This Week in Leelanau: December 23, 2010

Here’s the news & such from the week!

We’ll be taking next week off – Happy Holidays to everyone and all the best!!

The Legend of the Sleeping Bear and the Bear

The other day we posted the Legend of the Sleeping Bear. After thinking about it, I wondered if folks knew that “the Bear” was also an actual formation atop a dune about a mile north of the Pierce Stocking Overlook. The formation pictured here and photographed by Leelanau photographic great Fred Dickinson known as “the Bear” hardly looks like a bear now, for it has been changing rapidly in recent years. At the turn of the century, it was a round knob completely covered with trees and shrubs. You can still see some of the thick vegetation that gave it a dark shaggy appearance. See the photo bigger and read more on Leelanau.com.

Everything but Skiing at Sugar Loaf

We turned the page on Sugar Loaf last week and got some fresh thoughts including the idea (thanks Lex) to post a poll about what YOU want to see at Sugar Loaf. Results are rolling in but it’s not enough until you’ve had your say.

Also, don’t miss Jeff Smith’s great feature on Sugar Loaf from TRAVERSE Magazine that includes a nice timeline on the Resort and some thoughts about what might be brewing.

A new year is just around the corner and we at Leelanau.com are ready to help you take your web site to the next level. We specialize in designing user-managed web sites that leverage your organization’s content and processes while taking advantage of the latest in social media like blogs, Twitter and Facebook. We also provide video and new media production and complete online and offline marketing services. Call us today at 231-421-1172 or email lci@leelanau.com.

On Absolute Michigan we can help you get ready for New Year’s Eve in Michigan and we also took a look at Big Ben Wallace’s recent 10,000 rebound/1,000 game milestones and the history of Daisy air rifles.

We had lots of stuff on Michigan in Pictures including this vintage shot of an old Sea Scout whaleboat.

If you have a Michigan business, you can add your link for free to Michigan’s largest site for Michigan news & links, absolutemichigan.com!

This week’s photo is Mishe Mokwa by Rudy Malmquist, and with the Sleeping Bear posts of the last week, it seemed the perfect photo. You have to check this out background bigtomic and also in his Lakeshore slideshow.

Want a chance to have YOUR photos featured here? Click the Flickr button above to join our photo group!

If you’d like to sponsor Leelanau.com and our weekly emails, please contact us at lci@leelanau.com or call 231-421-1172. Leelanau.com is a great way to connect with locals and travelers alike!

The Leelanau Calendar

If you’ve got a Leelanau event, you can add your information (for free) to the Leelanau Calendar. Not only will it be listed in this newsletter every week, but we may do a feature story on your event on Leelanau.com!

FEATURED EVENT

Snowshoe Hikes in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
There’s no better way to get outside and burn off some of those extra holiday calories than by joining a Park Ranger at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on a special holiday snowshoe hike on Sunday, Dec. 26 and/or Thursday, Dec. 30. The popular weekend afternoon adventures will continue on a regular basis every Saturday and Sunday, starting on January 2, 2011 and going throug
h the month of February. Read more from the Glen Arbor Sun and even if you don’t do the guided hikes, DO get out and ski or snowshoe in the Dunes and on other trails around the county!!

MORE EVENTS FROM THE LEELANAU CALENDAR

Dec 18 – Festival of Trains (thru New Years at the History Center of Traverse City)
Dec 31 – SwingShift and The Stars Grand Final Event (Melissa Coolman)
Dec 31 – New Year’s Eve Cherry-T Ball Drop (Goodwill Industries)
Jan 8 – Winter Trails Day – CC Ski & Snowshoe for FREE (The Homestead)
Jan 13 – Charlie Murphy-Talk About Art (Glen Arbor Art Association)
Jan 15 – Winter Warm Up (Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula)
Jan 22 – NEW ORLEANS JAZZ ORIGINALS (Traverse City Opera House)
Jan 22 – Butch Thompson’s New Orleans Jazz (Not sponsored)
Jan 22 – Free First Aid CPR Class (Cedar Area Community Foundation)
Jan 23 – Winter Festival (Cedar Area Community Foundation)
Jan 29 – Downtown Chili Cook-Off (Downtown Traverse City Association)

Advertise on Leelanau.com – call us at 421-1172!

Support these and other sponsors of Leelanau.com!

Did we mention you could add your events forfree? Get busy folks!

Now Playing at the Bay Theater in Suttons Bay: ‘How Do You Know’ (PG-13) showing thru 12/30. Coming soon: ‘True Grit’ (PG-13), ‘The Fighter’ (R) and ‘The King’s Speech’ (R). The Bay Film Series 2010/2011: Another year of great world cinema available right here in Suttons Bay, MI is now underway! Mid-Week Specials are available!! Tuesdays – Free Popcorn (one medium corn with ticket purchase), Wednesdays – $5.50 for all seats (Specials are not valid for special events or film series). Bay Theatre Gift Certificates: ‘Say it with a Movie’ gift certificates provide a memorable and enjoyable experience all year ’round. Check the web site for details!

The Weather

About the photo Ken Scott writes: Country Christmas of Traverse City has been lighting a tree by their store for the past 20+ years … a great visual when driving up M-72

It’s 35 degrees under cloudy skies with sporadic snow & sprinkles at 1:30 PM at Leelanau Coffee Roasting in Glen Arbor. The record high for a December 23rd was 51 in 1957 with the low of -6 set in 1960. We picked up about an inch or two of snow overnight and the forecast for today calls for temps in the low 30s with snow showers adding another inch before the day is done. We may see a little freezing rain mixed in so drive carefully! Your weekend outlook calls for flurries and early highs in the 30s but dropping as winds shift to the north tomorrow. For Christmas Day, expect mostly cloudy skies with highs in the 20s and flurries with sun and 20s on Sunday and Monday – perfect winter weather!

Click for the news & weather from last year!