Other Fruit, Vegetables

If you like to pick your own fruit, you have come to the right place. Michigan has u-pick farms scattered across the state. The signs leading me to The Gary Crane Farm in Fennville remind me of the old Burma-Shave signs our family passed by in my dad's '57 Ford convertible when I was a child.

A visitor to Crane Michigan Fruit Orchards, Fennville, enjoys picking from among a crate filled with peaches. Visitors to the u-pick farm may also choose to harvest fruit right from the trees. Visitors come from across Michigan and out of state to enjoy a fruit picking experience and the famous home-cooked meals at the Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant & Bakery. I definitely will be back!

Bending against a brisk October breeze but not breaking, dune grass withstands another "northwester" along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

My Grandmother Benson and my mom taught me early in my life to appreciate the beauty of pussy willows. They are simply beautiful and the memories they bring back are even more beautiful. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I am still experimenting daily with my external flash. Tonight I wanted to show some motion in the dune grass, but still have it look somewhat sharp so I set my shutter speed to 1/200 of a second and used the rear sync option on my flash. With rear sync, my flash went off at the end of my exposure, freezing the motion of the blowing grass. F7.1 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 40 mm

When I was growing up, my mom's mother, Linda Scott, had a home on Thunder Lake in eastern Mason County. There was a bog across the road from her house that my brother and I called "Sponge Lake." Tonight while driving to Blue Lake to visit Betsy's uncle, Dave Verduin, I found some cattails in bloom with Sponge Lake in the background. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Growing up we had a huge garden. I knew that I wanted my kids to have the same garden experience that I did. We have enjoyed growing starter plants in the house. It is great fun watching them grow and care for them over the months before they are ready to be planted outdoors. I believe it helps teach the kids to appreciate all aspects of food and life.

Today this piece of grass growing on the banks of Baldwin Lake became my subject for my photo of the day. My dad and I did a photo talk and book signing at the Flat River Community Library in Greenville. Before the event, we drove around the beautiful little town of Greenville and found this photograph. F6.3 at 1/500, ISO 500, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Within minutes of starting to hike along the Pere Marquette River, I spot a beautiful sight

This photograph reminds me of The Smurfs, one of my favorite cartoons when I was a kid. It would have been awesome to have one of the small blue figurines I had when I was young to stick below this mushroom. F5.6 at 1.3, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The asparagus-picking season is over in this field along South Scottville Road. The plants are left for now to grow wild. This is the time of year when I start to find these fields very photogenic. I find the bright color, soft look and repetitive patterns of the overgrown plants eye-catching. F3.2 at 1/400, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I have tried to make a photograph of the grapes up in Bespop’s grape arbor for several years. Either I was too late, or the animals had already eaten them when I have tried before. This year, I was determined. I made almost daily visits to the arbor and finally decided the time was right.

Today I walked across the street from our new house and explored the land along the Lincoln River. The grass and cattails were several feet above my head and showed no sign of slowing down their growth. It was also a mosquito heaven and I was dinner. The photo made the excursion worth it. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

While Betsy and I were chatting with some of our new neighbors in our side yard, I noticed a tree full of fungus. I excused myself from the conversation to make this photograph before the light changed. F22.0 at 15.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 46 mm

While trying to shoot some photos of people salmon fishing near the twin bridges in Ludington, I decided to turn my attention towards the beautiful cattails along the southern shore. With the blowing wind, I had to time it right with the correct angle and a good cloud pattern behind. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

These large mushrooms are always fun to spot in the summer. The kids found this one down our long lane at the farm.

As the sun rises over the Northern Michigan countryside, I find myself mesmerized by the sight of corn waving lazily in the morning breeze. It makes me crave Michigan-made Kellogg's Corn Flakes. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

I have admired these grasses in my neighbor's yard at Crosswinds for months. I am thinking they have never looked better than today so I am giving it my best shot to show how beautiful I think they are. F2.8 at 1/2000, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I was on my way to Brad’s when I passed by The Market on US-31. It was closed, but the cattails surrounding it were just waiting to be photographed. I used their exterior lights to add depth to the photo. Cattails always bring back memories of picking them at fair, and then forgetting them in the camper until we would find them exploded the next spring. My mom does not miss those days.

Sean and I, and about 26 of Sean’s friends from all over the country, met in Lansing today for the start of the annual golf outing that Sean organizes. Today, while playing Timber Ridge, the light got really good for a few minutes so I put my golf clubs down and grabbed my camera. This decorative grass was near one of the tee boxes. I lay on my back on the golf cart path and made this image.