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Ken took this photo of the annual holiday display at Art's in Glen Arbor last year. Ken has a nice little Christmas lights slideshow that you can check out. In case you're wondering, the unfamiliar white stuff is I'm told called "snow", and it used to (get this) fall from the sky and cover the ground.

All kidding aside, reports today say that at 3.5" of snow, this is the lowest recorded total by this time EVER.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore invites you to join them at the Visitor Center Auditorium in Empire this Saturday, December 17 at 1 PM for a shipwreck program presented by diver/historian Ross Richardson.

The shipwrecks of the Manitou Passage have attracted underwater explorers for decades. Today, the underwater photography of these explorers allows landsmen to visit the shipwrecks from the comfort of a warm, dry chair. Ross Richardson has spent the last decade searching for and documenting shipwrecks off the coast of west Michigan. He is credited with discovering the location of the legendary steamer Westmoreland, which sank south of Sleeping Bear Point in 1854.

Offshore of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies the Manitou Passage. Although this 36-mile long waterway offers some protection from the open waters of Lake Michigan, even the waters of the passage can be treacherous. Many ships seeking shelter sank in this passage, hitting shoals and sandbars and running aground before being destroyed by the waves of Lake Michigan. There are 16 known shipwrecks in the passage and around the Manitou Islands, but there may be as many as 45 wrecks still undiscovered on the bottom. Many wrecks are well-preserved and offer clues on how they surrendered to the strength of the big lake in the days before advanced navigation when ships relied on basic tools like a compass, clock, and chart.

For more information, please call the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore at 231-326-5134 or visit their website at www.nps.gov/slbe. Also, check out their Facebook page!

The Leland Michigan Chamber of Commerce invites you to do some of your holiday shopping in the village of Leland the next two Thursdays, December 15 & 22. Many Leland shops & stores will be open until at least 8:00.

Refreshments will be available at some locations. Come join the Leland merchants, decorated for the season!

Also, if you're in town, the Bluebird starts their 2011-2012 Ethnic Night season this Wednesday & Thursday. This week it's French featuring Classic French Cuisine and incredible French wine. Next week (Dec. 21-22) is Santa Fe featuring their take on Southwestern Cooking and December 28-29 is New England with fresh Atlantic seafood and northwoods specialties!

Photo credit: KAScott_20090326_0646-56b by Ken Scott

This Sunday (December 11) at 3 PM the Northport Community Arts Center presents their annual Christmas Concert. The Northport Community Band and the Village Voices will combine their talents to bring you a seasonal "Holiday Highlights". Voices, keyboards, and instruments will join in bringing back special musical memories for all of us, plus a surprise or two.

Bring the kids, and plan to sing along on some of your favorites. This is definitely a relaxed and fun-filled evening for the whole family! To order tickets for this concert as well as season tickets and flex passbooks call their office at 231.386.5001, Monday through Friday, 10 am to 2 pm.

In February 2012, a group of inspired people will be running 129 miles in five days across Palestine to raise funds to plant olive trees and also to raise awareness about the challenges of fair trade olive farmers of Palestine in the latest project from On the Ground.

This Friday (December 9th), Michigan's own Breathe Owl Breathe will play a very special benefit concert for the Run Across Palestine at Higher Grounds Roastery at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City. They are joined by Little Wings and it's also the release tour for their new project The Listeners.

Tickets are $12 advance / $15 door and available at Higher Grounds and Oryana. Doors open at 7 PM and the show starts at 8. For advance tickets, project information or to simply make a donation please call 877 825 2262. On the Ground supports sustainable community development in farming regions across the world.

Here's a video from Breathe Owl Breathe - click here for more!

Details surrounding the history, legend and exciting 2010 discovery of one of the Great Lakes’ most sought-after shipwrecks will be disclosed during the Empire Area Heritage Group’s Dec. 2, free public program at the Empire Township Hall TONIGHT at 7 PM. Ross Richardson, a Lake Ann diver and a 10-year former board member of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, will share his extensive research on and incredible discovery of the Westmoreland. The 160-ft. passenger steamer sank more than 150 years ago in the icy waters off what is known now as the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The ship, with 34 passengers and crew, was rumored to have been carrying whiskey and gold coins when she went down in December, 1854 – a tale that launched over a dozen expeditions in the ensuing years to find her and her treasures. Only 17 people were saved during the tragic event. Richardson solved the mystery of the ship’s whereabouts using history books, old newspapers and what he calls “a little bit of hard work.” He found the wreck in July, 2010 – sitting upright, bow and arches intact – in an uncharted hole. Read more about it and see photos in this Leelanau.com article on the Westmoreland's discovery!

