So where do you begin?
To get you started, I have listed 29 ideas below. And why the number 29? Because it is as good a number as any – and also because I couldn’t think of idea number 30!
Put them into practice and also create your own:-
1.Send someone a hand written note of thanks.
2.Make a card at home and send it to a friend for no reason.
3.Buy a lottery ticket for a stranger.
4.Put some coins in someone else’s parking meter.
5.Buy a coffee for the man on the high street selling The Big Issue magazine.
6.Cut your neighbour’s hedge.
7.Walk your friend’s dog.
8.Give a compliment about your waiter / waitress to his / her manager.
9.Send someone a small gift anonymously.
10.Stop and help someone replace their flat tyre.
11.Let someone jump the queue at the bank.
12.Pay for the drinks on the next table at a café.
13.Treat a friend to the movies for no reason.
14.Give a huge tip to someone when they least expect it.
15.Hold the train door open for someone rushing to get in.
16.Give up your seat for someone, not just an elderly person.
17.Write notes of appreciation at least once a week.
18.Talk to a homeless person and have a “normal” conversation.
19.Pick up some rubbish in the road which would otherwise be lying around.
20.Compliment a work colleague for their excellence.
21.Recommend a competitor to a potential client.
22.Give another driver your parking spot.
23.Give a piece of fruit to a delivery person.
24.Help an elderly neighbour carry the rubbish out.
25.Tell all your family members how much your appreciate them.
26.Leave a copy of an interesting book on a train / bus.
27.Buy an inspirational book for a friend.
28.Send a thank you note to a person who has helped you in the past.
29.Smile a lot.
What goes around is sure to come around – happy helping :-)
Please apply these ideas in your life from today – and share your own ideas and how you get on with spreading kindness in the world in the comments. That way I won’t have to think up idea number 30 myself!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Holy Rosary Chicken Dinner
Chicken Dinner & Summer Festival - last Sunday in July at Holy Rosary Catholic Church! 11:00am - 6:00 pm Cedar - 2 miles north of Cedar - Schomberg Rd. & Gatzke Rd. One of the only "baked" chicken dinners around - serving 11 am to 4:00 pm. Adult Dinners & take-outs. Baked chicken, potatoes & gravy, cole slaw, dressing, vegetables, rolls, dessert & beverage. Sit down meal in the church basement, carry-outs under the tents outside, or take-outs for the beach, the boat or at home! Bingo, country-store, clothes pin booth, pull-tabs, dunk tank, kids games, and more! RAFFLE with many prizes.
Holy Rosary Catholic Church 3919 E. Gatzke Rd. Cedar MI 49621 Phone: 231-228-5429 Email: HolyRosaryChurch@aol.com
Holy Rosary Catholic Church 3919 E. Gatzke Rd. Cedar MI 49621 Phone: 231-228-5429 Email: HolyRosaryChurch@aol.com
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Peshawbestown Pow Wow
by Andrew McFarlane
The annual Pow Wow of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians takes place at the Strongheart Center in Peshawbestown (on M-22 north of Suttons Bay) this August. The event features native singers, dancers and artists and includes traders' booths and food booths.
The Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau has a great article on what a pow wow is all about that includes a quotation by Steve Feringa, chairman of the Peshawbestown Powwow committee: "A powwow is a social gathering, it's not a sacred gathering per se. We're trying to bridge that gap in our community between Native and non-Native in all kinds of ways. Powwow is a great thing that brings everyone in and gives all different people a chance to know each other."
Last year's Leelanau Enterprise featured A return home to Peshawbestown, the story of 85-year-old Delia Morgan and her memories of life in Peshawbestown in the early 1900s. This one is highly recommended as well!
The annual Pow Wow of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians takes place at the Strongheart Center in Peshawbestown (on M-22 north of Suttons Bay) this August. The event features native singers, dancers and artists and includes traders' booths and food booths.
The Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau has a great article on what a pow wow is all about that includes a quotation by Steve Feringa, chairman of the Peshawbestown Powwow committee: "A powwow is a social gathering, it's not a sacred gathering per se. We're trying to bridge that gap in our community between Native and non-Native in all kinds of ways. Powwow is a great thing that brings everyone in and gives all different people a chance to know each other."
Last year's Leelanau Enterprise featured A return home to Peshawbestown, the story of 85-year-old Delia Morgan and her memories of life in Peshawbestown in the early 1900s. This one is highly recommended as well!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Beaches in northwest lower Michigan
Record Eagle Area Guide
The eastern shore of Lake Michigan is blessed with consistently beautiful tan sandy beaches. The beaches that front directly on the big lake generally get deep gradually, and typically have one, two or three sandbars of increasing depth. The lake bottom along most of our shoreline is perfect sand, though some beaches have varying amounts of smooth stones or gravel atop the sand.
Lake Michigan's water remains cold from winter's chill during the springtime months, and gradually warms as the summer progresses. Most people enjoy a brief swim in June. By August, nearly everyone remains comfortable in the water for hours.
Here is a list of public beaches in the northwestern Lower Peninsula. The list is arranged by county and is far from complete. If we missed one of your favorite beaches, tell us about it and we'll add it to our list.
ANTRIM COUNTY
• Barnes Park . Just west of Eastport. Beautiful sandy Lake Michigan beach with gradually sloping lake bottom. Beach access is free, but you must pay to camp at the adjacent 66-site campground. Picnic pavilion, restrooms.
• Elk Rapids Municipal Beach . Off River Street near downtown Elk Rapids. Picnic tables, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground with miniature replica of Mackinaw Bridge, toilets. In addition to the beach, the Elk River flows through the park, giving kids another place to play.
• Richardi Park Beach . Pronounced "Richard-eye." Off Bridge Street in Bellaire, this beach is unusual in that it is on the Intermediate River rather than a lake. Sandy, shallow beach with playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, grills, pavilion. Lifeguard during posted hours.
• Whitewater Township Park . South of Elk Rapids on Elk Lake Road, then east on Park Road. Beach on Elk Lake. Picnic area, boat launch.
BENZIE COUNTY
• Beulah Village Park . In Beulah on the eastern end of Crystal Lake. Beach house, public boat launch, picnic tables, pavilion, playground.
• Elberta Bluffs . At the end of the road west of Elberta, which is across Betsie Bay from Frankfort. The pavement ends near the bottom of the hill, but the road continues far south, with parking available all along. Please respect the dunes and vegetation by keeping your car on the roadway. This beach is backed by towering dunes topped with a forest. Back in the 1970s, the national hang gliding championships were held here. The beach extends south for miles along the dunes, offering the perfect place for long hikes. And the Lake Michigan water is broad and beautiful. Rest rooms at the end of the pavement.
• Frankfort Beach . Any given summer day or night you can see people relaxing on the shore or strolling along the shore and pier to view the Frankfort Lighthouse. It's a fun beach for swimming and fishing and has one of the largest tan, soft, sandy beach areas in the region. Located at the west end of Main Street in downtown Frankfort. CLICK HERE FOR MAP
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The mother of all beaches. Part of the National Park system, the Lakeshore includes miles of beach. For a parking permit and specific directions, stop by the visitor center in Empire. Popular spots include Otter Creek (at the end of Esch Road) and Platte River Point (at the end of Lake Michigan Road). There are more national lakeshore beaches listed in the Leelanau County section of this page.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY
• Depot Beach . Adjacent to the old train depot museum on Lake Charlvoix, at the south end of Mercer Boulevard of U.S. 31. Restrooms, playground, volleball net, grills, picnic pavillion, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Elm Pointe . In East Jordan along M-66. Swimming beach on South Arm of Lake Charlevoix, picnic area. Two museums, Historical Museum and Portside Art, both open 1-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday during July and August.
• Ferry Avenue Beach . On Lake Charlevoix. Playground, basketball court, volleyball court, rest rooms, concession, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Fisherman's Island (Bells Bay). South of Charlevoix in Fisherman's Island State Park. About seven miles of sandy and rocky undeveloped beach. Campground, hiking trails. Operated by the State of Michigan.
• Lake Michigan Beach . Immediately south of the pier near downtown Charlevoix. Playground, concession building, restrooms, basketball court, volleyball court, shuffleboard courts, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Mount McSauba . Rolling sand dunes meet the Lake Michigan shore at this natural beach approximately half a mile north of the Pine River channel. Short trail through dunes to reach beach. No facilities. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Peninsula Beach . In Boyne City, a small sandy beach on Lake Charlevoix. Playground, picnic tables, outdoor showers, grills.
• Whiting Park . Just west of Advance, which is west of Boyne City, on Lake Charlevoix. Sandy beach, dock, playground, toilets. Adjacent campground with 60 sites ans showers.
• Young State Park . Beach on Lake Charlevoix. Playground, grills, picnic area, volleyball court. Adjacent 300-site modern campground.
EMMET COUNTY
• Petoskey State Park. On Little Traverse Bay. Camping.
• Sturgeon Bay. Take Lakeview Road east of Carp Lake, or head north from Cross Village on Lakeshore Drive, which runs along the beach for miles. The north end of this remote and beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan beach is in Wilderness State Park. The lake bottom is perfectly flat, sandy and shallow.
• Zorn Park . Lake Michigan beach in Little Traverse Bay, off West Bay Street in Harbor Springs. Beach, two swimming rafts, beach house, picnic area. Lifeguards during posted hours.
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY
• Arbutus Lake . Off Arbutus Lake Road north of Mayfield. A tiny beach (more of a grassy park with a spot of sand) at the north end of Arbutus Lake, handy for a quick swim. Picnic area with grills, toilets. A tiny brook that empties into the lake fascinates youngsters.
• Bayside Park . In Acme on East Grand Traverse Bay. Just south of the intersection of U.S. 31 North and M-72. Playground, rest rooms, picnic tables, basketball court, shuffleboard courts (not maintained), sandy beach with rocky lake bottom that is shallow a lo-o-ong way out.
• Boardman River . Technically, not a beach, but many locals enjoy swimming in the river at various access spots. Though rocky or muddy for much of it's length, there are many places where the river bottom is pleasantly sandy, and the water itself is always clear and fresh. Try any public access spot for a quick dip.
• Bryant Park . On West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, off Peninsula Drive just west of M-37 (Garfield Road). Rest rooms, playground, picnic tables, lifeguard during posted hours. A popular spot to cool off, has huge trees that shade a grassy picnic area. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• Clinch Park Beach . On West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, off Grandview Parkway. Between Clinch Park Marina and the mouth of the Boardman River, this beach attracts hordes of boaters on summer weekends, who anchor and swim to shore to shop or dine in downtown Traverse City. While there, take the kids to the adjacent Clinch Park Zoo. Lifeguard during posted hours. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• East Bay Park Beach . On East Grand Traverse Bay off East Bay Boulvard South in Traverse City at the base of Old Mission Peninsula. Playground, rest rooms, picnic tables, boat launch, lifeguard during posted hours. The bathing area is quite shallow because of low lake levels. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• Gilbert Park . Sandy beach on Long Lake about eight miles west of Traverse City. Head west on Front Street, which turn into North Long Lake Road. Close by the road on the north end of Long Lake. Playground, rest rooms.
• Haserot Beach . In the community of Old Mission on M-37 on East Grand Traverse Bay. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Interlochen State Park . Off M-137 South south of Interlochen. Swimming in both Duck Lake and Green Lake, beach house, picnic area, boat launch, fishing, campsites. Set among one of the last virgin pine stands in Michigan.
• Old Mission Lighthouse Park beach . Off M-37 at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula. Park along the road near the lighthouse. Rest rooms. Famous for it's many boulders poking out of the water. Beach is sandy, but the lake bottom tends to be rocky. Recent low water levels have made the shallow water even shallower than usual.
• Power Island . In West Grand Traverse Bay off Bowers Harbor, this park island is ringed with sandy beaches. The island has 11 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas and five rustic campsites. You need a boat to get there.
• Sunset Park . On West Grand Traverse Bay behind the senior center in Traverse City, off Hope Street adjacent to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
• Traverse City State Park . Across U.S. 31 North from the huge Traverse City State Park campground, which is accessible via an elevated walkway. Picnic tables, grills, rest rooms, lifeguard during posted hours. Long and very popular beach. Water gets deep gradually - perfect for kids. At the west end of the beach, the Mitchell Creek drains into West Bay. State park permit required to park, but foot access is free.
• West End Beach . Along Grandview Parkway in downtown Traverse City, just west of the Open Space Park. Stretches for about a mile along the south end of West Grand Traverse Bay. The eastern end features a landscaped greenbelt that separates the beach from the road, and a lifeguard is on duty during posted hours. The western end of the beach is closer to the road, has a couple of drainage pipes running across it, fades into marshy ground to the west, but is usually less crowded than the eastern end. Restrooms near lifeguard tower. The popular Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trail runs along the beach, so bicyclists and inline skaters can partake of a refreshing dip. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
LEELANAU COUNTY
• Cold Brook Beach . On the south end of Lake Leelanau, near the town of Fouch.
• Elmwood Township Park . Off M-22 on West Grand Traverse Bay, a mile north of M-72. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Empire Beach . Lake Michigan Beach and Cannon Park. Just west Empire. Includes a beach on Lake Michigan and a beach on South Bar Lake. From here, you can walk either north or south on the beach for miles. Playground, picnic tables, historical marker, restrooms. There's a dock on Bar Lake that's perfect for diving from.
• Leelanau State Park . 15310 North Lighthouse Point Road, north of Northport. This beach is rocky and perhaps more suitable for hiking and wading than for swimming - but wear wading shoes, the rocks are sharp. Playground and picnic area near lighthouse and parking area. Follow trail to the beach. Coastal dunes, hiking trails and rustic campsites.
• North Bar Lake . In the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, north of Empire. Access via unpaved Bar Lake Road. Restrooms at paved parking area. Short hike over dunes, past North Bar Lake, to Lake Michigan shore. Swimming possible in both lakes.
• Haserot Park . In the village of Northport. Along the breakwater on West Grand Traverse Bay. Adjacent to city park and marina. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The mother of all beaches. Part of the National Park system, the lakeshore includes miles of beach. For a parking permit and specific directions, stop by the visitor center in Empire. Popular spots include Good Harbor Bay, Pyramid Point and Glen Haven beach. If you have lots of energy, tackle the dune climb south of Glen Haven, then slog through miles of gorgeous dune trails to the isolated Lake Michigan beach (if you do, allow several hours for the journey, use lots of sunscreen and bring shoes to protect your feet from the hot sand). Also part of the national lakeshore, North and South Manitou Islands (Access by passenger ferry from Leland) are ringed with miles of secluded beaches. Off South Manitou, snorkelers and scuba divers can view the shipwreck of the Three Brothers, a 162-foot wooden lumber hooker that was stranded in 1911, which sits in water from eight to 45 feet deep.
• Suttons Bay Municipal Park and Beach . Downtown Suttons Bay. Beach, picnic area, adjacent marina. Site of several summer special events.
MANISTEE COUNTY
• First Street Beach/Douglas Park . In the City of Manistee. playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, grills, fishing pier, fish-cleaning station. At the end of First Street. Lifeguard on duty during posted hours.
• Fifth Avenue Beach . Picnic area, tennis courts, volleyball courts, playground. At the end of Monroe Street in the City of Manistee. The catwalk leading to the Manistee North Pier Lighthouse is one of only four remaining lighthouse catwalks on Michigan's Lake Michigan shore; it is listed in the State Registry of Historic Sites. The Manistee U.S. Coast Guard Station is adjacent to the beach. Lifeguard on duty during posted hours.
