Leelanau.com: Think Globally, Surf Locally

The Leelanau News Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

Leelanau Cherry Blossom Report (updated May 13)
Leelanau News updated Tuesday May 13, 2008

Leland & St Mary Schools present Annie
Leland Public School and St. Mary's School once again join forces under the direction of Jeremy John Evans to bring you a fabulous musical production this weekend & next with a cast and crew of over 70 students.   read more »

Featured Events
Empire Asparagus Festival (May 16-18), Saturdays at the Lakeshore (Saturdays in May), Leland OM Fundraisers (ongoing). Check the Leelanau Calendar.

Michigan News, Features & Links at Absolute Michigan!

Current Weather
Mostly sunny & 47 at 7:51 AM
sunrise: 6:24 am / sunset: 8:55 pm
Weather Forecast »

Recent Wallpaper & Photos

May 9, 2008

Saturdays at the Lakeshore in May

Filed under: Leelanau, backgrounds, environment, family, hiking, michigan, photo, sleepingbeardunes, spring — Andrew McFarlane @ 7:09 am

Spring Beauties by Jim SorbieEvery 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!)

May 8, 2008

Explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes

Canyon of Trees by metrolensOver on our Absolute Michigan web site, we're featuring Leelanau's own National Lakeshore in Dig Michigan: Sleeping Bear Dunes. It begins:

The October 21, 1970 Act of Congress that established the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore declared that "...the Congress finds that certain outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena, exist along the mainland shore of Lake Michigan and on certain nearby islands in Benzie and Leelanau Counties, Michigan, and that such features ought to be preserved in their natural setting and protected from developments and uses which would destroy the scenic beauty and natural character of the area."

Before it's all over, you will have hopefully enjoyed the photos, maps and links and checked out 5 "must-do" ways to experience the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (I'm hoping folks who know and love the Dunes can add many more tips for visitors!)

Check it out - I'm really happy with how it came out!

Photo: canyon of trees by metrolens

May 7, 2008

Spring at the Bufka Farm

Filed under: Leelanau, farms, michigan, photo, preservation, sleepingbeardunes, spring — Andrew McFarlane @ 9:19 am

The Bufka Farm

Dan took this photo of The Bufka Farm last weekend. He has several more photos from around the county and area on Saturday.

May 6, 2008

Mother's Day Brunch for Habitat for Humanity

Filed under: Leelanau, family, glen arbor, homes, maple city, nonprofit — Andrew McFarlane @ 12:25 pm

Habitat for Humanity by tukanukThe Leelanau School in Glen Arbor is hosting a Mother's Day Brunch this Sunday (May 11) from 10 AM to 2 PM to benefit Leelanau County Habitat for Humanity. This is a terrific brunch for the whole family and funds raised will help pay for a habitat house that is currently under construction in Maple City.

Grand Traverse Habitat for Humanity says:

Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged. Volunteers provide most of the labor, and individual and corporate donors provide money and materials to build Habitat houses.

Partner families themselves invest hundreds of hours of labor—sweat equity—into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses.

Photo credit: Habitat for Humanity - 6 by tukanuk

April 30, 2008

Leelanau County Cherry Blossom Tour

Filed under: Leelanau, backgrounds, calendar, cherries, environment, farms, michigan, outdoors, photo, spring, travel — Andrew McFarlane @ 11:09 am

Spring Will Come by Andy McFarlaneThe 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!)

April 29, 2008

The Grand Vision Leelanau Workshop

Filed under: Business, Leelanau, backgrounds, calendar, government, preservation — Andrew McFarlane @ 11:06 am

Misty Blossoms I by Andy McFarlane

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

April 25, 2008

Leland Blues video

Filed under: Leelanau, Shopping, beach, fishtown, history, leland, michigan, video, webdesign — Andrew McFarlane @ 11:35 am

From Posts: The Becky Thatcher Designs blog:

April 24, 2008

Leelanau Chamber Business Expo

Filed under: Business, Leelanau, calendar, nonprofit, peshawbestown, traverse city — Andrew McFarlane @ 1:10 pm

Strongheart CenterThe Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce hosts their annual Leelanau Business Expo next Wednesday (Apr 30) from 11 AM - 6 PM at the Strongheart Center in Peshawbestown.

The event is free to the public and the Leelanau Enterprise reports that over 100 businesses will be exhibiting.

Event co-organizer Jackie Morrison expects a full house of exhibitors, but said the Chamber will try to fit in any last-minute attendees.

“There is still some room,” said Morrison. Jackie and Bill Morrison are organizing the event, which is held every other year. They are owners of the Business Helper in Suttons Bay.

“But it’s going to be cozy,” she added, with some 112 spaces already rented out to a variety of businesses and non-profit groups. Some businesses, such as the Bill Marsh auto dealership in Traverse City and Stander Marine of Leland, will be showing cars and boats on the grounds of the center.

Read the rest of Big Turnout Expected at Chamber's Expo in the Enterprise.

Photo: Strongheart Center by Andy McFarlane

April 22, 2008

Earth Day Daffodils

Filed under: Leelanau, backgrounds, environment, gardening, outdoors, photo, spring, traverse city — Andrew McFarlane @ 11:39 am

Daffodils II by Andy McFarlane

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!

April 21, 2008

Leland Odyssey of the Mind: 2008 State Champions!

Filed under: Leelanau, leland, michigan, schools — Andrew McFarlane @ 8:43 am

Here's a page with information about team fundraisers and reports from the World Finals!

2008 Odyssey of the Mind state champs!

On Saturday in Grand Rapids two teams from Leland took the gold medal in their respective divisions in the Michigan Odyssey of the Mind State meet.

Both teams competed in the Tee Structure competition which required them to design and build a structure using only balsa wood and glue (maximum weight of 18 grams!) and also present a play while adding weight to the structure. Leland's teams held the first and second highest weight totals with 328 in Division II and a whopping 443 in Division I! (results)

The teams now prepare for the World Finals May 31 - June 3 in Maryland.

Related Posts
A Hundred Bucks of Gas comes to Leelanau
Sleeping Bear bird die-offs sign of larger problems
Alligator Hill Trail
The Sound of Music comes to Northport
Lake Michigan: Pearl of America

Next Page »

Powered by WordPress :: webdesign by Leelanau.com :: © 1996-2006 Manitou Publishing Co.