The trick to living up north, I used to think, was not hating the long winter. You didn’t have to like it. But if you didn’t actively hate it, the other three seasons (which are so freakin’ gorgeous) completely justified the hard months. But thanks to my growing love of snowshoeing, my chilly…
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We were deeply saddened to learn about the recent passing of photographer Mark Carlson. A very talented photographer, Carlson devoted his skills to teaching aspiring photographers to capture images such as his. But his greatest satisfaction came from the inspiration he instilled in others to enjoy…
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Beautiful winter scenery. Freshly groomed snow. Save your spot for Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 1pm when preserve experts with The Leelanau Conservancy will be hosting a guided ski tour at their largest natural area. Here’s the scoop on how to sign up… By Bob Butz Last month in Leelanau County, the…
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Winter has arrived at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, creating ever-changing scenic landscapes and conditions ideal for snowy recreation. Whether our activity of choice is cross-country skiing at Alligator Hill, snowshoeing the Sleeping Bear Dunes dune climb, operating a snow mobile, ice…
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I have a confession to make. I had driven past the Old Art Building (a.k.a. Leelanau Community Cultural Center) a million times – on the way to the Merc, or Fishtown, or the Bluebird, Leland Lodge, Riverside Inn, etc. etc. – but I’d never been inside. It’s funny how you get into your routines, with…
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This was supposed to be a different post. I was all pumped up for a 10-mile hike on the wonderful Otter Creek / Platte Plains Trail, by Esch Beach. I’d been there when the early spring wildflowers were blooming, and this was going to be my autumnal bookend. But when I got there, my heart sank. The…
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Fall in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore brings many important ecological and biological changes. With the Fall Equinox behind us, daylight hours shorten and temperatures cool. Plumes of milkweed seeds spill from cracking pods and clusters of riverbank grape and staghorn sumac hang heavy…
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“Talking about oneself is not the easiest thing to do. There are many things in this life that we are uncertain of. But one thing that I will forever be sure of, without a doubt, is that I was meant to be an artist.” I am move d by this statement as I begin my interview with Lindsey Dell. It’s…
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It was to be a classic Leelanau adventure. I had been salivating as Facebook friends posted photos of the golden chanterelles they’d found in the woods — and in some cases sold to local restaurants: Wren, Fig’s, Alliance. Though morel mushrooms possess an undeniable mystique, the chanterelle has…
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Bel Lago isn’t called “beautiful lake” on a random whim. As you wind around S. Lake Shore Drive headed toward Cedar, you’ll know you’re approaching this seemingly unassuming tasting room as soon as you see Lake Leelanau begin to relax and stretch out its bottom half. It might not be the most opulent…
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