Every Saturday in May the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will hold a ranger-led, educational walk in the Lakeshore. Meet at the Visitor Center in Empire on Saturdays at 1 PM. Here are the topics:
May 10 - The World of Frogs - What would spring be without the sound of frogs? Why are they singing and why are they disappearing all around the world? What might they be trying to tell us? Learn to identify several local varieties by sight and sound. This is a great outdoor adventure for the whole family.
May 17 - Hike to a Beaver Lodge - Look for one of the few animals that dramatically engineers their environment and has played a major role in this region’s history. See a dam, lodge, canals, and tunnels while learning more about beavers and their logging operations.
May 24 - A Flurry of Wild Flowers - Few places on earth have an abundance of wildflowers as the hardwood forest of Northwest Michigan in the spring. Join a ranger to marvel at this annual display of native plants as you hike through one of the best wildflower habitats in the region.
May 31 - Returning Birds - Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day by joining a ranger to welcome back several species of migratory birds. Learn about their winter adventures in far off lands and the distances they travel in between. This is a great opportunity for beginning birders. Binoculars provided.
Photo: Spring Beauties by Jim Sorbie (click over to get it desktop background size!)
The Leelanau County Cherry Blossom Tour has been scheduled for Saturday, May 10 from 11 AM - 2 PM. The Tour is sponsored by the Leelanau Conservation District, Leelanau Conservancy and the Leelanau Enterprise, with several other organizations presenting a tour of orchards with a leisurely FREE bus ride for folks of all ages (wheelchair lifts are on every bus as well!).
The event will start and end at the Connie Binsfeld Building in Lake Leelanau and features a free ride on busses provided by the Bay Area Transportation Authority. Tour takers can stay on a bus throughout its journey or get off at preplanned stops and catch the next one! There will also be a free lunch with cherry brats from Pleva’s Market in Cedar and those famous Cherry Republic Boomchunka cookies. Highlighted on the tour will be the views offered from a vantage point at St. Wenceslaus Church and the Gregory family's Cherry Bay Orchard.
Years ago, a Blossom Tour was offered annually by agricultural leaders in Leelanau County at about the same time the "Blessing of the Blossoms" ceremony was celebrated in Grand Traverse County. While the blessing event remains today, the blossom tour has long been discontinued — until this year.
Contact the Leelanau Conservancy at 231 256-9665 for further information or to volunteer and get more information from Cherry Blossom Tour web page from the Leelanau Enterprise.
Photo: Spring Will Come by Andy McFarlane (check out this Cherry Blossom Slideshow too!)
The Leelanau County Workshop for The Grand Vision will be held next Thursday (May 8th) at 6:30 p.m. at Suttons Bay High School.
The Grand Vision is a regional transportation and land use planning project that will help determine spending on transportation projects in the Grand Traverse region for years to come. Participants will be using maps and discussion to focus on Leelanau County's future land use and transportation system.
This workshop is open to everyone - you do NOT need to live or work in Leelanau County to attend. To register, visit The Grand Vision web site or call toll-free: 866-441-5214.
Photo: Misty Blossoms I by Andy McFarlane
Birch by Andy McFarlane
News from the Week
News from the week included news that Brad Lutz will not pursue his option on Sugar Loaf and the story of not one but TWO state championship teams from Leland in the Michigan Odyssey of the Mind competition, and a cool photo of daffodils.
The Week's Weather
The weather has been great! Lots of sun and 60s and even a taste of the 70s!
April 17, 2008 : Partly sunny & low 60s (63/48)
April 18, 2008 : Mostly cloudy & 50s (57/43)
April 19, 2008 : Mostly sunny & 60s (66/41)
April 20, 2008 : Sunny & 70 (70/40)
April 21, 2008: Sunny & 70s (75/48)
April 22, 2008: Mostly sunny & 70s (75/45)
April 23, 2008: Mostly cloudy & upper 60s (69/42)
Click for the <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/2007/4/">Leelanau news archive from April 2007</a> and the <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/april-2008/">April 2008 page</a>.
