There are few spectacles more imposing in the Great Lakes region than a squall line rolling in off of the big waters. If you’ve ever seen it happen—if you’ve stood on the dunes and watched as a menacing wedge of clouds has advanced toward you like a giant, scowling eyebrow—then you know exactly what I mean. The green lake waters turn dark as the sunlight flees from the sky. A hush falls over the landscape like a blanket. And onward comes that great arch of cloud, stretching from horizon to horizon, a vast harbinger of gale-force winds, torrential rain, marble-sized hail, and a mighty extravaganza of lightning and thunder.

Storm season came late to Michigan this year. An inordinately cool spring kept the big weather in check longer than usual, but it did finally arrive, and I welcomed it with open arms. As a storm chaser, I look forward to the first spring storm the way a kid looks forward to Christmas. I love stepping outside under balmy, bright skies, sniffing the year’s first exhilarating fetch of good Gulf of Mexico moisture, and watching nicely sheared cumulus towers pile up through the troposphere and morph from benign little cotton puffs into war-like giants. Man, how I love a good storm, don’t you?

Storms in Michigan come in a few basic varieties, with some kinds being more common than others. The wall cloud in this picture is a sight you’ll rarely see in our neck of the woods. Once in a while, though, when conditions are right, you may encounter one. Most folks would just as soon not. It’s a sight that sends storm-wise Midwesterners scurrying for their basements, as a tornado can develop out of such a cloud in a matter of moments.

A wall cloud often—though by no means always—forms in the part of a thunderstorm that appears to be the least stormy. To the north, rain and even hail may be falling, while the wall cloud itself descends from a rain-free cloud base on the southwest, rear part of the storm. Just behind it and to the south, the sky may be clear and the sun may be shining. Don’t let that fool you! This is the business end of the storm, the part that is greedily ingesting massive amounts of the warm, moist air that fuels a thunderstorm the way gas powers an automobile engine.

The wall cloud pictured above was shot from a distance of maybe half a mile. The whitish area in the foreground was rotating vigorously and moving directly toward my storm chasing partner, Bill, and I at around 35 miles an hour. We stayed in our location long enough to snap a few photos, then skedaddled. The storm never put down a tornado during the time that we tracked with it—the surface winds weren’t right. Had they shifted to the southeast, though, I think things would have gotten considerably more interesting in a hurry.

Here’s a tip: if a thunderstorm is moving toward you and you can feel a warm wind rushing into it (not a cool wind blowing out of it), watch out. Trouble is very likely headed your way.

In contrast to a wall cloud, an arcus cloud (or shelf cloud) usually looks a lot more menacing than it really is. It’s a much more common cloud formation than a wall cloud. You’ll find it at the front end of an advancing thunderstorm; it’s a low, wedge-shaped structure that looks all the more threatening for the black skies that follow directly behind it. Like a wall cloud, a shelf cloud shows motion. However, a wall cloud will exhibit vertical rotation, like a giant carousel, while a shelf cloud’s motion is primarily lift, and any turning will be horizontal, like a huge rolling pin.

Look for quiet air as an arcus cloud approaches—the proverbial calm before the storm—then a cool, brisk breeze that builds and builds, sometimes to as high as 60 or 70 miles an hour, and rarely even faster. Once you begin to feel that wind, you’d better be heading for shelter if you haven’t found it already, because the rain that follows is usually a soaker of the first order.

Watching a good thunderstorm roll in is always a worthwhile experience. But it’s a doubly impressive sight on the Lake Michigan shoreline, with lightning bolts flickering on the horizon and thunder grumbling in the distance as the glowering shelf cloud steamrolls toward you across the sky. Next time stormy weather threatens to end your fun at the beach, don’t be too quick to leave. Stick around. The show is about to begin, and you don’t want to miss it.

Hi Folks: We just left Traverse City and are headed for the Straits. It has rained a lot of the time yesterday and today, but as the kids say “We are having a ball”.  July 10, 1956

With the annual National Cherry Festival about to begin in Traverse City, I thought it would be fitting to feature a postcard picturing the cherry orchards in blossom. Since the festival began in 1926, it is very possible that the Cherry Festival was one of the reasons this postcard writer was “Having a ball”.

This year the festival runs July 4 – July 10 with something for everyone. There is an air show,  5K or 15K race, wine tasting, and of course, lots of good cherry eats.  And all of you aspiring singers, be sure to check out the “Cherry Idol” competition. You just may be discovered!

