Michigan | Change Is Hard

September 13, 2024
by dawnkinster 33 Comments

Night #1

We went to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during a very specific week in August, a week when the moon wasn’t filling the sky with light, in order to capture the dark skies there and the Milky Way hanging high overhead.

*I concentrated on driving, my sister took the pictures as we went over the bridge.*

The season for Milky Way core shooting is coming to an end. Soon it won’t rise high enough for us to see it, and we’ll have to be content with the memories of magical clear nights filled with stars. Because certainly that’s what it’s always like when you’re out under the stars shooting the Milky Way. Right?

Sure it is.

*Under the bridge before we drove over it.*

So that Monday at the end of August my sister and I packed the car and drove all the way up from southeastern Michigan, across the Mackinaw Bridge and into the interior of the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula.

We set up camp and then decided we’d head up to Whitefish Point for the sunset. And, if we were lucky, a bit of Milky Way practice too.

*Lots of families had spent the day at the beach.*

The Milky Way core rises early in the night at this time of year, so all we had to do was wait for it to get dark. The minutes ticked by slowly as the light faded and many families came in from the beach, packed their kids and stuff into their cars, and drove away.

But many other people were still out on the beach as the skies darkened, slow to leave Lake Superior and a day filled with sunshine, splashing in the lake, and looking for that special rock.

According to what I could find online the Milky Way would be visible around 10:15. By 9:45 we were getting tired of waiting and I climbed out of the car to do a test shot from the parking lot to see if it was there.

*If you look at this in a dark room and make it bigger you’ll see satellites flying all through the sky.*

Unfocused and with no composition to speak of, the image is over exposed on purpose so I didn’t have to wait 25 seconds just to see what was up there. We were very excited to see that the Milky Way was indeed hanging over our heads.

So off to the beach we went. We had planned to shoot from down near the water, but there were hundreds of biting flies down there. I felt more comfortable up on the boardwalk where the night breezes kept the flies at bay.

*Over exposed on purpose again, just to get a quick image to see where the Milky Way was in relationship to the lighthouse.*

Besides, this wasn’t meant to be our real night photography session. We’d come up to Tahquamenon Falls State park to shoot the Milky Way over the falls. This was just a practice session, nothing really important.

Once I established where the Milky Way was, and got the stars in focus, I settled in to get a serious shot. But there were still people walking up from the beach, flashlights shining on random things. Car taillights and headlights were shining on the lighthouse when you least expected it.

*The red from car taillights lit up the side of the lighthouse. And of course the lighthouse beacon made plenty of light too.*

Not to mention the actual light from the lighthouse which every 14 seconds would blast two times. My sister counted the seconds for me as I tried to avoid the light. Though to be honest the beacon light looked kind of cool on the back of the camera and I didn’t mind it so much at all.

But then there was that red light near the bottom of the frame. I couldn’t tell what it was, while looking through the lens, but the camera was definitely picking something up. It was annoying, and meant that I really needed to limit myself to the top portion of the lighthouse.

*Easy enough to crop out that bit of red at the bottom. Turns out it was an exit light inside, above a door, that filled the room with red light.*

And as I focused on the sky above the lighthouse there were, of course, planes to contend with. You can take a series of images, all in a row, and then ‘stack’ them in a software program and the parts of the images that aren’t the same will be removed. So I took 7 or 8 images, and if I wanted to I could stack them and all the planes and satellites would be eliminated.

Or…you could just say, that’s cool, look at all the stuff up there in the sky!

*Well, I got the shot without the beacon, but there was a plane flying through the Milky Way.*

I didn’t take a lot of images that night. I probably should have gone down to the beach and worked on my original composition plan. It was a warm, beautiful night. But we were both tired from a long day and this was just a practice shoot anyway.

*A car’s headlights lit up the side of the lighthouse, but I sort of like this one.*

Right?

In the end I liked a couple of the images. And I’ll definitely go back on another clear, warm night. A night with a breeze to keep the flies away. Maybe a night earlier in the season when the Milky Way will be visible later in the night and fewer people will be around with their flashlights and headlights.

And of course I still had the Milky Way shoot above Tahquamenon Falls to look forward to. This was just a practice session, remembering how to focus and camera settings and stuff. But you’ll have to wait to see how that one turned out. I haven’t processed those images yet.

Heck, just retelling the story of our very long first day in the UP has exhausted me! But I hope you enjoyed your short trip to Whitefish Point on a warm August night!

September 12, 2024
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Waiting

I know you’re all waiting to see how the night photography worked out on my recent trip to the UP. After all, that was one of the main reasons we went. But I just haven’t taken the time to process those images yet.

I will soon. Promise.

