Latest news with #GordonLightfoot
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Deep Thought's last day in Milwaukee brings tributes about the abandoned boat
Nothing has quite captured Milwaukee's attention and encapsulated the city's quirkiness like Deep Thought, the abandoned boat stranded along Lake Michigan for nearly seven months before it was removed May 6. Deep Thought provided countless memes, led to a bobblehead design and even inspired original song lyrics à la Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Whether you'll miss the bizarre, temporary landmark or feel relieved to see a graffitied eyesore gone, there's no denying Deep Thought brought the city together. Here's a roundup of the best social media reactions to the boat's removal: More: Over 100 spectators gather to cheer and mourn 'Deep Thought' for what could be its final hours in Milwaukee Comment byu/MagMC2555 from discussion inmilwaukee Comment byu/MagMC2555 from discussion inmilwaukee Comment byu/Appropriate-Owl5984 from discussion inmilwaukee Comment byu/Appropriate-Owl5984 from discussion inmilwaukee This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's abandoned boat, Deep Thought, gets social media tributes
CBC
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Riffed from the Headlines 04/26/25
Social Sharing Riffed from the Headlines is our weekly quiz where we choose three riffs linked by one story in the news. Guess the story that links the riffs and you could win a Day 6 tote bag. Riffed from the Headlines is our weekly quiz where we choose three riffs linked by one story in the news. Guess the story that links the riffs and you could win a Day 6 tote bag. The most recent clues were: Oh Linda by Gordon Lightfoot. Janet Jackson with The Knowledge. And, A-Team by Travis Scott. Gina Granter of Montréal correctly guessed the headline we were looking for: U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon confuses AI with A1 sauce. Congratulations, Gina! A Day 6 tote bag will be on its way to you soon.
The Independent
30-01-2025
- The Independent
Brisket, beaches and Disney: A road trip from Mississippi to Alabama
Bienville Square in Mobile, Alabama, was an unexpected hive of activity. The TV cameras were busily filming, the historic fountain was flowing and the city's landmark park was positively buzzing with energy on this Friday afternoon. Sadly, it wasn't in honour of our arrival in this charming location, but it was a major occasion, with the reopening of the 200-year-old Square after a four-year recovery from the ravages of Hurricane Sally in 2020. And it was easy to see why the locals were cock-a-hoop at the rebirth of their central icon. This gem of a park boasted graceful oak trees, elegant flowerbeds and the cast iron 1896 fountain, lovingly restored to former glories, making for an urban oasis of exquisite proportions. Mobile itself also proved an enchanting discovery at the start of the final month of our grand year-long RV tour of the US. Established in 1701 as the capital of French Louisiana, it glittered with colonial heritage, full of historic districts that each seemed to have their own version of Bienville Square, an enticing mix of those twin 18th-century city icons Savannah in Georgia and New Orleans in Louisiana. We had arrived in Alabama from a blissful stopover on Biloxi Bay in neighbouring Mississippi, following the coastal road via Gautier and Pascagoula in the direction of our return to Florida. Home was still 500 miles away, but we were definitely on the final stage of our round-trip cross-country adventure. Biloxi had proved an admirable host, with miles of easily accessible beachfront, wildlife-rich marshes and fabulous food. Our final meal had been courtesy of The Shed Barbecue & Blues Joint, a ramshackle collection of mismatched buildings, tin roofs and bric-a-brac that looked more like a roadside pile-up than a restaurant, but which served outrageously tasty barbecue ribs, pork and brisket to underline the state's reputation for hickory-smoked goodness. Our coastal route brought us to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and another exercise in unexpected beach bliss. From the distinctly RV-friendly Gulf State Park, we found ourselves at the centre of 32 miles of pure white sands that disappeared to the horizon both east and west, lapped by the shimmering blues of the Gulf of Mexico. To the east, Orange Beach offered high-rise resorts more typical of Florida, as well as exclusive Ono Island and its millionaire's row of mansionesque homes, each with its own boathouse. To the west was the more prosaic extent of the barrier island, still with plenty of condos and other resort-style developments, but with less overt bling. The State Park was a treasure in itself, with miles of hiking and biking trails as well as a Nature Center, tennis and pickleball courts, the eye-catching 1,500-foot-long fishing pier – the second longest on the Gulf Coast – and campground activities that included organised games and live entertainment, most notably one evening with an open-air concert by a Gordon Lightfoot tribute act. Folk music in the folkiest of settings. Gulf Shores was also ideal for exploring Alabama's Coastal Connection, a 130-mile scenic byway that linked the golden barrier islands with Mobile via a winding route north through classic Southern territory, full of picture-postcard towns, nature preserves, fishing harbours and historic sites, like Fort Morgan, a fortress guardian of Mobile Bay dating back to 1834. We stopped in Fairhope for lunch and were treated to the freshly-made sandwiches and beignets of Two Sisters Bakery, set underneath two towering oak trees and with a delightful patio garden. Dinner in Mobile came