Picnic

A perfect day for a picnic, especially if there is water near. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon on the Sturgeon River enjoying good food and good friends. The weatherman was right, highs in the 90's but a strong wind kept us comfortable and also kept the bugs away.


What did you do with your weekend?

Hot, hot, and hotter

The week-end is predicted to be hot, some of the hottest days for the summer. We should have highs in the 80's on Friday and Saturday and 90's on Sunday and Monday.

This late in the summer the temperatures usually drop into the 50's or 60's for the evening and early morning hours.

We'll see, the weathermen have been wrong before. Yoopers always take jackets along with them. We prepare for all kinds of weather. It changes in a blink of the eye.

Bridge Walk in the UP

Labor Day is always about walking across the bridge.. any bridge. The main event in the UP is walking across the Mackinac Bridge. It is the only day of the year that the bridge is open to pedestrians. The Governor jogs across and if you are one of the lucky chosen few, you can jog with her on Labor day. Don't forget, the Mackinac Bridge is 5 miles long.

If you aren't in to crowds, try walking the Houghton Lift Bridge. That's always open to pedestrians but it would be fun to say you "walked the bridge" on Labor Day. And every year I remind you of the Annual Bridge Walk in Skanee. This year they their doings take place on Sunday, August 31st. The Bridge Walk is at 2:00 PM and should take a minute or two. It will take you longer to walk to the bridge than to walk across. They have one big party on Labor Day Weekend with a community Potluck after the bridge walk.

A town on the move.

Houghton has seen many new business in the past few years. The Country Inn and Suites is located behind WalMart,it's been there for a few years. Applebee's came next and is in the same area. Another new business is the Mine Shaft Bowling Center and Rockhouse Hardwood Grille.

It's all about convenience. Superior National Bank has opened a new branch in Houghton. It is also located near Wal-Mart and Applebees. This branch will replace the Copper Country Mall Branch that had been in the Mall since 1980. With the new branch with will be able to offer drive-up service.

Their main office is in Hancock with branches in Calumet, Baraga, Lake Linden, Mohawk, Chassell, and EconoFoods in Houghton.

Fly-in?

Baraga County doesn't have an airport. Not an airport as we think of airports. Think level fields, think small planes and suddenly you can imagine a county filled with airports. Then again, I believe Sidnaw is part of Houghton County.

Sidnaw will host the third annual FLY-In on August 30, 2008, at the Prickett-Grooms Airport. The Fly-in is part of an end of summer festival that will include a craft and flea market, a rummage sale and a soup and sandwich luncheon. They will also offer free airplane rides and maybe helicopter rides.

Small craft airplanes from across the US will begin arriving on Friday evening. The event is sponsored by the Southern Houghton county Airport and Heritage Association.

Pamida Store

The rumor is no longer a rumor. L'Anse will have a Pamida Store in the spring. Work has begun on the building to be located south of L'Anse on US-41 on a site that, until recently, was a trailer court.

Pamida Corporation is a Omaha, Nebraska based firm and has stores in Calumet and Ishpeming as well as many other areas in the UP. The company has opened 18 stores in the past two years.

Moyle Construction of Houghton has already begun work on the building. It is hoped that the exterior will be enclosed before winter.

Bell Hospital

Photo from the TV6 web site.


Bell Hospital in Ishpeming is nearing completion. The exterior signs were installed on Friday. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for September 15th. The old Bell Hospital is a 90 year old facility. The new 40 million dollar hospital will begin operation on Sept 27, 2008.

Congratulations Ishpeming!

Ironwood

I've been searching for interesting Blogs. This one on Michigan Architecture has some very nice photos. I noticed the blog hasn't been updated in a year but maybe if we all visit and add a comment Marjorie will add some updates.

Check out some of her photos taken in Ironwood. She also has some of the Huron Mountain Club. I've always wanted to get a look at the Huron Mountain Club but I believe it is still a very exclusive place. We'll consider ourselves lucky to see the photos.

Michigan Architecture

Another Blog of interst

Leslie Allen's blog entry for August 16, 2008, is perfect. It describes August in the UP. You need to read it. I'd post it here but that's not fair. You should visit the site yourself.

I believe Leslie Allen is in Alger County.

Life above the 45th parallel.

Summer

It's been a beautiful summer, not too hot, just about perfect. Yes, we could use a little more rain but that gives us something to talk about. A beautiful summer equates to time outside, meaning, no time to update the blog. I hope you are all in the same situation and no one missing my updates.

Another Blog to check out.

John lives in L'Anse by way of Chicago. Leave a comment if you've found other UP bloggers. I believe he stops at this blog on occasion.
http://goleftonlakeshore.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html">Go left on Lakeshore

Vandalism update

The neighbor called me to look out my window. They could see the State Police, the Baraga Village Police, and the Tribal Police near the intersection of M38 and US 41. They were talking to three very young kids, my guess would be 11-14 years old. They also had a police dog.

The kids were obviously in trouble. The police officers were searching the long grass and the ditches for something. Eventually, one of the kids was taken away in the police car. I'm not sure what happened to the other two. I quit watching after a half hour.

These three very young kids are reported to be responsible for the vandalism of the school buses and garage. They also attempted to break into Wilkinson General Store and vandalised several cars.

