Munising Front Range Light

As promised, the Munising Front Range Light. Range lights work much the way runway lights work. Mariners line up the two lamps to navigate within the channel. Currently in use by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Munising Rear Range Light

Munising Rear Range Lighthouse located in Munising, Michigan (UP). I do have a photo of the front range but it's kind of cluttered. I'll work it up later.

Next week at this time, we will have moved M into her campus apartment, which was supposed to be a two bedroom but became a four bedroom. Not looking forward to the other two roommates as one is a party-girl with a boyfriend and the other, a senior. It's not like we get a break on the rate, either. It's the same for either format.

Not looking forward to dropping her off. Summer has become just way too short for my liking. We've had fun just hanging but this week, she's busy with saying good-bye to a few friends and packing. When I get back, I'll be getting ready to play chauffeur taking my parents to my sister's and on to the Outer Banks. That will be a strange few days without M as my driving buddy. And can I say I'm not looking forward to it? As much as I want to see the OBX, going on Labor Day weekend and dealing with the throngs of people in two cars fills me with dread. I can see it now, after waiting the 2 or so hours to catch a ferry, watching my parents, in my sister's car, leaving on the ferry while I get stuck waiting for the next. Gads, and Kitty Hawk sounds like Pigeon Forge. I think the vision I have of the OBX is from the 1970s or at least the two ends that are still wilderness and require a Jeep Wrangler or similar vehicle.

I'm sure I'll have moments where I enjoy myself and maybe even be able to snap a photo of a lighthouse that I like but thinking, people will be in the way. Can you tell, I don't really like people. I don't like crowds, especially.

And I won't hold my breath that the mister will follow through on a rental car for me. In case you wonder why I don't make it myself, he as a frequent card that earns discounts and such. And in case you wonder, I did ask if he wanted to come with us but was told no, can't take the time off work.

With that, think I'll make a coffee and clean up my kitchen.

East Channel Lighthouse

Located on Grand Island in the Upper Peninsula as seen from the Pictured Rocks boat tour.

I'm needing a little bit of that lighthouse light to shine on me.

Seul Choix Point Lighthouse

The Haunted Lighthouse.

Beautiful spot with wonderfully maintained grounds. This lighthouse is on a point with different views of Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Directions are well marked, just follow the signs.

Planning a weekend trip to Ohio this weekend along with the Outer Banks in September. Working out the transportation details now. I'm concerned that if we take my father's car, he won't want to let me drive and well, that's mostly the purpose of me going along. Don't think, even for a few hours, that I can fit both of them into my Mini along with luggage. Plus, neither one of them are the most agile when it comes to climbing out of the backseat. Time will tell.

Grand Island Harbor Rear Range

This light marked a narrow channel west of Grand Island leading into Munising. The front range light (which I dont believe I saw) is still active.

The trees have grown up around this light making it hard to see from the road but it is accessible just off Hwy M-28 near Christmas. Yes, Christmas, which is between Munising and Au Train. I really don't think you'd even know to look for this light if you aren't a lighthouse person, carrying a book detailing the locations.

Marquette Harbor Lighthouse

Marquette, Michigan (UP) along the shores of Lake Superior. I only took a few Polaroid photos on this trip. The weather made it so I was reluctant to juggle more cameras and film.

Tawas Point Lighthouse

My ideal vacation would be to travel from lighthouse to lighthouse. I find such a connection to the past in these outdated structures. While many are still active, with modern day GPS units, they are pretty much obsolete as aids to navigation. Sometimes, I look at the home attached to the tower and wonder about the keepers. Did they have a family? Did they enjoy the solitude? The stories these old lights could tell of storms past.

This lighthouse, Tawas Point, is located in Michigan along the coast of Lake Huron.

Port Washington Pierhead

While not necessarily a beautiful lighthouse, the setting couldn't have been more idyllic. It truly had me longing for the days I lived in New England. The town of Port Washington, Wi is full of New England charm as the following images will show.

 

 

This next one is the old Port Washington Lighthouse. It's been restored and now serves as a museum. The town is nestled among seven hills and this is just one of them.

I fell a little bit in love with Port Washington, Wi.

Lighthouse

 

Marblehead Lighthouse, Marblehead, Ohio (Lake Erie). Too lazy to clone out the person sitting on the rock. He stayed forever, though.

I don't have much to say nor many photos to share. I seem to be losing my focus, literally and figuratively. No worries, though, life is good.

Crap

Lately, I can't seem to take any photos worth a darn. This one is converted for the bland sky and edited on my notebook so it might look even crappier on your computer. The photo, Grosse Point Lighthouse with the latest sculpture at Evanston Art Center.

Think I better make some lemonade or maybe pie with all the lemons piling up in my world.