from Callaghan's Irish Social Club, with a very decent pint of Guinness and a blackened shrimp po'boy that was as good as anything we had in New Orleans. As we reluctantly broke camp for the 78th time on our cross-country voyage, we felt we had left plenty of sight-seeing highlights unseen and, like South Padre Island in Texas, would be eager to return to this most pleasant of seaside settings. We pointed our Winnebago east once more and, within eight miles, found ourselves passing from one beach-laden panorama to another as we hit Perdido Key, the first landmark on Florida's 'Panhandle'. This north-westerly region of the Sunshine State is basically an unbroken 160-mile succession of sand-fringed glories, with generous beach after generous beach, and our homeward route covered every inch of it. Using the boutique bolthole of the Hideaway Retreat RV park in Navarre as our base, we lapped up the vast, seemingly empty acres of Pensacola Beach, Santa Rosa Island and Destin, enjoying delicious milkshakes from Whataburger and a magnificent hefeweizen at Beach Camp Brewery, where the gumbo was equally tasty. The uber-pretty waterfront gem of the Retreat came with a genuine hideaway quality, situated under a canopy of mature oak and magnolia trees and with its own dog-friendly beachfront that quickly generated a laid-back evening routine of sitting on the seawall with a gin and tonic to witness yet another superb sunset. At the end of the week, we were ready to drop anchor permanently, but we had one final Panhandle location to investigate. State capital Tallahassee is about as Floridian as the Channel Islands are French, as it is so geographically remote from the rest of the state (only 18 miles from neighbouring Georgia but 480 from Miami), but it has a stateliness no other Florida city can match. The free Historic Capitol Museum provided the unique history, from the original native peoples to the Spanish colonialists of the 17th century, US frontier territory in the early 19th century and statehood in 1845. We also toured the magnificent Wakulla Springs State Park, with its glass-bottom boat tours of the crystal clear springs, 6,000-acre wildlife sanctuary and 1930s gem of The Lodge, a stunning Art Deco masterpiece tucked away in rural splendour. Coe Landing on Lake Talquin provided our RV home for two nights, another backwoods location that was practically silent at night and busy with fishermen during the day. Breakfast at Tallahassee's Power Plant Café, with its signature smoothies and fresh-baked produce, was the ideal way to start the day, while dinner at stylish Hayward House gave traditional dishes – like their succulent chicken paillard – a modern makeover in memorable fashion. Finally heading south again, we decided if we were to finish our epic road trip in style, there was only one place we could count on for a grandstand finale after the 270-mile drive back to Central Florida. We have been writing about Walt Disney World for 30 years, but had never stayed at its RV-friendly Fort Wilderness Resort, a multi-purpose campground that is largely unknown to most day visitors. Tucked away in 750 wooded acres on the natural haven of Bay Lake, this offered a totally rustic location for road-weary decompression and reflection. We had covered more than 35,000 miles since we set out from home, 11,000 of those in our wonderfully accommodating Winnebago and almost 25,000 more in our trusty tow car. We had seen parts of the country few people see and experienced incredible friendliness virtually everywhere we went. We were exhilarated, and exhausted. Fort Wilderness provided the perfect rest cure before we picked up the traces of our normal life once again. We shunned the frenzy of the four theme parks in favour of the resort's rural walking trails, campfire programmes (which our faithful old lab, Ruthie, loved) and general sense of calm amid Orlando's vast tourism empire. In the evening, we sipped Long Island Iced Teas on the rocking chairs of the porch at Crockett's Tavern, and watched the boats heading back and forth to the Magic Kingdom from the pier set amid the white-sand beach. The pier also afforded perfect viewing of the theme park's nightly fireworks, which we took as a personal salute to our 12-month journey. We had come through an extraordinary year of travel experiences and arrived at the conclusion there is no better way to see America than from the front seat of an RV and the chance to take the road less travelled. Despite the setbacks and occasional breakdowns, we revelled in the sense of freedom of the open road and the magnificence of the National Parks and other scenic wonders. We would definitely do this again. Just not for a year! How to do it Total distance covered: 35,186 miles. RV parks and overnight stops: 83. States visited: 23. National Parks: 16.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan turns 188 on Sunday. Here are reasons to celebrate our 'water winter wonderland'
