Quick Rain Storm

I have always kept an eye on the weather, and knowing there could be some popup storms today I watched the radar most often. A little before 4:00 PM I noticed a few clouds, checked the radar, and sure enough a nice little storm was heading my way. What did I do? I grabbed my drone and headed up into the sky. In one direction, to my southwest, was a storm coming, and in the other direction over Keweenaw Bay, bright sunny skies.
After the storm passed the sun came out, so I grabbed the drone again to hunt for a rainbow. Sure enough, there was one, though not a real strong one but still pretty cool.

Incoming Storm

Keweenaw Bay Before The storm

Rainbow

Keweenaw Bay with a hint of rainbow on the right

Flower from my wildflower patch

Autumnal Equinox And Other Random Things

Today at 3:50 AM, the first day of fall begins.
I’m up early again because Eli needed to go out, my fault, I forgot to let him out later last night. Eli can’t hold his bladder as long as he use to, though he never could last as long as Grizwald could.
Yesterday I had planned to go out for another color drive, but it was way too gloomy with low clouds, so I stayed home. I did get a few things done around the house, might as well as long as I was going to be here. One of the things done was mounting my big outdoor floodlight so that it lights up the back yard when I want. I ordered an outdoor smart/wifi plug (will be here Tuesday) so I can turn it on and off with my phone. Funny, for being an IT guy, this is my first wifi enabled appliance.
Among other things, I took some photos of a few of the wildflowers around the house. It wasn’t easy due to it being quite windy, but I got a few anyway.
One more thing, this week I work 3 days then I’m off for 11 days. After these days off, I’ll still have close to 3 weeks to kill before the end of year.

Bee in Sunflower

Yellow Coneflower

Cosmos

Cosmos

Wild Sunflower

Forest Road Truckin’

Headed out this morning with Eli to hit some more of the Forest Service Roads in Southern Baraga and Southern Houghton counties. The roads south of me seem to be never ending, there many many roads to explore, and most of them are in really good shape. Many of the woods through this area have some nice large old growth trees, making the drive real enjoyable, just driving through the woods. Along with coming across river, lakes and such, this time I found a couple tidbits of history. One such bit of history is that there were 5 WWII POW camps in the UP, this I did not know. I came across one of the POW camps today, Camp Pori.

POW Camp Pori – 215 POWs; 2 Officers; 39 Enlisted Men
An unusual activity here was the establishment of a Zoo. The POWs captured mice, squirrels, snakes and other small animals. It was not their only activity. The 16 piece orchestra was often heard. The education at this camp was strong. Classes in English, German, French, math, shorthand and music history were offered allowing the men to increase their work skills. To this end, workshops were offered for machine construction, technical drawing, electrical skills, and agriculture development.”

The rivers and swamps I came across all have a very low water level, some of the swamps are dried up.

Anyway, was good to get out again, as I’ve been staying at home too much lately.

Sturgeon River – Very Low Water

Bob Lake

Pori CCC Camp/POW Camps and Wild Blue Phlox

Old Railroad

What To Do…

I was planning on getting out and about today, but on second thought, with the bugs being so bad this year and things I should get done around the house, I think I’ll stick around. Besides, it’s been so damn hot I haven’t been able to do anything, so I guess it’s time to get some things done.
Yesterday I started to pull off the fucked up flashing along the edge of the roof. I got a shorter section done mostly to see how much of a job it is, it wasn’t bad. So, I figure I’ll get to the longest section torn off today. I hate being up on the ladder, never have been all that stable on them, and if I fall, who would ever even know, for days, or weeks. Oh well I guess.


Update: Fucking Asshole! I just got things ready to start at the flashing tear down on the longer side of the house (to the left of the front door). I haven’t been up there since winter, well now I know why during winter and a little ice buildup the roof leaks… he put fucking nails all over the fucking place right out on the surface of the flashing and they are all open to the weather.
Stupid motherfucker!
This is going to be a much larger job than I thought with all these fucking nails.

Update: Well the front side of the house is done, and it sure looks hella better. I still have the back to do, but the flashing only runs about half way and it’s in much better shape, so it should go much faster. The bottom two pictures are of some of the flashing when it was still on.


