Notes from the Woods

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Showing Results for: Michigan

I should go back there

I should go back there

Working on this photograph today brought all sorts of thoughts into my head. First, it was - this was a cool place, I should go back there. Then I think - wait - I made this exposure 9 years ago, and am only getting to it now. Shouldn't I catch up with my backlog...

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Michigan Dunes: Dune Totems

Michigan Dunes: Dune Totems

Michigan has the largest concentration of freshwater coastal sand dunes in the world, spanning 230,423 acres. Approximately 32 percent of them are classified as "Critical Dune Areas" as designated by State legislation efforts. As defined in this legislation, Critical...

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Beach Grass (Ammophila breviligulata)

Beach Grass (Ammophila breviligulata)

Shoreline erosion is a growing concern in the Great Lakes area, especially after having record high lake levels in the past few years. Beach Grass, also known as Marram Grass, is quite symbolic of Michigan shorelines. Anyone that has walked the beaches of the Great...

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Oudolf Garden Detroit

Oudolf Garden Detroit

Last summer, the area planned for a new "designer garden" on Detroit's Belle Isle didn't look like much. High water levels in the Great Lakes contributed to some significant inland flooding on this island in the Detroit River. This flooding threat actually led to a...

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Strange year for Great Lakes ice cover

Strange year for Great Lakes ice cover

We've had a bit of a roller-coaster ride here in the Great Lakes region as far as ice cover this year. For the vast majority of the 2020/21 winter season, the lakes remained largely open. Then a big cold burst hit us in Feb 2021, and ice started forming very fast....

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Meteorological Spring

Meteorological Spring

It is probably safe to say my season of winter photography has come to a conclusion. While March brings some highly unpredictable weather, and freezing temperatures are still in the forecast in the coming week, it is unlikely to create any big shifts now that the...

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Blue Ice in the Great Lakes

Blue Ice in the Great Lakes

Blue ice is in the headlines of various news stories about Great Lakes winters over the past 5 years or so. While it is often referred to as "rare," I haven't found any substantiating studies explaining why that is other than articles trying to gain attention in...

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Wetmore Landing Granite Shore

Wetmore Landing Granite Shore

Lake Superior's shoreline in Michigan is highly diverse. From the cliffs of Pictured Rocks, to flat cobblestone covered beaches around Whitefish point, to this area I explored some years back near Marquette. Wetmore Landing is home to some of the oldest rock...

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Exploring Michigan Solar Energy

Exploring Michigan Solar Energy

Pandemic stay-at-home boredom is impacting me a bit. It has also been hard to keep focus. I have about 5 posts sitting in draft right now that I keep coming back to, making changes, adding, and then hitting writer's block. My photography output is pretty low, even in...

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