• Lake Michigan Recreation Area . Manistee National Forest, nine miles south of City of Manistee on U.S. 31, then another nine miles west on Forest Trail. Mile-long beach, camping, picnic facilities, gravel hiking/biking trails.
MISSAUKEE COUNTY
• Missaukee County Park . Sandy, shallow beach on the north shore of Lake Missaukee in Lake City, 15 miles northeast of Cadillac. 170-site campground, beach house, boat launch, playground, picnic tables, grills, pavilion. Open May through October.
• Crooked Lake Park . Located on south side of Crooked Lake with more than 600 feet of sandy beach. Covered pavillion, picnic area, 35 campsites with electricity, 17 rustic sites, paved boat launch and more than 60 acres with marked trails for hiking.
OTSEGO COUNTY
• Otsego Lake County Park . Off West Otsego Lake Drive in Gaylord. Beach, picnic tables, grills, playground, pavilions.
WEXFORD COUNTY
• Cadillac Lakefront Park . One block west of downtown Cadillac on Lake Cadillac. Paved pathway, historic Shay Steam Locomotive, floating dock for anglers.
• Kenwood Heritage Park . On North Boulevard off M-115 in Cadillac, just northeast of Mitchell State Park. Sandy, shallow beach on Lake Cadillac. Huge playground, picnic tables, pavilion, disc golf, restrooms. Adjacent to Heritage Cadillac Nature Study Area, which include a boardwalk and observation tower.
• William Mitchell State Park . In Cadillac. Swimming in both Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. Bathhouse on Lake Mitchell. Large campground, crowded in summer.
The eastern shore of Lake Michigan is blessed with consistently beautiful tan sandy beaches. The beaches that front directly on the big lake generally get deep gradually, and typically have one, two or three sandbars of increasing depth. The lake bottom along most of our shoreline is perfect sand, though some beaches have varying amounts of smooth stones or gravel atop the sand.
Lake Michigan's water remains cold from winter's chill during the springtime months, and gradually warms as the summer progresses. Most people enjoy a brief swim in June. By August, nearly everyone remains comfortable in the water for hours.
Here is a list of public beaches in the northwestern Lower Peninsula. The list is arranged by county and is far from complete. If we missed one of your favorite beaches, tell us about it and we'll add it to our list.
ANTRIM COUNTY
• Barnes Park . Just west of Eastport. Beautiful sandy Lake Michigan beach with gradually sloping lake bottom. Beach access is free, but you must pay to camp at the adjacent 66-site campground. Picnic pavilion, restrooms.
• Elk Rapids Municipal Beach . Off River Street near downtown Elk Rapids. Picnic tables, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground with miniature replica of Mackinaw Bridge, toilets. In addition to the beach, the Elk River flows through the park, giving kids another place to play.
• Richardi Park Beach . Pronounced "Richard-eye." Off Bridge Street in Bellaire, this beach is unusual in that it is on the Intermediate River rather than a lake. Sandy, shallow beach with playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, grills, pavilion. Lifeguard during posted hours.
• Whitewater Township Park . South of Elk Rapids on Elk Lake Road, then east on Park Road. Beach on Elk Lake. Picnic area, boat launch.
BENZIE COUNTY
• Beulah Village Park . In Beulah on the eastern end of Crystal Lake. Beach house, public boat launch, picnic tables, pavilion, playground.
• Elberta Bluffs . At the end of the road west of Elberta, which is across Betsie Bay from Frankfort. The pavement ends near the bottom of the hill, but the road continues far south, with parking available all along. Please respect the dunes and vegetation by keeping your car on the roadway. This beach is backed by towering dunes topped with a forest. Back in the 1970s, the national hang gliding championships were held here. The beach extends south for miles along the dunes, offering the perfect place for long hikes. And the Lake Michigan water is broad and beautiful. Rest rooms at the end of the pavement.
• Frankfort Beach . Any given summer day or night you can see people relaxing on the shore or strolling along the shore and pier to view the Frankfort Lighthouse. It's a fun beach for swimming and fishing and has one of the largest tan, soft, sandy beach areas in the region. Located at the west end of Main Street in downtown Frankfort. CLICK HERE FOR MAP
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The mother of all beaches. Part of the National Park system, the Lakeshore includes miles of beach. For a parking permit and specific directions, stop by the visitor center in Empire. Popular spots include Otter Creek (at the end of Esch Road) and Platte River Point (at the end of Lake Michigan Road). There are more national lakeshore beaches listed in the Leelanau County section of this page.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY
• Depot Beach . Adjacent to the old train depot museum on Lake Charlvoix, at the south end of Mercer Boulevard of U.S. 31. Restrooms, playground, volleball net, grills, picnic pavillion, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Elm Pointe . In East Jordan along M-66. Swimming beach on South Arm of Lake Charlevoix, picnic area. Two museums, Historical Museum and Portside Art, both open 1-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday during July and August.
• Ferry Avenue Beach . On Lake Charlevoix. Playground, basketball court, volleyball court, rest rooms, concession, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Fisherman's Island (Bells Bay). South of Charlevoix in Fisherman's Island State Park. About seven miles of sandy and rocky undeveloped beach. Campground, hiking trails. Operated by the State of Michigan.
• Lake Michigan Beach . Immediately south of the pier near downtown Charlevoix. Playground, concession building, restrooms, basketball court, volleyball court, shuffleboard courts, lifeguards during posted hours. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Mount McSauba . Rolling sand dunes meet the Lake Michigan shore at this natural beach approximately half a mile north of the Pine River channel. Short trail through dunes to reach beach. No facilities. Operated by the City of Charlevoix.
• Peninsula Beach . In Boyne City, a small sandy beach on Lake Charlevoix. Playground, picnic tables, outdoor showers, grills.
• Whiting Park . Just west of Advance, which is west of Boyne City, on Lake Charlevoix. Sandy beach, dock, playground, toilets. Adjacent campground with 60 sites ans showers.
• Young State Park . Beach on Lake Charlevoix. Playground, grills, picnic area, volleyball court. Adjacent 300-site modern campground.
EMMET COUNTY
• Petoskey State Park. On Little Traverse Bay. Camping.
• Sturgeon Bay. Take Lakeview Road east of Carp Lake, or head north from Cross Village on Lakeshore Drive, which runs along the beach for miles. The north end of this remote and beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan beach is in Wilderness State Park. The lake bottom is perfectly flat, sandy and shallow.
• Zorn Park . Lake Michigan beach in Little Traverse Bay, off West Bay Street in Harbor Springs. Beach, two swimming rafts, beach house, picnic area. Lifeguards during posted hours.
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY
• Arbutus Lake . Off Arbutus Lake Road north of Mayfield. A tiny beach (more of a grassy park with a spot of sand) at the north end of Arbutus Lake, handy for a quick swim. Picnic area with grills, toilets. A tiny brook that empties into the lake fascinates youngsters.
• Bayside Park . In Acme on East Grand Traverse Bay. Just south of the intersection of U.S. 31 North and M-72. Playground, rest rooms, picnic tables, basketball court, shuffleboard courts (not maintained), sandy beach with rocky lake bottom that is shallow a lo-o-ong way out.
• Boardman River . Technically, not a beach, but many locals enjoy swimming in the river at various access spots. Though rocky or muddy for much of it's length, there are many places where the river bottom is pleasantly sandy, and the water itself is always clear and fresh. Try any public access spot for a quick dip.
• Bryant Park . On West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, off Peninsula Drive just west of M-37 (Garfield Road). Rest rooms, playground, picnic tables, lifeguard during posted hours. A popular spot to cool off, has huge trees that shade a grassy picnic area. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• Clinch Park Beach . On West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, off Grandview Parkway. Between Clinch Park Marina and the mouth of the Boardman River, this beach attracts hordes of boaters on summer weekends, who anchor and swim to shore to shop or dine in downtown Traverse City. While there, take the kids to the adjacent Clinch Park Zoo. Lifeguard during posted hours. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• East Bay Park Beach . On East Grand Traverse Bay off East Bay Boulvard South in Traverse City at the base of Old Mission Peninsula. Playground, rest rooms, picnic tables, boat launch, lifeguard during posted hours. The bathing area is quite shallow because of low lake levels. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
• Gilbert Park . Sandy beach on Long Lake about eight miles west of Traverse City. Head west on Front Street, which turn into North Long Lake Road. Close by the road on the north end of Long Lake. Playground, rest rooms.
• Haserot Beach . In the community of Old Mission on M-37 on East Grand Traverse Bay. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Interlochen State Park . Off M-137 South south of Interlochen. Swimming in both Duck Lake and Green Lake, beach house, picnic area, boat launch, fishing, campsites. Set among one of the last virgin pine stands in Michigan.
• Old Mission Lighthouse Park beach . Off M-37 at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula. Park along the road near the lighthouse. Rest rooms. Famous for it's many boulders poking out of the water. Beach is sandy, but the lake bottom tends to be rocky. Recent low water levels have made the shallow water even shallower than usual.
• Power Island . In West Grand Traverse Bay off Bowers Harbor, this park island is ringed with sandy beaches. The island has 11 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas and five rustic campsites. You need a boat to get there.
• Sunset Park . On West Grand Traverse Bay behind the senior center in Traverse City, off Hope Street adjacent to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
• Traverse City State Park . Across U.S. 31 North from the huge Traverse City State Park campground, which is accessible via an elevated walkway. Picnic tables, grills, rest rooms, lifeguard during posted hours. Long and very popular beach. Water gets deep gradually - perfect for kids. At the west end of the beach, the Mitchell Creek drains into West Bay. State park permit required to park, but foot access is free.
• West End Beach . Along Grandview Parkway in downtown Traverse City, just west of the Open Space Park. Stretches for about a mile along the south end of West Grand Traverse Bay. The eastern end features a landscaped greenbelt that separates the beach from the road, and a lifeguard is on duty during posted hours. The western end of the beach is closer to the road, has a couple of drainage pipes running across it, fades into marshy ground to the west, but is usually less crowded than the eastern end. Restrooms near lifeguard tower. The popular Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trail runs along the beach, so bicyclists and inline skaters can partake of a refreshing dip. Operated by the City of Traverse City.
LEELANAU COUNTY
• Cold Brook Beach . On the south end of Lake Leelanau, near the town of Fouch.
• Elmwood Township Park . Off M-22 on West Grand Traverse Bay, a mile north of M-72. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Empire Beach . Lake Michigan Beach and Cannon Park. Just west Empire. Includes a beach on Lake Michigan and a beach on South Bar Lake. From here, you can walk either north or south on the beach for miles. Playground, picnic tables, historical marker, restrooms. There's a dock on Bar Lake that's perfect for diving from.
• Leelanau State Park . 15310 North Lighthouse Point Road, north of Northport. This beach is rocky and perhaps more suitable for hiking and wading than for swimming - but wear wading shoes, the rocks are sharp. Playground and picnic area near lighthouse and parking area. Follow trail to the beach. Coastal dunes, hiking trails and rustic campsites.
• North Bar Lake . In the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, north of Empire. Access via unpaved Bar Lake Road. Restrooms at paved parking area. Short hike over dunes, past North Bar Lake, to Lake Michigan shore. Swimming possible in both lakes.
• Haserot Park . In the village of Northport. Along the breakwater on West Grand Traverse Bay. Adjacent to city park and marina. Playground, picnic tables and restrooms.
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The mother of all beaches. Part of the National Park system, the lakeshore includes miles of beach. For a parking permit and specific directions, stop by the visitor center in Empire. Popular spots include Good Harbor Bay, Pyramid Point and Glen Haven beach. If you have lots of energy, tackle the dune climb south of Glen Haven, then slog through miles of gorgeous dune trails to the isolated Lake Michigan beach (if you do, allow several hours for the journey, use lots of sunscreen and bring shoes to protect your feet from the hot sand). Also part of the national lakeshore, North and South Manitou Islands (Access by passenger ferry from Leland) are ringed with miles of secluded beaches. Off South Manitou, snorkelers and scuba divers can view the shipwreck of the Three Brothers, a 162-foot wooden lumber hooker that was stranded in 1911, which sits in water from eight to 45 feet deep.
• Suttons Bay Municipal Park and Beach . Downtown Suttons Bay. Beach, picnic area, adjacent marina. Site of several summer special events.
MANISTEE COUNTY
• First Street Beach/Douglas Park . In the City of Manistee. playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, grills, fishing pier, fish-cleaning station. At the end of First Street. Lifeguard on duty during posted hours.
• Fifth Avenue Beach . Picnic area, tennis courts, volleyball courts, playground. At the end of Monroe Street in the City of Manistee. The catwalk leading to the Manistee North Pier Lighthouse is one of only four remaining lighthouse catwalks on Michigan's Lake Michigan shore; it is listed in the State Registry of Historic Sites. The Manistee U.S. Coast Guard Station is adjacent to the beach. Lifeguard on duty during posted hours.
• Lake Michigan Recreation Area . Manistee National Forest, nine miles south of City of Manistee on U.S. 31, then another nine miles west on Forest Trail. Mile-long beach, camping, picnic facilities, gravel hiking/biking trails.
MISSAUKEE COUNTY
• Missaukee County Park . Sandy, shallow beach on the north shore of Lake Missaukee in Lake City, 15 miles northeast of Cadillac. 170-site campground, beach house, boat launch, playground, picnic tables, grills, pavilion. Open May through October.
• Crooked Lake Park . Located on south side of Crooked Lake with more than 600 feet of sandy beach. Covered pavillion, picnic area, 35 campsites with electricity, 17 rustic sites, paved boat launch and more than 60 acres with marked trails for hiking.
OTSEGO COUNTY
• Otsego Lake County Park . Off West Otsego Lake Drive in Gaylord. Beach, picnic tables, grills, playground, pavilions.
WEXFORD COUNTY
• Cadillac Lakefront Park . One block west of downtown Cadillac on Lake Cadillac. Paved pathway, historic Shay Steam Locomotive, floating dock for anglers.
• Kenwood Heritage Park . On North Boulevard off M-115 in Cadillac, just northeast of Mitchell State Park. Sandy, shallow beach on Lake Cadillac. Huge playground, picnic tables, pavilion, disc golf, restrooms. Adjacent to Heritage Cadillac Nature Study Area, which include a boardwalk and observation tower.
• William Mitchell State Park . In Cadillac. Swimming in both Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac. Bathhouse on Lake Mitchell. Large campground, crowded in summer.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tick Tock
As the clock ticks down on the Hubbell Farm's chickens, now is the time to make an order on these delicious, naturally raised animals. As the week winds down, we are continuing to feed the chickens extra treats from the garden.
Barb is still predicting either the hottest day of the summer or torrential rains. Let us see if the prognosticating chickens are correct. If you are feeling like roast chicken, please contact the HubbellFarm.
Barb is still predicting either the hottest day of the summer or torrential rains. Let us see if the prognosticating chickens are correct. If you are feeling like roast chicken, please contact the HubbellFarm.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tour de TART Registration Fees Increase Friday 7/15
This is the last week for adults to register for Tour de TART at the $30.00 rate. After Friday the rate increases $5.00 to $35.00. Ride the event with the 6.5 mile gap of unpaved trail between Lakeview and Revold Roads for the last time. Ride 19 miles and be rewarded with burgers (beef, veggie and salmon) assorted salads, root beer floats made with Coldstone Creamery vanilla ice cream and Wild Bill's Root Beer. Local brews from Shorts and Right Brain will be available to purchase. Bring beer money
TART Trails, Inc was formed in 1998 when four individual trail groups in the Traverse City area united to create a stronger force for recreation and alternative transportation in northwest Michigan. TART is dedicated to providing recreation and transportation opportunities as well as preserving open space corridors through a network of trails. TART is a non-profit organization that builds trails, advocates for active living and outdoor recreation. Our work includes negotiating easements, hosting annual events that promote healthy lifestyles, and defending cyclist and pedestrian interests.
