Caledonia

Sometimes you can hardly recognize the past. The old railroad depot in Caledonia is a good example of this.
 At one time it was bustling with activity; worried mothers checking and double checking to make sure all the kids and pieces of luggage were accounted for, grandparents eagerly waiting for grandchildren, or family members waiting for [...]

Survey

Do you really want to spend hard earned money on a survey?
 No, but you must.
 Recently a customer purchased a rural home and pole barn on some acreage. The price was attractive and the buildings were in relatively good condition.  There were very few improvements required.
 The home was cleaned, painted in and out and new carpet [...]

Major Snowage

It’s here at last, and it hasn’t wasted any time settling in. I’m talking about West Michigan’s first real snowfall of the winter, which arrived Thursday night. Residents awakening on Friday morning opened their curtains and looked out the window at a landscape transformed.
We didn’t get just a little snow, either. I don’t know exactly [...]

Driving to Battle Creek

I was out and about with my camera, looking for things to photograph in a month of the year that doesn’t much stimulate my imagination, when my appetite began tapping on my shoulder, requesting to be fed. Smoked ribs came to mind, along with memories of a tiny mom-and-pop joint in Battle Creek that makes [...]

Happy Thanksgiving

“Dear Ruthie,
Here is your card for your pretty new album. How are you?
Please tell Mama to write to Aunt Jennie saying what a little girl like you needs or wants for a gift. I can’t think of anything. Lovingly Aunt Jennie.”  sent from Detroit to Belding  on November 25 1908
From Waterland Living wishing you a [...]

Base Lake

“I am wearing my overalls. Please send card in return.” Sent from Augusta MI May 23 1908
I always find the messages on postcards interesting. Some message are pretty generic, but every once and awhile you find one like this and have questions. Why was it important for the recipient to know the writer was wearing [...]

Sunset Theater

Saturday dawned blue and beautiful, filled with November haze and blessed with temperatures warmer than we’ve got any right to expect this time of year. It was a great day for a walk, and out at the W. K. Kellogg Experimental Forest southeast of Gull Lake in Kalamazoo County, people were seizing the opportunity.
I was [...]

Don’t Forget the Faucet

I was talking with a cottage owner this week and he was so enthusiastic about the weather this fall. The reason? He could still plan weekend getaways  at his Northern Michigan cottage. He feels  any weekend at his cottage is a good weekend. It gives him something to look forward to during the week. I [...]

It’s All in Your Attitude

“We are having a dandy time. It rained all day yesterday and the night before we had an awful storm.”  “Earl and Ma”   Postmarked June 21, 1913
 Don’t you love their attitude? It “rained all day yesterday and the night before we had an awful storm”, but yet they had a “dandy” time.
 I am not sure [...]

Unless You’re a Deer Hunter

I have a theory and I’m about to prove it. But first, how many of you are deer hunters? Raise your hand.
Very good. Kindly exclude yourselves from the following poll.
As for the rest of you, how many are huge fans of November?
Hmmm…okay, let’s try that again: if you love the month of November, raise your [...]

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