What do you get a state that has "everything" for its birthday? Michigan turns 188 on Jan. 26, and it already has matching left and right mittens. Michigan residents will have to make do with five Great Lakes, the birthplace of the Motown, tart cherries, 400-plus breweries, 103 state parks, 300 waterfalls, and too many other attractions to keep track of. Native Americans have lived in what is now Michigan for millennia. After Europeans came to North America, the state passed between the French and English before becoming part of the U.S. On Jan., 26, 1837, Michigan officially joined the union, surrendering a bit of Ohio (yay) for the entire Upper Peninsula. Michigan, known as the Wolverine State, was the 26th state to join the union. The capital is Lansing, since 1847; prior to that, Detroit served as capital. Michigan now is home to about 10 million people. If you need a reason to celebrate, here are 10, just in case: In Rudyard Township, in the eastern Upper Peninsula, snowy owls make themselves at home in the winter. The township and the Michigan House passed resolutions calling the township the Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan — they even have a sign, so that makes it pretty official. Snowy owls spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight, All About Birds says. Sometimes the largest North American owl flies from the deep north to the Upper Peninsula. With bright white feathers and striking yellow eyes, they have a reputation for being difficult to spot, but the chances are greater in Rudyard. Paradise, in the Upper Peninsula and Hell, in southeast Michigan, are about 240 miles apart. Google maps suggests it's about a five-hour drive, mostly down Interstate 75 and U.S. 23, but as everyone knows, a lot of things can distract you on your way to Hell and make the trip longer. The late Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot memorialized the Great Lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald in song after the ship sank in November 1975 in Lake Superior. But the ship certainly isn't the only one to founder in the lakes' late-season storms. "An estimated 6,000 vessels were lost on the Great Lakes with approximately 1,500 of these ships located in Michigan waters," according to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy website. At Whitefish Point, at the end of the road north of Paradise, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum offers tours of shipwreck exhibits, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. The site also includes one of the oldest lighthouses on Lake Superior, operating since 1861. In Michigan's thumb, Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park, near Cass City, protects and interprets Michigan's largest known collection petroglyphs created by Indigenous peoples. The carvings — called ezhibiigaadek asin, "written on stone," in the Anishinabe language — remain culturally significant to many Anishinabek. "Michigan is one of 10 states with the largest population of Native Americans. The Ottawa, Ojibway, Chippewa, Potawatomi and others have a significant place in Michigan's history, both as groups and individuals," according to the Library of Michigan says. In Baraga County, northeast of L'Anse, is Michigan's highest point, Mount Arvon. The peak stands 1,979.238 feet above sea level. It's not the easiest place to reach, and four-wheel drive is definitely recommended. It's not clear how the mountain got its name, but it lies within Arvon Township. The township, according to Wikipedia, is named for an area in Wales. Not far to the northwest is Houghton-Douglass Falls, which falls 110 feet from top to bottom in Houghton County. The falls are on state land, but not officially within a state park. The area remains mostly undeveloped. Woody the Woodchuck is among Michigan's weather prognosticating representatives. Woody lives at the Howell Nature Center's Wild Wonders Wildlife Park in Marion Township and word is he's prepping for his upcoming Feb. 2 decision — a shorter winter or more cold weather. We're all watching closely. On the Detroit River near Detroit, the J.W. Westcott acts as a post office on water, delivering mail to large cargo ships passing by since 1847. President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order declassifying a large number of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Many hope the release will clear up lingering questions about Nov. 22, 1963. At the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, guests can view cars used to transport previous U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. The 1961 Lincoln Continental presidential limousine that Kennedy was riding in with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Texas Gov. John Connolly when he was assassinated Nov. 22, 1963, is a major attraction. "Michigan's coast accounts for approximately 62% of the total coastline of the Great Lakes basin," theDepartment of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy said The impressive freshwater shoreline is the longest in the U.S. and is home to more than 300 coastal communities. With all that shoreline comes the need for lighthouses to keep ships away from danger. Michigan has more than any other state. According to and Wikipedia, there are dozens of Michigan natives who have excelled in the music industry, including: Stevie Wonder, from Saginaw Aretha Franklin, from Detroit Eminem, from Detroit Madonna, from Bay City Bob Seger, from Detroit Iggy Pop, from Muskegon Smokey Robinson, from Detroit Diana Ross, from Detroit Big Sean, from Detroit Grand Funk Railroad, from Flint Ted Nugent, from Detroit Alice Cooper, from Detroit This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan celebrates 188 years of statehood. 10 things to know about
USA Today
26-01-2025
- USA Today
Michigan turns 188 on Sunday. Here are reasons to celebrate our 'water winter wonderland'
