Wind trees

In between Lansing and Mount Pleasant along U.S. 127 are these trees that have always been fun to look at as I drive past. It seems like I remember someone saying there was a powerful burst of wind that caused the trees to lean the way they do.

American Legion Post 106

This tank (as well as a plane and missile) have been part of the Grayling, MI scene for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I remember passing the tanks and plane near the American Legion Post 106 while my family would drive past as we headed toward I-75. Over the years they have become so familiar. They have seemingly shrunk from how I remember them. I'm sure it's not because I've grown up, I'm positive they've shrunk. I told myself that one day I'd pull over and take photos of them so the other day I did. As I was taking photos of one of the tanks these two boys began playing on them.

Parade

Here's a scene I captured recently from a parade. The scene presented itself and I took a photo because I liked how there was a variety of people and occurrences in the frame. It seems like there is often, to me at least, more taking place on the sidelines of a parade than with the actual parade.

Street and Car

Here are a couple of shots from today. Assignments I shoot during work are often done under time and creative restrictions of some sort, sometimes more and sometimes less. This is why it's fun to wander and take photos on the off days.

Dune Dog

This is from a trip out to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with my buddy and his dog. I can understand the dog's feelings because once the amazement of the beautiful surroundings settles down a bit, it's just fun to run.

Wellston, MI

My great grandfather was a police officer in Chicago during some turbulent times prior to moving his family to the small town of Wellston, Michigan. He opened a gas station there and my grandfather showed me a picture of this station some time ago. Although my memory of the photo was sketchy, it seemed like it was distinctive enough that if I had come across the former station in real life, then I would know it. So I happened to be near Wellston the other day when I decided to make a pass through. As soon as I saw this place, I was confident that it was the same one as the one in the photo that my grandpa showed me of where his dad's old gas station was. If it's not the same structure, then I guess it's just an old building but I'm pretty sure it's the same one.

Mucho snow

In all of my memories I can't recall a time when so much heavy snow has fallen overnight. This is the spectacular scene I woke up to when I looked out my backyard. This photo was taken a week ago so the snow is all gone now. A lot of damage and power outages resulted from the snow but the snowboarding was fantastic.

Puddle Jumping

Snow Alien

Walking through snow

Great Blessing of the Waters

This was an interesting assignment. There wasn't much room to work and the wind was fierce but those things fall into the category of 'unimportant' when a visually intriguing situation like this presents itself. At least I had gloves and a hat. I don't know how Father Ciprian Streza (in photo) did it.

Snowy Walk

Cowboy and Leaves

After some years, I finally had a roll of 120 film developed at the local shop. The cowboy photo was from a Martin Luther King Day parade in Texas and the leaves are from this year and it was taken at the D.H. Day Farm near Glen Haven.

Beulah Beach

Late season mowing

Andy Lundberg, of Traverse City, and a World War II veteran who retired after 28 years with the United States Navy, uses his riding lawnmower to gather leaves after he rakes them into piles Tuesday, November 29, 2011 in his yard. "It was cold out so I went in to get my mittens," Lundberg said. "The wind doesn't help," Lundberg said, after seeing leaves he'd raked blowing toward his neighbor's house.