Freak hailstorm dumps 2 inches of hail on Marquette

You have got to see the pictures at the Mining Journal of the hailstorm that hit Marquette yesterday afternoon. Apparently the hail fell in the midst of a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning. It is surreal to see a guy running through downtown Marquette in "drifts" of hail. Too weird.

Free Fishing Weekend is June 9-10

Hey everybody! The weekend weather looks great for most of Michigan and thanks to the DNR and other official offices you will be able to fish June 9-10 without having to purchase a license. Of course, all other fishing regulations apply so please abide by them. This is a great program and a great way to introduce kids (and even adults) to the joys of fishing. It sure beats having the kids in front of the big black dummy box (that's the tv, folks).

Fishing always reminds me of this song -

Elizabeth Mitchell “Crawdad” You get a line I'll get a pole, honey You get a line I'll get a pole, babe You get a line I'll get a pole And we'll go down to that crawdad hole Honey, oh baby mine.

Get up now you slept to late, honey Get up now you slept to late, babe Get up now you slept to late The crawdad man done past your gate Honey, oh baby mine

What you gonna do when the lake runs dry, honey What you gonna do when the lake runs dry, babe What you gonna do when the lake run dry Sit and watch those crawdads fly Honey, baby mine.

You get a line I'll get a pole, honey You get a line I'll get a pole, babe You get a line I'll get a pole And we'll go down to that crawdad hole Honey, oh baby mine Honey, oh baby mine Honey, oh baby mine Honey, oh baby mine

Learn how to build a raised bed and make great compost for your garden

I have just completed two new web pages (they call them 'lenses' at Squidoo) at Squidoo with a gardening theme. Follow my step-by-step instructions to build your own raised bed garden at www.squidoo.com/Raised-Bed-Gardens/. I have created a companion eBook as a PDF that you can download here (right-click and then choose 'save as'). At the Raised Bed Gardening page I also show you how to grow potatoes in a container, how to winterize your raised bed, and how to build your raised bed for under $10.

At the Lazy Man's Guide to Compost I show how to build a simple compost bin on the cheap, what to put in your compost (as well as what not to put in), my recipe for 'Lazy Compost', why you should screen your compost, and the gardener's secret source for a great garden - Compost Tea. Learn all about Compost.

Website lets you search for over 600 of Michigan's rare plants and animals

Michigan's Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) is an organization that is a part of the Michigan State University Extension. On their website you will find a searchable database of 665 of Michigan's rare plants and animals (I never knew there were so many that are considered rare). The search is customizable and allows users to search "based on name, habitat, survey time, protection status or rank."

Why have such a website? Let the MNFI mission statement answer that -

"To actively contribute to decisions that impact the conservation of biological and ecological diversity by collecting, analyzing, and communicating information about rare and declining plants and animals, and the array of natural communities and ecosystems native to Michigan."

I would like to see specific geographic areas (like southwest Michigan, or even by county) as one of the search parameters. The habitat parameter is a bit confusing to those not in the know as to what defines, for instance, a "Palustrine wet meadow" without the benefit of a web search (why should you have to do a search so you can perform a search?).

By the way, Palustrine comes from the Latin word "palus" or marsh. Palustrine systems are basically inland wetlands that lack a source of flowing water and contain "ocean derived salts in concentrations of less than .05%."

I just wondered what rare animals and plants were in our general area, but again, the search does not have a specific location delimiter. Otherwise, this is a pretty neat deal for educators and those that want to know more about the area we live in.

P.S. I came across the MNFI website while browsing our state website, Michigan.gov. Your tax dollars pay for it, you might as well use it. I always find interesting stuff there. :)

There really are venomous snakes in Michigan that are not politicians

The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake makes one of its homes in southeastern Michigan. The snake is endanger of extinction everywhere but Michigan. Scientists have not figured that one out yet.

Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR

The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is Michigan's only venomous snake and it makes its home in wetland areas. Mice and voles are the main diet for the Massasauga and if you ever happen along one it is best to just leave it alone. They avoid human contact, but will strike if threatened so you really should just let them be.

Massasauga rattlesnakes are on Michigan's Species of Special Concern list due to loss of wetlands areas here in Michigan. All other states where the Massasauga is found list the rattlesnake as "endangered". It is a misdemeanor to kill one in Michigan and can result in a $500 fine and 90 days in jail.

For more information about the Massasauga rattlesnake in Michigan visit: Detroit Free Press article on the Massasauga population in Michigan Michigan DNR Massasauga rattlesnake information

Celebrate National Bike Month on Michigan's numerous bike trails

The majority of Michigan State Parks have short 3-5 mile biking trails, but there are a couple nice long trails scattered across the state. The 34.5-mile Kal-Haven Trail State Park is enjoyed by almost 100,000 visitors each year. The trail is built upon the abandoned railroad bed of the Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad. Limestone and crushed slag were used to make the roadbed of the trail.

For more information visit www.kalhaventrail.org.

The 22 mile long Betsie Valley Trail runs from Frankfort to Thompsonville and passes through Beulah and Elberta. It is paved with asphalt from Frankfort to Mollineaux Rd. and from Beulah to Thompsonville it is a gravel-based trail.

For more information visit www.betsievalleytrail.org.

Feel free to share any other biking trails in Michigan that you enjoy by posting them in the 'comments' section for this article.