Triptych by jnhkrawczyk

Brawn beats brains - Michigan's Headless Chicken

The small town of Fruita, Colorado, holds a yearly festival dedicated to a bird that defied the laws of biology by staying alive after being decapitated for a farmer's dinner. In 1945, 'Mike' the headless chicken lived for eighteen months with only a brain stem and one ear to guide him, and became the star of a national sideshow tour. But he wasn't the first headless chicken to survive the chopping block. Michigan's Sault St. Marie boasted a crowd-pleasing, black leghorn decades earlier, in 1903. The headless chicken of the 'Soo' didn't live as long as Mike, nor did she match Mike's dizzying heights of fame and glory (Mike even has his own web site - miketheheadlesschicken.org), but she caused plenty of amazement in her day.

The natural wonder was created by one of the cooks at the Belvidere Hotel, who removed the hen's noggin and tossed her body into a barrel to be prepared for that night's roast chicken special. But when the cook pulled the hen's body out to be plucked, she flew away and began strolling around the hotel's basement floor.

Too amused to end the hen's life again, the hotel employees began feeding her oatmeal gruel from a syringe and claimed that she seemed to enjoy her meals, although, as the Sault Ste. Marie Evening News noted, 'she has no brains and no tongue to taste it with.' Some of the Belvidere workers, in fact, made a small fortune by betting patrons a dollar that they had a live, headless chicken in the basement, then escorting their dupes to the basement to prove their claim and collect. The stalwart hen did make national newspaper headlines.

Unlike Colorado's Mike, however, the Soo's headless black leghorn was not awarded the dignity of a recorded name, and she lived only seventeen days before she finally succumbed. Rumor around town has it she was stuffed not with bread crumbs but a taxidermist's form, and was displayed at various places. No one seems to know where she ended up. But she was seen by hundreds during those seventeen amazing days, and is remembered now as a testimonial to life and its occasional ability to survive against all conceivable odds.

PumpkinHeads! by ShaneWyatt

We at Absolute Michigan hope that your candy is sweet, your costumes are cool and that you have a safe and fun evening tonight! Here's a few Halloween highlights:

• The Rowdy Ghosts of the Fenton Hotel - in our very first "Weird Wednesday" Linda S. Godfrey takes us on a tour of this 1856  hotel where some of the guests have yet to check out. If you like these, you can check out many more right here.
• The spookiest story I know is the Legend of the Nain Rouge, the red dwarf that some say still haunts Detroit.
• That said, I'm not going to be tempting the Ada Witch (cool video!) with any moonlight strolls by the Ada cemetery or touring Michigan's haunted lighthouses.
• There's some spooky things to do tonight that you can learn about in our Halloween edition of The Week and many haunted houses and attractions open tonight.
• Check out the Halloween slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr
• Share anything we missed in the comments and Happy Halloween to you all!
• Something we (nearly) missed was the World Record Devouring Grand Rapids Zombie Walk. The video is from Spout (where they have more pictures) and you can get the ghastly details from the Grand Rapids Press and see photos in the Grand Rapids Zombie Walk pool or in this Grand Rapids Zombie Walk search!

Just south of the Lake Erie port town of Monroe in Monroe County, the Plum Creek opens up to reveal an overgrown little island choked with weeds and boasting little else but a rusted-out school bus and the charred remains of an old mansion. Although many Native American artifacts have been found there that date back to the 12th Century, locals have known the place as Dog Lady Island at least since the 1960s. That's when Monroe teenagers discovered the 8-acre slip of land was an ideal, secluded place to party. Disconcertingly, they also learned that sometimes, a pair of deep-set eyes would be peering suspiciously at them from the bushes as they sat around their campfires. Once in a while they would get a glimpse of the old woman the eyes belonged to - disheveled, dressed in ancient, ragged clothing, and always accompanied by a small pack of snarling hounds. The unknown woman became The Dog Lady, and her legend grew as teens continued to encounter her.

She lived alone on the island in a tiny shack, they said, and had grown to have more in common with her dogs than she did with humans. Almost feral, she was, and had learned to go about on her hands and knees, tearing at the flesh of dead animals right along with her motley crew of mutts. Some teens swore she growled at them and licked her chops. Until she lost her tongue. Seems her one of her dogs chewed it right out of her mouth as they tussled over a morsel of raccoon. Evidently the lady had a phone, however, because a few insiders knew a secret number that when dialed, would be answered by her brutish grunts and growls.

Truth is, there really was a lone, elderly woman living on the isle that the first settlers called Fox Island. According to local newspaper files, the island was purchased in the late 1800s by a family named Kausler, who took over the large home that had been built by a previous owner as a summer retreat for a religious school for young women. They re-named the place Kausler Island, after themselves. Their son, George, was born there in 1905 and spent his boyhood playing on its marshy shores although the family had moved into Monroe. Sometime, probably in the 1930s according to one Monroe old-timer, a couple was hired to live in a small cottage and watch over the Kausler house. The couple, whose names are unknown, lived a fairly isolated existence, keeping to themselves.

