Some Milkweed

So we made it over to Fish Point but there wasn't much to see there.

 So I stopped by some milkweed and took some pictures.

 This might work pretty well in black and white.

 I was trying different angles.

 I think I like this one too.

 A different pod.

 And another.

 I'd like the one more if more seeds were out.

 This one reminds me of a creature of some sort.

 Shame these seeds weren't blowing out.

I think I really like this one.

A Patton Tank on M-46

As I continued east on M-46, I ran across this tank.  I don't remember exactly where it was but it was east of another town that had a P-80 for a gate guardian.

 In 1950, a requirement came to replace the tanks used in World War II.  The tank would be heavier and better armored than the tanks it was replacing.

 the M-48 first entered service in 1951 and was a replacement to the M-47 (which was plagued with problems).  It was built by Chrysler Defense Systems but other companies would end up building them under contract.

 By the time, production ended there would be 12,000 produced and they would serve in many armies across the world.  It would also fight in many of the brush wars that marked the Cold War.

An improved design was called the M-60.

A Barn On M-46

After catching the train yesterday, I thought that I would head over to Grand Haven but then changed my mind because my mom said that there might be snowy owls at Fish Point.  So after heading west on M-57 from Carland, I headed north on US-131 to catch M-46 for the eastbound trip.

 My mom saw this barn and had me pull over.  I will admit, it was a pretty good scene.

 The lighting was just about right.

 She thinks the building on the right might be an ice house.  At any rate, it is part of one of many farms in Michigan that are known as Centennial Farms.  It has been in the same family for over 100 years.

One more shot of the barn before moving on.

Catching the "Polar Express"

So I went up to Owosso yesterday in the hopes of catching the Pere Marquette 1225 as it does the North Pole Express.  Apparently, they can't call it the Polar Express anymore (even though it's the train the movie train is based on).  Anyway, it was a nice enough day.

 Unfortunately, when I got there I found out that the Pere Marquette 1225 wouldn't be pulling the train.  They had an issue with the boiler.  I'm glad I just drove up there to get pictures and not pay to ride the train.

 Oh well.  I figured it still be a good chance to practice when I go back to catch the Pere Marquette.

 I found a pretty nice spot where I could catch it as it pulled out of the yard.  I just wish there was more in the background.

 Another angle of the train.

 Unfortunately, shortly after this picture, I was shooting into the sun.

 One of two cabooses that used to belong to the Ann Arbor Railroad.  I think it costs $1000 to ride on one of these but apparently, it is first class service.

 The trailing engine.  I stuck around to catch the whole train because I was hoping that the Pere Marquette may have been trailing.

 Despite not catching the Pere Marquette, I still headed over to Carland because I wanted the practice.  I was able to get a spot that I don't normally get.  It wasn't too long before the train appeared.

 Not  quite as cool as a train puffing a cloud of steam but still not too bad.  I think yesterday would have been a good day for steam as it was pretty cold.

 And the train passing the grain elevator.

 Kind of a shot I like.

One more shot of the train before moving on.  I will definitely got back up to get pictures of the steam engine.  Those shots are too cool pass up on.

Some Friday Afternoon Planespotting

I decided to take today off.  I was thinking about going boatwatching but I didn't feel like driving up to Port Huron to do so.  So I looked at FlightRadar and decided it would be a decent day to do some planespotting.

 This is one of the planes that got me interested.

 It is the Delta plane for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 it seems like it is pretty rare to see a Delta plane in special livery, so it was pretty cool to see this.

 A puff of smoke as her tires contact the runway.

 And more smoke as they all contact.

 She passes the UPS area.

 She was coming in from Frankfurt.

 I went to my other spot because I wanted to catch some of the western planes.  I caught this Lufthansa A340 as it was coming in from Frankfurt.

 And then I saw this Delta A220.

 It was coming in from Dallas-Fort Worth.

 This A319 was coming in from Nashville.

 A 757-300 from Fort Lauderdale.

 Another A319 but this one was arriving from New Orleans.

 An A320 belonging to Alaska Airlines landing on the other runway.  It was coming in from Seattle.

 The other plane that I was interested in.

 It was a 757-300.

 And it was arriving from Los Angeles.

I stuck around to catch this American 737 coming in from Dallas-Fort Worth.