GLEN HAVEN SUNRISE

On Monday, I posted pictures of the waves on the west-facing beach at Empire and the contrasting calm water at Glen Haven, a northerly spot just ten minutes away. It got me thinking about whether I could see a sunrise there over the landmass leading to Pyramid Point. So early Saturday morning, my friend Don Burton and I left for Glen Haven to find out.  It was still dark, but a full moon guided us the whole time.  We met fog along the way and weren’t sure what we’d find at the Lakeshore.  But salmon-pink, clear skies greeted us as we arrived, with Pyramid Point to our right and both Manitous on the left.  And my hunches were correct; we got a beautiful sunrise from the beach.  After we left for home, we quickly ran into fog.  We stopped for pictures at the D.H. Day farm.  The longer we sat, the more the fog enshrouded the three barns.  It was a morning with two kinds of beauty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROILING LAKE MICHIGAN

A couple of weeks ago, overnight rain and wind brought gales to the Lakeshore. But by afternoon, the sky had brightened, and I headed to Empire for pictures. Except for a man and his dog, the west-facing, open-water beach was deserted, although there were plenty of gawkers in their cars wave-watching. Getting my fill of flying sand, I moved on to Glen Haven, where the conditions were completely different. This northerly beach, protected by Sleeping Bear Bay, was calmer, and the beach grass barely stirred.  What a difference the ten-minute drive made!  And the shifts in direction between the two nearby beaches got me thinking. To be continued…

 

 

FALL ARRIVES

 Early signs of the new season are creeping in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STILL “SUMMERY” VIEWS FROM OLD MISSION

 I guess I’m not quite ready to let this season go.

 

 

LATE SUMMER FLOWERS

 Enjoy their beauty while they last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EASY TARGETS

 Late summer, I usually see young ring-necked pheasants released into the wild by a farmer who breeds them for hunting stock.  This year I saw them only a few times before they disappeared. They were in the same area where I photographed three bald eagles a couple weeks ago.  A google search informed me that eagles are notorious for preying on farm-raised pheasants who haven’t yet developed their wild survival instincts.  It reminded me that nature isn’t all sweet, gentle, and beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

PEACHY SUNRISE

 What does a photographer do when she wakes up at an ungodly hour and can’t go back to sleep?  Head out to take sunrise pictures.  It’s so peaceful at that time of day. Just me, the ducks, and golden ripples lapping the shoreline. Turns out, I wasn’t the only early bird that morning. 

 

 

 

 

AWE, TIMES THREE

I headed towards a telephone pole where I often see hawks.  Instead, the pole was topped with white, and I knew it was a bald eagle.  I watched for about twenty minutes as it looked for prey and preened.  A few days later, I saw a pair of eagles perched on fence posts in the same area. They didn’t stick around long before they took off into the evening sky.

 

 

TWO FAVORITES

 Rose of Sharon and Hibiscus are my late summer favorites.  The second image is from my own yard.  I planted it this spring to attract birds.  My hummingbird found it first, feasting on its sweet nectar.