Northern Michigan Forum-Share Events, Travel Ideas, Photos, Videos
Jeff Smith's Blog (144)
Postcard from the Subnivean Zone!
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…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on April 29, 2013 at 10:00am — 1 Comment
Northern Michigan Wines: Leelanau Peninsula Wine Tasting for Media
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…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on April 24, 2013 at 4:06pm — No Comments
Hotel Indigo Groundbreaking Celebration
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…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on April 12, 2013 at 3:30pm — No Comments
Spring Equinox on Good Harbor Bay, Sleeping Bear Dunes
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…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on March 26, 2013 at 7:00am — 2 Comments
Northern Michigan Restaurants: Barista Spencer McQueen Heading to AeroPress Competition
Barista Spencer McQueen, in the new Cavallino Cafe, brews a cup with an AeroPress coffee press.
When I think about the best changes in American culture during my lifetime, the proliferation of the new American café is right there in the Top 10. Sure, the great coffee and aromas are…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on March 21, 2013 at 3:00pm — No Comments
Northern Michigan Outdoors: Cross-Country Skiing Sleeping Bear Dunes -- Off Trail
Rico Cruz (front) and Brian Price on cross-country skis, cutting through the cattails near Shell Lake in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
I have a friend who loves to cross-country ski, but avoids trails. For him XC means sticking to the roots of the…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on March 17, 2013 at 2:29pm — No Comments
Northern Michigan Life: Abused Mailboxes
Added by Jeff Smith on March 15, 2013 at 5:48am — No Comments
Northern Michigan Vacation: Winter Camping in Porcupine Mountains
Camping compadre Tim, up on the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains, Michigan.
I had the great pleasure recently of heading up to the Porcupine Mountains for a winter campout in the snowy backcountry with a couple of longtime pals from Minnesota.
The Porkies are…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on March 5, 2013 at 8:33am — No Comments
Northern Michigan Vacation: Winter Camping in Porcupine Mountains
Camping compadre Tim sporting a snappy MyNorth beanie (compass always pointing NORTH!), up on the Escarpment Trail, Porcupine Mountains, Michigan.
I had the great pleasure recently of heading up to the Porcupine Mountains for a winter campout in the snowy backcountry with a couple of…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on March 5, 2013 at 8:30am — No Comments
February Beach Day, Good Harbor, Sleeping Bear Dunes
Added by Jeff Smith on February 25, 2013 at 8:00am — 1 Comment
ShapeMichigan and Jeff Smith's Inspiring Tips for Sticking with a Workout
Pushing into the backcountry with your grown-up kids, one more reason to stay fit and strong.
The other night at the Great Wolf Lodge, I attended a regional kickoff of a health initiative called ShapeMichigan, the two main local sponsors of the event being…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on November 19, 2012 at 9:00am — No Comments
A Journey Down Traverse City's MicroBrew Canoe Trail, With Mr. Bravo
Mr. Bravo considers the curiously fitting words painted on Right Brain Brewery as we hit the first stop on our journey down the Microbrew Canoe Trail.
Like all good notions, the Traverse City Microbrew Canoe Trail resulted from a convergence, a nexus, a confluence, a splicing…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on November 3, 2012 at 8:30am — No Comments
Brown Bridge Dam Incident Summary
Photo by Mark Lindsay
For those of you following the Brown Bridge Dam removal and the pond's breech of the containment structure, here is an official incident report that includes a chronology of the accident. The first few paragraphs just give some basic background and…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on October 12, 2012 at 11:00am — 1 Comment
Photos of Brown Bridge Pond Dam Breach
Photos by Mark Lindsay
For a century this was a dam impoundment called Brown Bridge Pond. Here you can see the river returning to its natural path.
Back in the May 2012 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine,…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on October 9, 2012 at 8:30am — 1 Comment
Red Hot Best! Perfect Northern Michigan Vacation Resource
Northern Michigan’s best omelet, best microbrew, best cherry pie, best beach … the June issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine is one beautiful and high-energy…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on June 4, 2012 at 7:30am — No Comments
Northern Michigan: Zoo de Mackinac Bike Ride
I admit it. I happen to think that time spent pedaling around the back roads of Northern Michigan is one of the greatest pleasures our great nation has to offer. And clearly lots of other people share this feeling, to which our…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on May 9, 2012 at 7:30am — 1 Comment
Northern Michigan: Les Cheneaux's Wood Boat School Story
Opening spread of story "New Wave, Classic Craft" in May 2012 Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
When I look at the story about the Great Lakes Boat Building…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on May 7, 2012 at 9:15am — No Comments
Local Foods All-Stars, in the May Traverse.
