December 2016
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Great Lake Story 2016: Final Chapter
Great Lake Story 2016: Sanctuary at St. Lazare – Final Chapter
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Cruising snow country trails
Michigan is snowmobile country. There are 202,000 registered snowmobiles and an estimated additional 50,000 that are unregistered and just used on private property. Snowmobiling is a Michigan thing. With some 6,200 miles of designated snowmobile trails open to the public across the state, traversing state, federal, and, in some cases, private land, Michigan is one […]
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Understanding Winter
From the backdoor of my farmhouse, the morning sun creeps above the frosted beige carpet of a soybean field. For a moment, it oozes like a globe of orange jelly between the oaks that stand in silhouette against the field’s eastern boundary. Then, freed from the horizon’s grasp, it illumes a ribbon of high clouds […]
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The Kromer Appeal
There’s just something about that hat that is never as obvious to Bob Jacquart as when he tours Michigan on his annual fact-finding mission, toting a trailer filled with his new winter line, a red and black Stormy Kromer hat on his own head. The owner of Ironwood-based Jacquart Fabric Products and its Stormy Kromer branch […]
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Finer fare for outdoor adventurers
Michigan winters offer unparalleled experiences. The state is home to 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails, 3,000 miles of cross country skiing trails and was ranked second in the nation for number of ski areas. For many Michiganders, winter is part of the reason to live in the Great Lakes State. And for those who enjoy […]
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Wildlife in winter
It’s an illusion, of course, but winter hours seem longer. In summer, when the days last from five in the morning until 10 at night, there’s not enough time to accomplish everything. But in winter, time languishes. You can work eight hours, plow the driveway, prepare dinner, eat, clean the kitchen, build a fire in […]
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The beauty of its vistas
A boisterous season of unending “to-do” lists and holiday frivolity is given comparative respite, as winter cloaks the Michigan landscape. Concluding the introduction of the BLUE photo essay of winter’s beauty, Managing Editor Howard Meyerson instructs readers to “throw another log on the fire and enjoy” the images from a variety of Michigan photographers. Perhaps, […]
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Skiing the U.P.
Michigan’s northern region features plenty of options for beginners and experts alike including 19 lift-fed areas skiers have their choice of single rope tow hills to full-featured resorts with double and triple chairlifts.
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Ring in the New Year with Antiques
Champagne bubbles, a kiss at midnight and staying awake to see the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square are beloved New Year’s Eve traditions. It’s a night that ushers in a quiet day Jan. 1, when many businesses are closed and people stay home to watch football. But what about those who find […]
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Michigan Winters
“My wife and I challenged ourselves with a 5-mile round-trip trek across the ice to see this impressive sea stack at Pointe Aux Barques on Lake Huron. We had only one mishap. She fell into a small crevasse, but only up to her waist, and filled her boots with snow.” Winter is a special time […]
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The Golden Age of Winter Carnivals
Before the days of jet travel, when winter vacationers stayed closer to home, winter was a time to celebrate. Several northern Michigan communities celebrated the cold months by sponsoring winter festivals as early as the 1920s. Those festivities caught on in the 1930s and ’40s and continued through the ’60s. Ice skating, skiing, tobogganing, hockey […]
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Gourmet Treats & Sweet Delights
While traversing Michigan’s snow-covered trails, skiers and snowshoers can work up an appetite. This winter, at four Michigan locations, they will have a chance to enjoy gourmet foods and tasty fare at stops along their snowy routes. Treetops Resort in Gaylord, (treetops.com), is hosting Skiable Feast, a gourmet ski-and-eat adventure along its 6-kilometer intermediate trail. […]
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Looking to Fly
Jumping nearly 450 feet off a mountain at 55 miles per hour and landing on your feet is exhilarating — and a thrill to watch for people who come to the world famous Pine Mountain Ski Jump. Taking a trip down the mountain is a story people can brag about for the rest of their […]
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Create a festive setting for any occasion
’Tis the season to celebrate and embellish our homes for the holidays and beyond. A great way to start is with some insightful tips for your tabletops from local talent. When setting the table for any occasion, balance is important, according to David C. McKnight, owner and founder of Emerald City Designs, The Special Event […]
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Winter 2016: Contributors
See the writers, photographers and contributors that helped bring this year’s Winter issue of Michigan BLUE Magazine to life.
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Make a date with the state
Wonderful Winter! Endless holiday festivity. A great time to go sledding. Enjoy sleigh rides and Christmas parades, New Year’s Eve parties and other great gatherings. Savor the Nutcracker, Cirque de Noel and groovin’ Mowtown favorites. Decorate trees and mantels and make snow angels outside. December/January People, places and events to explore in Michigan Experience […]
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Third Coast Boat Builders
About 12 years ago, a group of residents from the Cedarville area, a small northern Lake Huron town, were concerned about the local economy. They put their heads together to think of solutions. Cedarville — population 253 — isn’t exactly the middle of nowhere, but it sits on an eastern bank of the Upper Peninsula, […]
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The District Detroit Heats Up
Temperatures have begun to fall, but the excitement in Detroit continues to heat up, as the city draws closer to completing one of its biggest development projects to date. The District Detroit, which includes a 50-block region that includes the city’s downtown and Midtown areas, is on track to become the premier entertainment destination in […]
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Is coffee for the birds?
On winter days when birds flock to backyard feeders, it’s not uncommon for people to sit with a cup of coffee and enjoy the winged mayhem in their yard. Backyard birdwatching is a popular U.S. pastime — meeting for coffee has become one, too. Julie Craves hopes more people will connect the two activities. She […]
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When the shoe fits
Building wood snowshoes the old-fashioned way requires patience and skill. The process takes time and a little know-how, but those who learn it say the effort is worthwhile. “Completing a pair is amazingly satisfying,” explains Chuck Nelson with Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor, where snowshoe building classes had been offered for many years. “Once […]
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Appreciation for log fires
Growing up, we heated our home with wood. The yawning, cast iron stove always seemed hungry, and keeping it fed was a full-time job. Dressed in a plaid wool vest, my father spent his weekends chopping and stacking like a modern-day Paul Bunyan. The whine of his chainsaw filled Saturday mornings, as sweat and wood […]
