Fishing Adventures

Recently I've had fishing on my mind and how I'd like to start going again. It was a reminder of all the fun experiences I had when I was a kid and proved to be a great activity growing up. It's been years since I last cast out a fishing rod but it really would not take much for me to start going again. I have a fishing rod back at my parents house and all I'd have to do is buy the lure, find a river, and start fishing! I'm really not sure that I'd actually keep the fish because I don't really have much of an appetite for fresh fish, only when it comes to fish sticks. But still, the excitement of having a fish on your line and trying to reel it in - it's really a great feeling.

I believe the last time I went out on a fishing adventure was when my sister and I did some fishing near the old family farmhouse a short distance from my parents house. This was back when I was in high school and she in college - so over ten years ago. A river boarders the property line and there had been reports of trout in the river in the past. More often than not we never ended up catching anything, other than a sucker fish here and there. My sister ended up catching the suckers while I caught nothing. But despite the lack of catching anything, it was always a great experience being there with my sister. Now, it would be too difficult for her to break away from her family.

Those fishing experiences with my sister weren't the only ones I had. Back when I was about six or seven years old, my Great Uncle Elmer took me and my cousins on a few fishing trips. One trip it was just him and I, in fact. I was too young to really appreciate the time I had with him, but I remember having a ton of fun hanging out with him. My dad made a home video of one of our fishing trips. In the video, I had caught a fish but was having such a horrible time taking the fish off the hook. It was so slimy, gross, and dangling there wildly that I would just rather leave it dangling on the hook. Eventually my uncle came over and took it off for me - him chucking at my reaction to the fish. Now, I wouldn't have an issue taking a fish off the hook because I can grab the thing and twist the hook right out of the thing's mouth. But that was more of an issue back when I was just a kid.

I remember another memorable fishing trip when I went out on the lake at my cousin's camp to do some fishing. We ended up finding an excellent spot and caught an incredible amount of perch. Every time we'd cast our line out into the lake, we usually ended up with a bite. I remember us having a bucketful of perch before the day was out. I still remember that time with my cousin's very vividly and it's one of those trips I'll always remember.

So who knows, maybe next summer I'll get back into the swing of going out fishing again. But a lot of things have changed and even more things may be changing in my life before long. Will I even get the time to go fishing? That will remain to be seen. Whatever the case, I still have plenty of good memories regarding fishing adventures I've had in the past. And if I never go fishing again, at least I'll always be able to hold onto those.

Munising, Michigan

In this week's installment of U.P. Mondays, I will be discussing the community of Munising, Michigan located in Alger County. Munising has a population of roughly 2,500 people and is situated along the southern shore of Lake Superior. In fact, Munising Bay in which the city is located along, is actually the southern most point of the entire Lake Superior basin, which is actually a pretty cool fact. In my own personal view, Munising is probably one of the most picturesque communities in the Upper Peninsula and it has so many opportunities to capture the beauty it presents. Within short driving distances, there is a lot to see here and it's a location worth spending a few days at.

Munising is the largest community in Alger County and is the seat of the county. It's also home to the county's largest employers, which are Neenah Paper and the Alger County Correctional Facility. Munising is also home to a school facility built in 1980 situated along the lake shore, something that is certainly rare to find (it would be easy to day dream while looking out at the lake). And not surprisingly, it's also very big on the tourism industry. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is just a short drive up the road from Munising, which is a national gem all its own. Boasting a variety of waterfalls and walking trails, Pictured Rocks is a naturist's dream. And with the expected completion of a paved Alger County H-58 from Munising to Grand Marais, the Lakeshore will be even more vehicle-friendly by the end of this fall.

Snowmobiling is also huge in and around the city of Munising. With the close proximity to Lake Superior and with persistent Northwest winds in the winter, lake effect snow is aplenty. And with miles and miles of groomed trails throughout Alger County, it's easy to spend a few days to a week exploring the rugged wintry terrain that Alger County has to offer. There are several hotels located right within the Munising city limits, so a snowmobiler can stay right there in the city limits and ride out to the trails. They can also enjoy the small town life of Munising and explore the variety of shops, bars, and restaurants. The Dogpatch restaurant located along Superior Street and M-28 has become famous not only in the snowmobiling world, but in general, too.

And what's a city along a lake without enjoying the pleasure of being on a boat? The city has a large marina and boat launch for a variety of sized boats. The glass bottom boat tours run out of the harbor and provide views of sunken ships located throughout Munising Bay. I haven't taken the tour myself, but from what I understand the bottom of the boat is glass so that you're able to view the shipwrecks with ease. In addition, the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour takes a cruise along the rock formations of Pictured Rocks. It's a three hour tour and it is definitely worth while. These are just a few of the bigger attractions - there really is so much more!

So if you're looking for a location in the Upper Peninsula with a lot to do year-round, be sure to consider Munising. It truly offers a lot and you'll be sure to be impressed with the small town, friendly atmosphere that the locals provide. For additional information on the community, be sure the check out the websites provided below.

Munising Visitors Bureau Inc.
Pictured Rocks Cruises Inc.
Shipwreck Tours: Munising Mi Glass Bottom Boat Tours
Alger County Chamber of Commerce

Random Thoughts

I know it's a day early, but I find myself in a great writing mood. So why stop at one blog, right? Just as the hiatus from the blog ended last week, now the hiatus for Friday's Random Topic also ends, too. It's the return of my Random Thoughts blog!

Mowing Grass

Mowing the lawn of my great aunt and uncle's yard has become somewhat of a summer tradition for me. I finished the last mowing of the season for them this past Tuesday and I began thinking how long I've been doing this chore for them. Honestly, I would say it's been nearly ten years of mowing for them, ever since they officially moved to the Upper Peninsula to stay since living downstate. It's not a physically taxing job and does provide a good workout for me. Plus it's a little added money for me. But the big advantage for me in doing this job is getting the chance to visit with my aunt and uncle, who are getting up in age and have physical disabilities. You just don't know how much longer they will be around and it's always a pleasure to see how they are doing. I look forward to continuing the tradition again next summer.

