Category Archives: Nature

The Last Post …. Of The Decade

Posted on by Posted in autumn, Nature .

Here it is, December 31st, 2019. It is my last post for the decade and I was not sure what to post. I went through some of my photos.  I think this one on a back road in Autumn somewhere near Hell Michigan is one of my favorites. Thank you so much for going on this journey around the Mitten State with me. I have created almost one thousand posts since I started this website back in 2013 and hope to surpass the 1k mark soon. I do my best to keep my posts random and from all parts of the peninsulas.

I am not sure where the road will lead next but I have a lot of places I want to visit in the next decade. I hope you will follow me as I explore new places and as always thank you for taking the time to read my posts.

Have a happy New Year and a prosperous decade. See ya on the flip side

Mike Sonnenberg.

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The Summit of Isabella

Posted on by Posted in Benchmarks, Nature .

One of my readers told me about Bundy Hill in Isabella county. It is the highest point in the county at 1270 feet and has been recently been turned into a nature preserve. Since I was in the area recently I stopped by to check it out. From the parking lot on West River Road near Lake Isabella are a few trails. One of the trails is a history trail with signs along the path describing the town that once stood in the area. Unfortunately, nothing remains of the town today.

At the end of the half-mile long history trail was a sign with an arrow and the word “summit.” I figured I was here I might as well go to the summit. It sounded nice but if you are unfamiliar with the word it means the top of a hill or mountain. It was a nice walk but uphill all the way. My middle-aged body is not accustomed to walking uphill for long distances. It was not too strenuous but more than I planned on doing for a quick trip. I got about half way and was thinking about heading back to the jeep but then I figured I went this far.

I got to the summit and encased in concrete is a U.S. geological survey benchmark. It was a pleasant surprise. I have been finding a lot of them lately and different landmarks around Michigan. After looking a the benchmark I made my trip back down the hill. If you know how gravity works it was a lot easier hiking down than it was up. I don’t have any plans on climbing Everest soon but Bundy Hill was a nice hike and one more place I can say I visited in Michigan.

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Antique Alley

Posted on by Posted in autumn, Nature, Parks .

This row of old forgotten vehicles abandoned from an old sawmill town is deep within the Groen Nature Preserve. The preserve is in Otsego County near Johannesburg. The property once belonged to Louis M. Groen. He invented the Filet O Fish sandwich and owned 43 McDonalds franchise locations. After his death, he donated the property to Otsego County for use as a nature preserve.

Tomorrow Saturday, Oct 26th I will be at the Messiah Community Craft Show from 9-3 at 1550 S. Poseyvillroad in Midland. I will have books. calendars and T-Shirts. If you are in the area I hope you will stop by and say hello.

Reminder I will be at the library in Lakeview on Tuesday, Oct 29th. you can find out more about it and other presentations HERE

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The Butterfly Lighthouse

Posted on by Posted in Lighthouses, Nature .

If you are in the Upper Peninsula in the early fall you may get to witness one of natures wonders. The Monarch Butterfly migrates 1,900-miles south to their wintering grounds in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. Usually, around September thousands of Monarchs gather around the remains of the old Peninsula Lighthouse at the tip or the Stonington Peninsula.

It is one of only a very few places in North America where monarchs can be viewed migrating in great numbers while they wait for favorable weather conditions. Since tagging began in the mid-1990s, monarchs tagged at Peninsula Point have been found in El Rosario, Mexico, almost 2,000 miles from the Stonington Peninsula. Monarchs use a combination of air currents and thermals to travel long distances. Some fly as far as 3,000 miles to reach their winter home.

Have you been able to see the butterfly migration? please post a comment, I missed it by a few days when I visited the old lighthouse. If you want to know more about the lighthouse you see my post about it HERE

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A Religious Experience

Posted on by Posted in Nature .

I usually post a photo of a church on Sunday, but this being one of the most famous Sundays I was not sure which one to post. I figured I would post my favorite place to go for a religious experience.  I think a nice walk through nature is a good way to replenish your soul and remind yourself how beautiful this world is. I am fortunate to live in  Michigan which has so much public land to explore. It won’t be long and it will be green again. Michigan in April tends to be a bit rainy and gray. That is why I take a lot of photos of houses and buildings in towns and cities. I have some places in the forests and parks I want to visit and photograph, but I am waiting for the trees to come alive with green leaves.