For more information about Friday’s program, email empiremuseum@centurytel.net

The annual Christmas arts & crafts show will be held this Saturday, December 3 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Old Art Building in Leland. This year’s show features 21 local artisans with holiday gifts, fresh greens, dried wreaths, herbal soaps and lotions, jewelry, specialty foods, ceramics, woven wheat, cards, home accessories, children’s clothing, and hand knit items. There's also complimentary cookies and coffee!

Local artisans include Victoria Gallup, Dee Glass, Mike Hulbert, Kit Knowles, Joy Lang, Roxane Langner, Sara Maleski, Annie McFarlane, Pat McKean, Bill Perkins, Kathy Powell, Shari Prevost, Lisa Psenka, Julie Sanco, Sharecare, Leif Sporck, Greta Stimson, Cookie Thatcher, Cheryl VanZee, Paula Wisniewski and the Wednesday Knitters.

For more information please call 256-2131.

The annual Holiday Bazaar at Eyaawing Museum and Cultural Center takes place on December 3rd, 2011 from 9:00pm to 3:00 pm. The Holiday Bazaar is being held to give Artists and Crafters the opportunity to showcase their talents and bring in a little extra income before the holiday season. All are encouraged to participate either as a vender or as a shopper. If you are interested in being a vender please call Cindy Patek at 534-7764 or Doris Winslow at 534-7965 for an application.

The museum is located at 2304 North West Bay Shore Drive (M22) in Peshawbestown, 20 miles north of Traverse City; open Wednesday – Saturday; 10am.-4pm.

More about Eyaawing Museum & Cultural Center

Eyaawing (pronounced a-ya-wing) means “Who we are” in Anishinaabemowin, the traditional language of Michigan’s Native people. Eyaawing Museum & Cultural Center is a place that serves both members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and the larger community. It is a place where the traditions, language, and art of the Tribe are kept, taught, and celebrated. It also provides a portal to Tribe for the community -- a place where the public is welcome to learn about the culture and history of the Grand Traverse Band. For additional information, click the link above call 231-534-7764.

The Glen Arbor Art Association presents its new dramatic venture, Readers' Theater on Wednesday, November 30 at 7pm. It features two adapted Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "The Adventure of the Tolling Bell" and "The Problem of Thor Bridge,” directed by Josephine Zara. This event at the GAAA (across the street from Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor) is free and open to the public - goodwill offerings will be accepted at the door.

Readers’ Theater involves members of the local community performing stories, adaptations from novels, or other literary materials onstage, using a script, lighting and sound effects. Actors use their voices and facial expressions to dramatically communicate the story to their audience, rather than costumes, sets or other visual aids. No memorization is required.

Director Josephine Zara of Glen Arbor is a former communications and theater professional who studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio in NYC, and is a GAAA member. She co-chairs Readers’ Theater with Harriett Mittelberger of Glen Arbor, a professional director and educator who has directed at Old Town Playhouse, and serves on the board of the GAAA.

Call the GAAA at 334-6112 for more information.

Santa in Fishtown, painting by Rozanne Priebe

Find unique holiday gifts and help support the Fishtown Preservation Society this Saturday, November 19th at the Vintage Cottage Holiday Market at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay.

The event showcases over 30 unique antique, artisan, and agriculture merchants from all across the region offering vintage and maritime collectibles, handmade clothing & jewelry and original artwork. The Cottage Book Shop will feature a number of Leelanau artists & writers present to personally sign their books including Lois Beardslee, Jerry Dennis, Glenn Wolff and John Mitchell. Don Butkovich, Dennos Museum appraiser, will also be on site all day for verbal appraisals of historical items.

Signed and numbered prints of "Santa in Fishtown" by Rozanne Priebe will be available for purchase, and Black Star Farms will be selling special  bottles of their Red House Wine featuring the painting. A percentage of the proceeds for both will benefit the Fishtown Preservation Society.

There is no admittance fee, and a strolling luncheon will be available all day, along with wine tasting, sweet table and appetizers throughout the Inn, the Hearth and Vine Cafe and the Winery and Creamery.

For more information contact the Fishtown Preservation Society at 231-256-8878!