Michael T. Photography - Up North

06/17/2026

"Abandoned Beaver Dam" Whenever I am up north, I like to make the lengthy hike to a smaller lake that has no road access. There is just something about a northern lake that has no cabins dotting its shoreline. When I am here I like to sit near this old abandoned beaver dam and just take in the whole scene.

I can tell that there are no beavers still here as there is a small breach in the dam over which the lake flows like a small waterfall. If the builders of this dam were still around, they would sense this almost immediately and would have made repairs.
Beavers are amazing creations of God and they have always fascinated me.
I will leave you with a few lines from a book about beavers by one of my favorite authors growing up named Jim Kjelgaard:

"Chip re-entered the lodge to sleep again. He came out at sunset, and at once went down to repair the dam. The two kits climbed up on the bank to fell trees and eat bark, while Sleek joined her mate at the dam.

They reinforced weak places, and packed mud and sticks in wherever so much as a trickle of water escaped. Then Chip left the dam to climb up to his anchor tree.
There were trees that could be safely reached if the pond were only bigger. Chip made a careful trip around the bank, trying to decide what he should do in order to accomplish the desired objective. He swam across and surveyed the other
bank.

The dam already backed a large body of water, but by building it higher, and lengthening the right wing, Chip could flood another part of the natural basin that was not already water-covered and reach at least a portion of the desired trees. That was an engineering project for the immediate future."

06/16/2026

"Pine Sap" Have you ever noticed a sticky residue oozing out of the trunk of a pine tree? If you have, then you are familiar with pine sap. Though this essential woodland resource is often overlooked, it is one of the most versatile resources you can use around your home.

Pine sap has antimicrobial compounds that help protect the tree from fungi and bacteria. It is also naturally adhesive—it can stay attached to the tree trunk, acting as a natural sealant to prevent the tree from losing moisture.

Most tree species produce sap, and this coniferous tree is no exception. This sticky substance is primarily used to transport water, nutrients, and mineral elements throughout the tree, akin to blood in the human body. These nutrients pass through xylem cells and phloem tubes to provide nourishment.

Pine sap becomes visible when it drips from cuts and broken limbs in the tree trunk. The trees secrete sap to seal the damage and aid in healing. When pine sap is exposed to air for a considerable period, it tends to harden and crystalize. However, you can soften it by warming it over a fire.

Due to the unique qualities and composition of this coniferous plant, pine sap offers a wide array of practical applications to human beings. Pine sap is a resin that has various uses at home, such as:

Fire starter: Pine sap is flammable and can help ignite or prolong a fire.

First aid: Pine sap has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that can prevent infections and heal wounds.

Herbal supplement: Pine sap contains essential vitamins, polyphenols, and phytonutrients that can benefit health.

Glue: Pine sap can be mixed with charcoal or ash to make a strong adhesive.
Lamp: Pine sap can be used as a fuel for a DIY lamp.

Sealant: Pine sap can be used to seal cracks, holes, or containers.

Soap: Pine sap can be mixed with animal fat and lye to make soap.

Pretty amazing stuff from an amazing God!

06/15/2026

Found some Chicken of the Woods ((Laetiporus sulphureus)) mushrooms on a hike. Not as good as Morels, but still some of the best tasting wild mushrooms out there!

They have a meaty texture when cooked, and offer a mild lemony note that's reminiscent of chicken, lobster, or crab. The "chicken" flavor associated with these mushrooms lends itself to a reliable meat substitute for vegetarian or vegan meal options.

The size of chicken of the woods can range from 2 to 10 inches in diameter, and they grow as a broad, (rather stunning) fan-shaped mushroom on the side of trees. They grow in multiple overlapping layers that resemble small shelves or the layered shingles of a roof in appearance. The mushroom caps can appear smooth or slightly wrinkled depending on the state of maturity and age, but chicken of the woods do not have gills like many popular types of mushrooms you'll find at the supermarket. As they grow, they commonly change color; chicken of the woods can start out as a yellow to orange color and fade to a pale shade of cantaloupe or white when they mature. The mushrooms are most commonly found on the side of tree trunks, old stumps, or injured roots.

Many people who are new to foraging for mushrooms will note that chicken of the woods mushrooms are fairly simple to find. Given that they are located growing on the sides of trees, chicken of the woods aren't exceptionally difficult to spot — and because of their unique appearance, they're not easily confused with other mushroom varieties.

06/14/2026

Grass into milk — without factories, laboratories, or human engineering.

A cow takes something humans cannot digest efficiently — grass filled with tough cellulose — and transforms it into nutrient-rich milk through an extraordinary biological system operating every second inside its body.

Inside the cow is a highly coordinated digestive network made up of four specialized stomach compartments: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. Each section performs a precise role in breaking down plant material, extracting nutrients, and fueling milk production.

The process begins in the rumen, where billions of microbes ferment cellulose from grass. These microbes convert it into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which are then absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the liver for metabolism and energy production.

From there, nutrients are redirected toward the mammary glands, where specialized alveoli cells synthesize milk with remarkable precision. Proteins, fats, sugars, vitamins, minerals, and water are combined into one of the most nutritionally complete foods found in nature.

