Waves at South Haven

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Waves at South Haven

High winds kicked up Lake Michigan creating waves that crashed into the Pier in South Haven, Michigan. This is exactly why this particular lighthouse gets completely covered in ice in the winter.

Cabinet Project Day 5: Hutch

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Cabinet Project Day 5 Hutch Close Up

It's almost done. I made the solid oak drawer fronts last night (had to make a primitive router table to shape them), installed the drawer slides, drilled pilot holes for the pulls and stained the drawer fronts.

Tonight I'll simply size up the remaining drawer, add a toe kick, run electricity to the microwave shelf, then install the pulls and baseboard - project complete just in time for the weekend.

Next week sometime the granite for the counter will arrive.

Cabinet Project Day 4: Beginning the Drawers

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Cabinet Project Day 4: Beginning the Drawers

Drawers are fun to make - especially when you dovetail the front joints and have to make several of the same size.

I chose poplar for the sides and backs, it's a smooth wood that takes a finish perfectly, yet isn't too expensive. In this case, five drawers took 32 linear feet of 1/2 by 6 poplar.

First I cut the boards to length, taking into account the width of the cabinet face frame, depth of the cabinet, thickness of the drawer slides (to be added later) and the dadoes of the drawer sides.

Then I cut a 1/4 inch dado at the bottom of each board to accept the drawer bottom.

Now the drawer sides had to be cut to accept the fronts and backs. I cut dadoes at the back and rabbets at the front. It's sort of a production line since there are so many the same size.



After the sides are glued and tacked to the back, the bottom plank was cut and slid into place.



Now it's time for the fronts - a bit of glue and there you have it, drawers.



Next, I'll make the visible drawer fronts from 1 x 10 oak, rout the edges, sand, stain, then install the pulls and the slides on the drawers and inside the cabinet and the project will be complete.

Kitchen Cabinet Project, Day 3

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Kitchen Cabinet Project, Day 3

Following a day of sanding and staining, I installed the cabinets and hutch to check everything for size. Of course, my wife had to test it out too by placing things on the shelves! We've got some granite samples on the counter - the real stuff arrives next week.

At this point, all I have to add is crown molding on the top of the hutch, two decorative oak brackets under the upper portion of the hutch, the toe kicks, and the drawers.

After this project comes new paint in the kitchen........

Cabinet Project Day 1: Hutch Faceframe

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Cabinet Project Day 1: Hutch Faceframe

After laying a new floor in the kitchen, we decided to add more cabinet and counter space where we used to have a table.

Day one consisted of cutting the wood for the base cabinets, building the cabinet carcass and then making the face frames.



All the face frames were built of solid oak, the carcass was made from cabinet grade oak plywood (but you can't see any of it).



It took the better part of a day to design, cut and assemble the 7 foot long base cabinets and the upper portion of the hutch.

The Quarry

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The Quarry

An early morning view of the Sag Quarries in Lemont, IL. These limestone quarries were allowed to flood, and taken over by the Cook County Forest Preserve. They are a popular place for fishing.

The one thing I've noticed in this forest preserve is the large amount of garbage. It's everywhere. Mostly drink or bait containers and fishing supply wrappers. It's really a shame.

If you venture off the common path and into some of the other less traveled areas, you can experience some great views and some wildlife.

Some areas are only accessible using a makeshift log bridge across a 10 or 12 foot wide channel. I wondered just how deep the quarry was at this point as I was balancing on an 8 inch diameter log with my camera gear. At least I've still got my balance - and thanks to that, I also still have my camera gear.

Chicago at Dusk

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Chicago at Dusk

An evening view of the Chicago Skyline from the 5th level of U.S. Cellular Field. I still want to call it Comiskey Park...........

Chris' First Game

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Chris' First Game

Chris earned two free Chicago White Sox baseball tickets from school last year, so he finally attended his first major league baseball game.



He had a great time, even though our seats were practically in the next county.

Here's the view we had:

Marblehead Lighthouse Take 2

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Marblehead Lighthouse

On our way to Cleveland, the weather was rainy and overcast. Our first visit to the Marblehead Lighthouse was nice, but gray. We decided right then that on our return trip we would make our way back to this lighthouse if the weather improved. It did!

We arrived around 9:00 am, but the lighthouse and museum didn't open until 1:00pm, so we didn't have enough time to wait around for a tour. Too bad, since this is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes.

We'll just have to pass by again.

Fairport Harbor Lighthouse

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Fairport Harbor Lighthouse

Just a short distance across the Grand River from Headlands Beach State Park is the old Fairport Harbor Lighthouse.

Built in 1871 to replace the original lighthouse, the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse stands 60 feet tall, and is made from Berea Sandstone.
The lighthouse stood watch over Lake Erie for 100 years- from 1825 to 1925 until a new lighthouse and foghouse were built on the west Fairport breakwater.



The original third order Fresnel lens is now on display in the former keeper's house which is now a small museum - the first lighthouse museum in the United States.