Here’s another photo of a daylily I took yesterday. I tried some focus stacking on this one where you take multible shot but focus on different parts and then stack them together in Photoshop to make one image with all in focus. It sort of worked.

Old US-41 and More

Headed out to start the day on Old US-41 today with Eli, it’s been a few years since I’ve driven it.
The old bridge over Sturgeon River is always a bit strange with it being a narrow two-track at both ends. Beyond the bridge there is a long up hill, then back down in to some pretty deep and muddy holes. The Subie is like a tank going the the mud holes, with mud and water about a quarter way up the doors.
No photos of the mud holes, I was too busy driving. 😬

Once we came back out to the current US-41, I crossed onto King Lake Rd. That turned out to be a dead end at a small camp ground on the lake. During that little drive I crossed the old Soo Line Railroad tracks.

After that, headed back out to the main road then turned on Old Michigan 28. Found a turn that said Vermilac Lake Public Access. This turned out to be a very pretty spot. It’s also the only area we got out and did some walking around. Every other spot I stopped at the deer flies where thick as mud and biting as if they haven’t eaten this year.

Next jaunt I took was back up to the current US-28, turned west on Section 16 Rd and followed that until East Plains Rd, which is part of Baraga Plains Rd. Interesting area. There looks like there use to be a couple old towns along Section 16 Rd, but I not sure. There was and old cemetery.  As I was cruising along, I saw a sign that read Tibbets Falls, so I turned down the two-track. Went all the way until a small parking area. As I sat there thinking about going to the falls, the deer flies started to attack, so no way this time. I’ll go back there this fall now that I know where it is.

From there, headed down Plains Rd which did turn into Baraga Plains Rd, then down Menge Creek to home. About a 4 miles down Menge Creek Rd, which is about 8 miles from home, there were signs of a forest fire, a pretty recent fire. I haven’t heard anything about it, but I’m going to ask around. I then carried on home.

Once home, I sat down to unload the photos I took, then felt something crawling on my leg. Damnit! A fucking tick! I grabbed it and down the toilet it went. Then quickly sprayed Eli down real good with tick stuff, threw my clothes in a hot wash and took a shower to look for any more. None. That’s the first tick of the season. I hate the little fuckers!

Old US-41

Old US-41

Old US-41

Old US-41

Abandoned Soo Line Railroad

Birds-foot Trefoil

Wild Geranium

Malva moschata / Musk Mallow

Two Days of Trail Driving

Yesterday and today I took Eli out on the trails. I haven’t been able to take the boys out for rides due to Grizward being so lame, so I though it would be nice for Eli to go out and about with me. Both times he’s been quite excited to go.
Yesterday we went out and hit some trails I’ve never been on before. We zigzagged many forest access roads between home and Bruce Crossing, and all points between.
Today we went out looking for some wildflowers in a couple areas knew would have some.
Kind of hard to tell how Eli is feeling about Griz, he doesn’t show emotions like Griz did, though he does seem a little down. When we go for our evening after dinner walks we pass Griz’s grave, he stops for a bit and just looks.

From yesterday’s travels

Big Snapper

This shows her size better. She takes up most of one track of a two-track.

Wild Calla Lily

Bluebead Lilly / Yellow Clintonia

Bluebead Lilly / Yellow Clintonia showing spider

 

Drive About

Went out for a drive yesterday, just couldn’t be around the house. I headed out Arvon Rd to start, and as things go, I made a few turns here and there, a dead end, and I was a little lost. Along the way as I was going only about 5 MPH looking for wildflowers, I heard water, rushing water. I pulled over for a look and could tell a river was only about 50 feet into the woods, so I grabbed my camera and went in. What a beautiful spot, with lots of large boulders and a good sized river (later on I looked and think it was the Slate River, only way up stream from where I’ve been before).
After driving a ways heading back home, but not really knowing where I was, I came to a garden nursery that I’ve seen many times, but oddly enough, only in the winter. This place is out in the middle of nowhere, but they were quite busy and looked like they had some nice plants and flowers. Too bad I didn’t have the money for anything otherwise I would have stopped. Knowing where I was now, I headed home.

River I found, Slate River I think

River I found, Slate River I think

One of the roads I was on. Saved by beaver

Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal

Common Blue Violet

Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal

Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal