Beaver Island Jewelry

Electric Vehicles visit Beaver Island

2008-06-28T17:07:00.010-04:00

The electric vehicle (ev) show was held on Beaver Island and was great way to see what is available. This is the Think car.

I liked this ev!
Pedicabs and EV's!

Just plug them in and go.

It was hard to see any "engine" in these. The engine is very small and just runs the wheels. It is mostly batteries.

Beaver Island already has about 5-6 free charging stations. This one is at Central Michigan University's Bio Station.
A very efficient GEM utility vehicle.
We like this GEM. Fits four people or two people and a large dog!

Anne looking good in the red EV!
Cary checking out the dashboard -- not much there!
Even the island dogs love the EV's!

An electric scooter for the Historical Society raffle.

All 13 EV's came on the ferry from Charlevoix on Friday, June 27. It was fun watching them debark.

Then and now! The old Caddy must take lots of $5.50 a gallon gas vs. the EV's -- no gas!!

*****************************************************

The Beaver Island Electric Car Show on June 27 and 28, 2008 was informative and fun to see. We got there early to see the electric cars come off the ferry from Charlevoix. I think the boat guys enjoyed driving those cuties off! The Beaver Island newspapers and us bloggers were there to take photos.
There were Zenn cars (http://www.zenncars.com/), Miles Electric Vehicles (http://www.mileselectricvehicles.com/) and Gems (http://www.gemcar.com/) . Gem stands for Global Electric Motorcars, a Chrysler Company. The Gems and Miles cars were accompanied by the authorized dealer, Vic Staley, from New London OH at North Central Zenn. The Gems were accompanied by Frank Veraldi from Fox Charlevoix (http://www.foxcharlevoix.com/). The Beaver Island organizer of the ev show was Dan Wardlow who brought his blue Zenn and graciously allowed folks to take it for a spin – which I did! What fun and so quiet. Of course, no gas motor, just batteries (about 7 batteries) and a little motor to run the wheels. The parking brake was on, I turned the key, put the button to forward, took off the brake and off we went! I think I got up to 25 mph. There was room in the back for 2 people if you had a seat installed or a dog. When we got back from my spin, the button went to neutral, turned the key off and put the parking brake on. That was it! Plug it in around the island at various free charging stations when needed, or at your home overnight.
We wondered about over-wintering an electric car. You can find some place to overwinter where it would be charged/recharged once a month. It would be hard to put a solar trickle charger on all seven batteries like we presently do for our car. Maybe some enterprising islanders will work something out for overwinter care for electric cars.
Jeff Connor was also there from Inland Motors. He is retrofitting a Dodge Dakota into an elective vehicle. He recommends that as it has all the “comforts” of a regular car (heat, a/c, radio, plush seats, larger tires) but no gas motor. He will also service ev’s on the island.

The prices ran from around $8,000 for a used GEM to around $15,000 for the utility truck. They basically pay for themselves, especially here on Beaver Island with gas presently at $5.50 a gallon. The cost per “gallon” is about 2.5 or 3 cents (in electricity costs). The Zenn dealer told us the batteries would last about 3-5 years, probably longer on a part time use and would cost about $1500 to replace all seven batteries.

According to the GEM literature, owning a GEM eS Model (small utility vehicle) versus a combustion engine car for 3 years (3600 miles) would be:

GEM Combustion

Costs $8,000

Insurance $900
Electricity $90
No tailpipe emissions.

COMBUSTION ENGINE CAR

Cost: $20,000

Insurance $3,000

Fuel: $750 (right now gas is $5.50 a gallon on Beaver Island)

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Death of the Electric Car

2008-06-19T14:27:00.004-04:00

Mitsubishi's iMiEV is an electric car built on the company's 'i car' platform. The electric iMiEV is only a test vehicle at this point, but it can go for about 100 miles on a full charge with its lithium ion battery pack.