Small Town News

Do you ever get tired of hearing of the gloom and doom that typically headlines the news nationally and in bigger cities in the country? I would be surprised if there were people out there who actually liked hearing the negative news going on. That's one advantage to living in an area with a small area population. It's very rare to hear news about murders in the Upper Peninsula. Don't get me wrong, there are a few that happen from time to time, but nothing like in bigger cities. A lot of times the major crime stories that headline the news in the U.P. are burglaries, drug and alcohol-related crimes, and sex-related crimes. Those are certainly bad enough, but they aren't in as high number as in higher populated areas. And more often than not, the news typically switches from the doom and gloom to informational and uplifting stories. It certainly presents a nice change of pace.

Re-Building Laptop

I've had this laptop computer laying around for awhile that's basically been dead in the water. It's been over three years since it was last operational and I decided to try and get it working again. It's an R40 Thinkpad once made by IBM. I remember when I last had the laptop working, it was working rather sluggishly. All signs pointed to a faulty hard drive, but I never really did anything with it until earlier this month. So I went on-line and purchased a new motherboard for it. I removed the old one and once I got the "new" one in the mail, I put it back together. I powered the laptop up - and much to my chagrin, it did the exact same thing with the old motherboard. I say it's a "new" motherboard because it was actually a used one that I bought. Could it be that I purchased another faulty motherboard or is there something else wrong with it? I am kind of at a loss as to what to do next, but I plan on doing some more research on the problem and see if I can officially get it running again. I haven't given up yet.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See you again on "Luke's Ponderings" next week.

The Other Side of Down

My favorite American Idol alum has a new CD coming out! David Archuleta's new CD titled, "The Other Side of Down" will be officially released on Tuesday, October 5. But for those of you who may not be able to wait, you can get a sneak peek of what David's new album sounds like by visiting AOL Music, where the entire album and every song from it is currently being streamed. However, when his album does get released in early October, don't forget to buy your copy! It sounds like this CD will be his best yet.

David has different sounding songs from the others on this latest album. You may have already heard it on the radio where you live or just happened to find it on-line, but his first official released track "Something 'Bout Love" is definitely radio friendly. I know I already discussed it on the blog when the song was first released, but how can you not love the beat of the song, along with the melody, and the message that the song presents. I believe it's a song we can all relate to. I am a bit surprised that the song has not charted higher than it has - but here's hoping that once the CD drops, the song may rise up the charts more. It definitely has the potential to be a big hit.

Another song from the album that I am absolutely loving is called "Things Are Gonna Get Better". If you happened to be watching the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon over the Labor Day weekend, you may have caught David singing this song for the very first time. It's a very uplifting song with a heartfelt message. It's right up David's alley as far as being inspirational and positive. It's a song with the message that despite all the negativity and sadness that may be going on in your life, that things are going to get better. It's only a matter of time.

A song titled "Elevator" is another gem from "The Other Side of Down." When I first heard it, I wasn't quite all that into it. However, it's a song that grows on you and it's become another favorite of mine from the album. It's quirky, unique, and one that you'll soon find yourself singing along to. Who knew a song about elevators could end up being so intriguing? It's a fun, upbeat ditty that I am sure many other Archie fans have fallen in love with.

The majority of the other songs from the album are still pretty new for me, so I have not yet developed a significant opinion of them. But I must say I like the sound of "Stomping the Roses" and "Parachutes Airplanes". As I continue listening to the album, I am sure many of the other songs on there will grow on me. And I am hoping at some point to do a complete CD review of "The Other Side of Down." But as of now, this is just a minor preview of the CD. All I can say is that if you are a David Archuleta fan like I am, you should be very happy with the way the CD sounds. I think it's a definite plus for David and I am hoping for big success from it.

Deadliest Catch No More?

Unsettling news came out yesterday for fans of the hit Discovery reality series "Deadliest Catch" when it was announced that Captain's Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand of the F/V Time Bandit and Captain Sig Hansen of the F/V Northwestern will not participate in the upcoming seventh season of the series. There is currently ongoing litigation between the Hillstrand's and Discovery Channel that appears to have created tension between the two parties. Both captains and the crew of the Time Bandit have yet to be signed for the seventh season of "Deadliest Catch." As a show of solidarity, Sig Hansen would also not be participating it the new season, and Discovery has yet to sign on the F/V Northwestern. So if there is in fact a new season of the "Deadliest Catch," it will involve a whole slew of new boats. And I honestly doubt the show will have the same feel as it has the past few seasons.

The crew of the Northwestern has been part of the show since the very first season. As for the Time Bandit, they've been featured on the show since season two. So you can imagine their absence will leave a big hole in the series. They are two of the more popular boats along with the Cornelia Marie whom have loyal fanbases. This will provide a devastating blow to the series if Discovery cannot come to an agreement between the Hillstrands and Sig Hansen. The show will have a completely different look, especially if all we'll have left is the F/V Wizard. It seems likely that the Cornelia Marie will be back, but as we all know, Captain Phil won't be there. So we will have to get used to the fact of someone else captaining that boat.

The litigation between Discovery and the Hillstrands' involve a spin-off series that Discovery created of the brothers away from the crab fishing grounds. They are suing the Hillstrands for $3 million because they feel the brothers did not properly finish filming the series - thus causing a breech in contract. I honestly had no idea there was a spin-off series in the works and do not feel it was absolutely necessary. I mean, don't get me wrong, the Hillstrands are very entertaining people and have a tremendous fan following. But just the popularity of "Deadliest Catch" alone was enough to carry the show through the downtime when the crabbing seasons shut down and thus, no "Deadliest Catch." Now, Discovery is facing the loss of three of its biggest stars on the show and I am sure are scrambling to find replacements, otherwise the show may be done.

