Winter!

Pond path on a sunny day

Bishop Baraga Shrine

Located on the bluff above the southern end of the Keweenaw Bay near L'Anse is this gigantic sculpture in tribute to Bishop Frederic Baraga, the snowshoe priest.  The five teepees represent the the major missions he founded on the southern shore of Lake Superior in Michigan and Wisconsin.  An upper class Slovenian by birth, he became fluent in the Chippewa/Ojibwe language and wrote books on its grammar as well as producing a dictionary.

Visit Wikipedia or the Catholic Encyclopedia for more information and links to the many sources of stories about the fascinating Snowshoe Priest.

It's UP time for your Fabius Township blogger!

We did our annual straying from the lower peninsula of Michigan this past week.  The Mighty Mac, over the Mackinaw Straits connecting Lakes Michigan and Huron, is a fabulous way to enter the Upper Peninsula. 

late summer in the meadow

Next to the pond

Could we have a little privacy, please?!

Above the pond II

D

Taking a good long sip is the male hummingbird.  What a pleasure to have them dining right outside my kitchen window!

Life above the ponds

Tomorrow we will check up on the mister with his ruby neck.

Life in the ponds

A Hostage Frog?!

My Alma Mater

Thanks to Martha for this wonderful photo of the cloister quad at Dominican University in River Forrest, Illinois.  When I graduated 50 years ago, it was call Rosary College and the Class of 1963 just celebrated our 50th reunion.  We had a wonderful time!

Blooming finally!

Yesterday in the woods!

The snow is gone, for now!

And look, the first daffodil buds are showing. The bad news: snow is forecast for tonight......

Snow, snow, be gone, please!

Snow and snowdrops

Winter and flowers at the same time; It must be March

Snowy trails

The footprints are from two and four legged creatures. You can't sneak around in winter!

Winter sculptures

Reservations Required

The feeders are so busy, the birds are lined up waiting for their table to open!