In 1996 electric cars were starting to appear all over California but they were all gone by 2006: destroyed--crushed and shredded by General Motors who made them. They were fast, quiet, and used no gasoline. Who Killed the Electric Car is a DVD by Sony Pictures which discusses the death of the electric car and by who/what. It is a very interesting look.

The movie states that the cost to run an electric car is about 60 cents a gallon (if it took gas). An electric car runs on rechargeable batteries, supplying electricity to an electric motor. The motor triggers the transmission which triggers the wheels to move.

In about 1996 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted the Zero Emission Vehicle in California, requiring 2% ZEV in 1998, 5% in 2001 and 10% in 2003. Then the auto companies got the board to lower the standards and in 1999, GM bought the Hummer. Guess what? They started pushing Hummers vs. electric cars!!

In 2003 President Bush started a push for the hydrogen fuel cell car. Because hydrogen fuel cell cars can't be powered at home (such as with an electric socket) but need a whole infra structure to "fuel" cars they are not very convenient.

In 2006 GM started recalling all its electric cars and crushed them all, then eventually shredded them! All the GM EV cars are gone!

The movie looks at several "suspects" in the killing of the electric car:

Batteries
Government
Oil Companies
CARB
Car Companies
Hydrogen fuel cells

The web site for the movie: Who Killed the Electric Car is full of information and facts that are seen in the movie. Check it out if you can't see the movie.

By the way, Beaver Island (Michigan) is having an electric car show on June 27 and 28th. The ferry will be bringing the cars over to the island from Charlevoix (Michigan) on the 27th and they will be parked in front of the Shamrock. People can drive them and talk to the salespeople. Check it out!

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Beaver Island

2008-06-14T10:13:00.006-04:00

Some Beaver Island photos here. The water is blue and inviting!
An old log by my cabin.

This looks like a painting doesn't it? But it is tanins running into Lake Michigan on the sand.
A view of Lake Michigan.
Walking the sand.
Marsh Marigold.

Beach stones.
This is the boat ramp at the campground on E. Side Drive.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

2008 Cabin Retreat

2008-05-24T21:55:00.008-04:00

Bead Retreat - Big Rapids, MI 2008

Wonderful cabin and people. Beading, eating, chatting, learning, all weekend long.
View of the lake: Townline Lake otherwise known as Loon Lake!

Class Photo 2008

One of the visitors was really interested in torching!
She was looking for the kitty here -- whenever I would "meow" she would look like this. Soooo cute.
This is where the torches were set up.

Such fun the next morning seeing all the beads that came out of the kilns.
Wonder who's face bead this is??

Deb showing us how to silver core our beads.
Gotta love it - men working the kitchen!

Some of the folks went searching for those elusive Michigan Morels and found a couple!!

Found one!! No, just kidding.....

felting class - some examples of what folks did

Views from the loft of the living room/dining room/kitchen area. The cabin was a wonderful space!

Deb torching

Felting class taught by me

GO BACK TO: Beaver Island Jewelry web site.

Cabin Retreat

2008-05-21T14:46:00.002-04:00

I spent a great weekend at a log cabin on a lake near Big Rapids this weekend with beaders! Beaders as far away as Louisiana and Arizona! Later I will post photos of this fun bead retreat...I am on Beaver Island so do not have internet access at my house.

There were about 22 people at the retreat so lots of new folks to meet - some of which I "talk" to on line but had not met.

After the weekend I went north to catch the ferry for Beaver Island. That is where I am now -- in the cold!

Stay tuned for photos later in the week.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Walk and Wag

2008-05-11T10:50:00.002-04:00

The Huron Valley Humane Society here in Washtenaw County is having their annual Walk & Wag (click for link) on May 17, 2008. This is how they raise operation funds for the shelter and is a fun event. Saturday I went to the Farmer's Market in Ann Arbor to sell raffle tickets for the Walk & Wag. Slinky, a 7 month pit bull terrior (from the shelter) came along to help us sell tickets!! And did she ever help - people loved her. She is a loveable pup and loves to give kisses to everyone. See photos above. She came in as a stray and is very skinny but with some love and food will do fine. At the maket she wore a bright red banner that reads "'I'm adoptable".

