Michigan gas prices are just under $2.30 per gallon

Michigan gas prices went down just a bit to an average of $2.29 as of this morning. One year ago we were paying $2.17. Just one month ago we were under the $2 threshold at $1.95. That was when we hadn't had our winter yet and the mild weather had helped push demand for heating oil and natural gas down which gave us the lower gas prices.

On a positive note, Spring officially begins one month from tomorrow on March 20. With warmer temperatures expected this week lets all 'think spring!'

Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.

Snowy and cold Michigan weather makes me wish I had a Stormy Kromer

Just what is the legendary Stormy Kromer you ask? Well, back in 1903 retired semi-pro ball player decided he had lost one too many hats due to the wind whipping them off. He enlisted his wife to add earflaps to one of his old baseball caps so when he was riding in his locomotive his cap would not blow off.

Folks took notice of his little invention and it wasn't long before the Stormy Kromer Cap Company was started in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2002 production of the Stormy Kromer was moved to Ironwood, Michigan after production in Wisconsin ceased.

It seems fitting that a product meant for extreme weather should be made in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Original Stormy Kromer retails for $29.95 and shipping to the Continental U.S. is only $2.50.

Time to go do some more shoveling.

Visit the online store for Stormy Kromer.

No work meat loaf recipe is excellent

The wind is gusting and snow is falling. It is a perfect day for meat loaf. I know a lot of folks don't care for dishes with the word "loaf" in the title, but this is quite possibly one of the best tasting meat loaf dishes I have had. So, without further ado, lets get to the recipe.

What you will need:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 2 C. packaged her seasoned stuffing (think stove top stuffing)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine meat, egg, 1/2 C. tomato sauce, stuffing and seasonings. Shape in loaf in a shallow baking dish. Bake 1 hour.

Remove from oven and pour the remaining sauce over the loaf. Bake additional 10 minutes.

When my wife cooked this last week we didn't have tomato sauce so she substituted some three cheese spaghetti sauce. I have to say it made this rather tasty.

Cold temps push Michigan gas prices up again

Regular unleaded gasoline is averaging $2.27 per gallon in Michigan this morning. That is up $.06 from the average of $2.21 at this time last week. One month ago we were paying $2.12 and at this time last year the average price of gas in Michigan was $2.24. Cold temperatures have caused a spike in heating fuels such as natural gas and heating oil which in turn causes an increase in gasoline.

Gas price data courtesy of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.

Best cup of coffee in Michigan

This story in the Detroit News got me thinking about the best place to get a cup of coffee here in Michigan. The article states that " Consumer Reports taste test found McDonald's Corp.'s coffee tastes better and costs less than brew from Starbucks Corp., Burger King Holdings Inc. and Dunkin' Donuts Inc." I like to drink my coffee black, but McDonald's coffee has seemed so strong in the past that yesterday when I had a cup of joe from McDonald's I added one cream and sugar. I have to say, it was a pretty good cup of coffee. I don't think it was the best I have ever had by any means although the price would be hard to beat.

Here is a brief (so many coffee shops, so little time) list of some of my favorite places to get my coffee fix across Michigan. The list is in no particular order - I love them all :).

• North Woods Coffee Co. - Coldwater
• The Bean Counter - New Buffalo
• L. A.'s Coffee Cafe - Three Rivers
• Java Joe's - St. Ignace
• Nicky's Coffee Bar at the Stray Dog Bookshop - Three Rivers
• Beaners Coffee (yeah it's a franchise, but it started in East Lansing and that is where I fell in love with it)

There are so many other coffee shops that I see and jot down in my memory bank as places to try out sometime. I wish I had the time to stop at them all, but alas I do not.

Feel free to add to this list in the comments for coffee shops in Michigan that you absolutely love. I will certainly add them to my list.

Have a very happy Friday!

Condos within spitting distance of Big Bay Point Lighthouse

Well, I guess my wife and I won't be staying at the Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast again. We stayed there once during our honeymoon and loved it so much we came back in the fall for a longer stay. Once again, we had a great time and vowed to spend a future anniversary there. Now with this news that the condo project near the Big Bay Point Lighthouse has been cleared by a Marquette County judge I don't think the bed and breakfast will offer the same atmosphere.

The town (or village - it's not too big) of Big Bay is remote. Tucked away northwest of Marquette in the midst of a peaceful remoteness filled with beautiful scenery, waterfalls, and wildlife. As you drive out to the point where the lighthouse stands the gravel road gets a bit narrower and bumpier the closer you get.

The surrounding forest seems to close in on you as you turn each bend expecting to see a moose, bear, or other assorted wildlife. Upon arrival at the lighthouse all you hear is the wind in the trees and the thunderous crashing of Lake Superior's waves upon the sandstone cliffs.

Oh how I would hate to go up there and see a suburban setting of cookie cutter condos sitting just off the road within sight of the lighthouse.

I should mention that I do not feel sorry for the lighthouse bed and breakfast as they are part of the group that owns the land and has been pushing for this development.

You can read all about this story at The Mining Journal.

Follow this link for a satellite image showing just how remote the lighthouse is located - Google Satellite Map of Big Bay Point Lighthouse