• Tuesday-What'sUP February 19 - 08:20 pm

Last Friday, Charlie took us to Tahquamenon Falls on the eastern side of the Upper Peninsula, with an archive photo. Today we get an updated visit with Betty Maxson, only she takes us to the Lower Falls for a look. Betty stopped along the walk to the falls and snapped this shot of the Prayer of the Woods, which is a plea from the trees in the forest to "Harm me not". Something worth reading and heeding when you visit the beautiful woodlands in the U.P.

Then proceeding on her way, Betty found the Lower Falls pretty iced up, but managed to get a beautiful picture of them anyway. You can tell by the snow in the air that her visit there was on one of the snowier days we've been experiencing recently.

That should be posted as a reminder at all our parks.

"Prayer of the Woods" is now my desktop background for awhile! Does anyone know the author of this? Would it be plagerizing to make copys of this and/or a similiar sign to post on ones own woods or a wooded park etc.? VERY fitting!

Nice pic of the falls also!

I thought as I was reading this, it's not really a prayer, more like just an affirmation of self-worth. Then I got to the end and found the prayer indeed.

Great sign! I sure do hope to get there this summer. It's been on our to do list for quite a while now.

Great shots, especially the falls. It's been a while since I have been there as well. Must plan a trip this year.

I like that too but have never seen it, could be because I am usually trying to keep up with my kids when we are there. Next time i'll keep a look out.

This prayer has been a favorite of mine for years. For some reason it brings to mind a small roadside park I used to visit along the highway between Ontonogon and the Porkies.

Love the prayer and really love the shot of the lowers falls. We are heading there in 5 short days and these pictures are making me even more excited! We are also hoping to snap some winter pictures up at Whitefish point and surrounding areas.

Great pictures Betty!

Prayer reminds us that what the future has in store for us depends on what we have stored for the future...

"Prayer of the Woods", what wonderful thoughts. Trees are our only renewable resource. If you look at some of the old photos of the Keweenaw you will see that almost the entire area was clear-cut at one time and look at how it has recovered and grown back. We certainly need to manage our forests wisely.

Thank you, Betty, for the gorgeous picture of the river. Most of all, kudos for speeding up the shutter to capture the current of the river, and the splashing of the waterfall. Far too many photographers would have presented us with nothing but a velvet blur - "pretty", but meaningless.

The poem is a traditional Portuguese prayer that is
used all over the entire United States. You will also find
it at the Kitch-iti-Kipi near Manistique.

I've always loved this sign, there should be one like it in a lot more places. Heading up there this weekend for the annual winter trip to the Soo, Whitefish Point, Point Iroquois, and of course the Falls, hope there's lots of snow.

Tahquamenon is my least favorite falls. Now before you jump all over me, that just means I like all the others better. It doesn't mean T Falls is a bad one, I just prefer the others. I like falls with rocks and rills (what ARE rills?), ambience and personality. I guess other people like the Tahquamenon kind of ambience and personality. Different strokes! My favorite is Silver River Falls north of L'anse (not the one in the Keweenaw). I also love 10-Foot by Phoenix. So you can see it's not the big drop that I prefer!

The Prayer of the Woods is just "perfect". I have not seen this one before, sent it out with my e-mails this morning, and already it has gotten tons of accolades from those I sent it to. Thanks, again!

The last time I was at Tahquamenon Falls -- I think it was a warm day in late November 2006 -- the forest service was removing many mature beeches that were infected with a fungal disease. The woods around there won't be the same without these beautiful trees and their layering branches.

Bud and I have been visiting the wood from N.H . Me, Pa, And MI. for 50 yrs. Michigan has been on our to do list for many yrs. now.Bud's dad being from the u.P. I totally agree with the "to do list" and hope to visit soon.

Very nice pictures. I think I was in Newberry once
when I was in college. I enjoy the pictures but
I'm looking forward to seeing a little more green
(like spring). My Mom gives me daily weather
reports from her winter home in Florida, "Gee it's
75 down here....". I guess I'm at the stage when I
really don't enjoy winter after New Years. Can't
believe I played football in this stuff!

Here's what I found on the meaning of Tahquamenon. Hiawatha built his canoe "by the rushing Tahquamenaw." The spelling was a variation of Tahquamenon, which comes from an Ojibwa word meaning "dark berry." But in Chippewa, 'Marsh of the blueberries' revealed as the french spelling of Tahquamenon on a map in 1671. The first written record of the name appears as "Outakouaminan"