Before Taka went back to his home in Japan last week, he just had to get in trouble with Houghton Police one final time. They thought he had passed out by the miner statue, but he only wanted to see it the way the ants do.

I'd really been debating about whether to follow Taka's lead and sell the old yoopmobile to fly to Alaska. But after cleanin it up today, haulin out all the trash, even vacuuming and applying armour-all - - it looks and smells so good I'm inspired to sail the old freeway schooner clear across the Canadian prairie. Spending another night in Bangor, but must get an early start on Wednesday. Hey, I might even get to bed before midnight.

I remember waking on the ground as a freshman at tech looking at that miner.I also remember the flowers i layed in hid me from the cops!Tipped just a couple eh?

What is that growing out of the ground? Is that the yooper version of asparagus? "You know spring is about when the asparagus begins to sprout"

There's something funny about "Goodnight FROM" a state, and Good Morning FROM" da UP in Toivo's messages! (Now EVERYONE has me suspicious of this poor guy...) But then again, how can it be goodnight from one state and good morning from the UP? (Scratching my head in total confusion). Actually, someone else planted that thought in my head...

It WOULD make sense to be goodnight FROM the state he's in, and good morning TO the UP!

Why do I suspect Taka knew that he was 'lying' on his back just as the other fella 'lay' in the flowers. Or why did it take a native Korean to teach me what a split infinitive is........

Sure look like 'shrooms to me. I'll report back later with what species, since my copy of Alexander Smith's Field Guide is at work. Been pickin' lotsa morels recently. Yum yum. what a year for weather both wierd and wonderful, aweful and terrible, eh?

It's the same ole' miner who's pick handle was busted off not too long after he was put up, and usually has a pumkin or two smashed over his head after Devil's Nite. One of the great land marks to see when coming back home to visit from "Down Below"!!!

I have those awful weed things also. I can't get rid of them. Can anyone tell me what the heck these things are and how to safely kill them without murdering my shrubs and flowers?

Ahh, kudos on the picture but if the photog could have gotten a little lower and to the left he could have "lit the miner's lamp" indeed.

The plant growing from the ground is equisetum, more commonly called horsetails.
I love the pasty cam, by the way. It's the first website I look at when I arrive at work. I'm going to miss Taka, though.

These plants are from the phylum Equisetophyta. Species name Equisetum hyemale, rough horsetail.

Horsetails are also called scouring rush. Folks used to use them to scrubs pot and pans before the invention of Brillo and SOS pads.

When we were kids, we'd follow along the railroad tracks back home to pick these... we called them 'penny shiners' - and used them for just that purpose.

They're so rough textured because they've got silica in their tissues.

There's one bright star below what I assume to be the moon in the top of the photo. Does anyone know if that would be a planet? And which one? This is a wonderfully bizarre photo! We will miss Taka's take on the world...

What a cool picture!
The minute the pasty page comes up you know it'll be a Taka shot by the coppery gold & blues, and the angle of course.
I have a feeling Taka will be sort missed by the Houghton PD...no more college student laying down in the most unlikely places at all hours!

Does any one know how I could get in touch with the folks that ran the sea plane to Isle Royale in years past??

Thanks

Aaaah correction, make that the folks than ran the company or rather the folks that flew the sea plane to Isle Royale in years past, I imagine it would be hard to "run" a sea plane.

Thanks

I believe that the bright light below the moon would be the planet Mars. I heard it on WJR radio here in Detroit.

Wow, I remember watching the seaplane land at Copper Harbor. A Lake Islander, if I recall correctly. Don't know who flew it, but I've got old pics of it.

Chickens LAY eggs--people LIE down!!! Great shot.

ISLE ROYALE Sea Plane Info

I am not sure if the Sea Plane you were asking about is run privately or by the park service itself. I would contact them at the dock, I am sure they can direct you appropriately. I heard they had some contract issues with the plane service during 2002, and were hoping to have plane service for the 2003 season.

http://www.nps.gov/isro/pphtml/basics.html
Isle Royale National Park
800 E. Lakeshore Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
(906) 482-0984

paul berta,,,,a refugee from hungary, if I rememebr correctly, was flying the yellow goose in the early '60's. Was a Grumman I think,,,use to leak like a seive when you landed or took off.

We need to correct our grammar, Toivonen!

Ei oppi ojaanen kaada (that might need correcting, too :)

Ah horsetails indeed. Many an adolescent has passed countless hours erecting structures with natures "tinker toys", as the hollow stems can be dismantled and compiled again to create a inimitable citadel of flora. Another instance of nature's tenuous marvels.
Wheatman

ARE THESE horsetails MEDECINAL HERBS?

The miner was sculpted by Liz Biezot. Within the year after it was placed at Franklin Square (that is really a triangle, isn't it?) the handle of the pickaxe was broken off. Too bad. Biezot's husband was at MTU in the Bus.Ad. dept. They eventually left and moved to Alaska.

Pointing nose toward Fran's house... Do I smell Pasties?

HORSETAILS CAN BE MADE INTO HERBAL MEDECINE PER INFO ON INTERNET.--DJB-MI.

TAKA: I hope you read this message! Thank you for your brilliant photos of the U.P. You have warmed my heart throughout the past year as I "ooed and aaawed" over your pictures. I wish you the best with your future endeavors. I hope that you had a safe trip home!

Please continue to take pictures (of Japan) and submit them to pasty.com. I would hope pasty.com would post some of your pictures from your native land.

Take care!

Yesterday, he lay in the flowers. Today or tommorrow, he intends to lie in them again.

The planet is not Mars. It's Jupiter. Mars has been a morning delight for the past month or so. Mars also has a red look, this planet is clearly not red. It's Jupiter. but I'm glad to see that someone noticed the planet there. This is a great astronomy shot (whether it was meant to be or not!).

What is the real origin of the word Yooper?

Excellent photo of the miners statue, is it a memorial or in honour to all the miners in the past? Lot's of Cousin Jacks from Kernow (Cornwall) in Britain worked over there of course bringing the one and only OGGY a.k.a. Pasty with them. This is an excellent web site to look at and all this talk of pasties is getting me rather hungry, so i'm going to have to eat one!