• Wednesday-What'sUP July 17 - 04:47 am

If you look up the definition of fog, here's what you'll find: 'A cloud that is in contact with the ground, occurring when moisture from the surface of the Earth evaporates; while this evaporated moisture moves upward, it cools and condenses, resulting in fog.' These two shots from Joyce Tormala embody both the fog and the moisture needed to create it. With this ground cloud, you automatically think grayness, but here in Joyce's garden we get a brightening burst of color from the flowers in the foreground. Then we get down, much closer to the earth for a peek at the reflective quality from those water droplets we've received here UP North. Hanging onto this finely spun web sure gives them the illusion of being suspended in the air. Some of the quiet beauty rain creates!

Sure it's beautiful, Mary, and we needed the water last week, after a month of dry days. But the prolonged rainfall gave us some unique problems here in the Keweenaw on Pasty.NET's wireless broadband system. We are just now completing the first full year of having the high-speed Internet service in place, with broadband all the way up to Copper Harbor. This is providing a faster connection for communities across the Peninsula, but not without some tough challenges.

At first we were concerned about the system making it through the rugged winter, which turned out to be relatively easy. However, all the rain this spring has revealed some weaknesses in the waterproofing, which has really kept us busy the past few days. Transmission lines and antennas have soaked up the moisture - which is deadly to microwave broadcasting. We are refitting and replacing where necessary.

Our apologies to all the Pasty.NET members in Copper Hopper, Agate Harbor, Eagle Harbor, Cat Harbor, Eagle River, Lac La Belle, Bete Gris, Gay, Mohawk, etc. who have had to temporarily use dial-up while we've been making the high-speed system more water-tight. It appears to be working better this morning, just a little more tweaking needed. Thanks for your patience!

Gorgeous photos as usual. I've always wanted to carry my camera with me all the time so I could catch this kind of unexpected shot, but I'd never get to work on time so its better to leave it at home. So, thanks to all those who take the time to see the beauty and share it. Have a great day, everyone.

What gorgeous colors. Super photos folks. The picture of Brockaway is even great.

As usual Joyce, your pictures are breathtaking. If we only took the time to stop and look at the beauty around us because it keeps changing on a continuous basis. I can almost see the fog lifting to a bright and sunny morning.

I seem to remember echos working best in the fog. How about the rest of you?

Thanks, Joyce!

If you look hard, there's lots to imagine in those drops. The covered road in winter, palm trees in a hurricane, the turtle's eye (without the brown), the turtle with ice on her tail, a cruise ship with whale's tail, camera lens, face from a horror movie, a brown "lady bug", her baby, (past the cruise ship) maybe daddy on the far left center?

Beautiful pictures!!!

I knew as soon as I saw the first picture, the photographer was Joyce Tormala. Joyce has an incredible eye for photography. I also like her witty captions for the photos in her gallery.
Looks like her flower gardens are coming along nicely. Wonder how the rock garden is doing? Are the faces still smiling?

Bottom, center drop: big nose with a milk moustache!

What building is on the top of Mt. Horace Greeley?

Joyce, as always beautiful pics. The first pic makes you feel as if you are right there.

Sorry, Charlie< for all your technical difficulties. Lord knows how much I've had in my little computer world. But I have to say, these photos are the defintion of Spring. Thanks Joyce.

lacy one bottom right: prehistoric flying insect with head under a leaf.

Oh, My! Top picture jumped right onto my screen saver before I even read the notes. Thank you!

Nice photo... It's a very gloomy morning in San Francisco. Your photo, Joyce, hit the spot this morning. Thanks !! Now, all I need is a warm pasty and a cold beer, the breakfast of champions..

My brother was stationed on Mt Horace Greeley in the 1960s when he was in the Air Force. Are any of those buildings still there?

Oh the beauty in flowers. Don't you just love nature!

That top picture is just beautiful and just might be my new wallpaper for a while!

ROUDY- echoes work better in the fog - i don't work as well

I WORKED in that tallest building on Mt. Horace Greeley when Calumet AFS was open. That is where the Search long range radar was....

The times we had and the stories we could tell...but those are memories, and like the past, they are gone forever....

N.Ony.Mous: memories are never gone!

Really neat Pics! For me the top one is a WOW!

Postcard-perfect pictures Joyce. Lots of great
color in the flowers. Thanks for sharing them with
us.

Joyce, I put "Foggy Daybreak" on our desktop and my husband came down and said, "WOW!" And I think this should be a WOW!

What a great picture of your garden, Joyce. Very peaceful & quiet!

Hey Joyce....
This is Helen......I met you last week at Julies when you came to get kitty. As soon as I saw this picture I knew you took it.....the feid and flowers are so beautiful and I love web pictures with the early morning dew......I am saving for my camera so you can teach me how to take beautiful pictures like you do.
Thanks for sharing your pictures....

Thank you! What a miserable,cold,bleak week it was! The rain kept the wildflowers AND us in a drowsy state. I was happy to go to work,to stay alert and physically active.
I'd step outside,roll my eyes and run back in to check the calendar. Yep,it's May. Ugh! Grumble,groan,whine and moan. As punishment for my complaining,the power went out twice and the wind blew the furnace pilot light out. We could be like the Clampetts and move to Beverly Hills,I thought,but I'm glad we weathered the weather,whether we liked it or not. This,too,did pass. These dreary spells are humbling and we learn to appreciate the beauty around us. If we can,we may as well get out there and enjoy it!

All I can say is...."Holy Wah!" (Yoopers say dat a lot yous know...but for good reason eh?)

Looks a lot like Or. coastal areas in the early AM. Time to go back up......to enjoy