TART Trails, Inc was formed in 1998 when four individual trail groups in the Traverse City area united to create a stronger force for recreation and alternative transportation in northwest Michigan. TART is dedicated to providing recreation and transportation opportunities as well as preserving open space corridors through a network of trails. TART is a non-profit organization that builds trails, advocates for active living and outdoor recreation. Our work includes negotiating easements, hosting annual events that promote healthy lifestyles, and defending cyclist and pedestrian interests.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Chickens Predict the Weather
You heard it here first! This coming weekend the naturally raised chickens on the HubbellFarm are making their transition from free range to freezer. According to Barb, this means that it will either be the hottest day of the summer, or a day of torrential rains.
Barb assured me that the chickens are being given weeds and treats from the gardens this week to thank them for their sacrifice. Would you like some naturally raised chicken for your table or barbecue? They are delicious in the stewpot, pasta, or stirfry.
Contact the HubbellFarm for a chicken in your pot.
Barb assured me that the chickens are being given weeds and treats from the gardens this week to thank them for their sacrifice. Would you like some naturally raised chicken for your table or barbecue? They are delicious in the stewpot, pasta, or stirfry.
Contact the HubbellFarm for a chicken in your pot.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Northern Michigan Events: Yoga on the Beach
Northern Michigan Events: Sun Salutations are better on the beach! In Leelanau County this summer, center your mind and body with an unbeatable view.
By Lucy Perkins
Summer is often seen as the season where we all can finally relax. It consists of those June, July and August days we long for in March, overwhelmed with commitments and no time for any fun rewards for ourselves. That being said, when summer does actually arrive, we often find ourselves just as busy, but wearing T-shirts instead of sweaters.
And, ironically, many activities we sign ourselves up for throughout the summer has no real emphasis on relaxation. But some do. Yoga on the Beach of Leelanau County, does.
Classes are held throughout the week at beaches through out the county with classes scheduled throughout the day--some in the evening end just before the sun sets!
This is the sort of thing that brings it all together-the beaches, water, dunes, sunrises and sunsets that you dream of in March are here and we can experience it all while doing something good for your body.
The following schedule is effective July 15 through September 5, but is subject to change. Be sure to visit Yoga on the Beach's Facebook page for any last-minute changes.
Suttons Bay: at South Shore beach
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. with Amy
Glen Haven: at Glen Haven Beach by the Cannery
Tuesdays at 10 a.m. with Julie Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. with Angela, Amy or Julie
Good Harbor: at the end of Good Harbor Trail/CR 651, main entrance, look left
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. with Angela
Empire: at Lake Michigan Beach Park by the Lighthouse
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. with Amy Thursdays at 8 p.m. with Julie
Leland: at South Beach at Reynolds Street
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. with Angela Tuesdays at 8 a.m. with Amy
Traverse City: at West End Beach, near the volleyball courts
Thursdays at 6 p.m. with Amy
Northport: at South Beach/Bay Front Park by the Marina
Fridays at 8 a.m. (before the Farmer's Market!) with Amy
The suggested fee of $10 per 60 minute class.
For more information, visit yogabeachparty.com.
By Lucy Perkins
Summer is often seen as the season where we all can finally relax. It consists of those June, July and August days we long for in March, overwhelmed with commitments and no time for any fun rewards for ourselves. That being said, when summer does actually arrive, we often find ourselves just as busy, but wearing T-shirts instead of sweaters.
And, ironically, many activities we sign ourselves up for throughout the summer has no real emphasis on relaxation. But some do. Yoga on the Beach of Leelanau County, does.
Classes are held throughout the week at beaches through out the county with classes scheduled throughout the day--some in the evening end just before the sun sets!
This is the sort of thing that brings it all together-the beaches, water, dunes, sunrises and sunsets that you dream of in March are here and we can experience it all while doing something good for your body.
The following schedule is effective July 15 through September 5, but is subject to change. Be sure to visit Yoga on the Beach's Facebook page for any last-minute changes.
Suttons Bay: at South Shore beach
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. with Amy
Glen Haven: at Glen Haven Beach by the Cannery
Tuesdays at 10 a.m. with Julie Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. with Angela, Amy or Julie
Good Harbor: at the end of Good Harbor Trail/CR 651, main entrance, look left
Tuesdays at 8 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. with Angela
Empire: at Lake Michigan Beach Park by the Lighthouse
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. with Amy Thursdays at 8 p.m. with Julie
Leland: at South Beach at Reynolds Street
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. with Angela Tuesdays at 8 a.m. with Amy
Traverse City: at West End Beach, near the volleyball courts
Thursdays at 6 p.m. with Amy
Northport: at South Beach/Bay Front Park by the Marina
Fridays at 8 a.m. (before the Farmer's Market!) with Amy
The suggested fee of $10 per 60 minute class.
For more information, visit yogabeachparty.com.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Surviving the heat when the power or AC is out.
by Sharon Astyk
As most of the country slowly roasts in one of the worst heat waves so far, I thought it was worth reminding people that one can stay safe in the heat, even without air conditioning. This is important now for the millions of people who don't own air conditioners, who don't want the environmental impact of an air conditioner, or who find themselves for various reasons, without power in the hot weather. As we all know, this is peak season for brown and blackouts.
There are a lot of parallels between dealing with extreme heat and extreme cold in a difficult situation. The first and most important one is understanding the likely victims of each crisis. The most likely victims are people in extremely hot places (duh), often extremely hot places that haven't been that hot - for example, during heat waves there are often more victims in Chicago than Houston. Why? Because people who live in Houston are both physiologically and pragmatically better prepared for hot weather, becuase they have hot weather more often.
Global warming means that people in hot places are likely to see more extreme heat, and thus bear the brunt of the weather, but it also means that those of us in cooler places need to know this stuff too - since we're probably not as well prepared.
The most likely victims of heat related illness and death are people who are already vulnerable, without a lot of community and social supports, whether we are talking about heat or cold. In fact, most of the people who die are elderly, disabled or ill, and they live ALONE. Tt might actually be more accurate to say they die, not from heat or cold, but from isolation and lack of support in a time of physical stress.
So as we talk about life without power in a heat wave, start thinking about your community and neighborhood. Are there people who are potential victims? Well, now would be the time to get to know them, start checking on them occasionally, build a relationship so that no one in your neighborhood dies from lack of other people's support. If you think of heat and cold related deaths as caused by isolation at least as much as temperature, then we find ourselves having some responsibility to keep one another alive. This is, I think, important in tough times.
Anyone who has trouble perceiving their body temperature or changes will have difficulty handling extreme heat. For example, Eric's grandfather, in his 90s (Eric's grandparents lived with us in their last years), felt cold pretty much all the time. It took some persuasion to get him to drink sufficiently and give up his wool sweater on the hottest days, Without this small, simple, easy, low tech attention, he could easily have been a victim.
Children are vulnerable as well, because they don't necessarily know enough to stop running around, to keep hydrated and seek shade - parents need to keep an eye on this. Anyone with respiratory illnesses is also vulnerable - keep a close eye on kids and adults with asthma or other related health problems.
How do we keep cool? Let's begin from internal systems outwards. This is different than the traditional developed world model that suggests that the best way to adjust temperature is not to adjust your body, but to heat or cool a whole house.
Just as it is possible to live without heat if you have sufficient food to keep you warm, it is possible to live without cooling in the worst hot weather for most people, but not without WATER. Without adequate water, you risk serious health consequences.. Add to that the fact that the most likely times to experience widespread power outages can affect water availability, and heavy storm backlash that contaminates water in warm times, and you have a recipe for being in a very hot period, often having to do strenuous things to adapt, with no water.
This is very bad. This is why you should store water, have a good filter system and work with your community to have back up water systems - because dehydration kills, and most heat mitigation strategies involve water.
Storing water is very simple - water will keep 2 months with no additives (you have to change it every couple of months) in old soda bottles, and you can use what comes out of your tap. There really is no excuse for not having some water on hand - all of us can do this. and best do it before you need it. If you have a freezer and any space in it, your freezer will run more efficiently if you fill it all the way up - so you can fill old bottles with water (leave room for the water to expand as it freezes) and store your water here, with the added benefit that your water will then be cold as it defrosts. If you wish to store water for more than two months, add 7 drops of bleach to the water, and rotate annually.
How do you know if you are drinking enough? Well, if it is really hot, you should pretty much always have water around. If you are working hard in hot weather, you should be drinking pretty constantly - and some of what you drink (assuming you aren't eating things that fit this) should have a little bit of sugar or fruit juice in it. This site has information in making rehydration syrups and also what the best things to drink when you are dehydrated are.
This is something everyone needs to know this, not just people in hot places. But ideally, don't get dehydrated to begin with if at all possible. You urine should be light colored, not dark. If it is dark, get drinking.
Make sure that babies nurse often - yes, nursing in the heat sucks, sweaty body against sweaty body, but don't let your child go too long without nursing in really hot weather. And nurse if at all possible - in a crisis, if safe water isn't available, breast milk can save lives! During Hurricane Katrina, quite a lot of babies suffered from severe dehydration due to lack of available water and formula.
Moving on to the outside of your body, dress for the weather. There are essentially two theories of how to dress for hot weather. The first is to wear something roughly like the Indian selvar kemise - loose fitting, light colored cotton clothing that covers your whole body, keeps the sun off you and allows you to breathe. Add a natural fiber hat that also breathes (remember, covering your head will keep in heat if it doesn't), and you are well set. The other possibility is "as little as possible" - this will depend also on where you live and how much time you spend in the sun and a host of other factors. I personally think the former has a lot of advantages, but there are many people who prefer the latter.
Ok, once you are dressed, how to deal with the heat? Again, we come back to lots and lots of water. If you don't have to sit in a board meeting, you might be able to sit in a pool - even a kiddie pool can do a lot. If you don't have that much water, how about a pan of water to put your feet in? Soak a bandana and put it over your head, or around your neck. Take a shower. Or if the power isn't on or you can't, fill a bucket and pour it over your head or dip it over. Sponge bathe.
Get outside in the shade - and if you don't have shade, make some, both in and out of your house. If you live somewhere hot, you need trees, lots of them. Plant trees that will shade your house and minimize your cooling costs and need for air conditioning (and to enable you to live without it). Vines can provide quick shade over your windows - you can plant them in containers and trellis them up over windows if you don't have dirt. The more green stuff around you, generally, the cooler you will be. Urban dwellers with flat roofs might look into green roofs, which help reduce heating and cooling costs.
Use awnings, blinds and shade screens to keep sun from warming the house. Open windows at night and close them during the day. If your heat is dry, hang wet laundry or sheets up in the house to reduce the temperature. Swamp coolers use less electricity than a/c. Just as insulation is the key to minimizing heat usage, it is also the key to cooling - just make sure you do it well and keep good air quality and ventilation in mind. Use common sense, and keep doors closed if one area gets more sun/heat than another.
Stay outside as much as you can if it is cooler outside than in, especially if outside has a breeze and the air quality isn't too horrible. Sleep there - this is what people did before air conditioning - they slept outside because the house didn't cool down enough. City folks slept on balconies and even fire escapes (latter is not legal or safe and I'm not recommending it), others got out in their backyards. Certainly do all cooking outside, or if you must cook inside, cook everything that needs heating the night before or early in the morning and don't cook again. Part of our problem is that we are such an indoor people - both for acclimation and comfort, we need to recognize that life can be moved outside, to the porch, the yard, etc... when time requires.
Once, farm families had summer kitchens screened or outdoor cooking areas designed for dealing with summer and keeping the heat out of the house. A simple screen house could provide eating and sleeping shaded areas, while a nearby firepit, earth oven, grill or sun oven (and probably better yet a combination) provides food preparation. Others might move a wood cookstove outside, or get fancier with some permanent structure - the more summer you have, the more this might be wise - having a way to simply keep most activities outdoors seems to be a fairly basic strategy.
If you can, shift your work times - get up very early, stay up late, sleep or rest or work quietly during the hottest periods. Get a headlamp so you can do chores outside at night. Don't exercise much during the worst weather, if you can avoid it (many people have no choice).
What if the power comes on? For most people, air conditioning is a mixed blessing - as you become accustomed to heat, your body begins to adapt to it, to sweat more and handle the heat better. Air conditioning can provide a blessed relief, but too much time spent in air conditioning can also prevent your body from actually adapting to hot conditions, making you feel the heat more.
This gets people into the vicious circle of needing their a/c more and more - and then gets the whole of society into the vicious circle of brownouts, blackouts and more air pollution from the coal plants and dirty diesel backup generators. I realize there are places where this is not viable, but I encourage people who do not physically have to use air conditioning to avoid it whenever possible, and to air condition as small a space as they can tolerate.
Now we come to the fly in the ointment - air quality. While pure heat can be dealt with, there are many people who simply can't tolerate the air outside during the hottest weather. For those who are ill, or vulnerable to air quality (and while we vary in sensitivity, poor air quality affects everyone), and those who have to do strenuous stuff are at high risk.
If there's power in your area, you can go to a/c shelters. If nothing else has power, your local hospital may, and might allow someone with severe health issues to sit in their lobby. If there is no a/c around, go near water - even a small lake will have slightly better air quality over it, as well as cooler temperatures. You can also soak a bandana, piece of muslin or cheesecloth and tie it over mouth and nose to reduce pollutants and cool the air into your lungs. For those who have to be working outside, move slowly, take it easy, and again, drink.
If you have a serious health problem that means that the air quality and temperatures in your area are intolerable to you during routine summer temperatures, you may have to think about relocation. The statement that no one needs to die from cold is not quite as true for heat, sadly - that is, as long as we pollute air as heavily as we do, there are going to be people who suffer from that. If your life depends on adequate heat or cooling or air cleaning being provided by grid systems, I really don't like saying this, but you would be smart to seriously consider living in a place where you are not endangered - or less often endangered. Because fossil fuel or grid power or money to pay the bills for those things may not be available, even if your life depends on it.
In the meantime, take it slow, keep cool, and enjoy the ripe things that love this weather!
As most of the country slowly roasts in one of the worst heat waves so far, I thought it was worth reminding people that one can stay safe in the heat, even without air conditioning. This is important now for the millions of people who don't own air conditioners, who don't want the environmental impact of an air conditioner, or who find themselves for various reasons, without power in the hot weather. As we all know, this is peak season for brown and blackouts.
There are a lot of parallels between dealing with extreme heat and extreme cold in a difficult situation. The first and most important one is understanding the likely victims of each crisis. The most likely victims are people in extremely hot places (duh), often extremely hot places that haven't been that hot - for example, during heat waves there are often more victims in Chicago than Houston. Why? Because people who live in Houston are both physiologically and pragmatically better prepared for hot weather, becuase they have hot weather more often.
Global warming means that people in hot places are likely to see more extreme heat, and thus bear the brunt of the weather, but it also means that those of us in cooler places need to know this stuff too - since we're probably not as well prepared.
