Brrrr...... these three look like they could use a blanket or at least some earmuffs! With the snowing and blowing in the U.P. the past couple days, there's more than frost on them there pumpkins. Look real close, you can see water droplets on them and the snow blowing by!

Anybody up for some pumpkin pie?

From the gallery album of Sharyn Tormanen

Hello to the UP from Houston. I love this site, and visit daily.
Who else sees an insect face in the pine cone picture? I just turned the computer on with my morning coffee and called my wife over to see yesterday's snowey scene, and clicked on the pine cone picture first. She said "Am I supposed to see a fly face or something?" I said "huh?"
I can tell from the comments that most of you wouldn't change where you live for anywhere else.
Thanks again for the great pics.

It's difficult to remember that we have another month and a half of Autumn yet! Great pictures as usual. Those pumpkins really look like Thanksgiving in the UP and help me remember- that's the holiday coming up, and not Christmas, like the stores want us to believe.
The leaves are almost down here in Northern NJ. Got great piles of Oak leaves to clear. Love them big OLD Oaks, but they sure have a lot of leaves!!! And I noticed that even in the middle of winter here, the Oaks are still dropping leaves with the winter winds.
Really pretty shot of the "snow cones".

Good morning to the U.P.I was watching ESPN and they had a car race in the U.P. around Houghton .I was a little shocked.
Its the Fly,help me..Bob

Ms Katie, Il,
Check out these links to order Pasty Gifts or the NEW 2004 Yooper Calendar.

Don't forget everyone....the holidays are coming!!

Great site! Neat pictures, especially the cones! Yes, I too, see a fly face! On Pasty Central's contest, can my wife and I each enter with the same e-mail address or is that considered two entrys in one day? Thank you.

Yes, Paul, it's ok to enter the contest with 2 seperate names using the same email address. Better yet, consider using Pasty.NET as your Internet provider, and receive up to 5 email addresses for your family at no extra charge. Connections with a local call are available in your area (Lansing to Howell). Phone toll-free to get hooked up, 1-800-327-0966.

Heiki Lunta I do NOT miss. Great week of pics. Mary. Always enjoy the wonderful scenes. Keep em coming. Thanks again for this marvelous website.

Thanks for your replay. But I'm fairly new and I don't understand from the site how to order. I don't need to order pasties to get anything, do I? I just made my own pasties for supper Friday. Maybe someday, they sound so good! Appreciate all the work you're doing to make this site so wonderful. I check in twice almost every day. :)

Ms. Katie,
If you don't understand ordering from the site, just call Toll Free 1-877-727-8911, to request a Free Brochure for ordering by mail!

Or feel free to email gifts@pasty.com and ask any questions you may have.

Hi Youppers,

I just sent for my fall order of pasties and Christmas Calendar. I didn't feel I could order pasties sent out here to NW California during the hot summer,but now we are getting our wet and cold autumn/winter weather I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of pasties, (and the special pasty sauce!!!)

nita@snowcrest.net

Winter Crookneck - I believe it is a type of squash.

Crookneck....a varity of squash is correct.

Where is the Charles Briggs School? Thought for a minute it was the Edward Ryan in Hancock, but.....Nice pix, Sharyn.

Cold weather has set in parts of the U.P. with 2.7 F below zero last night in downtown Paulding and it seems to be getting colder tonight. Did anyone watch the total lunar eclispe. It was great to watch. The pics are great Mary! Keep up the good work.

L in LL and ed, you are absolutely correct. I was wondering if anyone would catch that little question and come up with an answer!
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary: any of several crooknecks that are winter squashes of the pumpkin group, noted for their keeping qualities
Kind of fitting I'd say!

Crookneck squash

Any of several varieties of summer squash with a long, curved neck that is slightly more slender than the bulbous base. Crookneck squash have a light to deep yellow skin that can range in texture from almost smooth when quite young to slightly bumpy as the squash matures. The creamy-yellow flesh has a mild, delicate flavor. Crooknecks average from 8 to 10 inches long, but are best when a youthful 6 inches. Choose firm squash with no sign of shriveling; the skin should be easily pierced with a fingernail.

Winter crookneck squash has harder outer skin and is called "winter squash" because it matures in the fall and can be stored for several months. Shape is similar to summer crookneck squash.

Ken,Charles Briggs School is in Laurium, on the corners of 4th, and Pewabic sts. My last year there was 1977, and i believe that is when it closed.

A squash! Ha! I figured it had to be when you get a "crook" in your neck from being so cold in the winter.

Thanks for the compliments on the photos. I'll never look at the pinecone one the same again....a fly...wow...I never would have thought of that. I thought they were such pretty pinecones! haha! There must be something physcological in there somewhere I'm sure! Ü My last year at Briggs was also in '77, 2nd grade. I went there for 1st and 2nd and then we all moved over to M.M. Morrison. I have a lot of memories of Briggs.

I am curious about the highlighted tree in the picture. It is hard to tell from the picture, but if I am not mistaken the cones seem to have little three pronged bracts hanging from the cone scales, which would identify it as a Douglas fir. Douglas fir is a confier definitely not naitive to the UP, although I know of many planted around the Copper Country as ornimentals and Christmas trees. And the cones are not fir and are not clearly spruce. A misguided forester.

I'm not good on trees, but I can tell you that this one is really kind of a random scraggly thing. It hangs out up there on Cambria just north of Pine St.

Winter Crookneck – A common Copper Country malady caused by winter driving. I.e. Arriving at an intersection with high snow banks on all sides, and trying to stretch one’s neck out to see any oncoming cross traffic.

Sharyn; For the tree being "random and straggly," you caught a beautiful part of it. Goes to remind all of us: There is something beautiful in everything.

To Bob R. Arizona - re auto race:

I believe the auto race you caught on ESPN may be the SCCA race on M-24 along the icy shores of Lake Superior. We understand that the race is held during November, just as the weather is turning cold and icy -- thus the name of the race -- "Press on Regardless". Only for the strong at heart!

Can anyone tell me what kind of school Charles Briggs was in laurium? Grade school? How long it was open and when it closed? Always been curious