The island changed hands several times, and over the years, new owners built some inexpensive housing units, and a few more people moved in. Someone else started a pig farm, and another, a garbage dump. Everything seemed to fail, however. Eventually even the villagers moved away, but caretaker couple stayed through it all although the mansion burned to the ground after a gas explosion in 1961. By the mid-60s, the husband had passed away and his now-elderly wife was the only one left on the island. The woman's only companions were her dogs, a wildish, flea-ridden lot.

According to the archivist at the Monroe Historical Society, there is no evidence that the lady actually went feral, however. The archivist attributed that legend to embroidered stories of drunken teenagers. Other rumors, such as one that insists the lady slept in a coffin left for her by members of the Iron Coffin motorcycle gang in the 70s, might have some kernel of truth to them, although it's doubtful any teens were actually caught, tortured and murdered by the gang as alleged in the Dog Lady lore. Most locals scoff, too, at the oft-repeated tale that she grew fangs and fur and began to resemble a werewolf. But a number of teens claimed to have seen her leap to the roofs of their cars and scratch at the windows with her claws, spittle flying from her curled lips.

A development group purchased the island in the late nineties and sought unsuccessfully to have its name - and hopefully its image - legally changed to Utopia. Although the place already was a utopia for teen alcohol and marijuana fests, their plan was to create an official party facility with concerts and other entertainment. Another doomed name was proposed, 'Croakie's Party Island'. A few concerts were held, but mainland neighbors objected to the loud noise, and the city finally denied the necessary zoning permits.

Wherever the Dog Lady finally went, her forbidding island is still there. The old timers still know it as Kausler's Island, but the younger set won't stop calling it Dog Lady Island. Weird Michigan was unable to find anyone who knew the true fate of the Dog Lady, whether she was ever buried in that coffin or just went to sleep in it one night and never woke up. The one thing known for sure is that the Dog Lady's legend has taken on a life of its own. Many have claimed to still feel her watchful presence on Dunbar Road, near the old island causeway. And the fact that eerie howling is sometimes heard coming from the direction of the desolate island when the moon is full doesn't help at all.

Zombie Walk Detroit by Wigwam Jones

If you happen to suddenly find yourself surrounded by hordes of flesh eating zombies don't be alarmed. October 26 is 'World Zombie Day' and around 50 cities including Ferndale and Ann Arbor will be participating in zombie walks. Why you may ask? First of all to have fun but better yet is to help those in need. Zombies as social activists? Thats right, the walks also serve as food drives with participants and spectators being encouraged to bring non-perishable food that will be donated. Food collected from the Ferndale walk will benefit the Ferndale Food Bank and Gleaners and food from the Ann Arbor walk will benefit Food Gatherers a local food bank. Can you feel the zombie love? The third goal to the event is to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest organized walk. Whatever, why not, go for it, def encourages participation...

To get more information on the Ferndale zombie walk visit Zombie Walk Detroit

To get more information on the Ann Arbor zombie walk visit Zombie Walk A2

Bat by reddeviltj

In Michigan bats - featuring the Iron Mountain Bat Mine, Edward Vielmetti introduces us to the Millie Mine, a critical hibernating and breeding location for up to 50,000 bats - one of the largest known concentrations of bats in the Midwest. He writes that the little brown bat is especially abundant throughout Michigan and is the most seen species. Bats are of course very beneficial due to their propensity for bug eating, but we can't blame folks for being a little wary. Click through to Edward's blog for more about bats and learn much more about bats including how to build a bat house from The Bat Zone at the Cranbrook Institute of Science.

On the last Wednesday of every month, Absolute Michigan has a "Weird Wednesday" - a celebration of the scary and the strange in Michigan. The woman who inspired us and who provides most of the content is Linda S. Godfrey, author of one of the best Michigan books ever: Weird Michigan. She's joined with Michigander Linda Shiel for a new book Strange Michigan: More Wolverine Weirdness - click that link for info on the book and upcoming signings!

High Ground by Ross Sandelius

Probably the scariest thing we have for you today is news that investor Kirk Kerkorian is starting to sell his $1 billion stake in Ford Motor Company. David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor observes "It's reaching a point where we'll have to decide if we’re willing to let the U.S. auto industry fail. It depends on the urgency that the government feels to save these companies." With a total employment of 200,000, a web of many more businesses that they feed and retirment committments to over a million Americans, you have to wonder how the government could not come to their rescue. Still, there are limits to what the US will be able to spend on our economic woes.

That's a tough note to end on, so instead, how about we remind you of our massive Michigan Haunted Houses, Mazes & Attractions page that features all kinds of haunted houses, corn mazes and scary attractions from all across Michigan.

Have something spooky to share? Post it in the comments!