Picture of the Day for September 22, 2016

The September equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator – from north to south and in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the first day of autumn or fall.  And with autumn, one thinks of shorter daylight hours which causes the leaves changing color for autumn’s spectacular foliage display. Even on this cloudy and cooler day, I have one maple tree which does not want to let summer go as it always has about half the limbs staying green while the other half turn bright red before any of the other trees in the area.

Summer Passing to Autumn

Summer Passing to Autumn

Picture of the Day for September 20, 2016

During Fayette iron-smelting operations from 1867 to 1891 in Upper Michigan, the company produced a total of 229,288 tons of iron, using local hardwood forests for fuel and quarrying limestone from the bluffs to purify the iron ore. The hardwood was turned into charcoal in kilns like this one to fuel the blast furnaces for the iron smelting process.

The kiln was loaded at the top with thirty-five cords of hardwood and the charring process lasted six to eight days, producing 1,750 bushels of charcoal which was removed by hand from the lower door. In the mid-1880s, more than eighty kilns were located within ten miles of Fayette.

Charcoal Kiln

Charcoal Kiln

Picture of the Day for September 19, 2016

With the change in technology, today’s digital cameras look a lot different than this Speed Graphic camera which was produced by Graflex from 1912 to 1973. This camera was the standard equipment for many American press photographers until the mid-1960s.  AP photographer Joe Rosenthal’s Pultizer prize image of Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima in 1945 was taken with the Speed Graphic camera.

Speed Graphic

Speed Graphic

Picture of the Day for September 18, 2016

On of the highest points in southeast Wisconsin along the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, the Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic shrine that can been seen for miles around.  The third and present church was completed and consecrated in 1931. Holy Hill was dedicated as a minor basilica on November 19, 2006.

Yesterday was the Holy Hill Art and Craft Fair with over 230 artists so there were a lot of visitors to the pretty area.

Holy Hill

Holy Hill

Picture of the Day for September 15, 2016

The thunderstorms today triggered more flash flood warnings and peaceful streams and calm creeks can become fast moving destructive waters. In July, this little stream showed nature’s powerful force from nearly 10 inches of rain that fell as it wiped out the Saxon Harbor and campground that was directly behind me. Some boats and camping vehicles were washed out into Lake Superior, with over 85 boats damaged or destroyed. It is estimated that it will take more than two years to rebuilt the harbor, but no amount of time will bring back the man’s life also lost that day.

Calm Before the Flood

Calm Before the Flood