I remain hopeful that Discovery can come to some sort of agreement with the Hillstrands and Sig Hansen to allow them to keep participating in the series, although it appears they have a very short window in which to reach an agreement. The boats head out from port on October 15, to start the first crab season. It's been a difficult year as it is with Phil Harris passing. Now, possibly being without the Hillstrands and Sig Hanson on the show would deal a very devastating blow to the series, one that it may not recover from. I just do not find Keith Colburn and the Wizard crew all that intriguing, although this could give Captain Wild Bill and the F/V Kodiak more exposure if they agree to return this season. As for the F/V Cornelia Marie, it remains to be seen just how well things will go without Captain Phil. How will the new captain mesh with the existing crew? A lot of questions exist the film crews begin preparing to shoot a new season of "Deadliest Catch", if there will even be a new season after all.

UPDATE: On October 8, it was announced that Discovery has reached a settlement with the Hillstrand brothers regarding their spin-off series, which will allow them and Sig Hansen to return to "Deadliest Catch." The are currently filming the latest season of the series out in the Bearing Sea.

Go-Carts and Mini-Bikes

Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go in the summer time was to my uncle's garage. Needless to say, it wasn't a typical garage. There are a couple of buildings situated on a plot of land and in those buildings are stored a variety of things. One of the most enjoyable activities myself and my cousins were able to do there is to ride go-carts and mini-bikes. My uncle had two different go-carts, one was a larger, yellow two-person go cart and the other was a smaller, black one-person go-cart. And then, if there were even more people out riding, there were a couple mini-bikes to ride, which were basically small, motorized dirt bikes.

My cousins and I would go riding all over - but we never went exceptionally far away and weren't overly reckless either. But that's not to say that we didn't have a problem arise. I was riding with my cousin Craig in the yellow go-cart, him driving and I riding behind him. We were driving along a gravel road when I began to notice the go-cart slowly drifting towards the edge of the road. I think my cousin was looking at something off to the side of the road and became distracted. By the time I alerted him to what was happening, the go-cart drove off the road and stopped part-way down an embankment, just above a river. How fortunate we were that the go-cart didn't continue down into the river or even flipped over when we went into the brush. We were startled at the situation but thankful it wasn't more serious. My other cousin was riding in the black go-cart and noticed that we disappeared. He soon found us and helped us retrieve the go-cart from the embankment. I don't even remember anymore how we actually go it out of there. All I know is that we pretended like nothing ever happened and never told my uncle about it.

We had other relatives in the area that would come up during the summer time and stay. The old family homestead was mostly vacant, but served as a location for family to use when they liked coming up for vacation purposes. Uncle Norman and Aunt Dorothy would come up every summer, usually around the time of the local Homecoming Celebration. My cousins and I would often ride the go-carts and mini-bikes over there to visit when they arrived. On one such occurrence, Uncle Norman offered us gas for the mini-vehicles. Just the way he said it, is something I will never forget. "Want some gas?" He smoked for years and it gave him that rough sounding voice that's common for smokers. I don't have a lot of memories of that man, but at least I have that one in particular that I can remember him by.

Needless to say, we're much too old for go-carts and mini-bikes now and they quietly sit in storage in my uncle's garages. However, now my nephew gets to ride one of them now that he's old enough and when my dad is able to take him over there. A new generation of children are getting the chance to enjoy the things we used to like as kids. It's amazing how that works and how fast time flies, isn't it? Hopefully someday in the not too distant future, I'll have kids of my own doing the same things that I did as a kid.

Fall Colors

Another reason that makes the Upper Peninsula so special is the ability to enjoy and experience the four seasons that mother nature has to offer. I mean sure, anyone can live in Florida and California and experience summer-like conditions year round. But I'd think that would get old after awhile. The Upper Peninsula is embarking on its most glamorous and spectacular season in autumn. Actually we already are in the midst of fall, but the reason why it can be so spectacular is already underway - the fall colors from the leaves changing are now close to peak viewing conditions.

As of now, the fall colors are at their peak in western interior areas of the U.P. with the rest of the peninsula following suit as this week progresses. Even despite last week's nasty wind storm, the leaves are looking especially pretty this year. However, another raw, windy day appears to be on the horizon in the next few days, so the colors may not last all that long. So if you're looking to get out and view the colors while they are still around, you had better to do it fast.

As a general rule of thumb, the peak for fall colors in the U.P. is usually during the last week of September into the first few weeks of October. Last year was later for the peak because of a warm month of September that seemed to delay the leaf changing process a tad. This year we are right on schedule. There are a variety of great locations to view the leaves in both the western and central Upper Peninsula. In the central areas, between Munising and Marquette offers some excellent leaf peeping. Approximately five miles west of Munising on M-94, the roadway descends down a steep hill and atop of that hill, you're able to see the rolling hills of maple trees in a vibrant red, yellow, and orange. And I mean honestly, you can see trees for miles around and it's a spectacular view. It's no surprise to see people parked along side of the highway to capture this beautiful view.

So if you're in and around the Upper Peninsula in the next few days, be sure and take in the fall colors. Obviously where ever you go, you'll be sure to experience the fall colors at their best. And in a matter of weeks, most of the trees will be bare and they'll be prepared to experience another long, U.P. winter, just like the rest of us.

Songs I Dig - 19

It's finally time for the latest edition of the Songs I Dig and in this edition, we feature all upbeat, fun songs! That's likely to be a first, isn't it? Well, I don't exactly have the facts to back that statement up at the moment, but I'm sure it's been a pretty rare feat in the history of the SID blog. Usually there's one or two slower ballads featured. That just means we don't always have to be so serious. These three songs are currently making big waves on adult contemporary radio stations across the country and I'm sure you'll be hearing them for awhile. So let's get this edition of the Songs I Dig underway!

Katy Perry - "Teenage Dream" : There's one female artist I never get tired of hearing, and that's Katy Perry. She's a bit controversial and is surely not afraid to speak her mind. She's even marrying a raunchy British comedian, however, she has a great singing voice and has already put together an incredible list of hit songs. "California Gurls" exploded into a huge summer hit across the United States and "Teenage Dream" has already followed suit. I found "California Gurls" to be much more campy and silly, while "Teenage Dream" is more serious, yet still upbeat and fun in its own way. I think we can all relate to the song in different ways, looking back on our teenage years regarding crushes or relationships that we had during that time. It's another fun song to sing along to and I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard of Katy Perry.