The most likely victims of heat related illness and death are people who are already vulnerable, without a lot of community and social supports, whether we are talking about heat or cold. In fact, most of the people who die are elderly, disabled or ill, and they live ALONE. Tt might actually be more accurate to say they die, not from heat or cold, but from isolation and lack of support in a time of physical stress.
So as we talk about life without power in a heat wave, start thinking about your community and neighborhood. Are there people who are potential victims? Well, now would be the time to get to know them, start checking on them occasionally, build a relationship so that no one in your neighborhood dies from lack of other people's support. If you think of heat and cold related deaths as caused by isolation at least as much as temperature, then we find ourselves having some responsibility to keep one another alive. This is, I think, important in tough times.
Anyone who has trouble perceiving their body temperature or changes will have difficulty handling extreme heat. For example, Eric's grandfather, in his 90s (Eric's grandparents lived with us in their last years), felt cold pretty much all the time. It took some persuasion to get him to drink sufficiently and give up his wool sweater on the hottest days, Without this small, simple, easy, low tech attention, he could easily have been a victim.
Children are vulnerable as well, because they don't necessarily know enough to stop running around, to keep hydrated and seek shade - parents need to keep an eye on this. Anyone with respiratory illnesses is also vulnerable - keep a close eye on kids and adults with asthma or other related health problems.
How do we keep cool? Let's begin from internal systems outwards. This is different than the traditional developed world model that suggests that the best way to adjust temperature is not to adjust your body, but to heat or cool a whole house.
Just as it is possible to live without heat if you have sufficient food to keep you warm, it is possible to live without cooling in the worst hot weather for most people, but not without WATER. Without adequate water, you risk serious health consequences.. Add to that the fact that the most likely times to experience widespread power outages can affect water availability, and heavy storm backlash that contaminates water in warm times, and you have a recipe for being in a very hot period, often having to do strenuous things to adapt, with no water.
This is very bad. This is why you should store water, have a good filter system and work with your community to have back up water systems - because dehydration kills, and most heat mitigation strategies involve water.
Storing water is very simple - water will keep 2 months with no additives (you have to change it every couple of months) in old soda bottles, and you can use what comes out of your tap. There really is no excuse for not having some water on hand - all of us can do this. and best do it before you need it. If you have a freezer and any space in it, your freezer will run more efficiently if you fill it all the way up - so you can fill old bottles with water (leave room for the water to expand as it freezes) and store your water here, with the added benefit that your water will then be cold as it defrosts. If you wish to store water for more than two months, add 7 drops of bleach to the water, and rotate annually.
How do you know if you are drinking enough? Well, if it is really hot, you should pretty much always have water around. If you are working hard in hot weather, you should be drinking pretty constantly - and some of what you drink (assuming you aren't eating things that fit this) should have a little bit of sugar or fruit juice in it. This site has information in making rehydration syrups and also what the best things to drink when you are dehydrated are.
This is something everyone needs to know this, not just people in hot places. But ideally, don't get dehydrated to begin with if at all possible. You urine should be light colored, not dark. If it is dark, get drinking.
Make sure that babies nurse often - yes, nursing in the heat sucks, sweaty body against sweaty body, but don't let your child go too long without nursing in really hot weather. And nurse if at all possible - in a crisis, if safe water isn't available, breast milk can save lives! During Hurricane Katrina, quite a lot of babies suffered from severe dehydration due to lack of available water and formula.
Moving on to the outside of your body, dress for the weather. There are essentially two theories of how to dress for hot weather. The first is to wear something roughly like the Indian selvar kemise - loose fitting, light colored cotton clothing that covers your whole body, keeps the sun off you and allows you to breathe. Add a natural fiber hat that also breathes (remember, covering your head will keep in heat if it doesn't), and you are well set. The other possibility is "as little as possible" - this will depend also on where you live and how much time you spend in the sun and a host of other factors. I personally think the former has a lot of advantages, but there are many people who prefer the latter.
Ok, once you are dressed, how to deal with the heat? Again, we come back to lots and lots of water. If you don't have to sit in a board meeting, you might be able to sit in a pool - even a kiddie pool can do a lot. If you don't have that much water, how about a pan of water to put your feet in? Soak a bandana and put it over your head, or around your neck. Take a shower. Or if the power isn't on or you can't, fill a bucket and pour it over your head or dip it over. Sponge bathe.
Get outside in the shade - and if you don't have shade, make some, both in and out of your house. If you live somewhere hot, you need trees, lots of them. Plant trees that will shade your house and minimize your cooling costs and need for air conditioning (and to enable you to live without it). Vines can provide quick shade over your windows - you can plant them in containers and trellis them up over windows if you don't have dirt. The more green stuff around you, generally, the cooler you will be. Urban dwellers with flat roofs might look into green roofs, which help reduce heating and cooling costs.
Use awnings, blinds and shade screens to keep sun from warming the house. Open windows at night and close them during the day. If your heat is dry, hang wet laundry or sheets up in the house to reduce the temperature. Swamp coolers use less electricity than a/c. Just as insulation is the key to minimizing heat usage, it is also the key to cooling - just make sure you do it well and keep good air quality and ventilation in mind. Use common sense, and keep doors closed if one area gets more sun/heat than another.
Stay outside as much as you can if it is cooler outside than in, especially if outside has a breeze and the air quality isn't too horrible. Sleep there - this is what people did before air conditioning - they slept outside because the house didn't cool down enough. City folks slept on balconies and even fire escapes (latter is not legal or safe and I'm not recommending it), others got out in their backyards. Certainly do all cooking outside, or if you must cook inside, cook everything that needs heating the night before or early in the morning and don't cook again. Part of our problem is that we are such an indoor people - both for acclimation and comfort, we need to recognize that life can be moved outside, to the porch, the yard, etc... when time requires.
Once, farm families had summer kitchens screened or outdoor cooking areas designed for dealing with summer and keeping the heat out of the house. A simple screen house could provide eating and sleeping shaded areas, while a nearby firepit, earth oven, grill or sun oven (and probably better yet a combination) provides food preparation. Others might move a wood cookstove outside, or get fancier with some permanent structure - the more summer you have, the more this might be wise - having a way to simply keep most activities outdoors seems to be a fairly basic strategy.
If you can, shift your work times - get up very early, stay up late, sleep or rest or work quietly during the hottest periods. Get a headlamp so you can do chores outside at night. Don't exercise much during the worst weather, if you can avoid it (many people have no choice).
What if the power comes on? For most people, air conditioning is a mixed blessing - as you become accustomed to heat, your body begins to adapt to it, to sweat more and handle the heat better. Air conditioning can provide a blessed relief, but too much time spent in air conditioning can also prevent your body from actually adapting to hot conditions, making you feel the heat more.
This gets people into the vicious circle of needing their a/c more and more - and then gets the whole of society into the vicious circle of brownouts, blackouts and more air pollution from the coal plants and dirty diesel backup generators. I realize there are places where this is not viable, but I encourage people who do not physically have to use air conditioning to avoid it whenever possible, and to air condition as small a space as they can tolerate.
Now we come to the fly in the ointment - air quality. While pure heat can be dealt with, there are many people who simply can't tolerate the air outside during the hottest weather. For those who are ill, or vulnerable to air quality (and while we vary in sensitivity, poor air quality affects everyone), and those who have to do strenuous stuff are at high risk.
If there's power in your area, you can go to a/c shelters. If nothing else has power, your local hospital may, and might allow someone with severe health issues to sit in their lobby. If there is no a/c around, go near water - even a small lake will have slightly better air quality over it, as well as cooler temperatures. You can also soak a bandana, piece of muslin or cheesecloth and tie it over mouth and nose to reduce pollutants and cool the air into your lungs. For those who have to be working outside, move slowly, take it easy, and again, drink.
If you have a serious health problem that means that the air quality and temperatures in your area are intolerable to you during routine summer temperatures, you may have to think about relocation. The statement that no one needs to die from cold is not quite as true for heat, sadly - that is, as long as we pollute air as heavily as we do, there are going to be people who suffer from that. If your life depends on adequate heat or cooling or air cleaning being provided by grid systems, I really don't like saying this, but you would be smart to seriously consider living in a place where you are not endangered - or less often endangered. Because fossil fuel or grid power or money to pay the bills for those things may not be available, even if your life depends on it.
In the meantime, take it slow, keep cool, and enjoy the ripe things that love this weather!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A List of Northern Michigan Festivals
Up North Fourth celebrates the July 4th weekend with an Up North Fourth celebration, July 2.
National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a week of celebrations surrounding the sweet and tart cherries. Nationally recognized as a summer treat! July 2-9, 2011.
Harbor Springs July 4th Art Fair is held in Zorn Park and attracts artists from around the country.
Blissfest Music Festival is a celebration of music, culture, art and community at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. July 8-10, 2011.
The Arts & Crafts Show in Charlevoix is unique because of the quality crafts exhibited. Visit the show July 9-10, 2011.
Indian River Summerfest, July 12-17, includes a duck race, lobster roast, sport events, and more. Don't miss the Indian River SummerFest.
Children of the World Harmony Festival, July 12-17, includes young singers and dancers from many countries: Children of the World.
Women's Club Art Fest hosted the Northern Michigan Women's Club is held at Nub's Nob on July 13, 2011.
Venetian Festival in Charlevoix began 80 years ago as a simple candle-lit boat parade and has grown into a week-long flurry of color and pageantry that highlights the summer season and attracts tens of thousands of visitors. July 17-23, 2011.
Art in the Park in Petoskey's Pennsylvania Park has terrific art and includes a children's tent. In 2011, the event is July 18.
The Antique Flywheelers Show, July 28-31, has demonstrations, a petting zoo, music, dancing, and more.
National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a week of celebrations surrounding the sweet and tart cherries. Nationally recognized as a summer treat! July 2-9, 2011.
Harbor Springs July 4th Art Fair is held in Zorn Park and attracts artists from around the country.
Blissfest Music Festival is a celebration of music, culture, art and community at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. July 8-10, 2011.
The Arts & Crafts Show in Charlevoix is unique because of the quality crafts exhibited. Visit the show July 9-10, 2011.
Indian River Summerfest, July 12-17, includes a duck race, lobster roast, sport events, and more. Don't miss the Indian River SummerFest.
Children of the World Harmony Festival, July 12-17, includes young singers and dancers from many countries: Children of the World.
Women's Club Art Fest hosted the Northern Michigan Women's Club is held at Nub's Nob on July 13, 2011.
Venetian Festival in Charlevoix began 80 years ago as a simple candle-lit boat parade and has grown into a week-long flurry of color and pageantry that highlights the summer season and attracts tens of thousands of visitors. July 17-23, 2011.
Art in the Park in Petoskey's Pennsylvania Park has terrific art and includes a children's tent. In 2011, the event is July 18.
The Antique Flywheelers Show, July 28-31, has demonstrations, a petting zoo, music, dancing, and more.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Art Leelanau
The opening reception for the 19th annual Art Leelanau benefit art exhibition and sale for support of programs at the Old Art Building in Leland takes place Friday, July 22 from 5-8 PM.
The exhibit promotes the artwork of more than 100 Leelanau artists, with 40% of art sales to benefit the LCCC operating fund. Tickets for the event are $25 if purchased in advance or $30 at the door. Hors d'oeuvres and one drink are included in the ticket price, and there also will be a full cash bar with live jazz by the John Lindenau quartet.
For additional information, call the Old Art Building at 231-256-2131.
The exhibit promotes the artwork of more than 100 Leelanau artists, with 40% of art sales to benefit the LCCC operating fund. Tickets for the event are $25 if purchased in advance or $30 at the door. Hors d'oeuvres and one drink are included in the ticket price, and there also will be a full cash bar with live jazz by the John Lindenau quartet.
For additional information, call the Old Art Building at 231-256-2131.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Five Leelanau Tours
by Dune Blog
The National Park Service provides some excellent resources for park visitors, including a map, brochures and bulletins. At the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau we wanted to help our visitors experience attractions both inside and outside of park boundaries, so we created an Area Guide and Map. It contains things to do in beautiful Leelanau County as well as five driving tours that will take you to the best Leelanau has to offer.
National Lakeshore Tour 1: The tour begins at the Philip A. Hart Visitors Center in Empire where you can pick up park literature or speak with park rangers. The driving tour winds through the Sleeping Bear Dunes and includes stops in some spectacular locations including the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, The Dune Climb, the historic town of Glen Haven, and finally to a Lake Michigan beach. The tour can be done in one day or spaced out over two or three days.
National Lakeshore Tour 2: The tour takes you north, up the coast on M22 through some charming small towns. The first stop is through the historic town of Port Oneida, a historic settlement with remnants of life as it was in the late 1800’s. The next stop is Pyramid Point with a hike to the top of a 260-foot bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. Over-heated hikers can stop for a swim in Good Harbor Bay or dip their toes in Shalda Creek. The tour continues to the small town of Leland, where historic Fishtown has been persevered as it was 100 years ago. From Leland, travel through rolling hills and orchards to the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. Travelers have the option of stopping at the Leelanau State Park to hike short trails to Lake Michigan or to stop at Peterson Park for a picnic and spectacular views of the Fox Islands.
Winery Tour: No trip to Leelanau County would be complete without a tour of the vineyards and wineries that make up the Leelanau Peninsula. The tour includes up to 18 wineries, each with something unique to offer, including award-winning wines and postcard-perfect scenic views. Tasting room design and ambiance varies from grand to chicken-coup quaint, and many have scenic views worthy of a stop. A Wine Trail Map with winery GPS locations is available from the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner’s Association.
Shopping Tour: Shopping may seem out of place with so many natural wonders to see, but that is far from true. Leelanau towns are not only quaint and charming, but are situated along the picturesque shoreline of Lake Michigan, Grand Traverse Bay and inland lakes. The shops sell everything from small-town sweatshirts to fine art, ice cream and home-made pottery. Be sure to stop at roadside fruit stands that supply locals and visitors with fresh, locally-grown produce and fresh baked goods.
Wayfaring Tour: The final tour takes the adventurous on four hikes to spectacular overlooks of Lake Michigan, the Manitou Islands and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Hikes range from .75 miles to 2.7 miles and take the hiker through hilly terrain to Empire Bluffs, Bay View, Pyramid Point, and Whaleback. For those who have an extra day, we highly recommend taking the ferry to North or South Manitou Island to hike the island trails, camp over night, or relax on an untouched beach with the Sleeping Bear Dunes mainland as a backdrop. We guarantee it will take your breath away.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau Area Guide and Map also contains a list of art galleries, golf courses/schools, museums, ice cream stores, restaurants, a spa, wineries, fishing shops/schools, boating/canoeing vendors, lodging locations and wedding venues.
The National Park Service provides some excellent resources for park visitors, including a map, brochures and bulletins. At the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau we wanted to help our visitors experience attractions both inside and outside of park boundaries, so we created an Area Guide and Map. It contains things to do in beautiful Leelanau County as well as five driving tours that will take you to the best Leelanau has to offer.
National Lakeshore Tour 1: The tour begins at the Philip A. Hart Visitors Center in Empire where you can pick up park literature or speak with park rangers. The driving tour winds through the Sleeping Bear Dunes and includes stops in some spectacular locations including the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, The Dune Climb, the historic town of Glen Haven, and finally to a Lake Michigan beach. The tour can be done in one day or spaced out over two or three days.
