Outside my window today, I caught a glimpse of this ~ what could be
at my suet feeder?  I have noticed increased traffic at the feeders the last couple
of days and am wondering why that is ~ since the weather is so nice.

Could it really be a little wren?

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one eating suet before.

It always startles me a bit to see wrens at the feeders,

since they normally eat insects and spiders.

But, I love it ~ wrens are about my favorite birds.

This is a Carolina Wren.

I have tons of work to get done this week and not as much time as I would like

to get it all finished, but when I saw this little guy, he distracted me

from my to-do list ~ I had to go get my camera ~ happily.

I wish he would have stayed longer ~ maybe he will return tomorrow.

Another break in all this cleaning would be rather welcome ~ especially

if it means another visit from my little “fwren” ~

“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them

that have pleasure therein.  His work is honourable and glorious;

and His righteousness endureth for ever.”

Psalm 111:3-4

part five

After the gorgeous sunset we witnessed on our last night in Munising and

a great night’s sleep, we got up early to leave this beautiful area.

This was the sunrise over the bay; I love the shot

with the tiny sliver of a moon riding high in the early morning sky.

After supper the night before, we drove a bit west to see the Au Train Falls.

~ Au Train Bay ~

On our departure day, we hiked six tenths of a mile back into the woods to see

Miners Falls.  The path was well tended and so pretty in the morning light.

This was our first glimpse of the waterfall from the upper viewing area.

~ and the view from the lower deck ~

After trekking back out, we headed east toward Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

By the time we got there, we were in light fog and mist.

This was our first hazy view of the Upper Tahquamenon Falls.

Below are the shots I took as we hiked closer and closer.

This is as close as we could get.  Because of the tannins which leach

from the cedar swamps that drain into the river, the resulting brown water

cascading over the falls has given it its nickname ~ Root Beer Falls.

There are even foamy, root beer “suds” floating in the river below the falls. 

Four miles downstream, the Lower Tahquamenon Falls is actually

a series of five small waterfalls which flow around an island.

I love the ethereal look of this misty photo ~ we trekked along the wooded riverbank

on a winding boardwalk to reach the edge of the falls on the right-hand side

of this picture.  Visitors sometimes row out to the little island to explore.

This sign was tucked into the trees along the path.

Anyone want a glass of this “root beer”? 

After leaving the park, we drove toward Whitefish Point which reaches

into Lake Superior on the west side of Whitefish Bay.

White birch trees are everywhere in this area ~ I just love

their shining bark, which sheds into peeling ringlets of silver.

The Whitefish Point Lighthouse is currently being renovated;

it is made of steel to withstand the ferocious storms in the area.

Another sad name for Whitefish Point is the Graveyard of Ships,

because there have been more shipwrecks in this area than in any other

part of the great lake.  Hundreds of ships, including the famous

Edmund Fitzgerald, are still resting on the bottom of the lake near

Whitefish Point and also in Whitefish Bay itself.

Horrible storms with hurricane-force winds and mountainous waves

have mercilessly battered numerous vessels over the years.

Whitefish Point is now home to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum;

we were glad we visited it, but it is such a somber place ~ full of haunting memories.

From there we headed home; the leaves were just beginning

to don their autumn coats.  As we ate our evening meal,

this black squirrel decided to rest, I guess.

And now it is time for us to do the same.  I don’t think I will be posting for awhile,

but you never know, I might change my mind ~ it is just going to get really busy

around here now for the upcoming holiday season, so time on here

is going to have to take a back seat.  Till later ~ or whenever it is ~

“And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!

for then would I fly away, and be at rest.”

Psalm 55:6

TGBTG

part four

On the following day, we took the Shipwreck Tour ~ this boat trip was in

a glass-bottom boat ~ to view 3 of the approximately 1,500 shipwrecks

that lie on the floor of the tempestuous Lake Superior. 

This particular ship was the Bermuda ~ it sank in 1870 and now lies

in 26 feet of water.  Parts of the ship are only 4 feet beneath the glass

and were clearly visible in the crystal clear green waters.

The Bermuda was a wooden schooner and was loaded with 488 ton of iron ore

when she sank.  Some of her crew escaped, but three sailors lost their lives.

On the tour, we passed the old East Channel Lighthouse again.

Our guide told us that at one time, the lighthouse keeper was paid

$400 a year plus benefits, which consisted of 4 cord of firewood.  