The Raffle is $5 a ticket or 5 for $20 and you don't have to be present to win. Top prize is $1,000, 2d prize is a flat screen TV and 3rd prize are UM/MSU 50 yd line tickets.

Walk & Wag is Saturday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Washtenaw County Farm Park at Platt Rd and Washtenaw.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Don't complain about the high cost of gas because on Beaver Island it is over $5!

2008-05-06T12:52:00.003-04:00

I have been saying that people should not complain about the high cost of gas here in Michigan or around the country because it has been high on Beaver Island for a long time! Last summer it was high and it is over $5 a gallon right now on the island. Neil Rubin of the Detroit News has published an article about the same subject. See here at LINK.

So, as the Chamber of Commerce on the island says: Come to Beaver Island for a week and rent a house with 3 bedrooms for around $1300 a week. That is a good deal! Lots of things to do on Beaver Island and you don't have to go far to do it. The Beaver Island Boat Company ferry ride (about 2 hours) is lots of fun and kids love it. You can camp on the island, rent a cabin or stay in the hotels. See the Chamber of Commerce web site for LINK to places to stay.

As you can see from the above photos I am going to try to use LESS gas on the island by bringing my new Schwinn moped! It gets around 125 mpg; doesn't go fast but I can enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way!

And see the blog post earlier about the Electric Car Show on Beaver Island June 27 and 28, 2008.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Electric Car Show on Beaver Island

2008-05-05T08:35:00.015-04:00

This was a car I saw in Florence which is probably a Zapcar - three wheels. It was tiny and this is electric.
This I call the Barbie car - it is a Smartcar--made by Swatch and Mercedes Benz. It was in Florence.
I love this matching set!! A pink Smartcar and a moped! I saw these in Florence.

Smart car (not electric)

ELECTRIC CARS BELOW:

GEM
Vantage
Zapcar

Zenn car

There will be an electric car show on Beaver Island on June 27th and 28th. They will have about 13 different electric cars there to drive and look at: Zenn, GEM, Vantage, Zapcar. Should be fun to see--especially the offloading of the ferry on the 27th of June at 10:45 a.m. Beaver Island is fast becoming the electric car showplace! There are already about three electric cars on the island.

On Beaver Island there are presently three (free) charging stations with two more coming soon. With gasoline at over $5 a gallon on Beaver Island, electric is the way to go! Plus you don't need the high speeds. King's Highway speed limit is 50 mph and that is about the fastest on the whole island!

Here's a video on YouTube about the Zenn Car (click on Zenn Car). It costs 1 cent a mile to recharge it with a regular plug, regular electricity. Its like recharging your cell phone. Zenn stands for zero emsion no noise. That is ZERO emissions!

Zapcar video on YouTube: Zapcar (click on Zapcar). Zapcars have 3 wheels, electric, relatively inexpensive, no maintainance.

There is also the Smartcar which is coming to America. These are gas powered but get around 40 mpg. I saw lots of Smartcars in Florence, Italy. Smartcars are made by Swatch and Mercedes Benz.

I will have more information after I go to the Electric Car Show on the island in June. Or come visit the island the weekend of June 27th and 28th to see the new and used electric cars. They will be selling cars there and taking orders. We are definitely thinking about it!

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Home again - Caio Italy!

2008-05-01T09:43:00.008-04:00

Vases of cane from Massimiliano Schiavon's gallery (see more about his cane below). I could have bought one of these, plus a pitcher and six goblets (with shipping) for $4,000 American dollars! They are beautiful vases but they will have to wait. They send the vases with a light which shines into the vase or behind it to show the beautiful canes.

Well, I am back home in Ann Arbor, missing Murano! I am back to walking in the morning with my friends. It took a few days for me to get back into Michigan time. I was waking up at 3 a.m. ready to go!! This is Jane and Cleo and me and my dog.
Victor and Porsche walking.
The daffodils are blooming.
Frosty tulip on April 30, 2008. We had frost and my basil died! I got too excited by the nice warm weather and planted basil which should have waited.