National Lakeshore Tour 2: The tour takes you north, up the coast on M22 through some charming small towns. The first stop is through the historic town of Port Oneida, a historic settlement with remnants of life as it was in the late 1800’s. The next stop is Pyramid Point with a hike to the top of a 260-foot bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. Over-heated hikers can stop for a swim in Good Harbor Bay or dip their toes in Shalda Creek. The tour continues to the small town of Leland, where historic Fishtown has been persevered as it was 100 years ago. From Leland, travel through rolling hills and orchards to the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. Travelers have the option of stopping at the Leelanau State Park to hike short trails to Lake Michigan or to stop at Peterson Park for a picnic and spectacular views of the Fox Islands.
Winery Tour: No trip to Leelanau County would be complete without a tour of the vineyards and wineries that make up the Leelanau Peninsula. The tour includes up to 18 wineries, each with something unique to offer, including award-winning wines and postcard-perfect scenic views. Tasting room design and ambiance varies from grand to chicken-coup quaint, and many have scenic views worthy of a stop. A Wine Trail Map with winery GPS locations is available from the Leelanau Peninsula Vintner’s Association.
Shopping Tour: Shopping may seem out of place with so many natural wonders to see, but that is far from true. Leelanau towns are not only quaint and charming, but are situated along the picturesque shoreline of Lake Michigan, Grand Traverse Bay and inland lakes. The shops sell everything from small-town sweatshirts to fine art, ice cream and home-made pottery. Be sure to stop at roadside fruit stands that supply locals and visitors with fresh, locally-grown produce and fresh baked goods.
Wayfaring Tour: The final tour takes the adventurous on four hikes to spectacular overlooks of Lake Michigan, the Manitou Islands and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Hikes range from .75 miles to 2.7 miles and take the hiker through hilly terrain to Empire Bluffs, Bay View, Pyramid Point, and Whaleback. For those who have an extra day, we highly recommend taking the ferry to North or South Manitou Island to hike the island trails, camp over night, or relax on an untouched beach with the Sleeping Bear Dunes mainland as a backdrop. We guarantee it will take your breath away.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau Area Guide and Map also contains a list of art galleries, golf courses/schools, museums, ice cream stores, restaurants, a spa, wineries, fishing shops/schools, boating/canoeing vendors, lodging locations and wedding venues.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Film Festival Runs in Traverse City July 26-31
Festival Basics
The Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable and educational non-profit organization that holds an annual event in one of the most beautiful areas of the country — Traverse City, Michigan. The festival is committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema.
The seventh annual Traverse City Film Festival will be held July 26-31, 2011. The eighth annual festival will be held July 31-August 5, 2012.
Highlights of the Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 106,000 admissions to 135 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.
The festival also presents classic movies free of charge on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay in the Open Space Park at dusk.
Free panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily. And an affordable film school runs throughout the festival, offering twice daily classes for film students and film lovers.
About the Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable, educational, nonprofit organization committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema. The festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to northern Michigan for the annual film festival in late July to early August, and also owns and operates a year-round, community-based, mission-driven art house movie theater, the State Theatre. The festival was founded by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, who runs the festival and serves as the President of the Board of Directors. The other board members are photographer John Robert Williams and New York Times best-selling author Doug Stanton, both Traverse Citians, and filmmakers Larry Charles (director, “Borat”), Terry George (director, “Hotel Rwanda”), Sabina Guzzanti (director, “Viva Zapatero!”), and Christine Lahti (actor, “Running on Empty”).
The Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable and educational non-profit organization that holds an annual event in one of the most beautiful areas of the country — Traverse City, Michigan. The festival is committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema.
The seventh annual Traverse City Film Festival will be held July 26-31, 2011. The eighth annual festival will be held July 31-August 5, 2012.
Highlights of the Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 106,000 admissions to 135 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.
The festival also presents classic movies free of charge on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay in the Open Space Park at dusk.
Free panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily. And an affordable film school runs throughout the festival, offering twice daily classes for film students and film lovers.
About the Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival is a charitable, educational, nonprofit organization committed to showing “Just Great Movies” and helping to save one of America’s few indigenous art forms — the cinema. The festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to northern Michigan for the annual film festival in late July to early August, and also owns and operates a year-round, community-based, mission-driven art house movie theater, the State Theatre. The festival was founded by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, who runs the festival and serves as the President of the Board of Directors. The other board members are photographer John Robert Williams and New York Times best-selling author Doug Stanton, both Traverse Citians, and filmmakers Larry Charles (director, “Borat”), Terry George (director, “Hotel Rwanda”), Sabina Guzzanti (director, “Viva Zapatero!”), and Christine Lahti (actor, “Running on Empty”).
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Short Neighborhood Blessing
Please, God, bring peace upon my neighborhood. Please help us to value our unique traits and quirks. Please fill this neighborhood with patience and joy.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A Northern Michigan Haunting
Old STATE HOSPITAL
Traverse City
There have been many stories of hauntings at this site that have been told and retold over the years. The hospital itself is undergoing construction now to be made into apartments and I believe a restaurant, but the site itself still has the power to be daunting. There are many buildings to this complex, some were demolished years ago, some are still used by Munson Hospital and yet others are hidden back in the trees surrounding the site. Various ghosts have been seen wandering the grounds of the hospital and are heard echoing from the psychiatric wards.
Small children and elderly people have been reported to appear and disappear on different floors, there is even said to be a disfigured creature that appears from the tunnels and the basement area. Before the construction began, lights would be seen on different floors even though the building hadn't had power to it for years. Several legends have been told by generations of trespassing youth over the years including if you try to take religious materials into the hospital, they will be destroyed before you can enter; the only place this was said not to
happen was in the chapel.
Traverse City
There have been many stories of hauntings at this site that have been told and retold over the years. The hospital itself is undergoing construction now to be made into apartments and I believe a restaurant, but the site itself still has the power to be daunting. There are many buildings to this complex, some were demolished years ago, some are still used by Munson Hospital and yet others are hidden back in the trees surrounding the site. Various ghosts have been seen wandering the grounds of the hospital and are heard echoing from the psychiatric wards.
Small children and elderly people have been reported to appear and disappear on different floors, there is even said to be a disfigured creature that appears from the tunnels and the basement area. Before the construction began, lights would be seen on different floors even though the building hadn't had power to it for years. Several legends have been told by generations of trespassing youth over the years including if you try to take religious materials into the hospital, they will be destroyed before you can enter; the only place this was said not to
happen was in the chapel.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Prepare For Economic Disaster
by Peak Oil News and Message Boards
It is not just the United States that is headed for an economic collapse. The truth is that the entire world is heading for a massive economic meltdown and the people of earth need to be warned about the coming economic disaster that is going to sweep the globe. The current world financial system is based on debt, and there are alarming signs that the gigantic global debt bubble is getting ready to burst. In addition, global prices for the key resources that the major economies of the planet depend on are rising very rapidly. Despite all of our advanced technology, the truth is that human civilization simply cannot function without oil and food. But now the price of oil and the price of food are both increasing dramatically. So how is the current global economy supposed to keep functioning properly if it soon costs much more to ship products between continents? How are the billions of people that are just barely surviving today supposed to feed themselves if the price of food goes up another 30 or 40 percent? For decades, most of the major economies around the globe have been able to take for granted that massive amounts of cheap oil and massive amounts of cheap food will always be there. So what happens when that paradigm changes?
At last check, the price of U.S. crude was over 104 dollars a barrel and the price of Brent crude was over 115 dollars a barrel. Many analysts fear that if the crisis in Libya escalates or if the chaos in the Middle East spreads that we could see the all-time record of 147 dollars a barrel broken by the end of the year. That would be absolutely disastrous for the global economy.
But it isn’t just the chaos in the Middle East that is driving oil prices. The truth is that oil prices have been moving upwards for months. The recent revolutions in the Middle East have only accelerated the trend.
Let’s just hope that the “day of rage” being called for in Saudi Arabia later this month does not turn into a full-blown revolution like we have seen in other Middle Eastern countries. The Saudis keep a pretty tight grip on their people, but at this point anything is possible. A true revolution in Saudi Arabia would send oil prices into unprecedented territory very quickly.
But even without all of the trouble in the Middle East the world was already heading for an oil crunch. The global demand for oil is rising at a very vigorous pace. For example, last year Chinese demand for oil increased by almost 1 million barrels per day. That is absolutely staggering. The Chinese are now buying more new cars every year than Americans are, and so Chinese demand for oil is only going to continue to increase.
Much could be done to increase the global supply of oil, but so far our politicians and the major oil company executives are sitting on their hands. They seem to like the increasing oil prices.
So for now it looks like oil prices will continue to rise and this is going to result in much higher prices at the gas pump.
Already, ABC News is reporting that regular unleaded gasoline is going for $5.29 a gallon at one gas station in Orlando, Florida.
The U.S. economy in particular is vulnerable to rising oil prices because our entire economic system is designed around cheap gasoline. If the price of gas goes up to 5 or 6 dollars a gallon and it stays there it is going to have a catastrophic effect on the U.S. economy.
Just remember what happened back in 2008. The price of oil hit an all-time high of $147 a barrel and then a few months later the entire financial system had a major meltdown.
Well, as the price of oil rises it is going to create a whole lot of imbalances in the global financial system once again.
This is definitely a situation that we should all be watching.
But it is not just the price of oil that could cause a global economic disaster.
The global price of food could potentially be even more concerning. As you read this, there are about 3 billion people around the globe that live on the equivalent of 2 dollars a day or less. Those people cannot afford for food prices to go up much.
But global food prices are rising. According to the United Nations, the global price of food has risen for 8 consecutive months. Last month, the global price of food set a brand new all-time record high. Many are starting to fear that we could actually be in the early stages of a major global food crisis.
The price of just about every major agricultural commodity has been absolutely soaring during the past year….
*The price of corn has doubled over the last six months.
*The price of wheat has more than doubled over the past year.
*The price of soybeans is up about 50% since last June.
*The price of cotton has more than doubled over the past year.
*The commodity price of orange juice has doubled since 2009.
*The price of sugar is the highest it has been in 30 years.
Unfortunately, the production of food in most countries around the world is very highly dependent on oil, so as oil goes up in price this is going to make the food crisis even worse.
Hold on to your hats folks.
Also, as I have written about previously, the world is facing some very serious problems when it comes to water. Due to the greed of the global elite, there is not nearly enough fresh water to go around. The following are some very disturbing facts about the global water situation….
*Worldwide demand for fresh water tripled during the last century, and is now doubling every 21 years.
*According to USAID, one-third of all humans will face severe or chronic water shortages by the year 2025.
*Of the 60 million people added to the world’s cities every year, the vast majority of them live in impoverished slums and shanty-towns with no sanitation facilities whatsoever.
*It is estimated that 75 percent of India’s surface water is now contaminated by human and agricultural waste.
*Not only that, but according to a UN study on sanitation, far more people in India have access to a mobile phone than to a toilet.
*In northern China, the water table is dropping one meter per year due to overpumping.
These days, one of the trendy things to do is to call water “the oil of the 21st century”, but unfortunately that is not a completely inaccurate statement. Fresh, clean water is something that we all need, but right now world supplies are getting tight.
Our politicians and the global elite could be doing something about this if they really wanted to, but right now they seem perfectly fine with what is happening.
On top of everything else, the sovereign debt crisis is worse than it has ever been before.
All of the major global central banks have been feverishly printing money in an attempt to “paper over” this crisis, but it is not going to work.
Most Americans don’t realize it, but right now the continent of Europe is a financial basket case. Greece and Ireland would have imploded already if they had not been bailed out, and now Portugal is on the verge of collapse. The interest rate on Portugal’s 10-year notes has now been above 7% for about 3 weeks, and most analysts believe that it is only a matter of time before they are forced to accept a bailout.
Sadly, if the entire global economy experiences a slowdown because of rising oil prices, we could see half a dozen European nations default on their debts if they are not bailed out.
For now the Germans seem fine with bailing out the weak sisters that are all around them, but that isn’t going to last forever.
A day or reckoning is coming for Europe, and when it arrives the reverberations are going to be felt all across the face of the earth. The euro is on very shaky ground already, and whether or not it can survive the coming crisis is an open question.
Of course there are some very serious concerns about Asia as well. The national debt of Japan is now well over 200% of GDP and nobody seems to have a solution for their problems. Up to this point, Japan has been able to borrow massive amounts of money at extremely low interest rates from their own people, but that isn’t going to last forever either.
As I have written about so many times before, the biggest debt problem of all is the United States. Barack Obama is projecting that the federal budget deficit for this fiscal year will be a new all-time record 1.65 trillion dollars. It is expected that the total U.S. national debt will surpass the 15 trillion dollar mark by the end of the fiscal year.
Shouldn’t we have some sort of celebration when that happens?
15 trillion dollars is quite an achievement.
Most Americans cannot even conceive of a debt that large. If the federal government began right at this moment to repay the U.S. national debt at a rate of one dollar per second, it would take over 440,000 years to pay off the national debt.
But the United States is not alone. The truth is that wherever you look, there is a sea of red ink covering the planet.
The current global financial system is entirely based on debt. If the total amount of debt does not continually expand, the system will crash. If somehow a way was found to keep this system going perpetually (which is impossible), the size of global debt would keep on increasing infinitely.
Now the World Economic Forum says that we need to grow the total amount of debt by another 100 trillion dollars over the next ten years to “support” the anticipated amount of “economic growth” around the world that they expect to see.
The entire global financial system is a gigantic Ponzi scheme. It is designed to keep everyone enslaved to perpetual debt. If at some point the debt spiral gets interrupted in some significant way, we are going to witness an economic disaster that is going to make what happened in 2008 look like a Sunday picnic.
The more research that one does on the current global economic situation, the more clear it becomes that we are absolutely doomed.
So people of earth you had better get ready.
An economic disaster is coming.
It is not just the United States that is headed for an economic collapse. The truth is that the entire world is heading for a massive economic meltdown and the people of earth need to be warned about the coming economic disaster that is going to sweep the globe. The current world financial system is based on debt, and there are alarming signs that the gigantic global debt bubble is getting ready to burst. In addition, global prices for the key resources that the major economies of the planet depend on are rising very rapidly. Despite all of our advanced technology, the truth is that human civilization simply cannot function without oil and food. But now the price of oil and the price of food are both increasing dramatically. So how is the current global economy supposed to keep functioning properly if it soon costs much more to ship products between continents? How are the billions of people that are just barely surviving today supposed to feed themselves if the price of food goes up another 30 or 40 percent? For decades, most of the major economies around the globe have been able to take for granted that massive amounts of cheap oil and massive amounts of cheap food will always be there. So what happens when that paradigm changes?
At last check, the price of U.S. crude was over 104 dollars a barrel and the price of Brent crude was over 115 dollars a barrel. Many analysts fear that if the crisis in Libya escalates or if the chaos in the Middle East spreads that we could see the all-time record of 147 dollars a barrel broken by the end of the year. That would be absolutely disastrous for the global economy.
But it isn’t just the chaos in the Middle East that is driving oil prices. The truth is that oil prices have been moving upwards for months. The recent revolutions in the Middle East have only accelerated the trend.
Let’s just hope that the “day of rage” being called for in Saudi Arabia later this month does not turn into a full-blown revolution like we have seen in other Middle Eastern countries. The Saudis keep a pretty tight grip on their people, but at this point anything is possible. A true revolution in Saudi Arabia would send oil prices into unprecedented territory very quickly.
But even without all of the trouble in the Middle East the world was already heading for an oil crunch. The global demand for oil is rising at a very vigorous pace. For example, last year Chinese demand for oil increased by almost 1 million barrels per day. That is absolutely staggering. The Chinese are now buying more new cars every year than Americans are, and so Chinese demand for oil is only going to continue to increase.
