Canadian here, appreciating your photos of the majestic night skies. I’m not travelling to the US at the moment, but have made many excursions across your country over the years. One memorable trip had me stopping in your home town for the night in odd circumstances. I was on a road trip with a friend, and our destination was Michigan’s Upper Peninsula - part of our plan to swim in all the Great Lakes. We had hoped to camp at the park at Pictured Rocks but we were too late to claim a site. We drove on to Grand Marais, thinking we would find a hotel there. My friend who was driving decided to stop at a house where two older men stood chatting in the yard, to get their advice. Long story, but one of them offered his home for the night as he was planning to be away in the city that night. We took him up on his offer, to the chagrin of his suspicious cat. It was a cold and stormy night, unusual in July, so we did not get to see the night sky over Superior that we had hoped for. But we did appreciate the kindness and hospitality of your countryman, and hope someday to be able to return, when the country becomes hospitable to outsiders once again.
Meantime, I will appreciate it from afar through your photos.
Bryan, I know there’s not much more to be said, other than to acknowledge there are “low information” sorts on both sides of the border. The response of your friends/acquaintances mystifies me. And yes, Ford creates his own problems for us in Ontario. Sadly he has no effective opposition (which worries me about your upcoming midterms too.) Among people I know any American who comes to Canada is presumptively a friend, and we are all trying to get by in the same ecosystem. Meantime, thanks again for your gorgeous photos. Who knows, someday I may get to see the north shore of Superior!
An unusual enough name so I wasn’t expecting Minnesota. My apologies! But I’m sure the Minnesotans are as kind as our host was. I know the situation in Minnesota has been especially fraught.
I’m really sorry to hear that you have also found Canada to be unfriendly and have curtailed your own travel. I had not heard that elsewhere and I hope it’s not widespread. All of us who live near the border are accustomed to friendship, not the opposite. It’s what kept me coming back so many times. May these trying times end soon.
It has been bad in my town. Without the tourists from Thunder Bay, business has been down for some local businesses. Considering that Cook County, the county that I live in, is one of the most liberal counties in a liberal state that opposed Trump, it seems like the target of Canadians boycotting is misplaced.
Recently, a wildfire crossed from Ontario into Minnesota and from Minnesota into Ontario. People I know from Canada were blaming the US, and when I pointed out the fire that crossed into the US, they wouldn't believe it. When I pointed out that in the NE, the US sent firefighters to Quebec to help with wildfires, they wouldn't believe it. They wouldn't believe the truth from someone that they know — someone who they know is liberal, and someone who spent years involved in politics turning my county further blue. Then one had the audacity to say that I was "Trumpist" for pointing out the truth. And, Ontario elected Ford, who is his own sort of problem.
Thanks for sharing that story. I live in Grand Marais, Minnesota, and not the one in Michigan. But, that's a nice town, too. We also stopped traveling to Canada after my wife's car was scratched and the attitude I've had from people that I had considered friends in the past. We used to send my kid to a summer camp in Thunder Bay, but we decided to skip that now. It's just not comfortable anymore. It isn't a good situation all around.
To see the sky…to hear you say what we are missing, what we will miss…you are our prophet of olden times, carrying the blessings of tomorrow for us forever forward to His labyrinth.
Canadian here, appreciating your photos of the majestic night skies. I’m not travelling to the US at the moment, but have made many excursions across your country over the years. One memorable trip had me stopping in your home town for the night in odd circumstances. I was on a road trip with a friend, and our destination was Michigan’s Upper Peninsula - part of our plan to swim in all the Great Lakes. We had hoped to camp at the park at Pictured Rocks but we were too late to claim a site. We drove on to Grand Marais, thinking we would find a hotel there. My friend who was driving decided to stop at a house where two older men stood chatting in the yard, to get their advice. Long story, but one of them offered his home for the night as he was planning to be away in the city that night. We took him up on his offer, to the chagrin of his suspicious cat. It was a cold and stormy night, unusual in July, so we did not get to see the night sky over Superior that we had hoped for. But we did appreciate the kindness and hospitality of your countryman, and hope someday to be able to return, when the country becomes hospitable to outsiders once again.
Meantime, I will appreciate it from afar through your photos.
Bryan, I know there’s not much more to be said, other than to acknowledge there are “low information” sorts on both sides of the border. The response of your friends/acquaintances mystifies me. And yes, Ford creates his own problems for us in Ontario. Sadly he has no effective opposition (which worries me about your upcoming midterms too.) Among people I know any American who comes to Canada is presumptively a friend, and we are all trying to get by in the same ecosystem. Meantime, thanks again for your gorgeous photos. Who knows, someday I may get to see the north shore of Superior!
An unusual enough name so I wasn’t expecting Minnesota. My apologies! But I’m sure the Minnesotans are as kind as our host was. I know the situation in Minnesota has been especially fraught.
I’m really sorry to hear that you have also found Canada to be unfriendly and have curtailed your own travel. I had not heard that elsewhere and I hope it’s not widespread. All of us who live near the border are accustomed to friendship, not the opposite. It’s what kept me coming back so many times. May these trying times end soon.
It has been bad in my town. Without the tourists from Thunder Bay, business has been down for some local businesses. Considering that Cook County, the county that I live in, is one of the most liberal counties in a liberal state that opposed Trump, it seems like the target of Canadians boycotting is misplaced.
Recently, a wildfire crossed from Ontario into Minnesota and from Minnesota into Ontario. People I know from Canada were blaming the US, and when I pointed out the fire that crossed into the US, they wouldn't believe it. When I pointed out that in the NE, the US sent firefighters to Quebec to help with wildfires, they wouldn't believe it. They wouldn't believe the truth from someone that they know — someone who they know is liberal, and someone who spent years involved in politics turning my county further blue. Then one had the audacity to say that I was "Trumpist" for pointing out the truth. And, Ontario elected Ford, who is his own sort of problem.
Anyway...
Thanks for sharing that story. I live in Grand Marais, Minnesota, and not the one in Michigan. But, that's a nice town, too. We also stopped traveling to Canada after my wife's car was scratched and the attitude I've had from people that I had considered friends in the past. We used to send my kid to a summer camp in Thunder Bay, but we decided to skip that now. It's just not comfortable anymore. It isn't a good situation all around.
To see the sky…to hear you say what we are missing, what we will miss…you are our prophet of olden times, carrying the blessings of tomorrow for us forever forward to His labyrinth.
Love your images and perspective on life
Beautiful words and photos!
I’m also in awe every time I see the night sky. It never gets old. Thank you for sharing your night sky with your students.
Thank you for sharing your talents. Once again this was a highlight post.
I cannae help but remember Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken," when looking at your pictures, Bryan.
They take my breath away.
We stand together when sharing our unique perspectives with one another.
Thank you for sharing yours.