Downtown Rosco

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Roscommon County seat, Michigan.

My Winter of Discontent

I hate winter.

Well, kinda, sorta.

Those gray skies, the seemingly endless shoveling of snow, the road salt that eats away at my car...

That said, I also find winter quite beautiful and peaceful once I get away from the city and back into nature.

Funny thing is, just when I begin to acclimate to those predictable leaden skies, that damn sun starts poking through the clouds again(!).

Truth be told, what I really hate is change.

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Huron County, Michigan.

Blue in the Thumb

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Downtown Sebewaing. Michigan's sugar beet capital.

Maw

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Reflection.

Summer's Going Fast

Up and out at dawn - a rare event for me lately. The light has already begun to fade as the days become shorter and cool night temperatures work on the first signs of fall foliage.

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Limestone at dawn.

After the Rain

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Teasel, its Latin genus name, Dipsacus, derived from the word for thirst.

Seeking Balance

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Somewhere north of the 45th parallel, Michigan.

Death, Dying & Decay

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Forest floor, Tobico Marsh, Bay City State Recreation Area.

Glacial Erratic

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Glacial erratic, Chippewa County, Michigan.

The Golden Brown of Summer

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || A white-tail deer doe grazes on an alvar plain during the summer solstice.

Husk

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Cottonwood tree seed hull on leaf.

Lush

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Sensitive ferns.

I Don't Need No Stinkin' Tripod

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Why fight the wind?

Yeah, YOU, Bubba!

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Folks here in Northern Michigan make you feel at home.

Painted Turtle

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher ||Bay City State Recreation Area, Michigan.

Starflower

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Trientalis borealis

Don't Bug Me, Man...

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || I'll i.d. this insect when I find out what it is.

Spring Has Sprung

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Marsh Blue Violet, Tobico Marsh.

Omer

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || "Michigan's Smallest City" - population 337. Originally called Rifle River Mills in the mid-1860's, the first postmaster decided to change the name to Homer but discovered Michigan already had a town by that name so he dropped the "H" and it became Omer.

Norther

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Ice upheaval and pilings. Saginaw Bay, Michigan.

Sea Stack

Image © 2008, Daniel Staudacher || Long ago, warm shallow seas covered this region. Huron County, Michigan.