Just hearing about the good things to eat makes me hungry for one of my favorite treats, cherry salsa. M-m-m good!

I checked the 10 day forecast for Traverse City and the weather looks perfect. So, bring your family, your sunscreen and your appetite and head to Traverse City.

And when your feet are tired and you want a break from the crowds, be sure to check out a Michigan lake!

If you know me, you know I love dogs. They have been called “Man’s Best Friend”,  and for good reason. When I come home from a day’s work, there he is wagging his tail, glad that I am home. At least that is what I tell myself, the truth may be that he knows when I get home it’s almost time to eat!

Anyway. While driving through  Big Rapids the other day, I noticed an interesting painted sculpture of a dog and had to stop and take a picture. I discovered and interesting event entitled year of the dawgs. Hosted by the Leadership Mecosta, this is  designed to be a community art project. Twenty-five fiberglass bulldawgs, standing about three feet tall and four feet long, were painted by a local artist. They are now displayed at the sponsor’s business site. The art I saw was well done. Sometimes when I look at art, I think I could do better, but in this case I could not begin to match what these artists are doing.

Next time you travel thru Big Rapids on the way to your favorite lake, slow down  and have a good laugh. I promise it will brighten your day.

Wabaningo was originally the name of an Michigan Indian chief.  Today it is the name of small Michigan village located where White Lake flows into Lake Michigan. Originally the community was known as Sylvan Beach, receiving it’s post office way back in 1897.

Today it is at the end of the road that leads to the White Lake Lighthouse. Located adjacent to condos, cottages and the boats slips on White lake. It has endured the ravages of time and weather.

I had thought I should check and see it this quaint post office branch needs a new postmaster. I was interested till I heard the recent news that the post office was going to cut some 3200 smaller offices across the county.

I was reminded of that old saying, “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”   

Thanks to all our postal workers who bring our mail, no matter what the weather!

Well, it’s that time again. The daylilies are blooming.  You can’t travel very far in Michigan without seeing those familiar bright orange blossoms and the spiky leaves. You see them as a border along someone’s lawn and growing wild along the roadside. 

Occasionally, while traveling through the countryside, you will see a batch of them in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. This always tells me that at one time there was a farm homestead on the site. Years ago, a farmwife (or the farmer himself!), lovingly planted these hoping for many years of color to brighten the landscape. Well, the farm and it’s buildings are long gone, but the daylilies continue to bloom. That tells you how hardy this plant is!

I had never given much thought to why daylilies were named daylilies. I guess I just assumed they opened during the day and closed at night. I have since found out that the daylily blossom only blooms for one day, a pretty brief life, but the many blossoms per stem make for a long running display of color.

Someone who owned our property in the past must have loved daylilies, because our property is filled with them. But, that’s OK with me because I like the splash of color they provide.  I sometimes wonder how old these plants are and how many changes have taken place on the property since the were planted. If only daylilies could talk!

Michigan is fortunate to have so many lakes. Our state is blessed with many beautiful lakes, and Muskegon Lake is one of the best.

Muskegon Lake is located in Laketon Township and the City of Muskegon. It is a lake of 4,150 acres with reported depths of 52 feet. Muskegon Lake Map.

The Michigan DNR maintains several public access sites with a hard surface boat launch site with parking: Cottage Grove, Giddings Street,  Grand Trunk and Hartshorn Marina.

Along the north shore are many nice residential properties.  The southern shore has a lot  of older industrial properties, but now many new condos and marinas are being built.  Muskegon is changing its image with a fresh new downtown and the extensive renovation is spreading to the south shore of this beautiful lake.

“I received your letter, was pleased to get it, will answer it soon. Hope you are well. Yesterday was my birthday. I was twenty two. I will write you what I got in my next letter. Hope to hear from you soon. Blanch”  February 22, 1903

Eagle Lake is located in Paw Paw Township in southern Van Buren County. If you are coming from the north, it is 2.5 miles south off I-96, exit #56. If you are coming from the south, just take #51, four miles north of Decatur.

Eagle Lake is 196 acres of surface waters and boasts of depths of up to 60 feet. Eagle Lake has a DNR  boat launch on the south side of the lake, with limited parking and a gravel launch.

Oh, to be twenty-two again and enjoying a Michigan lake!

