I dropped a photo by SnowBound Books that I took during Ladies’ Night last November and the sun popped out from behind the clouds, blue skies, oh my! I took this shot directly into the sun and then used filters in PSE to darken the shadows a bit. The vignetting of the photo was already present. I took this with my tiny running camera from Casio it fits in my trim, athletic, winter coat (smile).

The sun came out after a multi-day storm. I was thankful to catch the end of the day along Marquette’s lakeshore.

I went for a hike/jog at Song Bird Trail, Marquette Michigan on Saturday March 13, 2010. The snowpack was holding on the paths but many patches of ground showed even under the pines. The day was cold, damp, and misty. Could it be that spring has sprung here in the Upper Peninsula?

Normally, I adore the Heikki Lunta fireworks over Teal Lake they hang and fall slow like syrup. But this year was unseasonably warm and they were “just fireworks” not fireworks in January’s sub-zero freezes. I forgot my tripod and had to capture images while holding my breath and praying. Seems attendance was low this year, too. The only good thing was my fingers and toes did not hurt with pins and needles and I did not have to breath thru a scarf (wink).

Mike and I took Ceiri and Liam with us to Lakenenland last weekend. I loved watching my daughter play with my grandson. The blues were beautiful that day and we were all smiling on Saturday.

Sledding with Liam II
Photographer: Grandma

Liam works hard. But look closely, Momma is working harder. That’s Mike in the background clicking photos of what some people call Junkyard Art. Many of the pieces at Lakenenland are awesome and artful, intricate and detailed. Not a junky piece out there.

Sledding with Liam III
Photographer: Grandma

Liam is a good son though and makes sure momma is hydrated. There was lots of snow ingested that afternoon.

Sledding with Liam IV
Photographer: Grandma

All good things, however, must come to an end. I think Ceiri had to walk and pull Liam a little bit. No one pulled me. Not even Mike.

These photos were taken on Baby Lake Trail (2 kilometers easy/beginner)at Al Quaal Recreation Area, Ishpeming Michigan. Saturday was blessed with blue skies and the snow form several days of lake effect clung to the trees. There was little wind and the day was magical. Mike and I were out on snow shoes. But as you can see by the couple walking down the trail–they were not needed. Of course, unless you are a photographer that is often drawn off trail, then you must simply have snow shoes.

Today after Cross Country Skiing with Mike we headed to take photos of horses in snow. It was a lovely day and felt like Christmas. It was my first time on skis fitted to me. I had been frightened to go out alone and Mike came with to the Blueberry Ridge Pathway on County Road 553. Then visiting these horses after our ski-day felt like candy-icing on cookies!

I went on a recovery walk today. Not my usual 10k run. Why? I have been afflicted with some sort of intestinal distress with pain over my gall bladder. It will be after the holidays before I know what is up. So for now I watch my food and my activity. I rest. I walk. I capture images. Not too different from a usual day (wink).

Went hunting with my camera and found this healthy, and very fat, eight point buck. The winter is early but Naturalists and the DNR are predicting a hard winter and a significant impact to the Upper Peninsula Deer herd. It is a good thing the trees were heavy with apples this year. It certainly helped fatten the herd.