Magnified Images

I worked on accounting all day yesterday. I must admit that tax season is not my favorite time of year. I do plan on getting out to hike later today, but in the mean time I took a few more magnified images using my new USB camera.

First I played with a Coyomito Agate from Mexico.

These are shots from a Botswana Agate.

My shirt......

One of the stickers on my computer.

Extreme Weather Photos

Yesterday I worked on accounting and tax prep all day, so I didn't get outside to exercise. So for today's posting I decided to search the Internet for extreme weather photos.  Enjoy.

What are these?  The next picture tells the story.

Yep--these are unusual clouds.

Blowing in the wind.....

The pictures in today's blog posting were gratefully bottowed from:
http://www.thephotoargus.com/inspiration/42-awe-inspiring-photos-of-extreme-weather/
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=313&sid=135776
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/weathermatrix/your-best-weather-photos-part-1/59548
http://www.wjla.com/pictures/2011/12/weather-photos-from-2011/my-cousin-in-the-land-of-down-under-14017-990.html

Au Sable Point Photos And More

Today I will post the second half of the pictures I took while driving through the national park on the way home from Escanaba.  First some shots of Au Sable Point taken from the Log Slide.

Then I noticed new greenery coming up in the woods when I headed back to the car.  Spring is in the air.

Of course the ice is gone from Sable Lake. 

The grass at my house is also turning green.

It was a nice evening so I went for a walk and captured a few shots.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore H58 West Drive

When driving home from the Escanaba show, I decided to take Forest Highway 13 to H58 and drive through the national park.  There was still a lot of snow on the road two weeks ago, but that is no longer the case.  In fact there was almost no snow, even on the side of the road.

First I drove into Twelve Mile Beach.  Here is a photo of the white birches.

Then I drove through the campground.  At first I stopped to investigate the ground's surface.  It looks like snow, but in fact the white looking surface is a dusting of fine sand, most likely left over from the snow pack that melted so quickly dumping the silt that it contained.

Then I continued driving east on H58.

The parking lot at Sullivan's Landing is now open.

I didn't walk down to the steps, but there is now beach access from the parking lot. 

Plus there are viewing platforms.

This will be a great place for enjoying the shoreline.

Next I stopped at the Log Slide.  There is evidence of a lot of downed trees left over from the fall storms.

Although there were barriers up, snowmobiles somehow still drove right up to the viewing platform.  I really wish that those who ride snowmobiles would be more respectful.

I will never get tired of looking at the Grand Sable Banks from the perspective of the Log Slide.

Agates and Rocks Magnified

Yesterday was the first day I have missed a blog update for weeks. Sorry about that. I woke up early and jumped right into preparation for a meeting with my webmaster to discuss the online rockhounding adventures. But I am back at it -- although not as early as I usually am this morning.

For today's posting I decided to post more of the pictures from my late night USB camera session the other night.

This is a piece of sedimentary chert with a quartz crystal cave.

Granite....

Chalcedony agate showing waxy luster, pit marks, conchoidal fractures, and limonite on the husk.

Metamorphic gneiss.....

Sandstone....

Water level agate.....

Agate banding.....

Basalt.....

More agate banding....

Sedimentary chert with fossil....

Agate showing conchoidal fractures and waxy luster....