Upfirst
Community Starlight
October 2023
Fall Colors and Highlights
By Mike OSullivan, October 31, 2023, Marquette, Michigan, USA
Happy Halloween! Per usual, Yooper children might be wearing snowsuits under their costumes for trick-or-treat tonight, because it is snowing this morning. Stay safe and warm, little ones.
Snow gets Todd and me, and most Yoopers, excited for winter sports. Todd made a new snowshoe trail this summer in our yard. It will be easier to get to our "cabana" by the lake for a campfire. We are both excited about making good use of our new trail.
Fall colors were spectacular this year, especially the sugar maples. Days of falling leaves, like today and in the past week, create a whimsical feeling.
Todd saw a few snowflakes early yesterday morning, so he scheduled the all-important snow tires appointment. Appointments are already three weeks out because everyone calls the tire shops on the first day of snow.
This morning was a full out snow shower with big snowflakes falling fast and leaving about an inch of soft white lovely snow covering the ground and outdoor porches and railways. Todd and I are happy we both will be working from home this winter. We are looking forward to a very cozy and fun time.
Sugar Maple Tree October 16, 2023
(photo by Todd)
NCLL and UPLC Finding Mother Trees Hikers
Chocolay Bayou Nature Preserve
September 26, 2023
Guided by Holli Langlieb UPLC Volunteer (in white cap)
NCLL Volunteer Planner and Liaison (me) (4th from left)
(photo by Todd Carter)
September highlights included hiking into the Chocolay Bayou Nature Preserve to find mother trees. Holli Langlieb, a volunteer from the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy (UPLC), guided our Northern Center for Lifelong Learning (NCLL) participants into the Nature Preserve. Holli demonstrated forestry tools and techniques at every turn. Her backpack was loaded with teaching tools, including compasses for everyone, cut tree rounds to study tree rings and tree ages, Biltmore sticks to measure tree diameter and height, and so much more. We found and greeted and thanked many mother trees and their kin and neighbors.
Our NCLL participants were excited and thrilled to learn so much while enjoying guided time into the forest together communing with mother trees.
Mike and Todd giving "Finding Mother Trees" presentation to NCLL participants at Peter White Public Library
in Marquette September 19, 2023
(photo courtesy Holli Langlieb)
Mike and Todd gave a classroom presentation "Finding Mother Trees" for NCLL members on September 19 in the Shiras Room at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.
This presentation was Part 1 of our "Finding Mother Trees" series about Dr. Suzanne Simard and her book Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest.
Part 2 was our hike with Holli into the Chocolay Bayou Nature Preserve. Tickets for these events sold out early.
--Mike OSullivan is an educator, writer, web site designer, editor, publisher, and multi-credentialed healthcare coding consultant living in Marquette with her sweet husband, award-winning artist, educator, technical specialist--and too many more talents to name--Todd Carter. Todd contributed artwork and photos and technical support and other support (sweep for hike) to the "Finding Mother Trees" presentations.
Land Acknowledgement
The State of Michigan occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabek – Three Fires Confederacy, of the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Bode’wadmi (Potawatomi). We recognize the historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, and those who were forcibly removed from their homelands. We further recognize the ongoing relationship of, dependence upon, and respect for, all living beings of earth, sky and water. In offering this land acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history and experience.
The State of Michigan occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabek – Three Fires Confederacy, of the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Bode’wadmi (Potawatomi). We recognize the historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, and those who were forcibly removed from their homelands. We further recognize the ongoing relationship of, dependence upon, and respect for, all living beings of earth, sky and water. In offering this land acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history and experience.
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Todd Carter
Michaeleen (Mike) OSullivan
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