West Michigan Coop

I had my first pick up from the West Michigan Co-op the other day, and it was a great one! I got a lot of great food and everyone there was really nice! After getting lost, walking in the wrong door to the building and consequently walking around like an idiot for a while, I got the hang of things and was able to get all my stuff easily and people were more than willing to help me out and chat about their products.

The Locavore Challenge is sort of on hiatus due to poor planning on the start date (rescheduled for an April/May start) but I am still going to try and eat as local as possible. One of my favorite pick ups was the Blue Majesty potatoes I bought from Funny Farm Organics. I have never seen blue potatoes before. I immediately made mashed potatos with them and sure enough, they taste like potatos....

I will be looking forward to future monthly pick ups especially when the growing season starts and the veggies come in big-time. Until then, I'll see you at McDonald's (just kidding).

First Annual Diamond Cutters Ice Fishing Weekend

One thing I've noticed in the last few cold Michigan winters is that if you take up hobbies that make the winter enjoyable you will have something to look forward to and it makes the sub-zero temperatures more beareable. Mine is snowboarding however, with recent developments I find myself unable to snowboard due to a separated shoulder in December.

So to cull the days of cabin fever I made plans to have some family and friends up to the Sage Lake cottage for a weekend of ice fishing. Before I knew it I had invited upwards of 30 people to the cottage! It worked out becuase only 23 ended up being able to go and only around 18 actually made it and one of the participants was my uncle who has a cabin across the lake from ours. Most people had a place to crash and some passed out on the floor to avoid the snorer's room.

Unfortunately we didn't catch a single fish but a great time was had by all and we even got see Chris who lives in California and we seldom get to see. Most of the time I was to busy to take pictures but I've got a few with, playing host or imbibing mass quantities of alcohol to stay warm. Keep in mind that the more one drinks, the warmer the weather seems. This weekend was cold, very cold.

Easiest way to get around on the ice - Snowmobile or Quad, thankfully we had both. Safety is key on these kinds of trips. Thanks uncle Scott.

Brad's to snowmobiles were enjoyed by all and after a little work getting them going, they ran relatively well. Its also really fun to get pulled on a saucer by a wakeboarding tow rope, trust me..

Taken right after I woke Uncle Gene from his slumber - yea thats right, it was below zero and this guy is sleeping on a plastic chair on the ice.


Chad and Scott had to take care of uncle Dan after a stumble face first into the snow. Some shenanigans took place around this fire ring that will never be forgotten. Danny went inside soon after and slept while we messed with him. Notice the self whitewash as he faceplanted with glasses on.


The survivors hanging out by the fire after a long day of unsuccessful fishing. I was thankful everyone could make it and had a good time.

Next year I think we will pick a different lake/river to fish on. So mark your calendars for the third weekend in January 2010!

Something to Make All This Snow Worthwhile

I recently went snowshoeing with my friend Colleen in the Pinkney State Recreation area and took some pics. Its nice to have something to do outside when you can't go snowboarding b/c you're broken.

The Trail was beautiful, and thankfully Colleen and Mel had been out the day before and beat down the path so snow didn't pile up on our shoes. Mel is apparently good at finding spots to take pictures, using trees and sign posts for the camera becuase we didn't need to look for a spot, just re-took the ones from the day before

We took the short route this time but next time I definitely want to do the whole 6 mile loop.

Long lost disposable cameras are great!!

So I found this camera a while back while unpacking and I finally got it developed. I had no idea where it came from or what was on it. I was not disappointed by what came out of that envelope.

Most of the pics on the camera were from my 23rd birthday party. I was living in Kalamazoo at the time and had a few friends over for "Cinco de Mike-o" (my birthday is the fifth of May).





My little sister Emma even made it out after we came home from the bar and brought her roommate (SM)Ashley.





The follwing were my favorite pictures of this unforgetable disposable camera. Be forewarned I no longer condone any of what follows.





Especially not Roe in his underwear with no shirt on........

APOD Bummer

So I had this awesome picture I got at the Atronomy Picture of the Day (which has some amazing pictures BTW). I planned on getting this particular picture blown up and printed onto a framed peice of canvas from Fed-Ex Kinkos. But alas, I was not able to b/c of the aspect ratio and low mostly due to the low resolution of the picture so I am going to post it here for everyone to see.


This is a pic of the Great Nebulae in the Orion constellation. I love the contrast of the red and the blue and that the red part is somewhat shaped like a heart, although the blue nebula is somewhat yonic. Thats also your word of the day.

Check out the A.P.O.D (Astronomy Pic Of the Day)

Latest Happenings

The quasi-annual camping trip known originally as the "Men and Boys" camping trip was last week. The name is somewhat misleading as now most of my cousins and I are over 21 so it was renamed to the "Old Men and Men" camping trip (to much objection by the old men). This trip has been happening almost evey year ever since I can remember. I'm under the impression it started as a keen way for all the men to get together for a weekend of drinking and bad decisions and that having children meant that if one child came, all of them would come to keep each other busy (sarcasm!). Over the years it has become a great way for us to get together and keep in touch and enjoy the outdoors. As many of 15 of my male cousins and all of my uncles have made it to the woods together for these trips.

There is a lot of history wrapped up in all those trips around the state for long weekends and canoing trips. Now that all the boys are grown up it has become quite a drunken weekend involving fishing, hunting, guns, occasional spear making and throwing competitions and general disregard for smart choices, as seen below.

From Brimey Blowout 08

We were in the town of Brimley in Michigan's upper penninsula this year for a tripped dubbed as the "Brimley Blowout" at Brian Halls barn. Everyone made it home without physical injury which made the trip a success. It was a beautiful weekend and I managed to get some good pics of the setting sun hitting the fall colors. There was a promise to open up the barn every second week in October if we chose to make Brimley the official home of the Old Men and Men trip. I dont think Brian knows what he got himself into.

From Brimey Blowout 08

I can't wait until next year.