Polaroid Fun

 

 

Polaroid offers such a unique perspective. Two images, taken moments apart and the sky takes on different hues as the exposure is adjusted for the backlighting. I was just playing around and knew that I couldn't get the entire lighthouse in the photo from this vantage point. This is North Point Lighthouse in Milwaukee, Wi (Lake Michigan). The restoration of this lighthouse has been vast. If we'd arrived 30 minutes earlier, I would have toured it but as it was, closed. Just my luck.

It's almost time for LOST so I'll be posting and running but not necessarily hiding. On a side note, I edited these on my notebook computer so the contrast might be off. When I edit a Polaroid, I try to make the scan look like the photo and not correct for the exposures.

*Now playing: Hideaway by The Weepies - Hideaway

April Fool's

 

When I look out my window today, I see what looks much like a winter's day with small flurries pelting the window sill. Instead, I'm daydreaming of a warm beach, waves gently rolling and a lighthouse with its light rotating a welcome to all who are lost.

The lighthouse, well not on a tropical coast, is the famous Nubble Light located in Maine. It was a favorite destination while I lived in Massachusetts in any weather. This photo predates digital. I do believe the clouds were a result of a hurricane spinning somewhere in the Atlantic. In my mind, I am here. Sitting on a rock or bench, the wind is clearing my head of the cobwebs that have crept in this winter. The lighthouse, guiding me steadily and surely.

I need this mental break today.

*Now Playing: All In My Head by Shawn Mullins - Honeydew

Michigan City Pier

Spent a few days in Ohio and even though I didn't visit Lake Erie this trip, I did hop off the turnpike and visit Michigan City, Indiana and track down two lighthouses. This one, located on a long pier (with Chicago in the background) and the Old Michigan City lighthouse, now a museum.

A museum which re-opens in April. Just my luck that the grounds and lighthouse were closed. Notice that camera on the left? The Wonderdog decided that it was the perfect time to relieve herself (good thing I had a baggie in my pocket). Sometimes, I'd like to do the same with all the cameras recording our every movement. What you don't see in this photo is the cooling tower (not sure if it is in use) to a nuclear power plant. The beach front, gorgeous. The backdrop, industrial.

Oh, and nav systems are fun, especially when they want you to drive into a lake (Lake Michigan in this case)! ;)

Wind Point

From my recent trip to Wind Point Lighthouse near Racine, Wisconsin. On a positive note, my Lensbaby close-up filters have been located and as expected, they were left at my parents' home.

Lighthouse Light

Those who know me, know that when in need of some comfort, I often find myself at a lighthouse and it doesn't matter the weather. I had a lot on my mind when a distant memory surfaced. It's a memory that I cannot share here, not with the family still with us, but it's one that helped to possible shed some light on things in my life. No, it's nothing truly serious or criminal, just those emotions that surface at times and the relationship with my mother.

Grosse Point Lighthouse, in Evanston, Illinois on a cold winter's day. It was wicked cold with the wind coming off the frozen lake but so beautiful. The lighting in winter is always special. Any excuse to make this trip, I take it.

Have a beautiful day, friends.

Lorain Lighthouse

Another from my lighthouse visit. Nothing to say today, just tired.

Renewal

Sometimes, I need a little lighthouse light to shine my way, to help guide when answers seem far and few between. Do answers come? Not usually, but a sense of renewal often does. You might say that I am a landlocked sea person. I love the water, especially in winter, when a cold wind blows across the lake. I've always liked the colder waters more so, preferring the beaches of Maine over those in Florida.

Answers to my life's questions are still missing. But winter has made an icy return. Notice in the above photo, no ice on the lake! It was 52°F in January. I was hoping for a little ice but had to settle for seagulls, lots of seagulls.

A little lighthouse

What I wouldn't give to take a walk along the fishing pier to this lighthouse with my dad. As I'm here and he's there, this will have to be enough.

A potentially rainy day around here and I'll welcome this rain.

Lorain Lighthouse

My never ending quest to photograph this lighthouse in a new "light". Taken from one of the many fishing piers located near Hot Waters in Lorain.

No words to share, just bone tired.

Peaceful Easy Feeling

I am continually drawn to this lighthouse. Each time I visit "home", I try to make a trip to the waterfront and pay my respects. On this day, I had a wide angle lens and while the lighthouse is visible as a blip on the horizon, the soft hues of the sky speak as to why I love this spot. Even with all the people around, some fishing, walking their dogs, taking out their boats or just out for an evening stroll, it is still a peaceful place. I'm sure many people have special places they like to visit over and over (not just Starbucks——that's another entry for another time).

There are places of extreme beauty, where the overwhelming sense of nature flows all around, a tangible expression of peace and energy to those open to the experience. While the waterfront along the shores of Lake Erie in Lorain doesn't necessarily qualify as beautiful, I still find myself there to find that peaceful easy feeling, with a lighthouse, wide expanse of water and sky meeting along the horizon blending into eternity.

Photo notes:
Lorain Harbor Light
Lake Erie, Ohio
Spitzer Marina pier and walkway (also known as Mile Long Pier)
Wide angle lens

*More fireworks to be found in my flickr stream.