Michigan Photo Potpourri

The street is quiet except for the sound of gas and water workers, doing something about something; rubbled sections of sidewalk feel like home. Having walnuts littering those sidewalks does not feel like home. Sidenote: when the outer covering of a walnut is split, the smell on my fingers was very citrusy/floral. Weird and really nice.

I looked up these doves, mourning doves or turtle doves - which plenty of you already know, but I wasn't sure. What I didn't know is that they are monogamous and that it is Dad who takes care of the fledglings for the last couple of weeks they are in the nest. The day after I took these photos, they were gone. This is the second hatching of this particular pair, apparently they can have up to six a season! So the condo stays put for now.

Hey bro, think it's time to hit the sky? No! Dad's coming back, let's wait.

While these birds are basically seed eaters, the babies are first fed, um, milk gak. Ok, that is not the technical name for it. "Males and females work together to feed their new babies something called “crop milk” or “pigeon milk” for the first few days of their life. Rich in protein and fat, it resembles cottage cheese, is secreted by the adults’ crop lining, and is regurgitated to the little ones." - source

Hey! Hey Pops! Check out this wing action!

Cool, huh?

We got to the Dossin Great Lakes museum on Belle Isle on Saturday. While not on the  mind boggling scale of the Detroit Institute of Arts and feeling more like a children's museum, there was still a lot I learned, via a short video and just wandering around looking at displays. For instance, I had no idea Chris Crafts were made in Michigan. Or that Henry Ford had so much to do with shipbuilding (let's not get into politics, no no, not now). Or that go fast boats have such a long history. Even while we were walking around, the roar of quite a few speedy boats assaulted our ears as they zoomed down the river, too fast to get over a hill and photograph.

This was a pretty interesting interactive model, with various buttons that lit up major areas of logging, steel work, etc. plus giving an idea of the depth of the various Great Lakes. Being a beach person, this is a whole world I know only superficially. Now I know more.

There was a display of Fresnel lens' from various defunct lighthouses. Beautiful and sad too.

One room was a complete model of a cargo ship bridge.

And of course there was a room dedicated to the Edmund Fitzgerald and the heroic efforts spent to find any survivors.

No sign saying how far to home. I was shocked!

This reminded me of a boat made on Culebra. Now I forget who made it and a sister boat, but those babies were fast! The engine on this one looks pristine. I wanted it. I still do.

Back when trophies were really heavy.

This exhibit was strange and wonderfully familiar all at the same time.

We could see Lorraine's car in the parking lot outside in the viewfinder!

Because I am forgetful sometimes (you, you in the back! stop laughing!), my camera battery wasn't on full charge, so I had to take this with my phone. It's such a wonderful lighthouse and has an interesting and to me, charming history, it was very disappointing to not get a few more shots close up. But if you want to, you can go here (with links to lots of interesting bits of local history) to see other photos and read about why, despite its appearance, this isn't really a lighthouse in any official capacity. But for here and now? Here's to William Livingstone, who, among many achievements,  made navigating the Great Lakes safer for all.

I was going to add more but figure this is plenty for now. There is a place here that deserves its own post - and more exploring. If farmer's markets have a wonder factor, this one is way up there on the scale of OH!!

photo credit: Lorraine Nelson

Surrounded by restaurants, amazing bulk food markets and warehouse food suppliers, this guy was doing some serious grilling, while a one man jazz show was happening on the other side of him. You can't see all the dollar bills he had pinned to his shirt, but if I hadn't been overwhelmed by the all of everything, I'd have added mine and taken home some ribs. Next time maybe.  

Have a make your mark Monday. Do something manageable.