As Christmas Eve is here, I just want to take a moment to thank each of you who have followed along with me through the years. Your kind words, encouragement, and shared love for the beauty around us mean more than I can say.
My world is filled with the gifts our Father has placed before us — from breathtaking landscapes to the quiet presence of little ones like this stray cat who stopped by to rest awhile. Each moment reminds me that creation is full of wonder, both great and small.
It’s my hope that through my photos, I can share a glimpse of that beauty with those who might not be able to see it for themselves — to remind us all of the grace and joy that surround us every day.
Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Christmas season, filled with warmth, love, and light. From my heart to yours, Sandra J
When we visited the Soo Locks, the Edwin H. Gott was the largest ship we saw that day — a true giant of the Great Lakes. At 1,004 feet long, it moves millions of tons of iron ore each year between Lake Superior and the lower lakes.
But what caught my eye most wasn’t its size — it was its face. Through my lens, the front of the ship seemed to smile, almost as if it knew it was putting on a show for those watching along the shore. There’s something endearing about seeing such immense power softened by a touch of personality.
In that moment, the Gott wasn’t just a freighter — it was a reminder that even in industry and steel, there’s beauty and character waiting to be seen.
The Parade of Lights semi show in Mackinaw City is quite an experience. We arrived just in time for the big event and found the perfect spot that evening to set up our chairs and watch as the beautiful trucks rolled by, each one glowing brightly against the night sky.
Every year, this northern Michigan tradition brings together truckers and spectators alike. The semis cross the Mackinac Bridge and follow a parade route through town, giving everyone a chance to see an incredible variety of rigs decked out in colorful lights.
This year marked a record number of entries, and each truck shone with pride. Their polished chrome reflected the brilliant lights, creating a stunning display of color and craftsmanship. It was a wonderful celebration of dedication, community, and the spirit of the open road.
If you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it—but don’t forget to bring some earplugs! Between the sound of those beautiful horns and the occasional Jake brake symphony, it’s a noisy (and fun) experience you won’t soon forget.
Stay tuned—I’ll be sharing more from this event soon!
Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant – a very interesting area if you ever get up there. Lots to see from museums to ships. We loved our tour of the area.
Tucked beside the mighty Soo Locks, the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant quietly channels the force of the St. Marys River into clean energy. Built in 1902, this graceful red-brick structure is one of the oldest operating hydro plants in the United States. Its 74 turbines once powered the locks and local industries, and today it still produces electricity for the region—more than a century later.
Standing along the riverbank, you can feel the deep hum of water rushing beneath the arches, where engineering and nature meet. It’s a reminder of how innovation and the Great Lakes have long worked together to move both ships and people forward.
Lake Superior Bay Mills Area, one can always find a variety of polished rocks along the shores of Lake superior, in all sorts of colors.
The tall building is a viewing area that has a high speed elevator in it. I did not go in it, the high speed sounds like it would turn my stomach. 🙂
The Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant, located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is a historic facility that harnesses the power of the St. Marys River as it flows between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
There’s a quiet strength in the light that stands at Point Iroquois — a keeper of time where the great waters of Superior meet the flowing heart of the St. Marys. The waves whisper the stories of those who came before, of the Ojibwa who stood their ground and the Iroquois who met their fate upon these shores.
Here, history and horizon merge. The air carries the scent of pine and the sound of gulls, and the lighthouse — steadfast and weathered — still watches over the restless blue. Standing in its presence, you can almost hear the echo of canoes, the toll of ship bells, and the eternal rhythm of the Creator’s hand upon the lake.
🌅 Today
Today, Point Iroquois Lighthouse is part of the Hiawatha National Forest and serves as a museum managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Visitors can tour the keeper’s quarters, climb the 65-foot tower, and enjoy sweeping views of Whitefish Bay — where Lake Superior’s moods shift from calm beauty to fierce storms.
