Entries by editor

Leelanau School’s Lanphier Observatory sees heavenly bodies

“What’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen with this telescope?” asks a visitor to the Leelanau School’s Lanphier Observatory. My stock answer is another question: “You mean in the sky, or on the beach?”

Hawley exhibits at Center Gallery

Frankfort artist Peggy Hawley returns to Center Gallery at Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor with oil paintings of northern Michigan’s water and land. The exhibition opens Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. with a public reception at the gallery, 6023 S. Lake St.

Art Association adds Quick Draw to Plein Air Paint Out

Each year the Glen Arbor Art Association’s (GAAA) August Plein Air Paint Out attracts artists from throughout Michigan and the Midwest to paint for a day in the Glen Lake area and then sell their paintings at the popular annual Wet Painting Sale at GAAA’s gallery off Lake Street on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Mario Batali New York raffle unveiled at Leelanau Conservancy annual picnic

The Leelanau Conservancy will hold its annual Picnic and Auction on Thursday, Aug. 2 at the Newton Farm overlooking the Manitou Islands on Jelinek Road. The 100-acre farm near Gills Pier was permanently protected by the Leelanau Conservancy in 2004. The picnic begins at 5 p.m. and features a silent and live auction, as well as pre-picnic field trips, a Kids Tent and a short program that includes recognizing the Conservancy’s “Volunteer of the Year” and “Business Supporter of the Year.” A local foods-focused meal will be served, along with local wines. Tickets are $30 for adults until July 30, when the price increases to $35. Tickets for Kids Tent children under 12 are just $5.

Good Harbor Day

This painting is an imaginary place, based on an adventure at Good Harbor Bay with my friend Marilyn. Years ago, we were having a hot, dry summer similar to our present conditions. We hiked for miles down the beach under sunny skies, while a dark cloud appeared in the northeast above the Whaleback. The storm moved in so rapidly we were engulfed long before we expected, far from our cars. Lightning and thunder crashed down all around as we ran for the relative shelter of the fore dune pine copes. We could just feel the great joy of all the plants as the heavy down pour washed off the dust and filtered down the root zone. Marilyn and I however had to run two miles through the violent storm, covering each lightning strike, and reaching our car, soaking wet. We laughed all the way home.

Slide, Trina Hamlin, Mulebone, Ronny Cox perform at Manitou Music Festival

The Manitou Music Festival is celebrating its 22nd season of diverse concerts featuring jazz, classical, blues, folk, country, celtic, bluegrass and world music in some of Michigan’s most idyllic settings. The festival showcases regionally and nationally known artists performing in beautiful Glen Arbor.

Port Oneida Run offers views of Lakeshore’s historic sites

The third annual Port Oneida Run — a 5K Barn to Barn Trail Run/Walk in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will take place on Saturday, August 4. The natural trail offers an inspiring alternative to paved courses, meandering through beautiful meadows, forests, and the pastoral landscape of farmsteads from the late 1800s in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District with bluff views over Lake Michigan.

Dreaming of Empire

Empire attorney Lea Ann Sterling grew tired of driving her children, Amelie and Daniel, back and forth to basketball practice at Glen Lake Schools when a perfectly good gymnasium in the Empire Schoolhouse sat vacant at the corner of M-22 and M-72, in the heart of Empire. So she began to dream.

Will climate change kill the Michigan cherry?

That pie you ate at Cherry Republic last week wasn’t the fruit of a local tart cherry farmer’s labor — not this year, at least. The Glen Arbor retail company’s quick-thinking president Bob Sutherland imported those pie cherries from Poland after extreme weather this spring all but wiped out northern Michigan’s tart cherry crop.

Lake Street Studios holds Arts Collage

On Sunday, July 29 at 8 p.m. the annual Arts Collage event will take place outdoors at the Studio Stage, located behind Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor. The rain location is the Glen Arbor Town Hall. This year’s Arts Collage features guitarist Will Pearsall, poets Teresa Scollon and Anne-Marie Oomen and the Ann Arbor Film Festival.