The photo is Daffodils II, and I'd like to wish everyone out there a happy Earth Day (and tell you that the daffodils came out yesterday!).
Come to the parade in TC Saturday too!
While Earth Day is next Tuesday (Apr 22), the 2008 Grand Traverse Earth Day Parade takes place next Saturday (Apr 26) at noon.
In addition to the parade through downtown Traverse City, there will be a "zero-waste" community picnic at Hannah Park (on the river) following the parade . There will also be a puppet & mask performance, Earth Day Green Fair and music from 3:00 - 4:30 PM by the Earthwork Musicians.
Much more about Earth Day activities and how you can get involved from The Little Artshram.
Photo: Bee's Eye View by Andy McFarlane (more pics from last year's Earth Day Parade)
The Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association's annual Spring Sip & Savor trail event takes place May 3 & 4, 2008 and offers you an opportunity to taste a wine and food pairing selected especially by the each of the LPVA winemakers. The winemakers will be present in the tasting rooms all weekend to talk with you about their wines and to sign the 2008 Leelanau Winemaker poster, featuring a photograph of all 15 winemakers of the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail by noted area photographer and TC Film Festival co-founder John Robert Williams. These posters will be available the Sip & Savor weekend and provided free to everyone who attends!
Attendees will also have a chance to enter to win a dinner for 2 with the winemaker of their choice at Samuel's Restaurant in Suttons Bay. Check the link above for tickets and more information about this event.
Photo: Willow Vineyard by Andy McFarlane
This photo is part of Joe Burda's Fishtown set (slideshow) and also a part of the Manitou Islands group on Flickr.
And yes, it's wallpaper-sized!
Sap Buckets, photo by Jim Sorbie
News from the Week
The week's news featured a rare upcoming appearance by landscape artist Russel Chatham at the Dennos (Apr 4), a clip from Song of Lakes new Live at Interlochen DVD, a cool ice boating video, news that the courthouse redevelopment in Leland will receive brownfield aid and - for all you seasonally disaffected folks who aren't headed somewhere warm - a neat photo of an iris from a warmer spring!
The Week's Weather
The week's weather featured a lot of sun but not a lot of heat. Jim said that there was maple sap in those buckets - a sure sign of spring!
March 20, 2008: Flurries & 20s (30/25)
March 21, 2008: Sunny & 20s (32/18)
March 22, 2008: Sunny & upper 20s (32/18)
March 23, 2008: Light snow and low 30s (33/19)
March 24, 2008: Mostly sunny & 30 (34/7)
March 25, 2008: Cloudy, light snow, rain, and in between & 40s (45/30)
March 26, 2008: Mostly sunny & 40 (43/26)
Click for the Leelanau news archive from March 2007 and our March 2008 page.
Sixty-nine years ago by John Levanen
News from the Week
Stories from the week included a note about the passing of longtime Manitou passage captain George Grosvenor, a look at "berging" the Leland River and a belated story on 2 Leelanau Odyssey of the Mind winners advancing to states.
The Week's Weather
The week's weather is about what you expect for late March - too warm to be winter, to cold for spring.
March 13, 2008: Heavy early morning snow, then cloudy & upper 30s (50/18)
March 14, 2008: Light rain & 40s (44/28)
March 15, 2008: Mostly cloudy, breezy & 30 (33/24)
March 16, 2008: Sunny & 20s (28/8)
March 17, 2008: Sunny & low 30s (36/18)
March 18, 2008: Flurries & 30s (39/830)
March 19, 2008: Partly sunny & 30s (39/30)
More about the photo: John writes: In 1939 our Leelanau house was about 40 or 45 years old.
It has been through a lot of Michigan winters. The Honke family owned the house back then , I assume one of them took this photograph. He also has a photo of the Honke Family in front of the house in 1918.
Click for the Leelanau news archive from March 2007 and also see the March 2008 page!