This was the night before I left Murano when we took a "last walk" on the streets. The orange street art on Murano lit up at night.
Waiting for the airport boat on the day I left Murano. Kind of dreary out and very sad.
A barge busily working near to the Museo vaporretto stop on my way out of Murano.
Cary got mixed in Murano photos but when I got home I gave him his new tie from Florence! It has little fleur di lis on it -- and it was maize and blue. Fleur di lis is litterally flower of the lily and is the Florentine symbol.

The treasured fleur-de-luce he claims

To wreathe his shield, since royal James
–Sir Walter Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel

Fleur-de-lis in the coat of arms of Pope Paul VI. In Florentine, fleurs-de-lis, the stamens are always posed between the petals. This heraldic charge is often known as the Florentine lily to distinguish it from the conventional design. As an emblem of the city, it is therefore found in icons of the bishop Zenobius. The currency of Florence, the fiorino, was decorated with it, and it influenced the appearance and name of the Hungarian fornit and other florins. Elsewhere in Italy, fleurs-de-lis have been used for some papal crowns and coats of arms, andby some doges of Venice.

More Ann Arbor photos, mixed in with Murano photos but this is Sandy and Jane.

This is cane from Massimiliano Schiavon's glassmaking endeavors. See the photos at the beginning of the blog to see the finished vases. You can see the complexity of the canes here. He puts these canes, variously arranged, on transparent glass and then blows the piece. These vases are reminiscent of peacocks' tails and are often very intensively ground out to reveal the layers beneath. See his bead below.

Massimiliano Sciavon's bead which is then cold worked or dug out to reveal the layers of cane. Beautiful! See web site at: http://www.massimilianoschiavon.com/.

Kind of hard to see but this was Murano the night before I left when we walked around the deserted streets.
The street art is lit up at night and is beautiful!

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Last Day on Murano

2008-04-18T11:53:00.003-04:00

Boats at dock on Murano. Caio Murano and Italy tomorrow!

View through the fence.
Window
Pirate ship on Murano.
Boat traffic.

Another glass street art on Murano. An abacus!

My roommate, her sister and sister's boyfriend.

Water view on Murano.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Orsoni Smalti Factory in Venice

2008-04-18T04:02:00.012-04:00

A Venetian gondola on the Grand Canal.

A drain in the street - guess it just drains to the water below.
A good looking Italian fixing his boat.
This is the Murano water bottle filler on the street!
A view of the Doges Palace on San Marco square.
The boat stop at San Marco Square.

Barbini glass studio. Barbini was the original glass artist on Murano who did solid glass pieces and was very innovative in his techniques. His studio was next door to our apartment and was in an elegant old house. Barbini died about 2 years ago at age 94.
Barbini studio.
Barbini courtyard.
We visited the mirror factory on Murano. They make gorgeous glass mirrors
More examples of the larger mirrors at the glass factory.

A barge boat in Venice.
Fish market was happening in Venice when we arrived on the vaporetto.
Fish market setup with their boat in the background.
Little street in Venice where the Orsoni Smalti Factory is located.
Window screen.

The machine they use to break the glass smalti into little pieces for the mosaics at the Orsoni Smalti Factory.
Breaking the silvered glass into pieces - carefully.

On Thursday, April 17 we visited the Orsoni Smalti Factory in Venice. They make smalti (the glass pieces) for making mosaics and are the best in the world. Part of the factory is a school and there were some Americans there taking a class. They also have a Bed & Breakfast in the old mansion--anyone can stay here if it is not full of students. The photo above is there smelti library - they have sheets of all their colors.
Mosaic piece in the courtyard.
Silvered glass pieces getting bagged.
The pots they cook the glass in -- the crucibles. Felix the cat is checking them out. Felix is a neighbor cat who loves to visit the factory and school. It is a very nice area with gardens, grass and a lovely old mansion. The crucibles last about 6 weeks and then they have to throw them out because they crack.
Dave Butts with Felix.