Sara Bareilles - "King of Anything" : Here is one singer that I am glad to see having continued success in the music industry after her major-label debut album did well. Well know for "Love Song" in 2008, which went double platinum, Sara has followed it up with a new album titled "Kaleidoscope Heart" released earlier this month, with the first song from that album being "King of Anything." It's a song that wasn't a favorite for me in the beginning, but now find it to be quite enjoyable. There's some talk on the internet about the song being a man-bashing anthem, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sara has written it in relation to her experiences being in the music industry. It's a well written, fun song that anybody can sing along to. I can sense that Sara has a great talent for writing exceptional upbeat songs and I look forward to hearing more of her songs in the future.

Neon Trees - "Animal" : I am sure many of you out there first heard this song on the television before you heard it on the radio. The song was featured in an advertisement for Las Vegas vacations and aired quite frequently during the late summer months. The song's popularity quickly gained traction and soon enough, it began showing up on radio station's across the country. Now, it's currently one of America's favorite hit songs. Right from the very start, the song grabs you and never lets go. It's got a catchy beat and lyrics you'll find yourself singing along to, especially the chorus. Although this is Neon Trees' first major album, they're not exactly new to the music scene as they've been the opening act for The Killers. They've been active as a group since 2005 and the next song from their album titled "Habits" will be called, simply "1983." It will be interesting to see if the next song will have as much success as "Animal."

That wraps it up for this edition of "The Songs I Dig." Be sure to keep tabs of "Luke's Ponderings" for a new edition and a whole slew of new songs I find myself enjoying. I have a bit of catching up to do, so I'm sure you'll see a wide selection of new music featured on this blog for awhile to come.

America's Got Talent

So earlier in the summer, I talked about America's Got Talent and how I found the audition-portion of the show to be rather tedious and boring, especially when they dragged out for so long. I still hold that opinion, but once the voting rounds began, the show became very intriguing to watch. In fact, the season of America's Got Talent that just concluded may be the best in the history of the show. There was such a wide variety of acts this year that it really made the show entertaining and there were many that I could see as the winning act. Unfortunately there's only one winner, however, America picked a decent choice this season.

Michael Grimm was declared the winner of America's Got Talent a few weeks back and he was one of my favorites early on. He's a very bluesy, soulful singer and it's easy to see why he quickly became a favorite. I don't ever recall him being off pitch - even when he was very sick during an episode prior to top four week. He's a great talent and will most likely fare better than season four's winner, Kevin Skinner. I honestly don't even know what he's up to these days, if he's still singing. I do believe that Micheal will fare much better than Kevin did.

As for the remaining three finalists of America's Got Talent, they all have great future's ahead of them. Fighting Gravity, the group of college-aged individuals who perfected their act with black lights, could easily be considered the more deserving winner of America's Got Talent, considering they have a variety act that would fit perfectly in with a Las Vegas show. I mean, does a singing act always have to win? However, no matter the outcome of this season, I honestly believe Fighting Gravity will be fine and will end up with a show in Vegas regardless. Coming in second was probably the best-case scenario for 10-year-old Opera singer Jackie Evancho. I don't necessarily believe having a show in Vegas at such a young age would have benefited her like the three other finalists. She needs to enjoy the rest of her childhood - even though that will likely be difficult despite the fact that she didn't win. She has become a very famous girl with an incredible voice. As for Prince Poppycock, I had a feeling he wouldn't end up winning. He's just too different for mainstream America. He's a true showman and really puts together some entertaining acts. I also believe he'll do quite well where ever he ends up. He's already ended up being on the Tonight Show.

And there we have it, another season of America's Got Talent is in the books. We can all look forward to the new season beginning at the start of next summer. I really enjoy the panel of judges and host Nick Cannon is entertaining and meshes well with everyone. Honestly, I think the producers have it perfect there. I also liked the addition of a YouTube show where acts can audition on YouTube and could wind up appearing during the voting rounds of the show. That's exactly where Jackie Evancho came from and look how far she went. It'll be interesting to see if any changes will be made to the show next year. As long as they are small and make the show even more interesting than it already is, I'm all for it. It's definitely the best and top rated show during the summer, and it's easy to see why.

Hiatus Over

I am sure the regular visitors to "Luke's Ponderings" noticed that things were pretty quiet around here during the past few weeks. I was having such a struggle staying motivated and thinking up new topics to write about, that I decided it was time to shut down and enjoy a little downtime for the blog. One week became two weeks, and thus, that was the period of time without any postings. So, apologies for those regular visitors who were looking for something to read here during that time. I feel refreshed and ready to devote my time to the blog again. If you noticed, 2010 has already became the year with the highest amount of blog topics written within it. That's all thanks to my specific theme topics during the week, which started during the summer.

I feel there is one new development that has happened in my life while I was away from the blog. I have been in contact with a girl whom I have gotten to know in a short period of time and is someone who has made me very happy. We have the potential to form a real close relationship - something I have been longing for. Right now, we are in the early stages of our relationship so I won't jinx things and say we are an item. We have a few hurdles before we get to that point. But I feel a real spark between us and I can't wait to get to know her more. She has truly made me feel happy and makes me smile every time I talk to her. Right now, I enjoy spending those kind of moments with her.

It has gotten exceptionally chilly in the Upper Peninsula ever since the calendar flipped the page to September. The 70's and 80's we experienced for much of the summer has quickly been replaced by 50's and 60's. We have gotten quite a bit of rain recently, too. It's amazing how big of a rainfall deficit we were in during the month of May. Ever since then, the floodgates have opened (well, not literally, but almost). We now have a rainfall surplus that will likely stand until the end of the year. I'd have to say that farmers in the U.P. had an exceptional summer season for growing crops. The warm, humid days and nights surely helped that cause. And now some are wondering whether we'll be in for one doozy of a winter all thanks to the warmer-than-usual Lake Superior waters. I think that all depends on how cold we get to start the season. If we get cold, Arctic air so early in the season then yes, we could get a lot of snow this year. But it's hard to say yet exactly what will happen.

