February 2020
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‘Thoreau at 29 Cents a Gallon’
In the 1910s, Michigan saw an increase in automobile ownership, more development of good roads in the state and an enthusiasm for motorists to take to the open road.
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Dream Big at Michigan’s Winter Boat Shows
For most Michigan boaters, winter is boat show season. It’s the time of year to research and review the latest accessories, technology and new models from the many manufacturers on display in venues across the state.
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Cottages 2020: Contributors
Meet the authors, photographers, and contributors who helped bring this issue of Michigan BLUE Magazine to life.
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Creative Baking at Sister Pie
Apple sage gouda is the most popular flavor at Sister Pie Bakery, and the uniqueness of an apple pie with sage and gouda says it all. Run by Lisa Ludwinski in Detroit’s West Village, the bakery has brought her national fame, particularly once her “Sister Pie” cookbook came out in 2018. Featuring 75 recipes and […]
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Lakeside Retreat
Inn at Bay Harbor unveils updated look that ties in local culture, elegant comfort.
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Breathing New Life Into Birch Lodge
Travelers once again are heading to the heart of the Upper Peninsula for rest and relaxation at the historic Birch Lodge on Trout Lake.
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Suite for Another Day in the World
“Suite for Another Day in the World” by Jack Ridl is reprinted with permission from Wayne State University Press, publisher of “Saint Peter and the Goldfinch,” a 2019 book of poems by Ridl.
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Making Memories
A friend was telling me about a rustic lakefront cabin that two generations of his family have rented every summer since 1950. That struck me as a fine tradition, so I asked what he liked best about it. Without hesitation, he said, “Making memories, of course.”
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A Collector of Tackle
Terry McBurney is a collector. And a historian. And because of that, he also is a storyteller. For the last 16 years, McBurney has written a monthly column for Woods-N-Water News, an outdoors publication out of Imlay City that is largely hunting- and fishing-oriented.
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A Wine Grape for the Time
Geoff Frey’s palette was wowed when he sipped his first glass of Marquette, a red hybrid grape, during a wine event in St. Paul, Minnesota, nearly a decade ago.
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Kirtland’s Warbler Focus Shifts From ‘Recovery to Conservation’
Federal officials announced last fall that Michigan’s rarest warbler, the Kirtland’s warbler, was removed from the federal Endangered Species List.
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Make a Date With the State
Yesss! Cottage Life. Reminisce about loon calls, watching the sunrise, feeling the breeze. Check out cottage and lakefront living shows or boat shows.
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Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Stone!
These days, most who walk the Lake Superior shoreline at night aren’t looking for starry glimmers in the sky but on the ground.
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Shore-To-Shore Bicycling
Start with a sunrise or end with a sunset. Cyclists on the state’s newest long-distance cycling trail can dip their toes — or tires — in the sand, ride for miles under a canopy of trees, say hello to grazing cattle and smell the fresh farm air.
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Room With a View
Whether you have a waterfront property or not, the indoor environment always can be enhanced with sensational scenery. Artistic wall murals can deliver a dramatic backdrop that takes a space from basic to breathtaking.
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Cool Collab
Two iconic outdoor Michigan brands have decided to join forces for the cold season. Launched in fall 2019, a co-branded clothing collection created by Merrell and Stormy Kromer became available to consumers just in time for the cooler Michigan weather.
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Cottage Country Art
Maybe it’s the gift of unscheduled time, maybe the inspiration of lake and woods, but no trip to our family cabin has ever ended without the practice of art in some form.
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Celebrating the Unexpected
There’s nothing conventional about the hip, new restaurant called Houndstooth, located in the Benton Harbor Arts District.
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Planning for a Marvelous Summer at the Cottage
Late winter is that time of year when waterfront property owners and others begin planning for the upcoming warm seasons.
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Starting Over
For many Michigan leisure seekers, seasonal stays and scenic settings often go hand in hand. Such is the case for Catherine “Cahssey” Augenstein, who has spent summers on Gun Lake in Middleville since she was a kid.
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Tile-Dyed
Ann Arbor-based Motawi Tileworks aims to change the art of the home one tile at a time. The one-of-a-kind tiles have added color and elegance to homes, libraries and hospitals across the country.
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Everyday Getaway
While cottages are synonymous with long-awaited, short-term stays, there’s no need to pack bags and head to another home when you live on a lake year-round.