An adult bald eagle flew overhead when we were on the Pictured Rocks tour,

too far away for a photo, but on this Shipwreck Tour, we saw

an immature bald eagle perched in the top of a tall pine.

The Herman H. Hettler sank in 1926 ~ built in 1890, she was

200 feet long.  Seeking shelter from a storm, she slammed onto

a rock reef during heavy snow, when she veered off course. 

Her crew escaped in lifeboats, but the Hettler sank the next day during

a northwester with her cargo of 1,100 tons of bulk table salt. 

~ the anchor of the Hettler ~

After returning to shore, we sought out more waterfalls.

Tannery Falls is completely unmarked ~ we saw it in our brochure,

but had to inquire of the locals how to find it.  We trekked up a steep flight

of crude steps, then traipsed for three quarters of a mile or so

through the forest on a tricky, narrow footpath to seek it out.

I was getting a bit nervous about bears before we finally reached it.

It was so quiet back in there ~ and as we rounded the last bend before the falls,

a great blue heron suddenly took flight, startling us ~ and flew

right in front of us, down the narrow creek bed.  I didn’t have

my camera ready to capture the scene ~ we just stood in the

hushed stillness and watched it silently wing down the canyon ~ somehow,

it felt almost prehistoric back in there, the only sound being the cascading water.

A short, well-groomed path leads back to Wagner Falls.

The waters cascade over rock ledges and empty into the Anna River.

Another trek through the woods led us to Memorial Falls ~ a 30-foot

waterfall, which people can walk behind if they are brave enough ~ it is

rather treacherous though, and the signs there warn against it.

That night, we ate at the Bear Trap restaurant . . .

. . . which not only housed a couple of bears in the lobby,

but several other creatures on shelves and walls inside the darkened room.

Come to find out, it was also a bear weigh station ~ this bear had just been shot

by a hunter and was weighed while we were there.  I was sure I didn’t want to

confront a live bear, but really wasn’t that crazy about seeing a dead one either.

Back at our motel, bear footprints led to our room.

~ the view of Munising Bay and Grand Island  from our little balcony ~

As the sun set that night, this is what we saw . . .

. . . then this . . .

. . . and finally . . . this !!!

God never ceases to amaze me with His astonishing artistry in the

evening skies ~ it was as if He had finger-painted the sky with fire.

 “. . . the heavens shall praise Thy wonders, O LORD . . .”

Psalm 89:5

“ . . . the heavens are the work of Thy hands.”

Psalm 102:25

TGBTG

part three

part two

Continuing on the cruise along the

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore,

we soon drew alongside a section called the Painted Coves. 

The coves were a favorite spot for kayakers on that day.

Minerals seeping through the limestone streak the cliffs with vivid

kaleidoscopes of color, shimmering in the late afternoon sun.

The green/blue streaks are copper; the black comes from manganese.

Iron oxide stripes the rock with shades of rust and brown.

Colors ranging from yellow to reddish hues are from limonite.

All of these mingle with the limestone slashes of white, gray and cream

to form brilliantly hued rivulets down the face of the ‘pictured rocks’.

~ Lover’s Leap ~

Supposedly, an Indian maiden dove from this point when her warrior

did not return from a trip.  We were told by our tour guide not to try it,

as the water is only 2 feet deep at the base ~ it never entered my mind!

One of my favorite sites was Rainbow Cave ~ the water was so clear

and beautiful there ~ it was easy to see the rock-strewn floor of the lake.

Water continually seeps through the rocks and falls like rain inside the cave,

sometimes creating rainbows.  When icicles form here in the winter, they

are multi-colored from the minerals in the seepage.

We then approached the aptly-named formation called Indian Head Rock,

which is 180 feet tall.  This old Indian has quite the schnoz! 

This is looking at it straight-on ~ I told dh it looked like his nose was running ~

One of the most impressive sights is the Grand Portal. which stands

over 200 feet high.  Before 1900, the arch was much larger, before a major

collapse at the site.  Small ships could sail through it prior to that date. 

In the winter of 1999, some of the roof of the present archway

fell into the passageway, blocking even the traffic of kayakers.

More to come on the next post ~ are you seasick yet?

The lake was so calm that day ~ the natives said it was so rare to have such

beautiful weather in September ~ it couldn’t have been a more perfect day.

“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

Psalm 107:29

TGBTG