Author Archives: makielb

The current status of the ground invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The “actual” events happening currently. A forced election, that is most likely rigged. An excuse for annexing south eastern Ukraine, and the probable conscription of Ukrainians into the Russian army with hopes that they will fight against their own country. As the invasion isContinue reading “A war, a celebration and a planet”

We went to Plymouth today to get Susan’s bivalent covid booster and a flu shot. Since we were there we went shopping at an Indian market and stopped at Beyond Borders, Latin Street Food, where we had a great lunch, with left overs for tomorrow. I always love spying into a kitchen, this one wasContinue reading “Plymouth for a vaccine and lunch”

The latest peppers from the garden in the processing of drying to make hot chili powder. On our morning walk we found a “fairy garden” that was starting to become more Halloween themed. Then, somehow this puzzle showed up on the internet. And… Skeletons riding flamingoes that turned on them. A Halloween tradition flamingoes pickingContinue reading “Hot peppers heading into Halloween”

Every time I see people complaining about the rising costs of medical care in the U.S. it angers me that they immediately go to “big pharma.” The growth in the “Health Care Business” started with the privatization of health care and the insane increase in administrators. It is now a matter of the tail waggingContinue reading “Monday cartoons and the dark side of life”

That’s how hikes end for me, with a snooze. So, this is what happened to the last of the blueberries that I collected before we left Whitefish Point. Now that we are back home the garden needed picking. This morning I picked tomatoes, green beans and hot peppers. I see some canning in the future.Continue reading “A great, and tiring weekend full of friends and food”

Just north of Lapeer, Michigan, is the Eastern Michigan University Field Station. I spent many fun summers teaching here. The last was at the beginning of August in 2019, just before the pandemic started. Susan and I got there early so that we would have time to walk some of the trails. We started atContinue reading “Visiting the EMU field station in Lapeer”

We went out for dinner last night and this poster caught my eye. Before the rain started, the noise outside was mainly due to a murder (of crows). The heavy rain at Whitefish Point gave way to fog near the Tahquamenon Rivermouth. This would last until south of Mackinaw City. Near Trout Lake the fogContinue reading “Into the fog heading south”

From a car at Whitefish Point. Every day is my “cup of tea!” The Moon in the early morning, rapidly becoming dark on the right, like the country. Our little piece of Paradise at sunrise. There was a lot of dragonfly movement today. It was green darners and meadowhawks. The meadowhawks didn’t stay put longContinue reading “A day with nature”

The other day Susan made sausage-kale soup, while I picked more blueberries, this time I managed three cups. I’m seeing more blueberry pancakes in my future. Outside the lichens were glowing in the early morning light. This is a stump along the driveway that had no lichens ten years ago. Now it has a thickContinue reading “More food and nature at Whitefish Point”

It’s been overcast with intermittent rain since yesterday. But don’t worry there’s always something to do. We managed to find a blue-spotted salamander on the boardwalk to the point. Damp, overcast days are great times to photograph lichens. I spend a lot of time on damp knees with these little beauties. This is Vulpicida pinastri,Continue reading “Back to nature”