Ecce Sigum

Category: Photography

  • Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve

    Saul Lake Bog

    Yesterday Cynthia and I went for an adventure out at the Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve. We spent most of our time walking around on the surface of the frozen bog, following wild turkey tracks and watching hawks fly overhead. About half of our total time out there was spent walking about a hundred yards through some incredibly dense undergrowth, following deer tracks. It turns out that deer can make it through places not meant to be walked by humans.

    Pitcher plant

    One of the high points for me was discovering some pitcher plants growing at the edge of the bog. I always like the small surprises which occur during a walk, but this one was especially interesting, because I did not know pitcher plants grew in Michigan. I guess you learn something new every day.

    Click either of the photos to see the rest of the set.

  • Blandford Nature Center, 3 March 2008

    A rescued Box Turtle

    The above was taken this past Sunday at Blandford Nature Center. Click the photo to see the rest of the set.

  • Roselle Park

    Roselle Park in Ada, Michigan

    This is one of many photos I took during a walk around Roselle Park in Ada, this past Saturday. Click on the photo to see the rest of the set at Flickr.

  • Grand River, This Morning

    Fish ladder, 8:45am 11 February 2008

    Sixth Street Bridge Dam, 8:45am 11 February 2008

    Boat lauch sign

    Yes, that is steam rising off the river. The air was about 33 degrees colder than the water. Thus, condensation and frost.

  • Ice Jam ’08, part III

    Grand River at the Sixth Street Bridge, 7 February 2008
    February 7

    Grand River at the Sixth Street Bridge, 7 February 2008
    February 7

    Grand River at the Sixth Street Bridge, 7 February 2008
    February 7

    Grand River at the Sixth Street Bridge, 8 February 2008
    February 8

    Grand River at the Sixth Street Bridge, 8 February 2008
    February 8

  • Same Thing Only Different, Again

    Grand River, 6 February 2008, 9:00am by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Wednesday morning at 9:00am

    Grand River, 6 February 2008, 9:00am by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Wednesday morning at 9:00am

    Grand River, 6 February 2008, 5:00pm by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Wednesday afternoon at 5:15pm

    Rafts of slush going over the dam by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Wednesday afternoon at 5:15pm

    During the day the river level dropped about six inches, which made the surface more turbulent. The snowfall yesterday was manifested as rafts of slush traveling down the river. I would guess that this will add to the mass of the ice jam, which will therefore start growing back up the river. We may yet have our very own glacier this winter.

    Click on any of the photos to see the whole set of them.

  • Ice Jam, part 2

    Proving that not only can you never step in the same river twice, you also cannot take the same photo of a river twice, here are some updates to the ice jam and flooding at the Sixth Street Bridge dam,

    Grand River, February 3 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Sunday, 3 February

    Grand River, February 4 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Monday, 4 February

    Grand River, February 4 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Monday, 4 February

    Grand River, February 4 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Monday, 4 February

    Grand River, February 5 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Tuesday, 5 February

    Grand River, February 4 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Tuesday, 5 February

    Grand River, February 5 2008 by John Winkelman, on Flickr
    Tuesday, 5 February

    Photos 1, 4, 5 and 6 are all pretty much the same shot. On Sunday the river was placid, ice above and below the dam, but some water flowing through. On Monday the water level had dropped a bit, and there was a small drop between the upper and lower levels. On Tuesday all of the up-river ice had let go and jammed up just below the dam, causing the water to rise to the point that, other than a few odd swirls, there was no sign of the dam at all. I have never seen the water this high. The ice was jammed higher than this three years ago, but that was everything on top of the water. Since we are supposed to get between six and nine inches of snow in the next 24 hours, plus some sleet and freezing rain, I expect the water will rise even higher, and then everything will begin to freeze. Unless something breaks the entire ice jam loose I expect we will see some city streets under water in the next few days.

    I have lived in Michigan my whole life. I have seen colder winters than this one. I have seen snowier winters than this one. But I don’t remember ever feeling as beaten down by the weather as I have since the beginning of this year.

  • Grand River Ice Jam 2008

    …and this is the Grand River as of 9:00am.

    Grand River Ice Jam, 31 January 2008, 9:00am
    Looking south from the boat launch on the Sixth Street Bridge dam.

    Grand River Ice Jam, 31 January 2008, 9:00am
    Looking west across the river at the fish ladder.

    Grand River Ice Jam, 31 January 2008, 9:00am
    Looking north.

  • The River is Thickening

    The Grand River, 29 January 2008

    The Grand River, 30 January 2008

    These photos were taken roughly 26 hours apart. The first, yesterday at around 3:00pm. The second, today just after 5:00pm. In the intervening time the lower river has risen approximately six feet and a large ice jam has begun to form.

    The 6th Street Dam, 30 January 2008

    Normally there is a drop of six to eight feet over the dam. Last time an ice jam formed there was no difference between upper and lower river for about two weeks, and then the ice lasted in some places into April.

    The packed ice is still moving slowly, but I expect the frigid temperatures, which hit Grand Rapids last night, will freeze everything solid before daybreak tomorrow.

  • Impermanence Again

    I just posted 46 photos from a Sand Mandala ceremony I attended back in April of 2006. I originally blogged about it here, but I thought it warranted uploading the full set of photos at high resolution. Click the photo to see the rest, or click here for the slide show.