Dragonflies and a Little Fisherman

After a month of heavy rains and the arrival of summer temperatures at last, the dragonflies are out in abundance at Ouabache State Park. Please feel free to share your knowledge if you can identify any of them. (I really need to get a book!)

This is a photo from June, 2014, during my non-blogging year.

All of the rest of the images are from last week:

These two were attached. Hanky panky was suspected.

The same pair

A loner

Another pair that had been attached only moments before

Late in the afternoon, a pair of humans showed up. The small one had received the fishing rod as a birthday gift last week, and this was the first chance that Dad had had to take him to the park to try it out.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Our week at Gitche Gumee Bible camp last September was the warmest week of the season, according to camp workers, in spite of the late September date. So, when we stopped in Munising on our way home at the end of the week and boarded a boat for a late-afternoon cruise along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, we were able to sit quite comfortably on the top deck. 

This post contains more photos than I usually include in a single post, so I'll keep my words to a minimum.

One of the boats used on the Pictured Rocks tour

The next picture is a view of the Miner's Castle rock formation. I had previously shown this formation from an overlook on land here.

Miners Castle

Bridal Veil Falls slows to a trickle after the spring snowmelt.

Petit Portal and Lover's Leap

Rainbow Cave

Grand Portal

Broken Vase

Can you see the Pirate? His nose is just above the waterline.

Chapel Cove

Chapel Rock

A tree on top of Chapel Rock is sustained by its root system attached to the main bluff.

A view along the shore

Spray Falls

Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse

The Pictured Rocks cruise was a great way to wrap up the week. The next day, we had home in our sights.

Autumn Beauty in the UP

As we drove home from Gitche Gumee Bible Camp last September, the fall colors in Michigan's Upper Peninsula were at their peak. Our route took us past Lake Plumbago in Baraga County, and the sight of the trees, in all their fall glory, reflected in the still water of the lake, just took our breath away.

Doug and me at Lake Plumbago, Baraga County, Michigan

A little further down the road, we saw a sign promoting a trail to Canyon Falls. Well, Doug and I are suckers for waterfalls; and, by then, we were needing to stretch our legs a little. So off we went in search of a new waterfall.

The trail to Canyon Falls

A view of the Sturgeon River along the trail to Canyon Falls

We came to this little waterfall but were assured by other hikers that this was not Canyon Falls.

Canyon Falls...worth the hike

Doug took this image with our camcorder.

Next stop on our way home was the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. But it deserves a post of its own. Stay tuned.

Eagle River, Michigan

The pictures in this post are all from in and around Eagle River, Michigan, where we spent a week at Gitche Gumee Bible Camp last September.

Jacobs Falls, a roadside waterfall not far from the camp

Eagle River Falls, also very close to the camp

Eagle River Lighthouse on a day when we couldn't tell where water ended and sky began

This dock was near where we stood to view the Eagle River Lighthouse

Eagle River Courthouse

Eagle River Sheriff's Office (Barred windows at rear indicate jail cells there.)

 

I'll have another post or two from this trip, showing some of the sights from our drive back home.

 

 

Gitchee Gumee Bible Camp...Some Highlights

During our week at Gitche Gumee Bible Camp last September, the camp offered a different afternoon activity each day. One was a hayride, which took guests to places of interest in the local community. Unfortunately, the only decent pictures I have of the tractor, wagon, and people were taken by a volunteer at the camp; and I didn't obtain his permission to use them here. 

But I do have a couple of photos from The Eagle River Museum, which was one of the stops on the hayride:

Eagle River Museum (Photo credit to our friend, Pat)

Inside the Eagle River Museum was this Emerson Piano, manufactured at the William P. Emerson Piano Factory in Boston and believed to have been shipped to Eagle River in 1853, for placement in the Phoenix Hotel which was built in that year. The piano was rescued from the fire which destroyed the hotel in 1912.

Emerson Piano at Eagle River Museum

On another afternoon, the camp offered a bus trip to visit Estivant Pines Wilderness Nature Sanctuary. It is said that this area is home to what may be the last stand of virgin white pine in the Upper Peninsula, with some trees as old as 600 years and reaching heights of 150 feet (45 meters).

Sign at Estivant Pines Wilderness Nature Sanctuary

It was "Senior Saints" week at the camp, but a good portion of them showed up for this hike.

Doug and me at Estivant Pines

The bus ride was NOT a highlight of the trip!

Following the visit to Estavant Pines, we re-boarded the not-so-comfortable bus for a ride up Brockway Mountain Drive and some beautiful views of the fall foliage from the ridge of Brockway Mountain.

Fall Foliage from Brockway Mountain

Another View of Fall Foliage from Brockway Mountain

Staff Member, Mel, Demonstrating Alpine Horn on Brockway Mountain

Gitche Gumee Bible Camp

Our week at Gitche Gumee Bible Camp last September included lots of good Bible teaching as well as food, fellowship, and fun.

This picture shows the back of the cabin where our friend, Pat, stayed.

The Dining Room, where delicious food was served for every meal

Arapaho Cabin, where Doug and I stayed

A short walk through the woods led to the shore of Lake Superior

Lake Superior Shoreline

Our friend, Pat, took this picture of Doug and me at the lakeshore.

This is another of Pat's pictures...two photographers at work.

I'll share some highlights of the week in the next post.