Much could be done to increase the global supply of oil, but so far our politicians and the major oil company executives are sitting on their hands. They seem to like the increasing oil prices.
So for now it looks like oil prices will continue to rise and this is going to result in much higher prices at the gas pump.
Already, ABC News is reporting that regular unleaded gasoline is going for $5.29 a gallon at one gas station in Orlando, Florida.
The U.S. economy in particular is vulnerable to rising oil prices because our entire economic system is designed around cheap gasoline. If the price of gas goes up to 5 or 6 dollars a gallon and it stays there it is going to have a catastrophic effect on the U.S. economy.
Just remember what happened back in 2008. The price of oil hit an all-time high of $147 a barrel and then a few months later the entire financial system had a major meltdown.
Well, as the price of oil rises it is going to create a whole lot of imbalances in the global financial system once again.
This is definitely a situation that we should all be watching.
But it is not just the price of oil that could cause a global economic disaster.
The global price of food could potentially be even more concerning. As you read this, there are about 3 billion people around the globe that live on the equivalent of 2 dollars a day or less. Those people cannot afford for food prices to go up much.
But global food prices are rising. According to the United Nations, the global price of food has risen for 8 consecutive months. Last month, the global price of food set a brand new all-time record high. Many are starting to fear that we could actually be in the early stages of a major global food crisis.
The price of just about every major agricultural commodity has been absolutely soaring during the past year….
*The price of corn has doubled over the last six months.
*The price of wheat has more than doubled over the past year.
*The price of soybeans is up about 50% since last June.
*The price of cotton has more than doubled over the past year.
*The commodity price of orange juice has doubled since 2009.
*The price of sugar is the highest it has been in 30 years.
Unfortunately, the production of food in most countries around the world is very highly dependent on oil, so as oil goes up in price this is going to make the food crisis even worse.
Hold on to your hats folks.
Also, as I have written about previously, the world is facing some very serious problems when it comes to water. Due to the greed of the global elite, there is not nearly enough fresh water to go around. The following are some very disturbing facts about the global water situation….
*Worldwide demand for fresh water tripled during the last century, and is now doubling every 21 years.
*According to USAID, one-third of all humans will face severe or chronic water shortages by the year 2025.
*Of the 60 million people added to the world’s cities every year, the vast majority of them live in impoverished slums and shanty-towns with no sanitation facilities whatsoever.
*It is estimated that 75 percent of India’s surface water is now contaminated by human and agricultural waste.
*Not only that, but according to a UN study on sanitation, far more people in India have access to a mobile phone than to a toilet.
*In northern China, the water table is dropping one meter per year due to overpumping.
These days, one of the trendy things to do is to call water “the oil of the 21st century”, but unfortunately that is not a completely inaccurate statement. Fresh, clean water is something that we all need, but right now world supplies are getting tight.
Our politicians and the global elite could be doing something about this if they really wanted to, but right now they seem perfectly fine with what is happening.
On top of everything else, the sovereign debt crisis is worse than it has ever been before.
All of the major global central banks have been feverishly printing money in an attempt to “paper over” this crisis, but it is not going to work.
Most Americans don’t realize it, but right now the continent of Europe is a financial basket case. Greece and Ireland would have imploded already if they had not been bailed out, and now Portugal is on the verge of collapse. The interest rate on Portugal’s 10-year notes has now been above 7% for about 3 weeks, and most analysts believe that it is only a matter of time before they are forced to accept a bailout.
Sadly, if the entire global economy experiences a slowdown because of rising oil prices, we could see half a dozen European nations default on their debts if they are not bailed out.
For now the Germans seem fine with bailing out the weak sisters that are all around them, but that isn’t going to last forever.
A day or reckoning is coming for Europe, and when it arrives the reverberations are going to be felt all across the face of the earth. The euro is on very shaky ground already, and whether or not it can survive the coming crisis is an open question.
Of course there are some very serious concerns about Asia as well. The national debt of Japan is now well over 200% of GDP and nobody seems to have a solution for their problems. Up to this point, Japan has been able to borrow massive amounts of money at extremely low interest rates from their own people, but that isn’t going to last forever either.
As I have written about so many times before, the biggest debt problem of all is the United States. Barack Obama is projecting that the federal budget deficit for this fiscal year will be a new all-time record 1.65 trillion dollars. It is expected that the total U.S. national debt will surpass the 15 trillion dollar mark by the end of the fiscal year.
Shouldn’t we have some sort of celebration when that happens?
15 trillion dollars is quite an achievement.
Most Americans cannot even conceive of a debt that large. If the federal government began right at this moment to repay the U.S. national debt at a rate of one dollar per second, it would take over 440,000 years to pay off the national debt.
But the United States is not alone. The truth is that wherever you look, there is a sea of red ink covering the planet.
The current global financial system is entirely based on debt. If the total amount of debt does not continually expand, the system will crash. If somehow a way was found to keep this system going perpetually (which is impossible), the size of global debt would keep on increasing infinitely.
Now the World Economic Forum says that we need to grow the total amount of debt by another 100 trillion dollars over the next ten years to “support” the anticipated amount of “economic growth” around the world that they expect to see.
The entire global financial system is a gigantic Ponzi scheme. It is designed to keep everyone enslaved to perpetual debt. If at some point the debt spiral gets interrupted in some significant way, we are going to witness an economic disaster that is going to make what happened in 2008 look like a Sunday picnic.
The more research that one does on the current global economic situation, the more clear it becomes that we are absolutely doomed.
So people of earth you had better get ready.
An economic disaster is coming.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Inland Seas Education Association
The Inland Seas’ Education Center, with its public exhibits, working boat shop, conference facilities and library, is the home of Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA). It is ISEA’s mission to inspire stewardship of the Great Lakes through experiential shipboard and on-shore education programs for youth and adults. Throughout the summer, Inland Seas conducts ecology sails aboard its tall ship Inland Seas for families and the general public.
Hours:
Winter Hours- 9 - 5 pm
Summer Hours- 8 - 6 pm
Contact Information:
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 218
Suttons Bay, Michigan 49682
Physical Address:
100 Dame Street
Phone: (231) 271- 3077
Email: isea@schoolship.org
Website: www.schoolship.org
Hours:
Winter Hours- 9 - 5 pm
Summer Hours- 8 - 6 pm
Contact Information:
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 218
Suttons Bay, Michigan 49682
Physical Address:
100 Dame Street
Phone: (231) 271- 3077
Email: isea@schoolship.org
Website: www.schoolship.org
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Folk Tales--Hospitality
In old tales, a famine lay over the land. Meanwhile, a good wife darns next to the fire. A knock sounds at the door. A traveler appears at the door, worn and hungry. The good wife, remembering the rules of hospitality, invites in the traveler and makes sure that he is safe, fed, comfortable, and warm. Her husband comes home and berates her for using up their small store of food. Then, the traveler is revealed as a magical figure--in Ireland, sometimes he is a wandering holy man or saint---who blesses the woman for her kindness. (Perhaps her goats always gave good milk afterwards or her butter was the best in the county.) The return for hospitality in these tales was to be singled out as special in the domestic realm.
May your doors always be opened to fantastic travelers bringing domestic magic.
May your doors always be opened to fantastic travelers bringing domestic magic.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Natural Remedies at Earth Clinic
Check out this interesting resource, folks. They say:
"Our readers have been testing and developing these folk remedies, with contributors from every part of the world, since 1999. We've been sent some of the most exciting remedies to date – dozens of restorative remedies, plus natural cures for cancer, fibromyalgia, back pain and better than 350 other diseases and conditions!"
"Our readers have been testing and developing these folk remedies, with contributors from every part of the world, since 1999. We've been sent some of the most exciting remedies to date – dozens of restorative remedies, plus natural cures for cancer, fibromyalgia, back pain and better than 350 other diseases and conditions!"
Monday, July 11, 2011
i carry your heart with me
by e.e. cummings
i carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
i carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
NGA Grant and Award Reports: Garden Impacts and Benefits
Are you interested in gardening grants for children?
NGA’s grant and award programs are funded by generous corporations and foundations that share NGA's vision of a greener future and belief in the powerful impact gardening programs can have on the mental, physical, and psychological health of individuals. Beginning with 50 Youth Garden Grants in 1982, NGA has delivered 9,310 grants and awards worth approximately $3.7 million, reaching an estimated 1.4 million young gardeners.
Educators and youth leaders have always provided NGA with meaningful and inspiring anecdotal accounts of how gardening boosts kids' interest in school and learning, improves their attitudes about eating healthful foods and caring for the environment, helps them develop social skills and self-esteem, and gives them a feeling of community spirit. NGA now captures quantitative data to back up these moving and powerful stories.
NGA’s grant and award programs are funded by generous corporations and foundations that share NGA's vision of a greener future and belief in the powerful impact gardening programs can have on the mental, physical, and psychological health of individuals. Beginning with 50 Youth Garden Grants in 1982, NGA has delivered 9,310 grants and awards worth approximately $3.7 million, reaching an estimated 1.4 million young gardeners.
Educators and youth leaders have always provided NGA with meaningful and inspiring anecdotal accounts of how gardening boosts kids' interest in school and learning, improves their attitudes about eating healthful foods and caring for the environment, helps them develop social skills and self-esteem, and gives them a feeling of community spirit. NGA now captures quantitative data to back up these moving and powerful stories.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
A Spiritual Relationsip With The Land-- The Penan and Kedayan of Brunei
The Penan of rural Brunei have great regard for the forest. This is manifested in their perceptions of their forest environment, especially their prevailing 'Molong' concept of natural resource conservation. 'Molong' gives the Penan a sense of caring and stewardship over their forest resources. This involves responsible and moderate use of forests, so that they will continue to be sustaining for future generations. Greed has no place among the Penans. In practice, this means that when they harvest a clump of sago or rattan, they use only the mature stems, and leave the young shoots for harvesting in a few years time.
Penans also greatly respect and protect the diptercorp trees which produce the seeds that the wild boar eat. They do not pollute the rivers because they also know that wild boars eat the plants that grow by the river banks. They also let the boar get their share of the sago trees and protect the acorn-producing trees which the boars also love. The Penans have a great fear of tree-fellers who cut the trees indiscriminately in their jungle because they are afraid that the disturbance will decrease their food supply. The forest seems to be everything to the Penans. They feel an affinity with it and are thankful for its supply of staple foods, building materials, medicines and raw materials for their handicraft. The forest is their world and they live in harmony with it and so guard it tenaciously.
Until the last few decades, the Kedayans, another rural people of Brunei, have survived by carefully utilising forest, land and wildlife for their livelihood. Through their day-to-day activities of agriculture and hunting, they utilised and extracted forest resources to produce food and manufacture materials for their consumption and tools for their survival activities, respectively. They have been practising this way of life through many generations, using a complex and highly adaptive system, such as cultivation of hill and swamp rice. To cultivate their staple food, rice, they used different agricultural techniques, both shifting and permanent, depending on the different types of padi (such as, tugal, paya, hambur, tanam) they were growing.
Well into the 20th century, the Kedayans were traditionally shifting agriculturists, felling, burning and planting hill padi in successive hillsides in succeeding years. An example of areas subjected to this method of rice cultivation is the very rural parts of Temburong, such as Kampong Piasaw-Piasaw. Today, a large part of Temburong is still covered with forest - evidence that the Kedayans have not over-exploited or misused their forest environments. In short, it has been their harmonising and systematic methods of using their environments (particularly land and forests) that have enabled them to practise similar economic activities through many generations to produce food and manufacture materials, not only for themselves but also to sell the surplus to non-agricultural people in the country.
Penans also greatly respect and protect the diptercorp trees which produce the seeds that the wild boar eat. They do not pollute the rivers because they also know that wild boars eat the plants that grow by the river banks. They also let the boar get their share of the sago trees and protect the acorn-producing trees which the boars also love. The Penans have a great fear of tree-fellers who cut the trees indiscriminately in their jungle because they are afraid that the disturbance will decrease their food supply. The forest seems to be everything to the Penans. They feel an affinity with it and are thankful for its supply of staple foods, building materials, medicines and raw materials for their handicraft. The forest is their world and they live in harmony with it and so guard it tenaciously.
Until the last few decades, the Kedayans, another rural people of Brunei, have survived by carefully utilising forest, land and wildlife for their livelihood. Through their day-to-day activities of agriculture and hunting, they utilised and extracted forest resources to produce food and manufacture materials for their consumption and tools for their survival activities, respectively. They have been practising this way of life through many generations, using a complex and highly adaptive system, such as cultivation of hill and swamp rice. To cultivate their staple food, rice, they used different agricultural techniques, both shifting and permanent, depending on the different types of padi (such as, tugal, paya, hambur, tanam) they were growing.
Well into the 20th century, the Kedayans were traditionally shifting agriculturists, felling, burning and planting hill padi in successive hillsides in succeeding years. An example of areas subjected to this method of rice cultivation is the very rural parts of Temburong, such as Kampong Piasaw-Piasaw. Today, a large part of Temburong is still covered with forest - evidence that the Kedayans have not over-exploited or misused their forest environments. In short, it has been their harmonising and systematic methods of using their environments (particularly land and forests) that have enabled them to practise similar economic activities through many generations to produce food and manufacture materials, not only for themselves but also to sell the surplus to non-agricultural people in the country.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Traverse City: Enchantment on the Bay
By: Mike Norton
Recreational boaters cruising the eastern shore of Lake Michigan are sometimes tempted to skip the 30-mile “detour” down Grand Traverse Bay to Traverse City.
But those who venture into this sheltered deepwater fiord are well rewarded for their initiative, because Grand Traverse is the gateway to one of the country’s prettiest and most sophisticated regions—a place rich in scenic vistas, lush orchards and vineyards, superb wines, innovative cuisines and excellent shopping.
Chicago businessman Perry Hannah got his first glimpse of this beautiful spot on a quiet evening in 1851, as he stood on the deck of a small schooner sailing into the bay:
“We rounded Old Mission harbor just as the sun was going down behind the tops of the tall pines that stood on the ridge in the center of the peninsula,” he wrote. “It was one of those serene and beautiful evenings … a more beautiful picture I never saw in my life.”
In the end, Hannah liked the place so much that he stayed to become the founding father of the town that eventually grew up around the southern end of the bay. And although the Grand Traverse region is a much busier place today, it’s just as charming as it was on that long-ago evening. Every year, thousands of people discover its serenity and beauty.
The most obvious and most wonderful of the region’s many natural advantages is an abundance of clean fresh water. This is one place where the expression “crystal clear” means exactly what it appears to say—you can look down into 30 or 40 feet of water and see every detail on the sandy bottom. And with hundreds of miles of Lake Michigan shoreline—including the majestic Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—the area offers almost limitless opportunities for boating and sailing.
The bayside villages of Northport, Suttons Bay and Elk Rapids are charming port towns with marinas that are open to transient boaters, but the undisputed star of the bay is Traverse City itself. Its tree-shaded and pedestrian-friendly downtown has scores of fascinating boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops and galleries, and lots of places to sit and relax, while the ornate homes of Perry Hannah and other 19th century lumber barons stand above the Boardman River nearby.
Reminders of the past are everywhere: lonely lighthouses and humble mission churches, grand old hotels, quaint summer cottages—and even a few castles. Just a few blocks from Traverse City’s waterfront is the Grand Traverse Commons, a 480-acre wooded park that contains the turreted buildings of a 19th-century mental asylum—now a fascinating “village” of shops, restaurants and homes.
