Saturday night, we had an ice storm. Some of the ice melted during the day, but most of it is still on the trees. Last night, we had snow. The snow changed the look of the ice covered flora. It went from crystal to white. See what you think.

Thanks for stopping by.

Rob

Last night a big chunk of the lower peninsula was coated with freezing rain. Ice storms are my least favorite type of winter weather. I would rather have a foot of snow than a quarter inch of ice. Snow can cause headaches, but ice can cause more damage. Ice is dangerous. It is also beautiful. Here is how my yard looked this morning.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay warm out there.

Rob

Early last week as I walked past the Capitol, I noticed this little squirrel with a white tail. It was unusual, so I had to stop and take a photo. 

Seeing this little guy reminded me that several years ago, there were some white squirrels a few miles from our house. They were even more unusual, but I was never able to get a picture of them. 

One of my favorite spots in Williamston is the Red Cedar River. I have taken quite a few photos there over the years. It is especially interesting in the winter. Because of the rapids, the water keeps moving, but as it splashes, the water freezes in interesting shapes.

Thanks for taking a look,
Rob

I spent some time walking around Harris Nature Center today. The weather has turned cold, so most of the animals are not very active. The squirrels and the birds seem to stay active all year. I did not get any good photos of squirrels. They were too shy. However, I did get some other photos. Here they are.

Thanks for taking a look,
Rob

Saturday, we went on a wine tasting tour in Southwest Michigan. The soil and the climate there make it an excellent place to grow grapes. Here are a few photos. For some reason, the more wine I tasted, the less clear the pictures were.      

Here are links to the wineries we visited.

Tabor Hill Restaurant and Winery - Bob Hope's favorite wine

Contessa Wine Cellars - Beautiful views and vineyards

The Round Barn Winery - Not only wines, but fantastic spirits and beers as well

Rob

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit 3rd Day Farm in Lake City. Bob and Annie have a small but amazing farm. They produce a huge amount of fresh fruits and vegetables using intensive agricultural practices. Everything is natural - no pesticides, no genetically modified organisms, no growth hormones. It is not certified organic. It is better!

The really cool thing about the farm is Bob and Annie's willingness to share. They share their harvest, and they share their knowledge. Just stop by, Bob will take you on a tour of the farm, and he will tell you how you can grow vegetables too. There are no trade secrets here!

Rob 

Yesterday, we spent the day at Michigan's Adventure, an amusement park north of Muskegon. I only had my point and shoot camera, but I thought I would post a few photos from the day.

If you find yourself in southwest Michigan, check out Michigan's Adventure. We had a lot of fun!

Rob

I have been admiring the outdoor art in downtown Lansing for a few weeks now. Today, I decided to take some pictures. The first photo is a print on the side of Impression 5 Children's Museum. The others are from Sculptures in the Park, an exhibit by the Lansing Art Gallery.

Rob

As I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner, I looked into the yard and saw a deer walking around munching on the leaves and grass. I grabbed my camera and ran out the door. Fortunately, the deer did not run when it saw me. It allowed me to take several photos. Here are a few.

This is a really skinny deer, so it may not be with us much longer. I am glad I was able to see it

These photos were taken April 28, but I have been too busy to get them posted.  This was a Sunday morning. I went into the kitchen to get some coffee and stopped to look out the window. There was a huge bird landing in a tree down the street. When I looked closer, I realized there were a lot of huge birds in the trees. I grabbed my camera and walked down to check it out. For some reason, these vultures were just hanging out,