K is for kayak

A perfect day for kayakers in the waters of Lake Superior around Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was also a perfect day for walkers like Gene and Willow and their favorite photographer, me!  There was sun and warmth in the September air and a calm and colorful lake at Miners Castle Rock near the west end of the PRNL, a day to treasure.

To pick your way through more K's, please visit ABC Wednesday!

Just a week ago

Sunrise over Lake Superior's AuTrain Bay last Friday as we prepared to head south at the end of a week in our favorite part of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula.  It was the last day with pasties for lunch and no more whitefish at every supper for another year!

Please find more skies from around the world at Skywatch Friday.

Just joking?

Driving along H01 in Alger County last week we came upon an unexpected sign in the forest, a very folkloric-looking sign.  It stood out amongst the trees and vegetation of the Hiawatha National Forest and I had to stop and grab the camera while Gene and Willow waited patiently in the car.  My guess was that since we were definitely in Finnish-settled land of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan the language of the sign was Finnish.   What does it say?

If you have very good eyesight, you might be able to read the English in the lower right hand corner of the sign.  I don't;  so when we arrived home I went straight to Google Translator and was startled by the translation possibilities.   See for yourself what I discovered is the translation of Harran paska puro.  You can see the creek in the second and third pictures.  It doesn't look quite that bad to me!  OK, OK, it is a little brown.........

For more jollity, please visit ABC Wednesday!

AuTrain in the rain

Since the rain is keeping us inside again today, let me show you a moody view of AuTrain Island on this cold and windy day.  The moods of Superior are always spectacular!

I is for island

Incredible morning on Shelter Bay with AuTrain Island silhouetted against the horizon of Lake Superior.

More I's at ABC Wednesday!

H is for hot dog

No we are not still in Chicago.  Chicago, its hot dogs at least, came to Three Rivers for Harmony Fest.  There were not only dogs (two vendors) but also ribs and chicken barbecued in the drum right before you and finger-licking good (forget the Colonel!).

For the hottest H words around, visit this week's ABC Wednesday!

Harmony Fest

An annual event in downtown Three Rivers on the Sunday before Labor Day is Harmony Fest.  Main Street is closed off for a block with musicians at the south end and vendors' tents down both sides of the street to the north with food, crafts, and displays of local projects.  The middle of the street has picnic tables and plenty of space for putting your lawn chair up close to the bands while still leaving room for a "dance floor."  

I wish I had done this shot as a video so that you could hear and dance to the Gratitude Steel Band as these folks were!  Leading off the jam were the Waseppi Bluegrass Band.  After Gratitude came the blues from the Vincent Hays Project.  You can catch the whole lineup and learn more about Harmony Fest at the Harmony Fest Website.

Chairs on the terrace at the Shedd

Shades of black, blue and gray dominate the sunny cafe tables and chairs on the terrace of the Shedd Aquarium on downtown Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline.  And only one pigeon!

Lots more shadows to see at Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday.

Lake Michigan's reflection

Just a week ago we were sitting in The Abbott Oceanarium*  of the Shedd Aqurium on Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline when I noticed that we could view the lake in front of us and also behind us.
When the show begins,  a rather large curtain drops down to hide the windows on the lake and the dolphins come out to play and delight us.

To see more of the world reflected in a photo, please visit Weekend Reflections brought to you by James and friends.

*"which immerses you in the vibrant coastal ecosystem of beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea otters and sea lions. You’ll also find a host of fishes and invertebrates that make their homes where freshwater flows into the ocean or where tides turn seascapes to landscapes and back again each day."

Chicago sky perspective

A variety of lights in Grant Park compete with the former Sears' tower for prominence of place in the Chicago sky.  It tickled my fancy to see the lights and the ivy outshine the tower....

Visit other sky views at Skywatch Friday.