What makes this system so fascinating is that it operates continuously, automatically, and with incredible efficiency.

No machines.
No industrial processing plants.
No human engineers monitoring the process.

Just an integrated living biochemical system working in harmony.

Even modern technology struggles to replicate this level of efficiency using artificial systems. Yet inside a grazing cow, countless biochemical reactions, microbial interactions, nutrient pathways, and cellular manufacturing processes function together seamlessly every single day.

It amazes me that people can see systems like this and conclude that this is all a blind accident with no God, no meaning and no purpose rather than life reflecting extraordinary design, coordination, and purpose!

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

"New Life" I found this little treasure on a trip up north last spring. I love how the newly hatched egg broke apart so perfectly!

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant." --Anne Bradstreet

06/11/2026

Happy 38th Anniversary to the love of my life! (43 years if you count our dating years!) From high school sweethearts to grandparents of 6 precious grandkids and everything in between!

Kristi, I am so thankful...

Thankful for the incredible example you are of Godly love that is based on a decision and not your feelings...love that has looked for the best in me all these years…love that is unconditional...love that has seen past the immaturity…love that has molded and shaped me into a better person. Love that has sifted through the stress of ministry, coaching and running a video business. But most importantly, love that chose to stay with me through thick and thin, through heartache and pain and through swamps and mountain tops.

Awe...

I don't know of a better word to describe how I feel about you. I have stood in awe as I have watched you raise our three boys. My mouth drops open as I have watched you go through your life as a mother: the energy that was exerted, the compassion and firmness in discipline, the daily and nightly grind you went through pouring your heart and soul into those three gifts from God. I get an amazing feeling inside when I hear someone talk about our boys in a positive manner, and I know they are special because of what you have invested in them. Our children are who they are because of the sacrifices you have made and the hours you have invested in their lives, especially through homeschooling.

And now I get to watch you be a grandmother. The way you read to them, the way you pick out special gifts for them, the way you make up songs for each of them. The way they look out the window and then run to the door of their house to hug you when you visit them. You have always gone out of your way to invest in your kids and your grandkids and they love you for that.

Thank you for being my partner in ministry. It is my guess that others have no clue the amount of time, tears and effort that YOU have put into those dearly loved teens that God has entrusted to us. The love that you give them. The wisdom that you impart. The many sleepless nights spent praying for them and their families. The many times you have had to make a stand to protect a teen, even though you paid a price for it. The way that you have opened up our home to the many kids who know you aren’t their mother, but they still affectionately call you “Mom”.

Thank you for choosing to be a CASA volunteer and the endless hours you were the eyes and ears of the judge for those kids in the foster care system. Thank you for loving those young people as if they were your own.

Thank you for convincing me to join you in our foster care journey. One of the hardest things we have ever done but also one of the most important things.

If there was one word to describe your life it would be selfless. You have shown that in so many areas of your life, but none more than in our marriage.

I owe so much to you, Kristi, and I love the life we have made with each other.

I don’t know how you have balanced all that you have done in your life. Wife, Mom, grandmother, Homeschool Teacher, Kidz Camp Director, CASA Volunteer, Foster Mom, published writer, Elderly Home Care Specialist and Youth Leader… You do it all. But most of all, you balance me… I am looking forward to the next 50 years!

Other than repenting of my sins and acknowledging that Jesus is the King of the Universe and King of my life, marrying you was the best decision I’ve ever made.

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” -- Proverbs 31:28,29

P.S. You still give me tingles every time you kiss me!

06/10/2026

"Fawn Facts" I wanted to share this photo I took of a fawn in the Nicolet National Forest a few years ago. I love their beautiful blue eyes! Within the past two weeks 75 to 80 percent of this year’s fawns will be born here in Wisconsin. Here are a few fawn facts for you to enjoy!

1. Does drop their fawns approximately 200 days after conception

2. Fawns average 6-8 lbs. at birth

3.Does bred as fawns (last year’s) typically have a single fawn.

4. Does bred as 1.5 year old and older typically have twins and occasionally triplets

5. Newborn fawns typically can stand and nurse within 30 minutes

6. Fawns are capable of walking within a few hours

7. Does generally move their fawns away from the birthing site within 3 hours

8. Does with twins typically stash them in thick cover in separate locations

9. Does usually remain within 100 yards of their fawns

10. Fawns spend 90 percent of their time bedded for the first weeks of their lives

11. Newborn fawns typically nurse 2 to 3 times daily; increasing to 6 to 8 times over time

12. Nursing times average 20 to 30 minutes

13. A 3-week-old fawn can outrun most danger

14. Twins are usually reunited and bed close to each other by 3-4 weeks of age

15. Fawns begin eating vegetation at 2-3 weeks of age

16. The average number of spots on a fawn is 300!

06/07/2026

My son Caleb and his wife Carly celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary yesterday! I wanted to share this short video clip from their wedding ceremony. (I had the honor of officiating the wedding. I got a little emotional that is for sure!) I asked Caleb and his bride Carly four questions about each other (privately) and then shared their answers during the ceremony. Give it a listen. It is beautiful...

I wanted to share some beautiful moments from Caleb and Carly's wed...