So there you have it, just a minor update of what I've been up to these past few months and just to let you know that new topics will be appearing regularly again here on "Luke's Ponderings." Every now and again I need to wind down and recharge my batteries when it comes to writing. And I thought that September was as good a time as any for it. I hope everyone is enjoying this autumn season and I'll see you around again soon here on the blog.

Laughing Whitefish Falls

The Upper Peninsula is home to waterfalls; many waterfalls in fact. Unofficially, there are as many as 300 different waterfalls peninsula-wide. Some are small and off the beaten-path, while others are large and impressive. Out of the entire state of Michigan, all but one waterfall is located in the U.P. Honestly, how amazing is that? It's just one more thing that makes the Upper Peninsula all the more special.

While growing up in Alger County, I was close by to many of Upper Michigan's most spectacular waterfalls. One of them is the Laughing Whitefish Falls in western Alger County, near the community of Sundell. It is located along the Laughing Whitefish River and provides for spectacular picture-taking opportunities. For those wishing to view this particular falls, if you're traveling along M-94 in western Alger County, watch for the large brown signs pointing you in the right direction. You'll then travel along North Sundell Road for approximately five to ten miles until you reach the end of the paved portion of roadway. Continue traveling straight on the now gravel section of road until you see the entry sign to the Laughing Whitefish Falls. You'll travel a bit more until you reach the parking area to the falls.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has gradually improved the area around the trailhead to the falls over the years. The trail itself has also been greatly improved, with a firmer gravel surface and better bridges going across small streams and rivers. The trail is approximately a mile to the top view of the falls. From the top view, you can view the river as it gradually meanders to the edge of the river before it transcends down a steep ledge. It also provides a great view of the Laughing Whitefish Falls Valley, which is a great spot to view fall colors when they're at peak conditions.

The view from the bottom of the falls is just as fascinating as from the top. After a heavy rainfall or the spring runoff, the falls can be rushing downwards into the river valley. The viewing platform at the bottom does not provide for a lot of room if you have a big crowd, so one group could check out the bottom view of the falls while the other group takes a peak at the top. The stairway from the top of the falls to the bottom is comprised of many steps. There are benches and platforms along the way to take a breather if you need one. All in all, the Laughing Whitefish Falls is only one of the U.P.'s most spectacular waterfalls. If you're in the area of Western Alger County, be sure and check it out.

Final Season of Little People, Big World

I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up with the blog lately - and I've got some catching up to do. So apologies in advance for the lack of posts lately.

News came out about a week ago regarding the fate of the reality series "Little People, Big World" on TLC. The show's upcoming sixth season will be its last. To be honest, this news does not surprise me. Ratings for the past season were down sharply and the series seems to have lost its edge. I think a large part of that is because the kids are growing up and the novelty of little people seems to be wearing off. I mean, TLC has developed a few other reality series recently revolving around little people, such as "The Little Couple" and "The Little Chocoloatiers." And I honestly believe the story of the Roloffs have been written.

One of my biggest gripes about the series lately involves the multitude of trips the Roloffs have taken. They've been to Hawaii, the Bahamas, driven across the United States, and last season - went to Europe. The Europe trip bored me to tears. What about the drama involving the kids? Or what's going on at the farm? I think that has largely been missing from the series lately. There has been some drama regarding the Roloffs marriage and the potential of divorce between Matt and Amy, but I think that was overly hyped up by TLC and their marriage is as solid as can be. And last season ended with a dramatic cliff-hanger, where Matt collapsed to the floor and appeared to suffer a heart attack. Well, don't read what I have to say next if you don't want to be surprised - but Matt is perfectly fine. He simply suffered from vertigo and received medication for it. Just a method TLC used to drum up increased ratings for the season finale of the show.

There are rumors about a potential spin-off involving the twins, Jeremy and Zach. However, they simply are just rumors and there's been no official word that a new series has been green-lit. Honestly, how interesting are these two? Sure, they're twins, yet their physical profiles are so different because Jeremy is normal-sized and Zach is a little person. Yet, we've already seen that on display during the current show. Yes, they are in college, yet they still live at home while attending college. How much more different would the new series be than what's currently on air with "Little People, Big World"? If a spin-off series were to succeed, I think producers would need Jeremy and Zach to move out and live on their own and to experience completely new situations us viewers aren't accustomed to them doing.

So it'll be interesting to see exactly what comes of the Roloffs' future once the show goes off the air. They are heavily involved in speaking engagements which will likely continue if not expand. I honestly believe Molly and Jacob will be thrilled to be away from the TV spotlight and will return to living the life of normal children. However, I believe they'll miss it in certain ways - as will the rest of the family. The children have not embraced their celebrity status as well as their parents. And I don't entirely believe their life will completely return to normal because they'll always be known as a reality TV family. They still have their farm, which continues to be enormously popular, with or without a TV series. They'll lose income from having a TV show, yet they have other means of bringing in the dough. In the end, the Roloffs will be fine regardless of a spin-off series or not.

Refrigerator Repairs

Ever since I moved into my house last summer, I've had trouble with my refrigerator. Even when I first moved in, the freezer was awfully warm. Anything I bought frozen seemed to get all mushy and the temperature hovered around 30 degrees, no matter how high the thermostat was set. After talking to my dad about it, he suggested defrosting the freezer, as it appeared to be full of ice. Well, he was right. The coils in the back of the freezer were covered solid with frost and ice. After thawing it that first time, the freezer seemed to stay cold for awhile - but eventually it would start to warm up and the ice again formed on the back of the wall. This has been ongoing for quite awhile and I've probably thawed out the freezer about five or six different times now.

Needless to say, the process of thawing the freezer out is getting to be quite tiresome. Each time, I've been gradually emptying the freezer out, then when it's nearly or entirely empty, I unplug the fridge, take off the back panel of the freezer, and use a hair dryer and direct it at the ice in the back. In all, it probably takes an hour to an hour in a half to fully thaw the freezer out. The freezer typically stays cool enough for two to three months before the process starts all over again. Well, hopefully I bought the right parts to fix the problem.

