Frozen Shore

The shoreline of Lake Michigan appeared in frozen beauty yesterday at Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Photo copyright Jeffrey Foltice

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Winter Shore

Today I found this spot on the shores of Lake Michigan, an abstract mix of snow, ice, sand and water. This week continues to be unusually warm with more of the same until the coming weekend.

Photo Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Flickr

For those of you who may not have noticed the link to Flickr where some of my favorite photos reside, please click on the image below to take a look 🙂

Photos Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Turbulent Waters

Last Sunday there was an unusually windy afternoon near Lake Michigan with gusts in the 40 mph range. I decided to see how the lake’s waves were as they came in on a frozen beach. I was surprised by the intensity of those waves as well as the color variations as the sun lit them from behind.

Photos Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

I decided to create this image in grayscale, emphasizing the high contrast.

As the sun neared the horizon, the color of the water turned golden.

And as the sun ended the day, the color became more intense.

A Touch of Winter

Today brought a touch of Winter to Southwest Michigan. With the snow freshly fallen, I found this walkway as an interesting subject to show the beginning of the snowy season here.

Photo Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Frozen Under the Sun

Photos Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

I found this lone photographer on the icy beach in South Haven near frozen Lake Michigan as the sun was beginning to set today. I also took advantage of the opportunity to capture the image below of the Lighthouse and pier that was close by. The lighthouse has been standing sentinel there since 1903.

Lake Michigan Ice

 

Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Late this afternoon, I was pleased to spot these ice formations on Lake Michigan at Pier Cove. There was almost no wind which hasn’t happened very often during my visits to the lakeshore. The ice gently floated, swaying with the little wave activity that was present.

 

Winter Light

Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Along the icy shores of Lake Michigan today at Pier Cove, I captured the orange/yellow afterglow of the sunset. Three hikers are shown on the far left, providing a sense of scale to the beautiful scene. Ice, sand and free flowing lake waters mix to provide an amazing landscape, bringing pleasure to the eye…

Michigan’s Waterfall Wonders

Photos and Story Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

Above from left- Sable Falls, Chapel Falls, Agate Falls and Munising Falls

The waterfalls of Northern Michigan stir feelings of power, renewal, wonder, tranquility and beauty as they rush forward in their never-ending journey that is part of nature’s wonder. There are many to be seen in my home state, although driving to some near the Michigan, Wisconsin border from where I live in Southwest Michigan would be the equivalent of driving past Pittsburgh, Pa. That’s about nine hours of nonstop driving over a distance of about 500 miles. However, if you take a shortcut via Muskegon’s Lake Express Car Ferry, the drive from Milwaukee is about 300 miles or 5 1⁄2 hours of driving.

Bond Falls

Two of the falls to visit in the far western Upper Peninsula are Agate Falls and Bond Falls. The pair are great to see in autumn with the colored trees accenting the beauty of whitewater spilling over dark rock formations.

Upstream from Bond Falls is an amazing palette of colors reflecting in the water before it travels further downstream where the water is less tranquil.

The falls themselves can be viewed from the sides or straight on with any angle being an impressive sight.

Bond Falls

And Agate Falls is no less striking with its dark slate rocks over which a constant tumult of water cascades.

Agate Falls

For those who enjoy a nice hike, Chapel Falls near Munising might be a great place to visit. Close to the end of a hike of 1 1⁄2 miles and through a forested trail, a distinct rumble eventually turns into a roar as the forest opens into a clearing. There the 60-foot tall waterfall presents itself surrounded by trees, which are beautifully colored in the fall.

Chapel Falls

For more easy access there are other choices in Michigan including the more modest but still beautiful Scott Falls near Au Train and Haven Falls near Lac la Belle. Both are located just off the road. Each of the falls has its own unique character.

Scott Falls

Haven Falls

Sable Falls near Grand Marais has a much different look than the others. With a more gentle slope over a longer area, water cascades 75 feet down several cliffs until it reaches Lake Superior.

Sable Falls

Perhaps the most well known waterfall in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is the renowned Tahquamenon Falls. Aside from the world famous Niagara Falls, Tahquamenon is the largest waterfall east of the Mississippi River at about 200 feet wide with a 50 foot drop. Its water has a distinct brown color. About a 1 1⁄2 hour drive north of the Mackinac Bridge, Tahquamenon Falls, appropriately is located in Paradise.

Tahquamenon Falls in Winter

For those who would brave the cold and snow of winter in the Upper Peninsula, Tahquamenon along with its sister waterfalls are marvelous to see in their frozen state as well. Any season is a great time to see these wonders of nature in Michigan.

Winter Stream

Copyright Jeffrey Foltice

I found this Southwest Michigan partially frozen stream today. Nature is here for all of us to enjoy 🙂