What do you get a state that has "everything" for its birthday? Michigan turns 188 on Jan. 26, and it already has matching left and right mittens. Michigan residents will have to make do with five Great Lakes, the birthplace of the Motown, tart cherries, 400-plus breweries, 103 state parks, 300 waterfalls, and too many other attractions to keep track of. Native Americans have lived in what is now Michigan for millennia. After Europeans came to North America, the state passed between the French and English before becoming part of the U.S. On Jan., 26, 1837, Michigan officially joined the union, surrendering a bit of Ohio (yay) for the entire Upper Peninsula. Michigan, known as the Wolverine State, was the 26th state to join the union. The capital is Lansing, since 1847; prior to that, Detroit served as capital. Michigan now is home to about 10 million people. If you need a reason to celebrate, here are 10, just in case: Arctic visitors make Michigan home in the winter In Rudyard Township, in the eastern Upper Peninsula, snowy owls make themselves at home in the winter. The township and the Michigan House passed resolutions calling the township the Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan — they even have a sign, so that makes it pretty official. Snowy owls spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight, All About Birds says. Sometimes the largest North American owl flies from the deep north to the Upper Peninsula. With bright white feathers and striking yellow eyes, they have a reputation for being difficult to spot, but the chances are greater in Rudyard. Just exactly how long does it take to get from Paradise and Hell? Paradise, in the Upper Peninsula and Hell, in southeast Michigan, are about 240 miles apart. Google maps suggests it's about a five-hour drive, mostly down Interstate 75 and U.S. 23, but as everyone knows, a lot of things can distract you on your way to Hell and make the trip longer. Love the lakes, but they can be treacherous when the gales of November come early The late Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot memorialized the Great Lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald in song after the ship sank in November 1975 in Lake Superior. But the ship certainly isn't the only one to founder in the lakes' late-season storms. "An estimated 6,000 vessels were lost on the Great Lakes with approximately 1,500 of these ships located in Michigan waters," according to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy website. At Whitefish Point, at the end of the road north of Paradise, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum offers tours of shipwreck exhibits, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. The site also includes one of the oldest lighthouses on Lake Superior, operating since 1861. Thumb reminds us Native Americans have long lived in Michigan In Michigan's thumb, Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park, near Cass City, protects and interprets Michigan's largest known collection petroglyphs created by Indigenous peoples. The carvings — called ezhibiigaadek asin, "written on stone," in the Anishinabe language — remain culturally significant to many Anishinabek. "Michigan is one of 10 states with the largest population of Native Americans. The Ottawa, Ojibway, Chippewa, Potawatomi and others have a significant place in Michigan's history, both as groups and individuals," according to the Library of Michigan says. From the top, to the bottom, there's plenty to see In Baraga County, northeast of L'Anse, is Michigan's highest point, Mount Arvon. The peak stands 1,979.238 feet above sea level. It's not the easiest place to reach, and four-wheel drive is definitely recommended. It's not clear how the mountain got its name, but it lies within Arvon Township. The township, according to Wikipedia, is named for an area in Wales. Not far to the northwest is Houghton-Douglass Falls, which falls 110 feet from top to bottom in Houghton County. The falls are on state land, but not officially within a state park. The area remains mostly undeveloped. Michiganders are unimpressed by Pennsylvania's groundhog Woody the Woodchuck is among Michigan's weather prognosticating representatives. Woody lives at the Howell Nature Center's Wild Wonders Wildlife Park in Marion Township and word is he's prepping for his upcoming Feb. 2 decision — a shorter winter or more cold weather. We're all watching closely. Where else can you find a floating post office? On the Detroit River near Detroit, the J.W. Westcott acts as a post office on water, delivering mail to large cargo ships passing by since 1847. Trump releases Kennedy docs. You can see the fateful limousine in Michigan President Donald Trump this week signed an executive order declassifying a large number of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Many hope the release will clear up lingering questions about Nov. 22, 1963. At the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, guests can view cars used to transport previous U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. The 1961 Lincoln Continental presidential limousine that Kennedy was riding in with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Texas Gov. John Connolly when he was assassinated Nov. 22, 1963, is a major attraction. Michigan's impressive shoreline provides a sandy spot for everyone "Michigan's coast accounts for approximately 62% of the total coastline of the Great Lakes basin," theDepartment of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy said The impressive freshwater shoreline is the longest in the U.S. and is home to more than 300 coastal communities. With all that shoreline comes the need for lighthouses to keep ships away from danger. Michigan has more than any other state. Motown made music, but Michigan is home to many other singers and bands According to and Wikipedia, there are dozens of Michigan natives who have excelled in the music industry, including: Stevie Wonder, from Saginaw Aretha Franklin, from Detroit Eminem, from Detroit Madonna, from Bay City Bob Seger, from Detroit Iggy Pop, from Muskegon Smokey Robinson, from Detroit Diana Ross, from Detroit Big Sean, from Detroit Grand Funk Railroad, from Flint Ted Nugent, from Detroit Alice Cooper, from Detroit