Bin of blue glass scrap! Beautiful in the sun though. It has silvered edges and was shining in the sunlight.
The old color charts in the mansion showing all the smalti colors.
The group of glassmakers that visited the Orsoni Smalti Factory.
Bins of smalti pieces in all the colors.
A mask made out of mosaic pieces. It was very heavy so would be uncomfortable to wear but was beautiful to look at.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Murano Class Ends - but not trip!

2008-04-16T16:14:00.009-04:00

Today was the last day of our six day course. Kind of sad to leave but I am exhausted. We've been working hard in class, visiting many different Murano and Venice places and enjoying ourselves. I have been trying to soak up the very artistic atmosphere here to take back with me.

A view of the "back canals" of Murano.

Of course I have to show more photos of dogs and cats on Murano! This was a puppy who came to the studio today - just a little 2 month Black Lab puppy. So cute and playful.

This is my little winged torso that I made in class. It was a hard class for me as I haven't done anything like this off the mandrel but I did learn a lot and with lots of practice should improve. The techniques that I learned for watching a master artisan will be invaluable.
Here I am working away!
A boat unloading the day's goods first thing in the morning before the tourists get to Murano. Just like the trucks do at home.

We had a birthday party for Lucio - gifts, food, drink and lots of laughter. One of his presents was an "Italian Stallion" t-shirt which his friends thought was hilarious. Here he is with Opehlia.
Lucio in his new Wolverine Football baseball cap! Go Blue!
Ophelia hanging with the Italian men!
Yes, Lucio looks good in his new Wolverine cap!
Say what?

Lucio's tiny kitchen. We had to cook our party stuff in this small stove. But we did.

The selection of music in the studio. Hundreds of CDs. Lucio loves Proco Harem, Elton John, Genesis, Rolling Stones, etc.

Folks working hard at Lucio Bubucco class. The studio is nice, venting system works well.
Rommate Jen working on her blog at night - just as we are right now!
A delivery boat like you see here every morning. And it has been raining a lot.
Jamaica the resaturant dog looking outside. We had to eat lunch inside the other day as it was cold and nasty. Even the dog wanted to go out and play!
Lucio made a couple little tiny beads just for fun: cat and mouse and a wood duck. Of course they were perfect and he made with such ease.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Lucio Bubacco on Italian Stamp

2008-04-14T02:15:00.010-04:00

Today's blog is fairly short as I'm exhausted and going to bed earlier. These photos show some of the things we did today.

We had a visitor to class today: Graziano Vechiatto who makes blown beads (see below).

Graziano's tools.

This is a furnace we visited today.

Lucio's mermaid with his "structure" stand. It got mixed in with the furnace photos and I don't know how to switch around.
We visited a glass furnace on Murano today. This is the work they do.

Our teacher, Lucio Bubacco, had his work featured on two Italian stamps in 2005. Click on link to see the press release. I took a couple photos in his shop where he has photos of the stamps.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Burano, Italy: Color overload for your senses

2008-04-13T15:45:00.013-04:00

Our trip today, Sunday, April 13, 2008, was from Murano over to the island of Burano, Italy. It is about 1/2 hour Vaporetto ride from Murano. Burano is the island of lacemakers and is quiet but it has some of the most colorful and beautiful houses I have ever seen. I understand that they were painted different bright colors so that the fishermen could see their own houses at night from the sea and not climb into bed with another woman!
Color along the canal.

Me looking over the island of Burano.
Hanging the umbrellas out to dry.
Elena and the shopkeeper of a bead shop that made felted beads, placing with lampwork beads. They dyed their roving for the felted beads. Very lovely shop.
Flowers blooming.

Pretty lace garments were sitting outside to tempt us inside the shop.
At one of the lacemaking shops. This is where we stopped to chat to a lacemaker that Ophelia knows. Luckily Elena (our Italian friend) was with us to interpret.
Here's our group with the lacemaker. She sits in back of the shop doing lace with her feet on a little footstool.
Lovely lavender.
Yum.