My Favorite Autumn Photos – autumn is winding down. We did not see a lot of color this year. As we have been driving south just ahead of the leaves changing. When the weather turns colder, my favorite thing is to walk in the woods.
I love the smells and the sounds of the dried crunchy leaves on the forest floor. Just a bit of color was all I needed for this season.
Ships and Tour Boats – It is December all ready, time goes so fast.
More boats and ships passing through the locks.
Average transit time:
Typically, it takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours for a ship to pass through the locks from start to finish.
Details of the process:
Ships first queue if traffic is heavy. Waiting times can be several hours to even a full day in peak shipping season.
Once in the lock chamber, the filling or emptying of water to match the upstream or downstream level takes roughly 15–20 minutes per lock.
Maneuvering in and out, securing the ship, and safety checks add additional time.
Factors affecting time:
Ship size: Larger freighters may take longer to secure.
Weather: Ice in winter or strong winds can slow operations.
Traffic volume: Summer months are the busiest, especially for iron ore and coal shipments.
So, while the actual lock passage is under 2 hours, including waiting and docking, a ship could take several hours total from approaching to leaving the locks.
Type of glass / lens The glass is part of a Fresnel lens — a multi-prism, stepped glass optic used historically in lighthouses to concentrate and project light efficiently.
I looked up information for this light glass in the photo below.
It has a weight listed as ~ 3,485 pounds
White Fish Point Museum
This museum had a lot of information and a very nice display of the interior of the light house from back in the day.
The Light Station was operated exclusively by the U.S. Lighthouse Service from 1849 until 1923, when the U.S. Coast Guard established a Lifeboat Rescue Station here.
The Lighthouse Service merged with the Coast Guard in 1939; the Coast Guard closed the Lifeboat Station in 1951, and took all personnel from the site in 1970.
he main cargoes moving through the locks are bulk commodities, mostly related to industry and raw materials. The primary cargoes include:
Iron ore – by far the largest cargo historically and currently. Mines in Minnesota’s Mesabi Range ship iron ore through the Great Lakes to steel mills in the lower lakes.
Coal – used mainly for steel production and power generation.
Limestone – used in steelmaking and construction.
Grain – such as wheat, corn, and soybeans, shipped from the Midwest to export ports.
Salt, cement, and other bulk materials – smaller in volume but still significant.
Petroleum products and chemicals – some tankers pass through, though bulk dry cargo dominates.
In modern traffic, iron ore pellets are the dominant cargo, making up most of the tonnage.
In 1913, on the Canadian side (related but somewhat different locks/canal), ~ 8,285 vessels carrying 42.7 million tons of freight passed through the Sault Ste. Marie Canal. Parks Canada
Recent / Modern Annual Traffic
About 7,000 vessels per year now transit through the U.S. Soo Locks, hauling ~ 75-90 million tons of cargo.
I think we saw 5 or 6 go through while we were here. They say Mondays are their busiest days.
Soo Locks – this was on my list to visit and we finally made it this year. First you have to pass through the security gates, as this area is along the Canada border.
Gates all along the lock area.
They made a wonderful viewing platform for visitors to watch the ships come in.
The first State Lock (on the U.S. side) was completed in 1855, to bypass the rapids of the St. Marys River.
Before that, cargo and canoes had to be carried (portaged) around the rapids by Native Americans, explorers, and early traders.
The Ohio government (Michigan) built the first lock, which was operated by the State; later, in 1881, the U.S. Government took over, and the locks became toll-free.
Over time, additional locks were added to accommodate larger vessels
First Ship View – before we head to the Soo Locks, we went down river to a little park I found on the map where the ships go by on the way to the locks.
There is a great app called Vessel Finder, that shows most all ships and boats any where you want to look. So I pulled up the app and it showed this ship was about to be at this small park.
We went down there and here it was passing by. Love this app. It usually gives the name of the ship, how big it is and where it is headed.
