Leelanau.com Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

It's another year, and another winter that Sugar Loaf is no closer to re-opening.

Will this Leelanau icon ever return and offer scenes like this one from the 1970s on Waffle? Stay up-to-date at the Friends of Sugar Loaf group on Facebook.

Photo credit: NW Cedar MI Leelanau Days Gone By Skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort... by UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

The Bluebird in Leland is hosting the second annual Fishtown Benefit Brunch this Sunday, October 28th. Tickets are $30/person ($10 for children 12 and under), and include a buffet brunch and your choice of beverage plus door prizes, music and fun.

Proceeds support the Fishtown Preservation Society and their vital mission to preserve and protect Fishtown. Tickets can be purchased at: The Fishtown Preservation Society Office (next to the Leland Library), The Bluebird, Reflections in Fishtown, Tampico in Leland and Case-Daniels & Rae in Suttons Bay. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.fishtownmi.org.

After the ticket is purchased, call the Bluebird at 231-256-9081 to reserve your spot between 10:00am and 2:00pm. This is a popular brunch and seating is limited, so reserve your place early!

Photo credit: Leland MI 1950s Fishtown Docks and Commercial Fish Tug and Nets before major Tourism by UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

More from Fishtown on Leelanau.com.

You're invited to join the free Worldwide Photo Walk at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore this Saturday (Oct 13) from 9:30 - 11:30 AM.

This free photo walk starts at the Glen Haven Cannery Boathouse is open to anyone with a camera who loves to take pictures and enjoys meeting fellow photo enthusiasts. They had over 50 people last year from all over the Great Lakes region last year, so sign up fast right here to make sure you are on the list!!

The photo was taken by walk leader Ken Snyder, who also took the photo above - see it background big right here!

Today's Michigan in Pictures reports that NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (a great resource for alerts on the aurora borealis) says that the Earth remains under the influence of a September 27 coronal mass ejection (CME)  that has reached the G3 (Strong) level. Auroral activity is possible through tonight, and they were seen last night at least as far south as Cadillac!

Much more about this amazing phenomenon in the northern lights category on Michigan in Pictures and see more aurora borealis photos from Leelanau as well!

Check this out background big and in Kenneth's Sleeping Bear Dunes slideshow.

Don Harrison shared this great old postcard from North Beach in Leland. Anyone have an idea of when this might be taken?

Get it background big right here!

Irises are in bloom all over Leelanau, so we thought it was a great time to dust of this feature on the Centennial Iris Farm on M-72 by Cherie Spaulding!

Heading west toward Empire in mid-June, it is easy to see how the iris flower was named for the Greek goddesss of rainbows; and it would be no mystery to imagine what possessed Vincent van Gogh to lug his easel into the field, in his attempt to capture this exotic flower's beauty. Atop undulating hills busied by a bold palette of blooms, the Iris Farm on M-72 adds color and life to Leelanau's rich agrarian landscape.

In the midst of bloom, the sea of iris rarely goes unnoticed, but the land itself may be overlooked. This sandy, gravel soil upon which William Black's family settled has survived decades of growing. Seventeen years ago, this fifth generation Leelanau farmer decided to no longer fight against the elements, and instead choose to embrace the offerings of his land. The family noticed that the iris plants blooming around the farm thrived...and an idea began to grow.

The iris flower appeared well suited for Black's land. The family decided to convert their fruit land to flowers. Over the nearly two decades since, the farm has become home to over 700 different iris and 300 day lily varieties--plants that thrive in sandy soil conditions. Of course, the flowers attract more than bees, and a wide-range of visitors tromp the fields regularly. The farm caters to several distinct groups, including, gardeners searching for specialized blooms, painters and photographers; customers seeking cut flowers and even tour bus groups. Visitors are able to see a stunning array of showy flowers in a wide spectrum of colors; all can observe iris blooms to purchase and plant in their gardens at home.

While it is true that in peak season, the Iris Farm stands as a sort of feast for the eyes--a delicious rainbow of petals, meandering along the hillside--long after the colors fade ideas continue to blossom. To find such an abundance of plant varietals, the family spends some of the winter months traveling the country, attending conventions and seeking new hybrids for their unusual colors and qualities. The Farm acquires breeds from destinations as far off as Australia. One highlight of their farm this season is the 24 varieties of black irises, sought for both their elusive beauty, velvety touch and rich fragrance. The iris hybrid varieties extend into the thousands; Black said that determining a favorite is not an easy decision. "I feel like a kid in a candy store," he admitted.

When I asked Mr. Black what aspect of iris farming he enjoyed the most, he shared that part of the benefit to living in Leelanau County is the richness and beauty of the outdoors. Though growing flowers can be labor intensive, working in the fresh air, under an open sky, is one of the perks. And personally, I think "being outdoors" is a job benefit one cannot easily quantify.

The irises will be in bloom by mid-June and the lily season continues in mid-July. Do not miss the chance to explore the farm for yourself. The Iris Farm is located at 5385 E Traverse Hwy, Traverse City, MI 49684. The phone contact is 231-947-9040.

Photoa: "Iris Farm (check it out bigger!) and Mr. Sun by Andrew McFarlane

Forecast Radar Cameras Photos

For the latest Leelanau & Traverse City weather you can use the resources on this page.

Coming Events

Check the Leelanau Calendar for events.  You can click that link to add your Leelanau & Traverse City events to the calendar for FREE! Not only will they be distributed with our weekly newsletter, but they may be a featured story on Leelanau.com!

More Weather Resources

Please also check the less pessimistic Weather.com forecast)

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 Leelanau Coffee in Glen Arbor, sometimes from Leland and sometimes it comes from a vineyard on Old Mission (it tells you which in the top left of the page it links to).

Buoy 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!).

Here's a new background for you to help you keep up with the crazy March weather! Just click to download from Flickr.

More backgrounds from Leelanau.com! (also see our Backgrounds page)

This week's photo was taken by Andy McFarlane - more in the Snow Day Slideshow!

Thousands are still out of power according to the Record-Eagle. IPR News Radio has a report on the storm and power outages that says that Consumers Energy still has 35,000 customers without power, including thousands in Leelanau County. In all, 169,000 customers have had service interrupted due to the storm. TV 9&10 is following the crews restoring power and has a video report.

Leelanau was ground zero and

This week's photo was taken by Mark Miller at Empire Beach. Last week we featured another of his photos from this spot - what a difference a few days and a Lake Effect storm can make!

Check it out big as the beach and compare it with last week's photo in Mark's slideshow.