If you are wondering this pic is from Ringwood Forest, a Saginaw County park near St Charles.

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Fun On The Road

Posted on by Posted in Nature .

I went for a road trip today. I needed to get pics at some state parks for my Camp Michigan project, You can see more HERE. I went up through Tawas, Oscoda, Alpena and then over to Gaylord and then back home down 75 to Saginaw.  The color around Atalanta and Gaylord was about peak but south of Grayling and Oscoda the color was just starting. I think this weekend October 20th it should be close to peak. It would be a good time to go to the Lumberman’s Monument area.

It was a fun trip with sunshine, to pouring rain, and then snowing so hard it was almost a whiteout. you gotta love Michigan, you can experience all four seasons in one day.

P.S. I wanted to post more, but I am kinda tired from my trip. On the way home down I-75, I heard something hit the floorboard then about a minute later I had a flat tire. so if you saw a guy changing a tire on the side of the highway south of Grayling it was me. I ain’t gonna get a job doing pit stops in NASCAR, but I did manage to change a tire in about 15 minutes.

P.P.S I almost forgot, the pic is of a side road off M-32 near Atlanta.

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The Hippie Trees at the Haunted Asylum

Posted on by Posted in Nature .

Hidden deep in the woods is a magical place with colorfully painted trees. I am not sure where the line between art and graffiti is but I know when I visited the Hippie Trees it sure felt like art with its spellbinding array of colors and I was expecting to see H R Pufnstuf jump out of the woods.

The Hippie Trees can be found in the woods behind the old state hospital in Traverse City that has been renovated into shops, offices, and apartments. It is now known as The Village At Grand Travers Commons. The commons own the property behind the old hospital, but there is a sign stating that its labyrinth of hiking trails is open to the public if they are respectful of the property. The Hippie Trees are near the middle of the property. There is parking behind the water tower with a map posted. Or you could hike from the historic Barns Park south of the commons near Silver Lake Road.

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The Tip of the World

Posted on by Posted in Nature .

I went out this past weekend exploring the Upper Peninsula and I made it all the way out to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula to see the rocket range. I was awestruck by the beauty of the red copper rocks and blue water of Lake Superior. It was a long drive but well worth the effort. While I was there I noticed a white spec off in the distance. I guy and his young son was there and he told me it was Gull Island Lighthouse.

I wished I could get to the lighthouse but for now, the best I could do was take a pic with my telephoto lens. It looks so eerie on a small rock way out there offshore.

I am looking forward to sharing my photos and stories with you this fall and winter. I know I said that the last post and then bailed on you for a trip to the Upper Peninsula but I figured I better go while I get the chance. I was up there for 5 days and took a lot of pics. I will stay closer to home now and will have time to post more.  and yes I will be doing a post on the rocket range if you are wondering what that is be sure to subscribe to email updates so you won’t miss it.

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Taking A Hike At The Pond

Posted on by Posted in Nature .

Between Metamora and Dryden in southern Lapeer County is the Seven Ponds Nature Center. Inside the building, they have a large variety of taxidermied animals and an impressive collection of taxidermied birds on display.  They also have some interactive exhibits for kids of all ages to learn about the natural area surrounding the building.

The Nature center consists of about 500 acres, and yes it does include seven ponds to explore. With miles of trails, it’s a fantastic place to take a hike. I really enjoyed the walk along the boardwalk thru the marsh along the pond.  There is even a spot where you can see a beaver hut or lodge or whatever they call a beaver home, I was surprised at how large it was. I did not see any beavers though. they must have been on break. The deer were out and thank you to the one that scared the crap out of me when it ran past me.

I really enjoyed my walk thru the woods at 7 Ponds although the leaves were mostly gone off the trees for the season. I guess that means I will just have to go back. If you want to know more you can check out their website HERE

P.S. There are some nice little towns to visit in the area also, but that’s a post for a different day.

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