This one is named the Erie Trader. My neighbors brother lives on the other side of the bay right by the water. He says the earth shakes a bit when these ships go by his yard.
Sunrise on the Bay – the next morning I walk over to the water behind all the buildings. I found a quiet place where the water is calm and the sunrise is gorgeous.
It gives way to a beautiful reflection on the horizon.
Sioux Ste Marie – We are staying not far from the Soo Locks at a place called Bay Mills.
We are enjoying a few days with some friends that we camp with during the winter here at Bay Mills Campground.
This is a wonderful place to visit, especially to see the ships going through the locks. Plus more historic places here that I will show over the next couple of blog post.
Let’s start by defining what is wide angle anyway. Technically it is any lens that has a wider field of view than what the human eye sees.
What does a wide angle lens do?
Wide angle lenses distort things and enhance perspective.
What that means is that objects closer to the camera appear larger than ones farther away, even if they are the same size in reality.
When should one use a wide angle lens. Well, whenever you want to get that wow factor. I use mine for lanscapes at times.
But I love using it for animals such as the photo below.
Wide angle works great for donkeys. I just love his ears.
Where as this photo below is his normal look. Don’t forget to use your wide angle lens on your phone cameras as well. Most all phones have them. Adds a little fun to your shots.
Tahquamenon Falls – another waterfall I always wanted to see. Beautiful area, I bet the fall colors are spectacular now. We were there a few weeks ago.
The state parks are sure nice these days. They make wonderful trail systems to get to all the hot spots. Makes for easy hikes for all ages.
Ship Wrecks on Lake Superior – November is referred to as “The Month of Storms” on the Great Lakes. The storm that hit when the Fitzgerald went down was one of the biggest, and the worst that Captain McSorley said he had ever seen. In the Fitzgerald’s storm, winds as fast as 45 knots were reported, with waves as high as thirty feet.
Estimated total shipwrecks in Lake Superior: about ~550
Estimated sunk “at or near Whitefish Point” / the Shipwreck Coast:about 200–240 ships
Open lake (offshore water): usually only 45–55°F (7–13°C), even in midsummer
🌡️ Below the surface:
Just a few feet down, the temperature drops quickly — the deeper layers of Lake Superior stay around 39°F (4°C) year-round.
📍Whitefish Point area: Because it’s exposed to open, deep water and the cold upwelling currents, the surface temperature there in summer typically ranges from 45–55°F (7–13°C), rarely higher.
Light House 10 – I almost forgot about lighthouses. I am seeing a few on this trip. First one is this East Channel Light house, it is located on Grand Island and visible when you take a boat ride along Pictured Rocks.
In June 1864 and June 1866, Congress appropriated money to build one or two beacon lights at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, at the entrance to Grand Island Bay and Harbor, Lake Superior.
A light or set of lights was needed to allow vessels to use Munising Harbor as a major harbor of refuge.
The Lighthouse Board spent the funds in 1868-70 building the East Channel Light and a pair of range lights on shore. The lighthouse, a wood framed keeper’s house with an attached square wooden tower operated only until 1913 when it was replaced by the new range lights installed at Munising in 1908. George Prior was working as keeper at the East Channel Light at the turn of the century and was probably the last person to serve at the post.
Restoring the Lighthouse:
Long abandoned, the lighthouse was in danger of crumbling to the ground until just a few years ago, when a group of private citizens, including the owner, decided to do something about it. They repaired its stone foundation and supported the tower and house with a series of cables. Now a much sturdier building rests on the sandy shoreline of the island.
Its deep brown foundation shows signs of the repairs, but its wood siding has not seen a trace of paint or other decoration. The wood has weathered to a dark gray and the square tower is capped with a dome of green copper roofing and exposed to the elements.
The next evening, we went to a little parking area along the shore of Lake Superior, word has it that the northern lights were going to be out that evening.
White Fish Point in the UP is where you will find Light house number 11 on my list. It also has a ship wreck museum that includes information on the Edmund Fitzgerald Ship that sunk only 17 miles from shore.