Once again, the internet proves to be a wonderful resource in locating parts for appliances and well, anything else, too. And it's also a great resource tool in finding information about these kinds of problems. There's appliance manuals, parts lists, and appliance parts websites out there that gets you everything you need to repair your failing appliances. Last fall, I bought a new timer for my washing machine that was giving me issues, and it's been trouble-free ever since. Today, I purchased a couple of parts for my refrigerator that should stop the freezer from icing up. After doing a great deal of research on the issues plaguing my fridge, I do believe I have the right parts to correct the issue. Now, all I have to do is wait for the parts to come!

It just goes to show you that appliances and electronics today just aren't made as well as they used to be. I know my parents had a Montgomery Ward refrigerator that lasted them a good 20 years before they decided to buy a new one to match their newly-remodeled kitchen. Well, that new fridge barely lasted 10 years before they experienced a similar problem that I'm having with my fridge. They opted to buy a new fridge instead of fixing the problem. I'm hoping to save a great deal of money by trying to fix the issue myself. And if all else fails, I'll go out and buy a new fridge. I'd hate to do that, but it'll be my last resort if I have to. We'll see what happens once those parts come.

Fall Sports Season

With public schools set to open up next week after Labor Day, that means the fall high school sporting season will also get underway, if it hasn't already. High school sports are huge in the Upper Peninsula - especially when you consider that the closest pro sports franchise from the U.P. is the Green Bay Packers, whom have a huge following up here. High school sports that take place in the fall here in the Upper Peninsula include football, girls volleyball, cross country (running), and girls tennis. The universities up here also have sports starting in the fall, with the biggest being (no surprise), football.

The school I attended when I was in high school was too small to support a football team. There was talk for a brief time of starting up a squad, but ultimately it never happened. Between getting all the gear needed to play the sport to having a field in which to play on - it just wasn't feasible. Then came the issue of having enough players to support a team. It seemed like there was enough interest, but as with starting any new sports program, money was a big obstacle. This year, my high school is starting a football program for the first time. However, it'll be a self-supported operation, meaning the school is not putting any money into it. It'll consist of an eight-man squad, which is smaller than the typical 11-man squad. It's supported by the Michigan High School Athletic Association as a means of allowing smaller schools across the state to participate in football, when they otherwise couldn't. It'll be interesting to see how the first inaugural season takes place for the old high school.

High School football has a huge following peninsula-wide. Despite declining enrollment for virtually every school in the U.P., high school sports continue to receive support from every community that has a school. I was never able to be a part of a football team at high school and never experienced the frenzy that exists while attending a high school football game. But I can tell from watching clips on television and on-line that it's an amazing experience. I think I would've enjoyed participating on a football team. I realize that it's a physically demanding sport and injuries are common. But you only live once - and I think I would've done quite well on a football team. How nice it is to see students from my high school finally being able to get that chance and to participate on a football program at the school. It was all but a dream when I went to school there.

As of now, there will not be a state-wide tournament at the end of the eight-man football regular season. After all, this is the inaugural season for the program in the state of Michigan. However, with declining enrollment continuing to be a problem not only in the Upper Peninsula, but in the entire state, more schools may consider having smaller football teams to make ends meet. I know of some high school teams that are struggling to attract players to an 11-man squad. This could provide an alternative for them and with more schools participating, then the MHSAA would considering holding a state-wide tournament after the regular season has concluded. It all depends on how this first season goes. And if there's growing interest from here on out, it may be a thing of the future for many smaller schools across the state.

Slow Computer

Lately my computer has slowed down to a crawl and it's getting to the point of being unbearable. I bought it three years ago and I figure it shouldn't be this slowed down already. Often when I first turn it on, I have to wait a good 10 to 15 minutes before everything is fully loaded. Even then, sometimes Firefox takes a painfully long time to open. I have to wonder if I have some sort of malware or virus stuck in my system. Whatever the case, this computer really needs some attention, otherwise I may be forced into a very evasive maneuver: throwing it out my window!

First things first, there may be a few programs that are causing it to slow down. My Adobe Flash Player was crashing pretty frequently until I downloaded the latest version yesterday. Now that program doesn't seem to be having an issue. However, my Adobe Acrobat reader has always malfunctioned, yet whenever I need to open a PDF file, it still manages to open. I do believe that when the computer is downloading automatic updates, that really slows the computer practically to a halt. Also, when I try opening a few different programs at once or try loading several different websites at once, it slows to a snail's pace. So obviously something is slowing it down. Yet at this point, I just don't know what.

I've tried the typical remedies, such as scanning for viruses, running my free malware software, defragging the system, and clearing cashe/cookies. Yet no dramatic results have occurred. The next step will involve removing unused programs and deleting or transferring large files. I have a few video clips saved so it just might help to save them to a disk. Heck, at this point anything should work, I would think. Yet one thing still is rather baffling to me - I still have a ton of memory on my computer, but it's still painfully slow.

Needless to say, one of these days I'm going to have to sit down and try working on this computer. I don't want it to get to the point where it's unusable, or the system completely fries itself. I had a laptop before that had similar problems and eventually, it never turned back on. I want my computer to last a little bit longer than three years. I'll try doing some research on the internet to see if there's other solutions I can try, otherwise if all else, I might have to bring it into a computer shop, which can sometimes amount to big bucks. But that is a last resort kind of situation as I'm going to try my best to resolve my computer issue. Wish me luck and if someone out there has any tips, please post them in the comments section!

U.P. State Fair

This past weekend, the annual Upper Peninsula State Fair wrapped up another successful event. This was a very monumental year for the fair as it went on without aid from the state of Michigan. The state government of Michigan made some very painful cuts last year that resulted in the loss of funding to both state fairs in Michigan, the one in Escanaba and the one in Detroit. But, with a committed and unified group, the U.P. State Fair lived on to see another year. And by all accounts, the revenue generated from this year's event exceeded what the fair organizers were expecting. It appears that the future of the state fair in Escanaba will be very bright for many years to come.

