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Leelanau's favorite photo blog, The Leland Report, is offering 2009 Calendars.

Click here for ordering information and have a very Happy New Year's Eve!

DH Day Farm by 1Cher

News from the Week

Stories from the (abbreviated) week included news that it's becoming easier to get fresh & local food in the wintertime, the liquidation of a real estate development company showing that the economic crisis is reaching us here in Leelanau and photos of Holiday Wishes and a beautiful barn.

The Week's Weather

Our weather was once again on the violent side - a record high on Saturday along with heavy rains that destroyed our snow cover followed up by heavy winds and snow.

December 25, 2008: Flurries, a bit of sun and 20s (25/18)
December 26, 2008: Heavy snow & 30s (40/19)
December 27, 2008: Heavy rain (1") and 50 (53/40) Record high!
December 28, 2008: Snow/rain & 40s (52/25)
December 29, 2008: Windy, flurries & 20s (38/23)
December 30, 2008: Snow & low 20s (24/21)

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from December 2007.

Here's a video from the concert:

On Thursday, January 8th, Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine will perform at the Old Art Building in Leland to benefit the Music for Chiapas Project, an initiative that supports autonomous Mayan education in Chiapas, Mexico. The musicians will be accepting donations of new and gently used musical instruments for the project. Proceeds from ticket sales will be used to purchase additional guitars, violins and accordions.

Doors will open at 6 PM, with music set to begin at 7 and tickets are available at the door. Chris and Jody Treter of Higher Grounds Trading Co. will kick off the evening with a few words about the Music for Chiapas project.

Susan Fawcett, who will be heading to work in Chiapas as well will be the opening act. For more information about the concert, or about Music for Chiapas, contact Higher Grounds Trading Co. at 231-922-9009 or highergroundstrading.com.

Here's a link to Seth's website and May's website where you can hear much more from this very talented couple.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a cool feature titled Green Through The White: Year-round produce is becoming a reality that looks at a new trend in food that has to make you smile if you're a lover of fresh & local:

Sustainable greenhouse systems, year-round farmers markets and winter CSA programs are cropping up all over cold, cloudy northern Michigan, extending the short growing season and making it possible for locavores to get their greens -- and other veggies -- all year long.

One of the first in the region to go year-round, the Frankfort Farmers Market is offering fresh produce, along with honey, maple syrup, meat, eggs and other products, from its new winter site at the city-owned Recreation Center.

There's a bunch more about where you can get fresh eats in wintertime including the Wellington Street Market in TC and (sometime in 2009) the TC City Market. They mention Black Star Farms' Hoop House and CSA and there's also Oryana. Maybe if enough people express interest, we could get a year-round market in Leelanau County!

Definitely click through to read the rest - at the end, you'll get a tasty recipe from Chef Eric Patterson of The Cooks' House for his Classic French Onion Soup Gratinee!

The photo is Chili & Co. - check out more tasty treats in my Local Food slideshow!

The Leelanau Enterprise reports that McKeough Land Company, developer of the Bay Hill project (Leland Township off M-204 at Hoeft Road) has gone out of business.

“Unfortunately, we just couldn’t weather the real estate and credit crisis,” company president Mike McKeough was quoted as saying in a news release provided in response to an Enterprise query.
“Our cash flow really began to seize up in the beginning of 2008,” McKeough said. “And although we had many terrific properties with apparent equity, like Bay Hill of Leland, we just couldn’t raise the necessary capital to continue operating as McKeough Land Company.”

...A new company, Terra Firma Management, has been established to manage, market and sell McKeough’s holdings, offering many of its properties at “bank pricing” that in some cases may be 65 percent below previous list prices.

Photo: Dark times on Bay Hill by Andy McFarlane

LongingforLeelanau doesn't have too many photos, but the ones she does have a gorgeous - check them out in her slideshow!

As an extra bonus, she uploads them biggie-sized for your computer background!

Sugar Loaf by Pierre Bourgault

News from the Week

News from the week included some last minute holiday shopping resources and the winning of the NCAA Championship for the second straight year by Leland grad Alisha Glass and her Penn State volleyball team.  We also had a cool photo of Fishtown and a nice holiday wreath.

The Week's Weather

The week's weather was par for December 2008: cold, windy, snowy, cloudy & cold (it was really cold).

December 18, 2008: Flurries & teens (22/6)
December 19, 2008: Heavy snow, windy & teens (23/1)
December 20, 2008: Partly sunny & very cold (19/-7)
December 21, 2008: Heavy snow & 20 (23/16)
December 22, 2008: Light snow & teens (19/10)
December 23, 2008: Light snow & teens  (25/10)
December 24, 2008: Heavy, wet snow & 30 (31/25)

Be sure to check out the above photo out bigger!

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from December 2007 and post your comments about the week (news, weather, whatever) below!

Weather Resources

Weather Underground is just about as old as the internet (the first net weather service) and is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sometimes the above banner will show personal weather system data from Leland, sometimes from Leelanau Coffee and sometimes it comes from a vineyard on Old Mission (it tells you which in the top left of the page it links to).

Bouy 45002 in Lake Michigan is located halfway between North Manitou Island and Washington Island in Lake Michigan. It provides wind and wave data. Also check out Michigan Sea Grant Coastwatch for water temps (the "early evening" images in their archive will give you a better idea of actual temps during peaks swimming hours ... in seasons where you might actually want to swim!).

The photo is Merry Christmas To All! by jsorbieus, and we at Leelanau.com would like to wish you and yours the very best of this winter season.

However, wherever and whatever you are celebrating, we hope for much joy, warmth and laughter for you and yours.

Tonight from 4-8 PM, shops, stores & galleries in the village of Leland will host their annual Men's Shopping Night to help all you Last Minute Larrys find that perfect gift.

If you are in last second mode, definitely consider doing your shopping in Leland, Lake Leelanau, Suttons Bay & Peshawbestown, Northport & Omena, Glen Arbor & Empire, Cedar or Maple City - you won't have to fight the crowds and you will get friendly and personal service and help your neighbors!

Photo: Aurora Borealis Designs by farlane

This photo is part of greencottage's Fishtown set. You can see many more of his photos bigger in his excellent Michigan slideshow.

Have a safe (if snowy) weekend!