The waters are very ruff up in this area as the November winds increase. Even on the day we were there, the winds were higher than at most every other place we stopped along Lake Superior.
Most of the areas along the lake have been calm like this photo below.
Lake Superior Northern Lights – I woke up about 2 am on this particular night, or lets say morning. Husband wakes up and says, ” Do you want to go look?”
At 2 AM, tired and unsure, I almost let the moment slip away. I said yes, lets go.
The beach at Lake Superior was so calm that the water mirrored the sky, and though I couldn’t see the northern lights with my own eyes, I set up my camera anyway.
To my surprise, it revealed what I would have missed—the softest hues of pink and yellow lingering on the horizon, the last whispers of the aurora.
This once-in-a-lifetime image reminds me that sometimes the most extraordinary beauty is waiting just beyond our hesitation, if only we take that extra step to look.
Dear friends, This past month has been a very tender month. My sweet Chloee has gone on ahead, and within days, two of my camping friends said goodbye to their dogs, while a young girl I know lost her beautiful horse.
Each life so loved, each memory still warm in our hearts. I wanted to gather them here — not in sadness, but in gratitude — and share the portraits I created to honor these companions who loved us so well.
🐾 Chloee — My Faithful Girl
Chloee was more than a dog; she was a quiet presence beside me through every season of life. She had a way of knowing when I needed stillness, and her gentle eyes seemed to say everything words could not.
The house feels a little emptier without her, yet I see her everywhere — in the soft morning light, in the places she used to rest, and most of all, in my heart.
I created her portrait with love, blending moments that showed who she truly was — loyal, tender, and full of grace. This portrait is my way of saying thank you for every walk, every look, every silent comfort she gave me.
🐶 For Our Campground Friends
Not long after Chloee’s passing, two dear friends I camp with lost their own dogs — each one unique and deeply loved. We’ve spent many winters together, sharing laughter, campfires, and stories that always seemed to circle back to our dogs. When their hearts broke, I felt it too.
I created portraits for them, hoping to bring a small bit of peace — something to hold onto that says, you were loved, and you mattered. These dogs filled our campground with joy, and their memories will forever be part of those quiet mornings and starry nights we shared.
Reno, Short hair Pointer – He just got old, he passed away peacefully at his home.
Elliot, she was rescued from a bad home by my friends. She lived with them for 3 happy carefree years before crossing over the bridge. She was an older dog and needed a peaceful home in her elder years and found one. She and Reno were loved very much by so many people.
In every gentle breeze, their happy hearts still run with ours.
Bound by friendship, faith & love, they’ve gone ahead of us, to where joy never ends, and every heart is whole again.
🐴 A Girl and Her Horse
That same week, a young girl I know lost her beautiful horse. Watching her face that loss reminded me of the special bond between a person and their first great animal friend. It’s pure. It’s trusting. It’s unforgettable.
Her horse was her freedom, her joy, her companion in every sense. Her horse had an unexpected accident. It was kicked in the head by another horse out in the pasture. She instantly was paralyzed and lost her vision. I had taken photos of her horse last summer at the county fair. So I was able to make a portrait to give to her as well.
When I finished her portrait, I saw not just sorrow but strength — the kind that grows when love is real and lasting. I hope she’ll see that, too.
🌈 Closing Thoughts
Though this season brought heartache, it also reminded me that love never ends — it simply changes form.
These portraits were my way of celebrating lives that touched ours deeply.
For those of us who have loved and lost, may we find comfort in knowing their spirits live on — in our memories, our stories, and in the love we carry forward.
Upper Peninsula Michigan, continuing our trek across the UP, Pictured rock is a place I always wanted to see. We finally made it there this year. It was a beautiful day and the views are amazing. A must see if you are ever up here.
Lots of colors against the rocks where water drips down. Plus water that is just so clear and beautiful colors of turquoise and blues.
