All Blog Posts (1,849)

Bent Trillium of Michigan

Bent Trillium (Trillium flexipes) also known as ‘Drooping’ or ‘White’ trillium, often hybridizes with…

Here's a sample of what you might see at this year's show.

Snow Trillium of Michigan

Michigan Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale) is the first trillium to appear each spring. It blooms in March most often under a blanket of snow. Snow Trillium can tolerate below freezing temperatures without suffering. No matter how…

With its vibrant vermillion, ochre and tangerine hills against an azure Grand Traverse Bay, fall is the quintessential winery tour season, but I much prefer spring. When I lived in the Detroit area, getting Up North in spring felt like a special sneak peak. It was the early start to the summer, and made me feel like…

Above: Governor Snyder taking the podium on Friday, April 26, 2013 at Brys Estate on Old Mission Peninsula

L…

Channels dug beneath the snow this winter.

What, you may be asking, is the subnivean zone. Well, it is a magical world that exists between the bottom of the snow and the top of the ground, and there's a lot more animal action there than what you may be aware of, a secret…

Wine tasting room at Blustone Vineyards, a sleek, contemporary space set amid captivating rolling Leelanau hills and orchards just north of Lake Leelanau village.

At the invitation of the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association, I hit the wine trail last…

You know when you're watching Food Network and Ina Garten just casually turns to her window-side garden, picks a few herbs, and continues like "Oh, no big, here's my convenient backyard produce station"? Meanwhile you're sitting there, simultaneously impressed and depressed because, welp, you just don't live on a dang farm. You've got to haul your goods from the grocery store back to your home, losing an hour of freshness just in transportation. Daily, fresh-picked herbs? Meh, more like…

Red Trillium of Michigan 

After Snow Trillium (T. nivale), “Red Trillium” (T. erectum) is the next Michigan trillium species to begin its bloom period. As a result, it’s sometimes referred to as “Wake-robin”.

From mid to late April into June, this…

With shovels, from left: Mayor Michael Estes, Brownfield coordinator Jean Derenzy, Managing Partner Jeff Schmitz, with Grand Traverse Hotel Properties.

The owners of Hotel Indigo, the long-talked-about boutique hotel that is being built in Traverse…

Michigan's White Trillium

As one of the eight species of trillium native to Michigan, the Common Trillium, also called the White Trillium or Great White Trillium, Large-flowered White Trillium or White Wake-robin (Trillium grandiflorum) is by far our…

Michigan's Favorite Wildflower - The Trillium

Living in Michigan or in the Great Lakes Region, winter is long and cold, but springtime boosts or morale. The anticipation of the warmer weather and sunshine excites nature lovers and photo…

I have not been active here as my new book, Smile: Sell More with Amazing Customer Service, took nearly two years of my life to complete! Switching between a full time job, starting a publishing company, writing and managing an army of freelancers, and day to day chores, I sometimes thought I'd be wise to check with my doc to see if I was suffering…

Good Harbor Bay on the first day of spring, 2013.

When I first moved to Northern Michigan, I was so surprised at how much beauty I found in what was then called "the off season." These pictures are a perfect example of what I mean. They were taken at sunset…