The U.P. State Fair here in Upper Michigan is a pretty big deal. People from all across the Upper Peninsula attend the event, many bringing exhibits to put on display while others enjoy the rides and games of the midway. It sounds like this year, many people from all across the country attended the event, even some from as far away as Saskatchewan, Canada. A few vendors who typically set up at the fair in Detroit made the trek up north to be apart of the U.P. State Fair. The State Fair in Detroit will not go on this year, unlike the fair in Escanaba. And the sad part is, the Detroit Fair had been around a lot longer and had developed such a rich history. Now, the Upper Peninsula State Fair is the only state fair in Michigan.

When I was a kid, it seemed like we always attended the fair each summer. I always enjoyed strolling through the Ruth Butler Building, checking out the free handouts the area businesses were handing out to kids and adults alike. Then we'd lug our bags of free stuff to the midway to check out some of the rides and play a few games. I was never all that successful at winning any of the games, but usually my one sister would win something. As for the rides, they certainly had a wide variety of them. From a Ferris Wheel, to the Zipper, to rides that take you up and down, round and around, and side to side. I am not a big fan of heights so the rides that went up high were never a huge favorite of mine. However, I often enjoyed the ones that would make it feel like your belly was about to flip around. And even if I did have some trepidation about a certain ride, eventually it would subside as I rode along.

Its been several years since I made the trek to the U.P. State Fair, but one of the years I'll definitely need to go and check it out again. I am sure there are plenty of different things to see at a present-day U.P. State Fair. However, I'll be certainly looking forward to a few traditions I once enjoyed before, such as eating elephant ears, snow cones, cotton candy, Norms Fries, and a plethora of other great fair foods. As you can see, it's probably a good idea to attend a fair on an empty stomach! Like I said before, it'll be neat to walk through the Ruth Butler Building and see what businesses are on hand and what they're giving out. And hopefully I'll go on a night when there's an interesting group performing in the grandstand. This year, bands such as Everclear and Orianthi performed. Sure beats the country acts that often appeared year after year in the past. So, despite the fact that the fair in Escanaba is over for this year, at least here in the U.P., we can look forward to it coming back again next year.

Oldies Music

Through the years, I've learned to enjoy many different varieties of music. When I was a kid, my dad listened to a healthy dose of oldies music, which consisted of songs from the 1960's and '70's. And so with that exposure to those songs, I've come to enjoy many songs from that era. In this week's edition of "Music Thursdays," here are a few artists and some of their songs in which I enjoy. Obviously there are a lot, so here is just a small sampling of those artists and their songs.

Tommy Roe - One great memory of my childhood is seeing my dad sing along to some of Tommy Roe's biggest hits like "Dizzy" or "Sheila." Our family was even lucky enough to attend one of his concerts when he made an appearance at one of the casinos here in the U.P. Roe seems like such an honest, down-to-earth guy and it's really nice to see that he had such great success from his songs. A few other of his more noticeable songs include "Sweet Pea" and "Hooray for Hazel." Definitely true classics.

Tommy James and the Shondells - In my opinion, one of the all-time classics from that era of music is Tommy James and the Shondells' song "Crimson and Clover". I remember hearing it many times while my dad and I visited my uncle at his place when he had oldie's songs blaring from his radio. I prefer the shorter version of the song myself but either way, it's still one of those songs you'll always remember. A few other songs made famous by the group are "I Think We're Alone Now", "Crystal Blue Persuasion" and "Mony Mony".

Hermans Hermits - This is another group we had the pleasure to see in person a few years back at a concert, and they're still going strong touring. A couple of my favorite songs of theirs include "I'm Into Something Good" and "There's a Kind of Hush". Peter Noone even made an appearance on American Idol during season six when the contestants were doing a British Invasion week (not totally positive on the theme, but something like that). If you want a taste of the honest, feel-good music of the 1960's, listen to Hermans Hermits songs. A couple other of their most famous songs are "I'm Henry the VIII, I Am" and "No Milk Today."

The Animals - Here's another classic group from that era of music with an incredibly distinct sound. A couple of their biggest hits were "House of the Rising Sun" and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place". I think back to American Idol this past season when Siobhan Magnus sang "House of the Rising Sun" during one theme week. It just goes to show you that even today, music from that era is still very much relevant. It'll live on for many years to come. They're also known for other hit songs including "It's My Life" and their cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

I hope you enjoyed this look back at a few great artists/groups and their songs. I know I mostly cover hit music from today on "Luke's Ponderings" - so it was nice to change it up a bit and look at a few classic oldies. And you can be sure we'll delve back into music from the 1960's and '70's again soon.

The Price is Right

So any "The Price is Right" followers out there? I'll admit to being a game show fan overall, and "Price" is one of my favorite game shows. Some of the luster of the show was taken away when Bob Barker retired. But honestly, it's still the same show - no matter who's hosting. "The Price is Right" actually goes beyond 1972 when Bob Barker first began hosting the show. The late, great Bill Cullen hosted the first rendition of the series - and it was actually quite a different show from what's on the air now. But the basics of the show overall stayed the same. Yet, the show in which we've all grown to love continues to this very day - and it's returning this fall for its 39th season.

There will be a few noticeable changes heading into the season premiere in late September. For one, Drew Carey will look remarkably different. He lost an incredible amount of weight in a rather short amount of time. 80 pounds total, in fact. When looking at some of the pictures on-line, it's a pretty shocking transformation. I think we've all come to love the bigger Drew over the years, when he first appeared on his television series that aired during the 1990's. Gone is the over-weight Drew and now we have a very slim and trim MC of "The Price is Right." I think seeing the new Drew will take some getting used to, however, it's great that he was able to lose the weight for his better overall health.

