Just not loving it

[dmpfishlover]

I am just 3-4 miles away. I ride my bike down to the shore and along the walking trail that runs along the shore. The water is so high there is almost no beach with all the rain we have been getting. Makes it hard lately to find driftwood.

I am really close to the lake, but for some reason I don't go to the beach often.. not sure why? I just don't. I guess that to me, it doesn't feel like a lake, it feels more like an ocean. I didn't grow up in Michigan. I've only lived in MI for 14 years. I grew up in New Hampshire next to Lake Winnipesaukee, a much smaller lake than Lake Michigan. So for me, a lake is a much smaller body of water. I grew up within walking distance of the lake and the river that fed the lake. I was a Tomboy growing up and spent my summers collecting snakes, turtles, fish, amphibians, etc from the river and lake and my backyard/woods. I learned so much about animals while growing up, and from an early age knew that animals were my life's passion. So it was a " no brainier" when I went to College that my major would be Zoology... The funny thing is that I am not using my degree in my current profession at all!! LOL.. Such is life!!

 

[mbsqw1d]

Need to practice my tree identifying skills though.
Wait.. how do you know which tree it comes from if it's just dead wood, with no leaves or obvious bark like a silver birch? Just experience with different woods? My only experience with IDing wood is telling whether a sideboard is mahogany or pine or something.

Yeh didnt think of that, if its washed up and no longer near the tree it belonged to, and its stripped of it's bark.. you'd need to be pretty good at identifying the type
If you can't 100% identify it but yiu really want it, then test that it is a hardwood at least?

 

[WhistlingBadger]

@Retired Viking and @dmpfishlover My wife's folks are from central Michigan, and we've thought about heading that way to retire, mostly because the property prices are so much lower there, and growing food is so much easier. I think the UP looks interesting, but any of those hilly, lake-side areas are beautiful. Being from Wyoming, big forests and big water hold a special fascination for me. I sure don't complain about where I live. But you guys have it pretty good, too.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Regarding the ID of driftwood: If I find really old wood that's been kicking around in the creek long enough that it's bleached and all the bark is polished off, I don't worry about the species. Even if it's pine, I figure that by that point anything leachable has done leached.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Yeh didnt think of that, if its washed up and no longer near the tree it belonged to, and its stripped of it's bark.. you'd need to be pretty good at identifying the type
If you can't 100% identify it but yiu really want it, then test that it is a hardwood at least?

That makes sense. I'm probably overthinking it and it'll be easier than I imagine. If it looks or feels funky in any way, you probably wouldn't risk it, but as @WhistlingBadger just pointed out, some common sense comes into play. If it looks and feels good, boil or bake the hell out of it and don't worry too much.

 

[dmpfishlover]

@Retired Viking and @dmpfishlover My wife's folks are from central Michigan, and we've thought about heading that way to retire, mostly because the property prices are so much lower there, and growing food is so much easier. I think the UP looks interesting, but any of those hilly, lake-side areas are beautiful. Being from Wyoming, big forests and big water holds a special fascination for me. I sure don't complain about where I live. But you guys have it pretty good, too.

I do love Michigan.... But my heart belongs to the Granite State (New Hampshire)...Always will... I am sure it is because I grew up there, and I am a little biased, but it is so beautiful... I think if I lived further north, near the UP, I would probably not be as homesick for New Hampshire, because there would be more mountains... But I miss the mountains, lakes, rivers and the vast forests in New Hampshire... The state's motto is "Live Free or Die"... It kind of resonates for me and reflects a love for nature...

 

[Retired Viking]

I am really close to the lake, but for some reason I don't go to the beach often.. not sure why? I just don't. I guess that to me, it doesn't feel like a lake, it feels more like an ocean. I didn't grow up in Michigan. I've only lived in MI for 14 years. I grew up in New Hampshire next to Lake Winnipesaukee, a much smaller lake than Lake Michigan. So for me, a lake is a much smaller body of water. I grew up within walking distance of the lake and the river that fed the lake. I was a Tomboy growing up and spent my summers collecting snakes, turtles, fish, amphibians, etc from the river and lake and my backyard/woods. I learned so much about animals while growing up, and from an early age knew that animals were my life's passion. So it was a " no brainier" when I went to College that my major would be Zoology... The funny thing is that I am not using my degree in my current profession at all!! LOL.. Such is life!!

Many of my relatives including my grandparents are buried in Portsmouth NH. I spent my summers as a kid on an island off the coast of Maine. The closest towns were Kittery Maine and Portsmouth NH. I have several relatives that live in NH.

 

[Fishmanic]

Regarding the ID of driftwood: If I find really old wood that's been kicking around in the creek long enough that it's bleached and all the bark is polished off, I don't worry about the species. Even if it's pine, I figure that by that point anything leachable has done leached.

A soft wood like pine will rot much quicker than a hardwood like oak.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Many of my relatives including my grandparents are buried in Portsmouth NH. I spent my summers as a kid on an island off the coast of Maine. The closes towns were Kittery Maine and Portsmouth NH. I have several relatives that live in NH.

I grew up just 45 minutes from Portsmouth!! I go back to NH twice a year to visit my family (around the 4th of July and Christmas) In the same town I grew up in on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. In the Summer we go to the ocean in Maine (Ogunquit Beach). I would love to move back, but my children are established in schools here in MI. So, maybe some day...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

A soft wood like pine will rot much quicker than a hardwood like oak.

True. I've only had one piece really go slimy on me, and it was fairly decomposed when I put it in. I just removed it and replaced it. No big deal. As long as filtration is sufficient, I've never found decomposing driftwood to be a big problem.

 

[CassCats]

My river is indeed part of the Great Lakes system, not far from you all actually, climate wise.

Some woods are pretty distinctive even when in the water, soft woods dont hold up well after weathering. Those that are soft and falling apart aren't ideal.

My elm stump has been anchored in

Elm for me is an easy distinctive one because of the shrubs and their shapes.

 

[Essjay]

Almost the entire population of native UK elm trees was wiped out years ago by Dutch elm disease. Such a pity if it produces such lovely wood.

 

[CassCats]

Added the new vals

 

[mbsqw1d]

What fish is that? A gourami? I like it, and I don't tend to like gouramis

 

[dmpfishlover]

What fish is that? A gourami? I like it, and I don't tend to like gouramis
View attachment 110913

Looks like a Rainbow fish to me?