I heard that one of the kids told his dad that he couldn't do anything to him!! Yeah right!! If it were my kid there would be plenty I could and would do. Grounding for the rest of his life but he wouldn't be sitting while he was in the house. We always told the kids that if they got in trouble, don't let the police bring you home, you're much safer in jail. We thank the Lord everyday that our kids made it through those years with only minor problems.

Vandalism

Cell phones come in handy. I used mine this morning. Maybe I'll stop my early morning walks.

The police officer said the garage area was a mess! As I walked by I could smell the gas that had been dumped. There were several fire extinguishers outside. Many of the buses had been entered but I didn't get close enough to look inside.

What causes anyone to do senseless things like this? Do they think they won't get caught? The school has security cameras!!

Cucumbers

Mom brought me her first cucumbers of the year. She picked them small so that I could make pickles. It's really nice when other people do the growing and I reap the harvest. Thanks mom and yes, I've made a patch of bread and butter pickles.

Some of you out there in computer land are thinking, "What, they are just now getting cucumbers?" I suppose most of your gardens are finished. Barb, you've got to remember, we still had snow when you were picking tomatoes.

Are you overloaded with cucumbers? I think I might have a new recipe for you. I had the slicer turned the wrong way and ended up with some shredded cucumbers. What could I do with shredded cucumbers? I tried a few things but adding ranch dressing (this was the made from scratch ranch dressing) and a little sugar was the best. If you try it, plan to eat it right away or it will get watery.

Suspect charged.

Scott Johnson has been charged with three counts of intentional homicide in Marinette County, Wisconsin, but he may also be charge by Dickinson County, Michigan. The Dickinson County prosecutor is waiting to see if federal officials file charges.

The federal government can impose the death penalty, neither Michigan or Wisconsin can. One of the victims was shot on the Michigan side and two others on the Wisconsin side of the Menominee River. Johnson was on the Wisconsin side. The federal government is involved because the shootings took place near a railroad bridge.

It is reported that Johnson had been planning to execute this type of shooting for several years. He had several stashes of weapons and ammunition in the area. I have not heard if authorities have actually recovered any of the other weapons.

Lily

This lily is beautiful but it's fragrance tops everything. You will follow your nose from 10 or more feet away. In a few days I will have a dozen of these lilies open.

Sailboats

Sailboats on the bay are very beautiful. We see more and more all the time. Anyone know when the if the Onagaming Yacht Club is still operating? I'd like to take pictures when they hold a regata that comes to Sand Point on Keweenaw Bay.

Wolves

Wolves are protected. A wolf sighting is supposed to be rare. It's not. A friend tells of seeing a pack of wolves near Alberta. She stopped the car to get a better look and tells of the eyes of the alpha male staring at her.

Another friend tells about his encounter with a wolf at his camp on the Sturgeon River, near Pelkie. This is an unpopulated area with several fields near the camp and woods surrounding the area. He was mowing the grass when he happened to turn and look behind him only to see a wolf following him about 15-20 feet behind. He only saw one wolf but he also talked about the eyes.

There is also the women who had two young children with her as she picked blueberries in the Yellow Dog Plains. She was terrified by a pack of wolves. She had heard barking in the area and was thinking someones dog was a long way from home.

I've heard other people talking about seeing wolves, almost everyone has a story. Thankfully, I'm only passing on what others have seen. I only claim to have seen coyotes. Wait, wait, I take that back. I saw the tail end of a very large animal several years ago. (I was in the car) As I discribed what I had seen everyone said it was a timber wolf but we didn't have wolves in the area at the time, so they said.

Suspect in custody.

After a 15 hour manhunt for the man who shot 4 teens, a suspect has turned himself in. Shortly before 9:00 a.m., the suspect, in camouflage gear, walked out of the woods, there was no gunfire or resistance. Scott Johnson gave himself up.

Johnson emerged from a wooded area by County Road N near the railroad tracks.
He is being lodged in the Marinette County Jail but has not been officially charged.

Hail

The storm lasted only a half hour on Friday. The sky turn black and the wind whipped the trees. It passed through around 5:30 dumping buckets of water and pea size hail. The winds took down tree limbs and sent anything in its way tumbling across lawns.

The storm was a isolated storm, maybe it just hit Baraga. Friends camping at Second Sand Beach didn't even have rain. My mother, who lives about 5 miles away, didn't have rain.

We didn't have any damage at our house so I was thankful for the rain. I didn't need to water my flowers.

Train Bridge Tragedy

We always think we are safe in the UP. It's a safe place to raise your family. It's a safe place to live and, for the most part, it is, but not on July 31, 2008. The shooting took place on the Menominee River near Iron Mountain, MI and Kingsford, WI.

On the East Kingsford Train Bridge just before 5:30 p.m. central time a group of teenagers were swimming in the Menominee River. A male dressed in camouflage clothing had jumped out of the woods and opened fire on the teens. He vanished back into the woods after shooting 3 of the teenagers and injuring another.

More than 100 officers searched for the gunman. Police setup roadblocks and
went door to door and evacuated residences within at least one square mile of the Kingsford train bridge.

What tragic news to wake up to on a Friday morning. Our prayers are with all the families.