A hobbit trail leads to the Bog Bench at Muskegon State Park. To be sure, there are many hobbit trails that wind through the wooded back dunes north of Muskegon, but this one is special. From its trail head at the storied Blockhouse that overlooks Lake Michigan and all points surrounding, it descends into a hardwood forest, clambers back up the side of a dune, then leads you across a small blowout and along a wooded ridge of knobbly witch hazels, entish oaks, and elvish white pines. From there the trail descends into a forested valley and traces the shore of a jewel-like bog lake bordered to the south, west, and east by more dunes, and to the north by flatter, less topographically challenging forest land.

I have tramped through countless woodlands in my four decades as an amateur naturalist, but I have never seen another woods so filled with mystery and magic as these. They are Sherwood Forest. They are Lothlorien. I’ve not yet seen a leprechaun scamper into hiding among the lowbush blueberries, but that just goes to show you how secretive leprechauns are. As for hobbits, I’m waiting for the day when I find one sitting on the Bog Bench. I’ll step off the main trail through an archway of pine branches and there he’ll be, smoking his pipe and contemplating the afternoon sun that dances in mirror fragments on the waters.

I could go on at length about the bench that sits on the shore of the tiny lake and overlooks an island of the encroaching wetland…about the trail as it follows its course around the lake and along the shoulders of wooded dunes shaded by hemlocks and woven with trailing arbutus…and of course, about the famed Blockhouse perched high atop a sandy pinnacle off of Scenic Drive, overlooking the land where lumberjacks once harvested long-vanished forests of virgin white pine. But there are other sides to Muskegon State Park as well. Broad, sandy beaches. Campgrounds. A channel where the Muskegon River, after broadening into the wide waters of Muskegon Lake, empties at last into the vast expanse of Lake Michigan.

On this day, after circling the lake and ascending the hobbit trail back up out of that mythical valley, Lisa and I headed south down Scenic Drive past the beach to the channel. Sailboats plied the waters past the lighthouse, heading inland after an afternoon out on Lake Michigan. A handful of fishermen were trying their luck on a walkway next to the main boardwalk. A wide variety of dogs were out walking their people—a Jack Russel terrier, a chihuahua, a couple of magnificent collies, and more.

From the pier, we headed back north to the beach to watch the sun set. Evening along the Lake Michigan shoreline is magical, and this evening was especially so. Orange-rimmed turrets of storm clouds far to the north thrust skyward, silhouetted by the melon sky. A host of sea gulls wheeled through the air, descending for the night with the sun. Blond sand and green marram grass blazed in the last rosy rays, then gradually receded into shadow. A beautiful afternoon on Michigan’s west coast had crowned itself with a radiant sunset.

And now, at last, it was time to go home.

Estimate”,  Webster defines it as an approximate computation of the probable cost of a piece of work, made by a person undertaking to do the work.

Recently on a job we are doing,  we had to replace the roof. It has lived out its life and frankly, should have been replaced years ago.  For whatever reason, probably a lack of money, the former owner of the property neglected their responsibilities and choose to live with leakage.

The first estimate seemed high for the number of square feet the job required. After asking around as to who others had used in the past, we set out to get four estimates from four different Michigan roofing contractors. We gave each contractor the same requirements as to the shingles and the work required. All seemed eager to do the work. We received four very different estimates. The low estimate was $4,700 and the highest was $9,950. The two in the middle were $7,000 and $7,500.

You might be thinking take the low estimate and run with it right? That’s not what we did. We took the next one higher. The reason is when we counted the costs of shingles, plywood, nails, drip edge and other items including the dumpster, was there was no way he could have done the job for that price. The materials came to more than that. Taking that quote would have been future trouble for the home owner.

Always get several estimates. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is too good to be true!

There I was, sitting at my desk, looking out over the water, listening to the birds sing and feeling sorry for my struggling tomato plants;  when suddenly, out of nowhere came the thought,  “Six months from today it will be Christmas.”  Well, nothing like spoiling a perfect reverie. 

Yes, it’s true, only 182 shopping days until Christmas. So, for those of you who like to be prepared, you’d better start on your Christmas list and start digging out those cookie recipes.  You can never be too prepared when it comes to Christmas!

For the rest of us, knowing this will give us a good reason to spend more time enjoying the warm weather , the sunshine and our favorite Michigan lake.

But, if Christmas takes you by surprise this year, don’t say I didn’t warn you!