The city’s main transient marina is at Clinch Park, just a block from downtown, but there are other harbors nearby at Greilickville and Acme. And Traverse City offers a wide selection of comfortable lodging options—from full-service resorts to cozy beachfront hotels and historic inns.
Grand Traverse Bay is surrounded by deep, fragrant forests crisscrossed with trails for hikers, horseback riders and cyclists, and more than 20 golf courses with million-dollar views and some of the most striking configurations ever designed. This is Michigan’s “Golf Coast,” an area Golf Digest ranked number 12 on its list of the World’s Top 50 Golf Destinations.
Even the farms here are surrounded by incredible scenery, built on rolling glacial hills and surrounded by sheets of deep blue water. Long known as the Cherry Capital of the World, Traverse City is also an increasingly famous wine-producing region, with more than 20 wineries that offer tours and tastings of their award-winning vintages. During the summer, the area’s markets and roadside stands are bursting with fruits, vegetables, pies, jams and other seasonal treats, and its restaurants are building a national reputation for their fresh, innovative regional cuisine.
Thanks to the wealth of performing talent on tap in this part of Michigan, nightlife in Traverse City includes cool jazz in local restaurants, cutting-edge rock in Union Street bistros, and symphony concerts at the renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts. Interlochen has produced some of the world’s most talented performers—Emmy-winning vocalist Norah Jones is a recent graduate—and its year-round Arts Festival features such top-notch acts as the Canadian Brass and Tony Bennett.
Traverse City is filled with museums, galleries, theatres and music festivals, and the area’s two casinos—Leelanau Sands and Turtle Creek—are always open for business.
Actually, if you listen to the locals, you’ll think there are two Grand Traverse Bays. They’re known to geographers as the bay’s east and west “arms”—but everyone who lives there calls them simply “East Bay” and “West Bay.” West Bay is more urban in character, a former industrial harbor that’s now an enchanting zone of parks, marinas and public beaches. Resort-oriented East Bay, almost entirely outside the city limits, is lined with hotels, resorts and private homes.
The shore of East Bay is relatively smooth, with only a single natural harbor near the tip of the peninsula. The West Bay shoreline is much more rugged; it boasts four smaller bays (Suttons Bay, Bowers Harbor, Omena Bay and Northport Bay), three islands (Power Island, Bassett Island and Bellows Island) and the mouth of a major river system. And while the sandy shoals of East Bay extend out as far as a mile from the beach, West Bay stays deep all the way to its southern edge.
The two are separated by the narrow Old Mission Peninsula, noted for its beautiful orchards and vineyards. At its tip is the picturesque Old Mission Point Lighthouse, built in 1870. The nearby village of Old Mission, which boasts an excellent recreational harbor, marks the site of the first European settlement in the area, established in 1837 by missionary Peter Dougherty. On the peninsula’s western shore are the sheltered Bower’s Harbor and Power Island, a 205-acre park that’s a favorite retreat for boaters.
Every summer, thousands of visitors flock here for the National Cherry Festival, a weeklong party of games, entertainment and excitement that’s been occurring for the past 80 years. More recently, the town has become known for the Traverse City Film Festival, as well as a four-week equestrian festival known as Horse Shows by the Bay. And fans of classic wooden boats should make plans to come in August for the annual “Boats on the Boardwalk” show, which features dozens of these beauties tied up along the Boardman River walkway.
Tall ships are deeply woven into the history of this region, and Traverse City has more of them than any other port on the Great Lakes. Boaters on the bay are almost sure to encounter at least one of them in the course of a trip. And if you’d like to see many of them together, make sure to come to the area on the weekend of Sept. 10 to 12, when the Michigan Schooner Festival brings an entire fleet of these magnificent vessels to town.
Recreational boaters cruising the eastern shore of Lake Michigan are sometimes tempted to skip the 30-mile “detour” down Grand Traverse Bay to Traverse City.
But those who venture into this sheltered deepwater fiord are well rewarded for their initiative, because Grand Traverse is the gateway to one of the country’s prettiest and most sophisticated regions—a place rich in scenic vistas, lush orchards and vineyards, superb wines, innovative cuisines and excellent shopping.
Chicago businessman Perry Hannah got his first glimpse of this beautiful spot on a quiet evening in 1851, as he stood on the deck of a small schooner sailing into the bay:
“We rounded Old Mission harbor just as the sun was going down behind the tops of the tall pines that stood on the ridge in the center of the peninsula,” he wrote. “It was one of those serene and beautiful evenings … a more beautiful picture I never saw in my life.”
In the end, Hannah liked the place so much that he stayed to become the founding father of the town that eventually grew up around the southern end of the bay. And although the Grand Traverse region is a much busier place today, it’s just as charming as it was on that long-ago evening. Every year, thousands of people discover its serenity and beauty.
The most obvious and most wonderful of the region’s many natural advantages is an abundance of clean fresh water. This is one place where the expression “crystal clear” means exactly what it appears to say—you can look down into 30 or 40 feet of water and see every detail on the sandy bottom. And with hundreds of miles of Lake Michigan shoreline—including the majestic Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—the area offers almost limitless opportunities for boating and sailing.
The bayside villages of Northport, Suttons Bay and Elk Rapids are charming port towns with marinas that are open to transient boaters, but the undisputed star of the bay is Traverse City itself. Its tree-shaded and pedestrian-friendly downtown has scores of fascinating boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops and galleries, and lots of places to sit and relax, while the ornate homes of Perry Hannah and other 19th century lumber barons stand above the Boardman River nearby.
Reminders of the past are everywhere: lonely lighthouses and humble mission churches, grand old hotels, quaint summer cottages—and even a few castles. Just a few blocks from Traverse City’s waterfront is the Grand Traverse Commons, a 480-acre wooded park that contains the turreted buildings of a 19th-century mental asylum—now a fascinating “village” of shops, restaurants and homes.
The city’s main transient marina is at Clinch Park, just a block from downtown, but there are other harbors nearby at Greilickville and Acme. And Traverse City offers a wide selection of comfortable lodging options—from full-service resorts to cozy beachfront hotels and historic inns.
Grand Traverse Bay is surrounded by deep, fragrant forests crisscrossed with trails for hikers, horseback riders and cyclists, and more than 20 golf courses with million-dollar views and some of the most striking configurations ever designed. This is Michigan’s “Golf Coast,” an area Golf Digest ranked number 12 on its list of the World’s Top 50 Golf Destinations.
Even the farms here are surrounded by incredible scenery, built on rolling glacial hills and surrounded by sheets of deep blue water. Long known as the Cherry Capital of the World, Traverse City is also an increasingly famous wine-producing region, with more than 20 wineries that offer tours and tastings of their award-winning vintages. During the summer, the area’s markets and roadside stands are bursting with fruits, vegetables, pies, jams and other seasonal treats, and its restaurants are building a national reputation for their fresh, innovative regional cuisine.
Thanks to the wealth of performing talent on tap in this part of Michigan, nightlife in Traverse City includes cool jazz in local restaurants, cutting-edge rock in Union Street bistros, and symphony concerts at the renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts. Interlochen has produced some of the world’s most talented performers—Emmy-winning vocalist Norah Jones is a recent graduate—and its year-round Arts Festival features such top-notch acts as the Canadian Brass and Tony Bennett.
Traverse City is filled with museums, galleries, theatres and music festivals, and the area’s two casinos—Leelanau Sands and Turtle Creek—are always open for business.
Actually, if you listen to the locals, you’ll think there are two Grand Traverse Bays. They’re known to geographers as the bay’s east and west “arms”—but everyone who lives there calls them simply “East Bay” and “West Bay.” West Bay is more urban in character, a former industrial harbor that’s now an enchanting zone of parks, marinas and public beaches. Resort-oriented East Bay, almost entirely outside the city limits, is lined with hotels, resorts and private homes.
The shore of East Bay is relatively smooth, with only a single natural harbor near the tip of the peninsula. The West Bay shoreline is much more rugged; it boasts four smaller bays (Suttons Bay, Bowers Harbor, Omena Bay and Northport Bay), three islands (Power Island, Bassett Island and Bellows Island) and the mouth of a major river system. And while the sandy shoals of East Bay extend out as far as a mile from the beach, West Bay stays deep all the way to its southern edge.
The two are separated by the narrow Old Mission Peninsula, noted for its beautiful orchards and vineyards. At its tip is the picturesque Old Mission Point Lighthouse, built in 1870. The nearby village of Old Mission, which boasts an excellent recreational harbor, marks the site of the first European settlement in the area, established in 1837 by missionary Peter Dougherty. On the peninsula’s western shore are the sheltered Bower’s Harbor and Power Island, a 205-acre park that’s a favorite retreat for boaters.
Every summer, thousands of visitors flock here for the National Cherry Festival, a weeklong party of games, entertainment and excitement that’s been occurring for the past 80 years. More recently, the town has become known for the Traverse City Film Festival, as well as a four-week equestrian festival known as Horse Shows by the Bay. And fans of classic wooden boats should make plans to come in August for the annual “Boats on the Boardwalk” show, which features dozens of these beauties tied up along the Boardman River walkway.
Tall ships are deeply woven into the history of this region, and Traverse City has more of them than any other port on the Great Lakes. Boaters on the bay are almost sure to encounter at least one of them in the course of a trip. And if you’d like to see many of them together, make sure to come to the area on the weekend of Sept. 10 to 12, when the Michigan Schooner Festival brings an entire fleet of these magnificent vessels to town.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Lake Leelanau Monster
by American Monsters
This strange and brilliantly camouflaged creature is allegedly responsible for scaring one teenage angler nearly to death and has got to be one of the flat out weirdest lake cryptids ever chronicled.
Sometimes known as “Carp Lake,” Lake Leelanau — which, translated from the local Ojibwa language, means “delight of life” — actually consists of two adjacent lakes, which are located in of Leelanau County, Michigan. The north lake has a reported depth of over 120-feet, while the southern lake only goes down to about 62-feet, nevertheless both lakes are the alleged habitat of a bizarre North American LAKE MONSTER, that the locals have (unimaginatively perhaps) dubbed “Leelanau.”
While the lakes themselves may be relatively nondescript, the creature that supposedly dwells beneath their muddy depths is anything but. Said to have a long, stump-like neck, an equally long tail and two abnormally large eyes, there are but a handful details from which to paint a picture of this beast. Still, in this case, the lack of particulars can be almost as telling as a plethora of adjectives.
Most notable is the fact that the animal has never been associated with the prototypical plesiosaur-like beasts or any of the other oft reported FORMERLY EXTINCT creatures that are normally reputed to live in large, freshwater bodies.
This indicates that — unlike the vast majority of Lake Monster reports — this animal may belong to an UNCLASSIFIED species or genus of “monster.”
According to local legend, the beast first appeared after the Lake Leelanau dam was built in the late 1800′s. The dam, which was designed to provide power to the Leland Sawmill, effectively sealed off the Lake’s largest outlet, and — according to various sources – also managed to seal in the monster in along with it.
After the dam was erected, the water level of the lake rose between 10 and 12-feet, flooding a large portion of land and creating a marsh-like environment around the lake. This is where the creature was said to thrive.
While there are purportedly scores of reports of this nefarious beast, the most detailed account of an encounter with this critter comes to us all the way from 1910. In the summer of that year, a teenager — who hailed from a local family of “prominence” — named William Gauthier was perch fishing from his row boat in the shallow reeds along the shores of what was then called “Carp Lake.”
Finding that his luck was threadbare, young Gauthier decided to row out a little further, toward a section of the lake where he had never fished before.
Passing several dead cedar trees, which were jutting haphazardly out of the water, the adolescent fisherman decided to moor his boat against one of the stumps and continue fishing.
Gauthier chose a tree, which he described as being approximately 5-feet tall and 6-inches wide, and pulled to a stop next to it. Little did he know that he was seconds away from the shock of his young life.
As soon as Gauthier’s rope touched the branch, two huge eyes suddenly popped open at face-level with the horrified youth. The angler was frozen in terror, and after staring into this bizarre creature’s eyes for a few seconds — which no doubt felt like an eternity to Gauthier — the animal abruptly dove beneath his row boat.
Gauthier claimed that animal’s length was so impressive that he could see the submerged head of the beast appear on the far side of the boat while its tail still remained aloft.
One of the many things that we here at American Monsters find so intriguing about this account is the fact that Gauthier was able to paddle up right next to the beast without igniting an immediate reaction. Could it be that the creature was relying on its distinctive camouflage to keep it concealed; playing possum waiting for the boat to leave? Was it simply sleeping or — more ominously perhaps — laying in wait for its unsuspecting prey?
Also worthy of note is the fact that the juvenile witness did not recognize the stump for what it was until its eyes opened.
This would seem to indicate that, much like Phasmatodea — stick bugs — the animal in question had developed an incredible epidermal disguise, which allowed it to blend seamlessly into the vast morass of its stump-studded environment.
When presented with this hypothetical evidence one can’t help but to wonder how many times individuals who believe that they are merely staring at half-submerged trees are actually — albeit unwittingly — having an encounter with a genuine cryptid?
Gauthier’s great-grandson would attest that his great-grandfather had been thoroughly terrified by his unusual encounter. He further confided that the event had shaken him so badly that he avoided fishing on Lake Leelanau for many, many years.
Other folks around the turn of the century claimed to have had equally disturbing encounters with this creature, but most were reticent to come forward for fear of what they believed would be inevitable ridicule.
It has been many years since the last reported sighting of Leelanau; this fact has — unfortunately — forced many investigators to conclude that whatever may have been trapped in Lake Leelanau at the end of the 19th century has long since expired.
Of course, one never knows how many times an unwary boater might have slowly rowed next to a rotting stump… never realizing that they were slipping past a living, breathing AQUATIC ENIGMA.
This strange and brilliantly camouflaged creature is allegedly responsible for scaring one teenage angler nearly to death and has got to be one of the flat out weirdest lake cryptids ever chronicled.
Sometimes known as “Carp Lake,” Lake Leelanau — which, translated from the local Ojibwa language, means “delight of life” — actually consists of two adjacent lakes, which are located in of Leelanau County, Michigan. The north lake has a reported depth of over 120-feet, while the southern lake only goes down to about 62-feet, nevertheless both lakes are the alleged habitat of a bizarre North American LAKE MONSTER, that the locals have (unimaginatively perhaps) dubbed “Leelanau.”
While the lakes themselves may be relatively nondescript, the creature that supposedly dwells beneath their muddy depths is anything but. Said to have a long, stump-like neck, an equally long tail and two abnormally large eyes, there are but a handful details from which to paint a picture of this beast. Still, in this case, the lack of particulars can be almost as telling as a plethora of adjectives.
Most notable is the fact that the animal has never been associated with the prototypical plesiosaur-like beasts or any of the other oft reported FORMERLY EXTINCT creatures that are normally reputed to live in large, freshwater bodies.
This indicates that — unlike the vast majority of Lake Monster reports — this animal may belong to an UNCLASSIFIED species or genus of “monster.”
According to local legend, the beast first appeared after the Lake Leelanau dam was built in the late 1800′s. The dam, which was designed to provide power to the Leland Sawmill, effectively sealed off the Lake’s largest outlet, and — according to various sources – also managed to seal in the monster in along with it.
After the dam was erected, the water level of the lake rose between 10 and 12-feet, flooding a large portion of land and creating a marsh-like environment around the lake. This is where the creature was said to thrive.