Purple and green make great neighbors on the island of Burano, Italy.
Many of the doors had cloth doors too. I guess that is so they can have privacy while leaving their doors open. I wondered how the locals like all these tourists walking around looking at their houses, their laundry hanging out and taking photos of everything.
Pretty green house with matching laundry.
Some of the group looking into a pasty shop.
These lace garments were gorgeous.

Burano blue house and blue fence to match.
The front gate to the house.

Houses along the canal.
More canal. Every place we turned was so picturesque that I just kept my camera on.

Lovely door handle.
"Color is like Music. It uses shorter way to come to our senses to awake our emotions." This was a tile on a house.

Burano, Italy is the island in the Venetian lagoon that is famous for its lacemakers and colorful homes. Even on a cloudy day the houses just take your breath away. Vibrant colors - I think I should make a set of "Burano Beads" when I get home! Can't you just see them?
Love the hot pink house.
Here's a little house tucked away; maybe it is painted hot pink so you can find it in the midst of the others. By the way, it seemed to be laundry day on Burano - as noted by all the laundry you will see hanging outside. Sunday is laundry day.
Our lunch group: Elena (our Italian friend), Angelo, Nancy, Karen and Jen. Dave took our photo. A little wine, a little cheese, a little salami, fresh bread and fresh pizza. What a lunch!
Even the boats on Burano are colorful.

Luigi has this antique Moretti color card. The colors are seed beads! We started our Sunday morning with latte of course! Then we went to Luigi's to see glass to buy. Subsequently there was a glass feeding frenzy!!
Some of the moretti that Luigi was selling to our group.
Luigi is the Vetrofund agent and he is our apartment landloard!
Jen is happy after buying herself some glass to take home. I don't have enough room in my suitcase for glass so didn't buy anything. Just along to document the trip.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE

Venezia

2008-04-12T16:29:00.010-04:00

Bread shop folks! They look happy.
Windows.
Houses on the Grand Canal. More photos of Venice to follow here but I will post more at another time. Hope everybody is enjoying my blog!

While riding a Vaporetto on the Grand Canal we heard police sirens. Then this police boat came roaring down the canal - you can see he is a blurr. Actually it looked fun! All the boats slowed down or stopped such as we pull over to the side.
The Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal.
San Marco Square and the Doge's Palace. Great architecture.
This is in the lagoon between Venice and Murano. I don't know what it is but I like it!

Fog in Venice. On Vaporetto to Venezia this morning. Very picturesque. Note the traffic.
On the Grand Canal. It was kind of cool today and rain off and on all day. The storm clouds are behind the buildings. We even saw lightening.
One of the palaces along the Grand Canal. Such beauty and lots of deterioration.
We found a mask shop full of wonderful masks. So we tried on lots of masks and took lots of photos! It is called il Cannovaccio in Venezia.
That is me in the mask!

Yesterday we worked on beads in our class. Everything else is off the mandrel. This was Lucio Babucco's bead - it is huge and has a 3 D lady on it!
This one has a man head on it and is quite large.
And this is mine with a fish on the bead. We made the item to put on our bead off the mandrel and then attached them later to our beads.
My workbench in Lucio's studio. You can see the "assistant" stand with rods on it to the right. There are some broken cherubs to the left (mine have all broken so far). Most of our figures are with black or ivory Morretti.

For my former co-workers to see a dump boat hauling away rubble on Murano. Note the glass street art in the background.
Veggie man selling his wares this morning.
And you know I can't resist a good picture of a dog! This guy was waiting for his owner who just stepped away.
This is good - some of the bridges over the small canals in Murano have wheelchair lifts. Note the white "box" in the middle of the bridge.

Started out the morning with my latte. In fact, two lattes as they are sooo good. Roommate Jennifer makes wonderful coffee in our little percolator.
Window next door to our apartment.
Foggy day on the canal in Murano today, Saturday, April 12, 2008.

GO BACK TO: http://www.BeaverIslandJewelry.com HOME PAGE