One story I’m really liking in the May 2012 Traverse Magazine is called Local Foods All-Stars. Okay, full disclosure, I wrote said story, but that’s not why I like it. I like it because…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on May 1, 2012 at 7:43am — No Comments
Northern Michigan: The Man Who Loved Brown Bridge Pond
Tribute to a Pond, from the May 2012 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine
I wanted to share a little backstory on how a surprise relationship evolved into the photo feature about Brown Bridge Pond in the May 2012 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine.
When…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on April 27, 2012 at 7:30am — No Comments
Fantastic Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Trail, Story in Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine
Story opener, April issue, Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine
One of the stories I’m loving most in the April edition of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine is titled “Flow.” I suppose that idea could be attached to lots of things, but what it applies to here is…
ContinueAdded by Jeff Smith on April 9, 2012 at 11:30am — No Comments
Latest Blog Posts
- Postcard from the Subnivean Zone!
- Northern Michigan Wines: Leelanau Peninsula Wine Tasting for Media
- Hotel Indigo Groundbreaking Celebration
- Spring Equinox on Good Harbor Bay, Sleeping Bear Dunes
- Northern Michigan Restaurants: Barista Spencer McQueen Heading to AeroPress Competition
- Northern Michigan Outdoors: Cross-Country Skiing Sleeping Bear Dunes -- Off Trail
- Northern Michigan Life: Abused Mailboxes
Most Popular Blog Posts
Blog Topics by Tags
- Jeff Smith (36)
- Traverse City (15)
- Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine (11)
- Traverse Magazine (6)
- Northern Michigan (5)
- Sleeping Bear Dunes (4)
- Great Lakes (3)
- northern Michigan (3)
- Sweeter Song Farm (3)
- Northern Michigan vacation (3)
- Boardman River (3)
- Todd Zawistowski (3)
- cycling (3)
- Brown Bridge Pond (3)
- Lake Michigan (3)
- Cedar (3)
- XC skiing (2)
- porkies (2)
- Tim Tebeau (2)
- Mark Lindsay (2)
- Doug Stanton (2)
- Porcupine Mountains (2)
- dam removal (2)
- Jim Schwantes (2)
- snowshoeing (2)
- Michigan Land Use Institute (2)
- flood (2)
- Judy Reinhardt (2)
- Michigan vacation (2)
- Traverse Northern Michigan's Magazine (2)
- greenhouse (2)
- Lake Superior (2)
- winter camping (2)
- Leelanau County (2)
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (2)
- Leland (1)
- Vogue Theater (1)
- Cherry Roubaix (1)
- National Writers Series (1)
- nature art (1)
- Smith (1)
- , Cedar, (1)
- Les Cheneaux (1)
- Wade Hamilton (1)
- Chip Hoagland (1)
- New Third Coast (1)
- nature photos (1)
- Great Lakes Boat Building School (1)
- Song (1)
- , Farm, Jim, (1)
- , Judy, (1)
- Lisa Doublestein (1)
- Wendy Wieland (1)
- City (1)
- Norconk Farms (1)
- Great Lakes photographs (1)
- Spencer McQueen (1)
- , Reinhardt, Schwantes, Song, Sweeter, (1)
- Lissa Edwards (1)
- Copper Harbor (1)
- North American Vasa (1)
- obesity (1)
- Grow Benzie (1)
- Summer Celebration (1)
- , farming, garlic, (1)
- Local foods (1)
- Zoo Bar (1)
- Craig Schaaf (1)
- North Branch Au Sable River (1)
- planting (1)
- Hessel (1)
- Suttons Bay (1)
- , garlic (1)
- Lookout Mountain (1)
- Zoo de Mackinac (1)
- Cross Country Skiing (1)
- North Peak (1)
- Hotel Indigo (1)
- Sweeter (1)
- Aaron Brooks (1)
- MLUI (1)
- ballast water (1)
- Cross-country skiing (1)
- push pin artist (1)
- InsideOut Gallery (1)
- Aaron Peterson (1)
- Mackinac Island (1)
- barista (1)
- Culinary School (1)
- Northern Michigan Restaurants (1)
- pushpin artist (1)
- JT Hoagland (1)
- Sweeter Song Farm, (1)
- Aaron Rogers (1)
- Mackinaw Brewing (1)
- bears (1)
- Cuyahoga River (1)
- Northern Michigan culture (1)
- qaugga mussel (1)
- James McCullough (1)
© 2013 Created by Michael Thompson.