While there are purportedly scores of reports of this nefarious beast, the most detailed account of an encounter with this critter comes to us all the way from 1910. In the summer of that year, a teenager — who hailed from a local family of “prominence” — named William Gauthier was perch fishing from his row boat in the shallow reeds along the shores of what was then called “Carp Lake.”
Finding that his luck was threadbare, young Gauthier decided to row out a little further, toward a section of the lake where he had never fished before.
Passing several dead cedar trees, which were jutting haphazardly out of the water, the adolescent fisherman decided to moor his boat against one of the stumps and continue fishing.
Gauthier chose a tree, which he described as being approximately 5-feet tall and 6-inches wide, and pulled to a stop next to it. Little did he know that he was seconds away from the shock of his young life.
As soon as Gauthier’s rope touched the branch, two huge eyes suddenly popped open at face-level with the horrified youth. The angler was frozen in terror, and after staring into this bizarre creature’s eyes for a few seconds — which no doubt felt like an eternity to Gauthier — the animal abruptly dove beneath his row boat.
Gauthier claimed that animal’s length was so impressive that he could see the submerged head of the beast appear on the far side of the boat while its tail still remained aloft.
One of the many things that we here at American Monsters find so intriguing about this account is the fact that Gauthier was able to paddle up right next to the beast without igniting an immediate reaction. Could it be that the creature was relying on its distinctive camouflage to keep it concealed; playing possum waiting for the boat to leave? Was it simply sleeping or — more ominously perhaps — laying in wait for its unsuspecting prey?
Also worthy of note is the fact that the juvenile witness did not recognize the stump for what it was until its eyes opened.
This would seem to indicate that, much like Phasmatodea — stick bugs — the animal in question had developed an incredible epidermal disguise, which allowed it to blend seamlessly into the vast morass of its stump-studded environment.
When presented with this hypothetical evidence one can’t help but to wonder how many times individuals who believe that they are merely staring at half-submerged trees are actually — albeit unwittingly — having an encounter with a genuine cryptid?
Gauthier’s great-grandson would attest that his great-grandfather had been thoroughly terrified by his unusual encounter. He further confided that the event had shaken him so badly that he avoided fishing on Lake Leelanau for many, many years.
Other folks around the turn of the century claimed to have had equally disturbing encounters with this creature, but most were reticent to come forward for fear of what they believed would be inevitable ridicule.
It has been many years since the last reported sighting of Leelanau; this fact has — unfortunately — forced many investigators to conclude that whatever may have been trapped in Lake Leelanau at the end of the 19th century has long since expired.
Of course, one never knows how many times an unwary boater might have slowly rowed next to a rotting stump… never realizing that they were slipping past a living, breathing AQUATIC ENIGMA.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Integrity, Rationalizations and Little House on the Prarie
I am certain that many of those who argue for sustainable living have a rose-colored view of how such a community might look. It's almost like nostalgia for a time period that existed onscreen during Little House on the Prarie episodes and The Waltons re-runs. I do think that Michael Landon glossed over many of the harder aspects of frontier living in his version of Walnut Grove. Scarlet fever, forced migration of Native Americans, and infant deaths are just a few of the things he missed. I'm sure there were more important things to deal with than that old biddy, Mrs. Oleson and her hen-pecked husband, Nels.
I do have a longing for a time when people kept their word. They didn't need contracts, or lawyers, to keep them on the straight and narrow. There was this idea of integrity--or honor, if you will. People didn't rationalize their wrongdoings. I love that moment in The Big Chill, when Jeff Goldblum says, "Don't underestimate rationalizations. Just show me one person who can get through the day without a great, big, juicy one." Man, we all do it! We all have reasons why we can't be the best possible people---people of integrity and honor.
"It's my upbringing."
"It's my situation."
"He can afford it."
"I'm too busy."
"I didn't mean to."
"I've got problems."
It's an insidious road to hell. Rationalization Road. It's paved with illusions about why you just can't keep your promises even though you meant to and you are still a good person even though your actions aren't good.......What would Jesus do?
Imagine a community of the past where if you showed yourself to be a person without integrity there was no place for you within the community. The traveling flim-flam man had to travel because those who lived in the community would exact justice if they had to do so. People had "hand shake" deals. Imagine a place where the community cared if you had personal integrity. Imagine a place where you cared if you had personal integrity.
I do have a longing for a time when people kept their word. They didn't need contracts, or lawyers, to keep them on the straight and narrow. There was this idea of integrity--or honor, if you will. People didn't rationalize their wrongdoings. I love that moment in The Big Chill, when Jeff Goldblum says, "Don't underestimate rationalizations. Just show me one person who can get through the day without a great, big, juicy one." Man, we all do it! We all have reasons why we can't be the best possible people---people of integrity and honor.
"It's my upbringing."
"It's my situation."
"He can afford it."
"I'm too busy."
"I didn't mean to."
"I've got problems."
It's an insidious road to hell. Rationalization Road. It's paved with illusions about why you just can't keep your promises even though you meant to and you are still a good person even though your actions aren't good.......What would Jesus do?
Imagine a community of the past where if you showed yourself to be a person without integrity there was no place for you within the community. The traveling flim-flam man had to travel because those who lived in the community would exact justice if they had to do so. People had "hand shake" deals. Imagine a place where the community cared if you had personal integrity. Imagine a place where you cared if you had personal integrity.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Cherry Harvest beginning this week in Leelanau
By Bill O'Brien
WILLIAMSBURG -- Mother Nature doesn't check the local events calendar as she ripens northern Michigan's cherry crop, and this year things are a bit behind schedule.
The National Cherry Festival kicked off this weekend, but most northern Michigan growers are still waiting to pick their first cherries of the season. A cool and sometimes wet spring delayed the sweet cherry harvest, and pushed the start of the larger tart cherry season to at least mid-July.
"I would say we're about a week behind what we'd normally see," said Dennis Hoxsie, a sweet and tart cherry grower whose family farm market is a seasonal mainstay along M-72 in Acme Township.
Hoxsie hopes to start picking his early sweets over the weekend. Even with the tardy crop he said there will be local cherries available for the weeklong celebration of the region's signature fruit.
"We'll have fresh fruit for the Cherry Festival," he said.
In the meantime, cherries for the event are coming from the Oceana County cherry belt near Hart and Pentwater, festival spokeswoman Susan Wilcox Olson said, until local growers start to bring in their fruit.
"We're relying on Michigan cherries first, while the fruit from the three- to five-county area fills in," she said. "They're usually pretty good about getting (the cherries) in here as soon as they get them off the trees."
The sweet cherry harvest in Leelanau County should start by the end of this week, said Al Steimel, general manager of Leelanau Fruit along M-22 near Suttons Bay.
"It's not quite ready yet," Steimel said last week.
It's shaping up as a so-so season for area cherry growers. The projected tart cherry crop for northwest Michigan totals 75 million pounds, down more than 40 percent from last year's robust harvest and expected to be the lowest yield in six years. The statewide crop is forecast at 135 million pounds, down 30 percent from last year.
The smaller sweet cherry crop fared better, estimated at 25,000 tons statewide, down about 8 percent from last year.
Some farms were hurt by widespread frost this spring, while others were pelted by hail in recent thunderstorms that rumbled across the region. Hoxsie said the yield from his orchards is decent, but some of the fruit is scarred from the spring frost and hail damage.
"The quantity seems to be pretty good," he said. "In terms of quality, we've had a couple different challenges this year."
WILLIAMSBURG -- Mother Nature doesn't check the local events calendar as she ripens northern Michigan's cherry crop, and this year things are a bit behind schedule.
The National Cherry Festival kicked off this weekend, but most northern Michigan growers are still waiting to pick their first cherries of the season. A cool and sometimes wet spring delayed the sweet cherry harvest, and pushed the start of the larger tart cherry season to at least mid-July.
"I would say we're about a week behind what we'd normally see," said Dennis Hoxsie, a sweet and tart cherry grower whose family farm market is a seasonal mainstay along M-72 in Acme Township.
Hoxsie hopes to start picking his early sweets over the weekend. Even with the tardy crop he said there will be local cherries available for the weeklong celebration of the region's signature fruit.
"We'll have fresh fruit for the Cherry Festival," he said.
In the meantime, cherries for the event are coming from the Oceana County cherry belt near Hart and Pentwater, festival spokeswoman Susan Wilcox Olson said, until local growers start to bring in their fruit.
"We're relying on Michigan cherries first, while the fruit from the three- to five-county area fills in," she said. "They're usually pretty good about getting (the cherries) in here as soon as they get them off the trees."
The sweet cherry harvest in Leelanau County should start by the end of this week, said Al Steimel, general manager of Leelanau Fruit along M-22 near Suttons Bay.
"It's not quite ready yet," Steimel said last week.
It's shaping up as a so-so season for area cherry growers. The projected tart cherry crop for northwest Michigan totals 75 million pounds, down more than 40 percent from last year's robust harvest and expected to be the lowest yield in six years. The statewide crop is forecast at 135 million pounds, down 30 percent from last year.
The smaller sweet cherry crop fared better, estimated at 25,000 tons statewide, down about 8 percent from last year.
Some farms were hurt by widespread frost this spring, while others were pelted by hail in recent thunderstorms that rumbled across the region. Hoxsie said the yield from his orchards is decent, but some of the fruit is scarred from the spring frost and hail damage.
"The quantity seems to be pretty good," he said. "In terms of quality, we've had a couple different challenges this year."
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sustainable Food and Farming Systems Directory of Michigan
This directory is designed to help identify and promote information sharing among Michigan organizations,institutions, and individuals involved in sustainable food and farming systems.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
WHAT MAKES A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND NEIGHBORHOOD
- by E.A. Zimmerman
Neighbors can make life terrific or terrible. They can make you want to move or stay put. They can be a source of happiness or stress.
A classic example of neighborhood strive is the notorious feud that raged between the Hatfield and McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky. Animosity between the two clans apparently started over a question of livestock ownership. Flaring tempers and bitter feelings were further fueled by insults, politics, an illicit affair and moonshine. The conflict culminated in fire and bloodshed.
Here in Woodstock we are blessed with some truly wonderful neighbors. It’s nice to live next to people we can trust with a spare key. When I am out of town, I can count on them to watch the cat or take Doug to the hospital the next time he injures himself. That got us thinking about what makes a good neighbor and a nice neighborhood.
Here is the Top Ten list we came up with, in no particular order.
Good neighbors:
1.Care for their property. This makes the neighborhood a pleasant place to come home to, while helping maintain or improve property values. The house next door does not have to be a palace, but it sure is nice when it’s reasonably neat and clean. Good neighbors don’t allow their yard to grow into an eyesore or safety hazard, with junk lying about or garbage that attracts rats.
2.Are Friendly. They smile and wave when they see you. They welcome new neighbors, maybe with a plate of cookies or a recommendation on a good place to grocery shop. They offer kids candy on Halloween. Maybe they host a block party.
3.Respect the privacy of others and don’t trespass. They extend friendship, while recognizing that some may accept it, and some may not. The fact is that some folks like to keep to themselves, and that is their right. Unless there is mutual agreement, they don’t go over on their neighbor’s property without an invitation. They don’t engage in “light trespass” either, by leaving a bright light on all night outside your bedroom window.
4.Are Helpful. If someone has a new baby or a death in the family, or a vehicle is stuck in the mud, they lend a helping hand. They are also willing to lend a cup of sugar or a tool you need for a special project. (Of course it’s also important for the recipient to promptly return all loaned items in good repair.)
5.Watch out for each other. They are aware, without spying. If they notice suspicious activity or something amiss, they call or check it out.
6.Keep the peace. Noise can be incredibly irritating. Common complaints include loud music, blaring TVs, revving up a chainsaw or motorcycle early on a Sunday morning, driving an ATV in circles for hours on end, and dogs that bark incessantly.
7.Give you a heads up if they are going to make an unavoidable racket (e.g. during construction), and try to limit the impact. If they are planning to make a change that could affect you (like planting trees that could obscure your view) they talk with you about it first, offering the possibility of agreeing to a compromise.
8.Don’t drive too fast, endangering the lives of children and pets.
9.Manage themselves, and their own children and pets. They don’t engage in wild parties that extend into the wee hours, or screaming fights. Their children are well behaved. Their animals stay in their own yard.
10.Volunteer when they can. This can range from periodically picking up litter to getting involved in local organizations that help improve the quality of life in the community.
The bottom line is probably that a good neighbor considers the impacts of their actions on their neighbors’ well-being and rights. While it is something to strive for, I can’t claim that we have always been perfect neighbors. However, we certainly don’t take neighbors that are good for granted.
Neighbors can make life terrific or terrible. They can make you want to move or stay put. They can be a source of happiness or stress.
A classic example of neighborhood strive is the notorious feud that raged between the Hatfield and McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky. Animosity between the two clans apparently started over a question of livestock ownership. Flaring tempers and bitter feelings were further fueled by insults, politics, an illicit affair and moonshine. The conflict culminated in fire and bloodshed.
Here in Woodstock we are blessed with some truly wonderful neighbors. It’s nice to live next to people we can trust with a spare key. When I am out of town, I can count on them to watch the cat or take Doug to the hospital the next time he injures himself. That got us thinking about what makes a good neighbor and a nice neighborhood.
Here is the Top Ten list we came up with, in no particular order.
Good neighbors:
1.Care for their property. This makes the neighborhood a pleasant place to come home to, while helping maintain or improve property values. The house next door does not have to be a palace, but it sure is nice when it’s reasonably neat and clean. Good neighbors don’t allow their yard to grow into an eyesore or safety hazard, with junk lying about or garbage that attracts rats.
2.Are Friendly. They smile and wave when they see you. They welcome new neighbors, maybe with a plate of cookies or a recommendation on a good place to grocery shop. They offer kids candy on Halloween. Maybe they host a block party.
3.Respect the privacy of others and don’t trespass. They extend friendship, while recognizing that some may accept it, and some may not. The fact is that some folks like to keep to themselves, and that is their right. Unless there is mutual agreement, they don’t go over on their neighbor’s property without an invitation. They don’t engage in “light trespass” either, by leaving a bright light on all night outside your bedroom window.
4.Are Helpful. If someone has a new baby or a death in the family, or a vehicle is stuck in the mud, they lend a helping hand. They are also willing to lend a cup of sugar or a tool you need for a special project. (Of course it’s also important for the recipient to promptly return all loaned items in good repair.)
5.Watch out for each other. They are aware, without spying. If they notice suspicious activity or something amiss, they call or check it out.
6.Keep the peace. Noise can be incredibly irritating. Common complaints include loud music, blaring TVs, revving up a chainsaw or motorcycle early on a Sunday morning, driving an ATV in circles for hours on end, and dogs that bark incessantly.
7.Give you a heads up if they are going to make an unavoidable racket (e.g. during construction), and try to limit the impact. If they are planning to make a change that could affect you (like planting trees that could obscure your view) they talk with you about it first, offering the possibility of agreeing to a compromise.
8.Don’t drive too fast, endangering the lives of children and pets.
9.Manage themselves, and their own children and pets. They don’t engage in wild parties that extend into the wee hours, or screaming fights. Their children are well behaved. Their animals stay in their own yard.
10.Volunteer when they can. This can range from periodically picking up litter to getting involved in local organizations that help improve the quality of life in the community.
The bottom line is probably that a good neighbor considers the impacts of their actions on their neighbors’ well-being and rights. While it is something to strive for, I can’t claim that we have always been perfect neighbors. However, we certainly don’t take neighbors that are good for granted.
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