Another noticeable change is the absence of announcer Rich Fields, who was asked not to return to the show. You first began hearing his voice in 2004 when he took over for the late Rod Roddy, who died from colon cancer. Rich's voice had become somewhat of a staple of the show, and I for one will miss his presence. I think his announcing style had gained mixed reactions from the loyal "Price" watchers. You either liked him or loathed him. And I'm sure the casual viewers couldn't care less. From the sounds of it, the production staff on the show are going in another direction with the announcer's role and are hiring an improv comic. They are looking to transfix the show from a game show into more of a variety show with house bands and celebrity guests. I really don't agree with this decision as it will further alienate the existing loyal fans who already dislike the changes that have taken place since Bob Barker left. It just adds more fuel to the fire, I'm afraid.

Those two things will be the most dramatic changes for the show. As for the rest, they are only small, cosmetic changes to set pieces. However, a new pricing game will appear at some point in the season and could provide as much as $100,000 in winnings. I have reason to believe it will be a very difficult game to win, however. After all, how often do you see a contestant win the top prize in "The Golden Road"? I think it will be modeled similarly to that game - in which it's very rare to win the top prize. Time will tell how everything plays out, however. It's only a little over a month until the new season of "Price" begins.

Potential New Pet

Lately I've had animals on my mind more and more - and I think I might be ready to own a pet here pretty soon. As of now, I am leaning towards getting a cat, although I'm not ruling out a small or medium-sized dog at this point. But I have to look at the accommodations I can provide. Obviously I have a big enough house since it's just me living here. But I am gone pretty frequently to work - so the animal would be by itself for long periods of time. Plus, I like to take trips home to my parents' house often, so if I had a dog, I'd have to take it with me. A cat, however, can pretty much fend for itself. Which is why I am leaning towards getting a cat.

Growing up, we've owned plenty of pets as a family. We had countless number of cats and a few dogs - and if you include goldfish, we've had lots of them, too. For the most part, we never had any of those animals stay inside the house. The cats stayed in the house during the daytime and we'd let them out at night. That's probably why we were never able to keep a cat around for very long. The longest we were able to have a cat around the house was six years - otherwise they either got ran over by cars from the nearby highway or they disappeared, probably taken by foxes, hawks or coyotes. As for our dogs, my dad had built a doghouse for our first dog. I don't remember much about our first dog because we got him when I was pretty young and unfortunately, he got hit by a car and died. He was a collie; a gorgeous breed of dog. The only real memory I have of that dog is when we had a water sprinkler running, he'd be chasing after the streams of water that flew around. We'd have to compete with a dog to run through the sprinkler on those hot days. Still, a collie is a beautiful dog and it was unfortunate we weren't able to keep him around for a long longer.

Our other dog is one I wrote about before - but it's been quite awhile since I discussed him. His name was Spike and he was a mutt mix. We honestly weren't sure the kind of breeds he was comprised of - but we're sure he had cocker spaniel in him. He, too, was hit by a car when he was a year old, but luckily he survived. Although I don't believe he was ever the same afterwords - but he lived to be a very old dog when we had to put him down - 12. Our family had plenty of adventures with that dog while he was alive. I was probably about nine years old when we got him and at the end of his life, I was 21. That's a substantial amount of years to have a pet, so you can imagine how hard it was to make the decision to put him down. But, sometimes you have to make those decisions and move on. It's a simple reality to being a pet owner; you have to take great care of an animal in order for it to survive. That means feeding it, giving it water, providing it shelter, and bringing it to a vet when it needs care. And when an animal is terminally ill, the decision needs to be made to have it put down. I know that's not going to be easy with any pet, but it's going to have to be done sooner or later.

So there are a lot of things to consider when owning a pet. I know I'll still be pondering whether or not I'm ready for a pet at this stage of my life. It's only a matter of when and not if now. It probably won't be right away yet - maybe more this fall. However, I know if I keep looking at the local humane society pages, that decision may come a lot sooner than planned. There are a lot of great looking pets that need a home! And the last thing I want to see is an animal put down because nobody wants it. I guess that would be an incredible struggle to deal with for those working at an animal shelter. As for me, you'll definitely know when I bring that pet home and when that time comes, I'm sure there'll be plenty of stories to tell about it in the future.

A New School Year

As we reach the middle point of August, school-aged kids and college-bound individuals are beginning to fret the return of going back to school. Back when I was in school, when we reached this point of the summer, I was left to wonder where on earth my summer vacation had gone. In grade school, we always went back to classes during the last week of August. And that was pretty much the case when I went to college. Nowadays, the state of Michigan has mandated that public schools throughout the state begin the first day of classes on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. So, for all of the students that attend public schools in Michigan, you still have another three weeks of summer vacation. But for those attending universities and colleges in the state, your vacation time is much shorter.

For Northern Michigan University located in Marquette, I was quite surprised to find out that the first day of classes for the fall semester start Monday, August 23rd. I was expecting they'd start on the 30th, which is still one week before Labor Day. But I think they may be pushing for an earlier start in the fall so they can get an extra-long winter break. It's kind of hard to believe that when the semester is over, we'll be looking forward to Christmas and the winter season. As for Michigan Tech in Houghton and Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, their first day of classes is August 30th. So take heart NMU students, even though you'll be starting classes a week earlier than everyone else, at least you can look forward to a longer winter break before classes resume in January.

Similarly for the community colleges like Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba and Iron Mountain, classes begin Monday, August 30th. Community Colleges are also located in Ironwood at Gogebic Community College and in Brimley at the Bay Mills Community College. There is also a private college located in Hancock, called Finlandia University. Finlandia was once a two-year college but now offers four-year degrees in a variety of fields. Like NMU, classes at Finlandia begin Monday, August 23rd.

Even though my days at a university are long gone, I can still remember those first few days of classes for the fall semester. Typically there's no place to park so you have to do a bit more walking to class and when you get to your classes, it's like a whole new experience. You're meeting new teachers and classmates and you get to spend 16 weeks with them learning the same material. I wouldn't say my time at college was as satisfying as I would've liked, but I still had some enjoyable times. For any prospective students taking classes in the U.P., hopefully you have a successful academic year. And be sure to get out and enjoy some of that U.P. scenery when you get a break from your classes.