*This must be a self portrait of the family that camped in our site just before we did.*

Meanwhile I thought this series of pictures from our campsite picnic table might make you smile.

We noticed the chalk image, left by the prior campers, as we were setting up our tents. My sister and I wondered why the mom was frowning. Though as kids we camped in a big green army tent with our large family and we can say with some expertise that there were many reasons for a mom to be frowning while camping in a tent. With kids.

*Looking a little worse for wear. I bet mom was frowning even more after the rainy night.*

The first night it rained a bit and the third night it poured all night. When we got up the fourth morning the entire artwork was gone.

*Our imaginary family is only a memory*.

But I have it for posterity. I’m hoping mom is smiling more now.

September 8, 2024
by dawnkinster 30 Comments

Camping in the UP

The last week of August my sister and I planned on traveling to South Dakota for a little vacation. Why South Dakota you ask? Well…I have a friend there who lives on a ranch and the skies are really dark. Exactly the perfect sort of place for night sky photography. So we arranged to spend a few days there, watching the sky by night and exploring the area by day.

*Our campsite had lots of shade. And mud.*

But the title of this post is “Camping in the UP” you say? How does that relate to South Dakota?

Well, sometimes life gets in the way of plans, and it turns out we needed to be closer to home this year. Luckily Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan’s UP had just reopened after some bathroom renovations and there were lots of open camp sites.

I snagged one and we adjusted our plans.

*The upper falls and late summer goldenrod.*

There’s so much to see in the eastern part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, so we used the campsite as a home base and set out exploring. On our very first day we stopped by the Tahquamenon Upper Falls AND Whitefish Point!

*Lots of people out at Whitefish point at sunset were looking for Yooper Light rocks.*

And that’s after driving all the way up there, across the Mackinaw Bridge and deep into the northern woods. It was a long day, but we had beautiful, hot, blue sky kind of weather.

*The next day at Whitefish point the weather was decidedly different.*

And in Michigan you know not to waste a second of it! It could all change tomorrow! And of course it did.

*When it was cold and windy outside we did the museums instead of the beach.*

It was still cold and windy the third day when we visited Grand Marais. Usually the stone picking there is spectacular, but it was so windy we didn’t stay on the beach long.

*There were people out there looking for rocks. We were not those people.*

We did end up at the local diner for some lunch.

*A nod to nostalgia on a cold afternoon.*

And on the last full day of our trip we explored the coast of Lake Superior, heading east along the Byway to Sable Falls…

*The short trail back to Sable Falls includes over 300 stairs. Just a heads up.*

…and Point Iroquois Lighthouse.

We had a beautiful day and found some beautiful rocks to remind us of our trip.

*Thursday was a wonderfully warm day, perfect for sitting near the water.*

We explored the back roads and found a unique bakery.

*Wonderful baked goods out in the middle of nowhere.*

And then we had lunch at a sunny little inland lake before we headed back to camp for our last night.

We enjoyed a last fire at our campsite before we turned in for the evening. It would be an early morning the next day if we were to beat predicted rain and get camp packed while things were still dry.

*Of course we had to have one last s’more too.*

And then it was time to head back home.

*Early morning light on our empty campsite. Bye site 171!*

Oh…what about night sky photography? Did we get any of that done?

*Some of the lower falls on the Tahquamenon River.*

Well. I guess you’ll have to tune in to find out. But what do you think?

September 5, 2024
by dawnkinster 35 Comments

Name this bird

Sitting at the dinner table last night I was watching the birds come for their own suppers. I had spread some black oilers on the deck railing and refreshed their bath water in anticipation of watching them while we ate.

The fresh water was a big draw as any number of birds showed up for a quick bath. Then this bird arrived. She didn’t look like any of my regulars.

*Well, she likes oilers, that’s a clue.*

Bigger than a gold finch, about the size of a warbler, but not a yellow warbler.

*She kept an eye on me but didn’t budge.*

Greenish gold with darker wings and a little tuft on white near her shoulder.

*After she ate she hopped on over to the bathing area.*

Luckily my camera was right behind me on the kitchen counter, and the bird wasn’t upset by my reaching for it.

*One by one she told the bathing birds to get lost.*

All these shots are through a window, with reflections splashed across the image.

I think, based on my Michigan bird book, it’s a female Evening Grosbeak.

We’re not supposed to have them around here, though they were here a couple of winters ago. Mostly they live way up north. So it could be something else.

What do you think?

Wordless Wednesday

September 4, 2024 by dawnkinster 17 Comments

August 26, 2024
by dawnkinster 36 Comments

Looking for a new mom

Hey there, it’s me, Penny.

See, it all started yesterday when my mom said we were going on a ‘venture. I could hardly wait.