This lighthouse was also featured on the Travel Channel's Haunted Lighthouses - a ghost cat has been seen roaming around the keeper's house. Years after people began seeing the ghost cat, a mummified cat was found by construction workers in the crawl space beneath the keeper's house. This cat must have belonged to one of the original lighthouse keepers, found it's way below and couldn't get out. It may be the ghost cat everyone has seen walking through the house. It's now on display in the museum.

Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light

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Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light

Built in 1925 to replace the original (on shore) Fairport Harbor Light , this steel clad lighthouse marks the entrance to the Grand River, in the small village of Fairport Harbor, Ohio.

It stands 42 feet tall, and has a forth order Fresnel lens. Getting out to the lighthouse isn't too difficult, but the breakwater is far from even, so you have to do a bit of rock climbing.

A landing place of French explorer LaSalle, Fairport Harbor overlooks two historic lighthouses, and one of the finest beaches on Lake Erie - the Headlands. Just 30 miles east of Cleveland, it's a world away from city life.

Still Shining Bright

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Still Shining Bright

The oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, the Marblehead light has been featured on postage stamps and license plates.


Built on the rocky shore of Lake Erie, of brick and limestone quarried from the site, the lighthouse was built in 1821 in just 11 weeks, at a cost of $7200. It was the only light around Sandusky Bay for many years. The original light came from 13 whale oil lamps and reflectors!

Vermilion Lighthouse

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Vermilion Lighthouse

The original Vermilion Lighthouse on the Vermilion River in Ohio was built in 1877 of cast iron from civil war cannons. The lighthouse was dismantled and shipped away in 1929 to Buffalo NY, and ultimately, decades later, it was found working on Lake Ontario!

This is a working replica of the lighthouse, and it still acts as an aid to navigation along Lake Erie marking the entrance to the Vermilion River.

You'll shoot your eye out!

The house used in the movie A Christmas Story. We visited it today while in Cleveland!

What a Place for a Picnic

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What a Place for a Picnic

120 feet above Lake Michigan is the perfect place for a picnic! At least that's what someone thought - or they just wanted somewhere to sit and watch the 4th of July fireworks. This park picnic bench was carried up a 120 feet tall sand dune - no stairs, all loose sand!

I'm hoping they carried it up piece by piece and assembled it there, but knowing college kids, I'll bet a group of guys carried it up the steepest part of the dunes.

Either way, it's a great spot to stop, rest and have some lunch. I hope the Park Service doesn't remove it.

Mt. Baldy Panoramic

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Mt. Baldy Panoramic

After the climb up the 120 foot tall sand dune, we were treated to a view of Lake Michigan and the Indiana countryside. It's interesting to see the horizon here - on the right is the lake, and on the left the woods -quite a contrast between the two sides of the dune. It's one of the best places to see the biologic progression from beach to old forest and every stage in between - all within a short walk.

Here's a not so dramatic 360 degree panoramic view from the top. It's much more dramatic in person.

Almost to the Top

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Almost to the Top

The boys helped each other climb to the top of Mt. Baldy, the 120 foot tall sand dune in Michigan City, Indiana. It's a lot more difficult than you think, the steep angle, and loose sand keep you from making quick progress - you slide back a step for every few you take.


You get a great view of Lake MIchigan, and the woods from the top. This dune is living, so it's moving about 4 feet a year and burying the woods. Some of the trees are beginning to show stress by yellowing so early in the year.

The Boys At the Beach

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The Boys At the Beach

You never know what you're going to find washed up on the shore of Lake Michigan, I've seen everything from glass, to boat fenders, trash to fishing nets, and Frisbees to Conch shells.
One thing you're guaranteed to find is driftwood, and it's amazing how the waves move it around the beach from day to day. You can find little twigs and entire 35 foot long, 2 foot diameter tree trunks!

Always interesting.

St. Augustine Lighthouse 360 Panoramic View

During our trip to Florida, we stopped once again at the St. Augustine lighthouse. Temperatures were right around 100 degrees, so the climb up to the top was a little difficult for those who didn't enjoy the heat and humidity. After a few flights of stairs, you notice a cooling breeze, this is created by the hot air rising inside the tower; the cooler air rushes in to compensate for the rising hot air.

Once at the top, we were treated to a great view of the Atlantic and the surrounding St. Augustine area.

I created a 360 degree panoramic image from 17 photographs (one taken by each railing post on the tower). Click on the link below and once the image loads, click inside the image and drag the mouse left or right to move around.

http://thomas.gill.staff.noctrl.edu/panos/st_augustine.html

Kintzel Ditch Panoramic View

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Kintzel Ditch Panoramic View

Following a punishing winter, the dune northeast of Kintzel Ditch was difficult if not impossible to climb from the beach. The normal slope to the shore was cut by waves to a point where there was a 10 foot or taller vertical wall of sand before the slope began.

A few months of erosion by wind and gravity created a few "ramps" of sand to the beach, so once again I was able to climb up the dune and capture the view. This is a panoramic view made from 12 separate photographs (the stitching is unfortunately evident at the horizon, but I don't like to alter images any more than stitching).

The last time I was on this dune was in January, and the temperature outside was minus 3! It's nice to be able to stand and look out at the water without shivering.