• Friday-What'sUP July 11 - 11:13 pm

In the note I received from Russ Emmons, he said that he and his wife made a visit to the Keweenaw recently, after having been away for 23 years! I'm sure he must have noticed lots of changes throughout the years, but the one thing he found pretty much the same were the beautiful wildflowers gracing the roadsides and fields. He spotted these Lupines along US 41, between Baraga and Chassell, but they could have easily been anywhere else in the Copper Country too. Russ didn't say where he snapped the photo of the Thimbleberry Blossoms, but that may have been on purpose, so he didn't disclose a good picking spot for the coveted berries. ;->

Joining Russ in the wildflower bouquet today, is Rachel Schreiner, who stumbled upon a pretty display of what some folks call Gaywings or Fringed Polygala. These little beauties grow close to the ground, most commonly on the damp forest floors, where there isn't too much weedy growth to choke them out. I'm sure you all recognize the Wild Roses (in the fourth shot) that Rachel captured. They're a bit more common, but no less beautiful when you happen upon them in the greenery of the woods. I was stopped in my tracks on a recent walk in the bush, when I rounded a bend in the trail and was treated to a patch of wild roses that spanned at least 10 feet wide and 3 feet deep. And yes, I did Stop and Smell the Roses!

Great pics! Wild roses smell soooo good!

Happy Birthday Mary Barrette Schmidt !!!!!

Laure :-)

Russ--That sure is a long time to be away. Lovely photos of some
of my favorite flowers. That patch of lupines near Baraga is very
special to me and I hope there will still be a few when I get to the
UP next week.

Good morning, Very nice pictures. One of my favorite item's to photograph are flower's. Next Summer when we save up enough money for gas. We will be there for our annual family renuion. Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Nice pictures. Way to go, Russ. You got the pictures you took put on pasty. Now I get to see them again.

Saw a lot of Lupines growing in the Duluth, Mn. area last week in ditches and yards. The wild rose is Iowa's state flower, I have many wid rose bushes growing in my wildflower/perenniel gardens. They are easy and hardy to grow.

Hi
I saw some thimbleberry bushes, changing from blossoms to fruit, last weekend in Mackinaw Mill Creek park outside of Mackinaw City. They were right by a trail, so I'm sure they'll get glommed up pretty quick. Though maybe some of the tourists won't be sure what they are & leave 'em.

Anybody remember the Monty Python skit where the highwayman demanded "Give me your lupines!" instead of asking for money?

Beautiful flowers! I've never seen, nor heard of Fringed Polygala before. They look like tiny airplanes. Lupines grow wild in Wyoming, also.

I remember the Monty Python "lupine" sketch. Weren't those lupines growing near a larch...... The Larch!! ;-)

The big day is coming soon now. The Dr leaves for her invited lecture in Oxford today and I leave to join her next Thursday, then it's 2 weeks exploring the Scottish Highlands looking at their geology and mining heritage, as well as seeing where my family came from.

Capt. Paul I figured you were already in Scotland as we hadn't heard from you for a while. Have a good trip and take lots of pictures!

When my folks lived in White Pine from '79 thru '82 I remember the miles of lupines and ferns lining the roadside from Whie Pine up to the highway leading west to the Porkies. Loved that drive!

Wonderful pictures, Russ, and I will add this....anyone up here in the U.P. who knows the location of a good thimbleberry picking place will never reveal it as thimbleberry's are called "liquid gold" here, and the cost of buying the jam reflects the thought.

The lupines are all over the U.P. right now and looking beautiful just about anywhere one drives.

Capt...our family is from Kilsyth, Scotland near Falkirk (William Wallace battle). If you see my uncle, tell him I said hello. He will be the one in the plaid shirt. :)

I see some Indian Paintbrush in the first picture too.

Alex "plaid shirt"?? OR plaid skirt??

By the way - my middle name is Cameron. It is a family name from my mom's side The Cameron Clan hails from the highlands. (and I guess they were known an horse thieves and ruffians - maybe that is why they left Scotland...)

Sons of Scotland...they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

Well Thank You Mary for posting our pics today!
Yes we noted the changes (mostly traffic!) Many changes there were well underway in 1985 though.
Too short of a time, too much driving but we enjoyed ourselves and glad we finally went! Quite the emotional experience! We took dozens of nice pics, many have already, or will be posted in my
"pasty guest gallery"
I can say the Thimbleberrys were at the "Jampot", around the store and the parking lot. I don't think that is a secret. Otherwise as Helen Marie says it would be unrevealed! We did find some others at another place! We got pics too of Helen and husband Don while there! RCW! we went right by your house but you were at Bootjack!--Next time!

Our trip started with the St. Ignace Classic Car Show where our oldest daughter Alice had her like new 67 Plymouth Belvedere there. Nice vintage cars everywhere! We spent a pleasant night in Newberry at "Berrys Motel" then on to Seney Nat'l Wildlife Refuge and toured there. On then to the Copper Country where we visited and stayed with my Uncle Jim & Aunt Loretta in Woodside! (Pics of them too). Next day on up to Quincy Mine site where I got pics of the shaft house, some by standing right on the old company house foundation where I lived as a boy in the 1940s! On up then thru Calumet and a stop at the "Hut" and the Pasty Central office to visit with Charlie. He wasn't there :( Met Deb and while there paid our Pasty.net internet bill! (saved a stamp!) Of course went next door in the "Hut",looked over the place, and got a couple of Pastys for our lunch! "YUM"! On then, did the Cliff Drive thing and up to Brockway Mountain Summit. Beautiful views (and pics)! on down thru Copper Harbor and to the end of US 41. Wow what a drive! Later my Uncle Jim took us on a tour over to Senter, and the Atlas Powder Mill ruins. It's been bugging me to go there since getting and reading Bill Hallers excellent book! Needless to say got pics of many of the old buildings etc. just as in Bills book! They are in my guest gallery! Also got shown around the latest changes, improvements in Dollar Bay!

Russ: Sounds like you had an eventful trip to the UP. I'm so glad
that you had a chance to take in so many meaningful sights. I look
forward to checking out your photos in the guest gallery and to
reading your comments about boats downstate. Thanks for sharing
your adventures and photos with all of us.

Nope, haven't left yet. The Dr. left this evening and the house already seems a bit empty without her here. But I will be seeing her in a week after she does the Oxford thing.

My family comes from about as far north in Scotland as one can get. Most were from StrathNaver which is near Tongue, with the rest from near Durness and Cape Wrath.

Russ, I am so happy that you and Sylvia got to visit the CC again. I am sure you had a great time seeing all of the things you had stored in your memory. The pictures are great. I love wildflowers. My friend and I used to pick a lot of them in Woodside. My favorites were Arbutus!! I am going to check out your album now. Fran

Beautiful flowers + blossoms. The Keweenaw has a lot of beauty.