She said in order to get ready for this ‘venture we should all go for a walk. So my Auntie B and mom and I went up the street. And then I saw this noisy water thingy!

*On our walk I showed off my obedience skills..*

I’ve seen it before on other morning walks, but for some reason this time I thought I should investigate. After all my Auntie B was with me and I had to ~~show off~~ make sure she was safe!

So I check it out. Very thoroughly. And loudly.

I barked and barked and tried to bite it and I ran around and bit it from the other side and mom and Auntie B were laughing and so I ran and jumped higher and bit it some more!

I was sooooo happy even though the noisy water thing was still going so I guess I didn’t beat it up too bad.

Then mom said we had to go and I was sort of sad, but happy too, you know? And I walked my mom back home and up the driveway…

…and then we got to play towel face, which is one of my most favorite-est games…

…and then we got in the car and I got to sit in the back seat with my Auntie B. I was soooo happy.

And then we ended up here. At that kennel place where mom left me before.

*What the heck, mother?! I am NOT going to look at you!*

And then she carried me inside and gave me to some girl I don’t even know and she and Auntie B left!!

So now I’m here and I’m seriously thinking I need to advertise for a new mom. Cause she tricked me. And I’m pretty sure I’m the one supposed to be doing tricks, not her.

It’s in my contract somewhere.

*This is my bed at home. I miss my bed.*

I miss my flowers and my daddy and my Auntie B and my castle. But not my mom. Cause she tricked me.

*These are my flowers on the grounds of my castle. I need to be there to guard them!*

What do you think?

*I can’t smell the flowers from in here!*

I’ll tell you what I think. I think one of you guys had better send a cake with a hacksaw in it! That’s what I think!

Wordless Wednesday – We can all get along

August 21, 2024 by dawnkinster 31 Comments

August 19, 2024
by dawnkinster 27 Comments

Little smiles

Trent, over at his blog, often posts about things that make him to smile. It’s part of a weekly thing that I haven’t been organized enough to participate in regularly.

It’s not that I don’t have things to smile about. It’s just that I can’t seem to coordinate that event with writing a post about it. Because usually the events that make me smile are small, almost imperceptible, and they often get lost in the bigger things that color my days.

But this afternoon while I was weeding the gardens surrounding our house, I started to grin. I have to say they are beautiful this year. And that alone should make me smile.

But my smile for this week was more specific.

So anyway, I was weeding a garden I generally ignore. A couple decades ago this was a vegetable garden but it turned out the sun beating on the back of the garage was too hot, so for the last several years we’ve been tossing in ‘wildflower’ seed, sometimes purchased from the Vermont Seed Company, sometimes purchased from Home Depot.

I can’t honestly remember where this year’s seeds came from, but they look to be mostly coreopsis and zinnia. Most year I totally ignore this once the flowers are up. But this afternoon I ventured in, intent on pulling out some really tall weeds.

The garden wasn’t designed for people to walk in it, so I was picking my way through, trying to do the least amount of damage with my big feet, pushing aside the tall zinnias which are taller than me.

*From the garden in the front of the house. Also spectacular.*

I suddenly felt like I was doing the breast stroke among the blossoms, pushing them aside to move forward in the sea of pink and red and yellow. I thought of my friend, Bob, and how he’d have liked that turn of phrase, swimming in the sea of zinnias. How he probably would have commented on it, and the pictures of flowers growing here.

And I smiled.

August 17, 2024
by dawnkinster 46 Comments

Northern adventure full of smiles

What better way to gather smiles than taking a couple days to adventure with a friend in northern Michigan? I can’t think of a better way to grin for two days, and I’ve been meaning to share some of our smiles with you but time and events sent me off on a detour or two.

*On top of adventuring we saw some really cool barns.*

A couple weeks ago a friend from college and I took off to do some fun stuff. Stuff you always say you’re going to do but usually don’t get around to.

Like flying down a mountain on a plastic sled at Crystal Mountain Resort. You’ve always wanted to do that, right?

Haven’t you secretly yearned to be on that bobsled when you watched the winter Olympics? No? Really?

Well let me assure you that I was going much slower than an Olympic athlete on ice, and it was perfectly safe.

And oh it was such a blast! It was so much fun that we each rode down four times! (4 rides for $30 each)

*This is how they get the sleds and people back up to the top.*

We would have gone again, but we had other things to fit into our short two day adventure. Like visit one of our favorite places, Pt. Betsie.

*A few people were swimming. I got wet up to my ankles. It was cold.*

You all know that I try to get out there, even if it’s only for a few minutes, whenever I’m in the area. I’m not usually there in beach season, so it’s fun to see the sand filled with sun bathers and rock pickers.