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A Cass County Newspaper distributed in Dowagiac, Cassopolis, Edwardsburg, Vandalia, Jones,
Marcellus, Decatur, Union, Sister Lakes, Three Rivers, Elkhart and Mishawaka
with home delivery at Diamond, Eagle, Birch, Corey, Donnell, Indian, Magician, Shavehead, Baldwin,
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102 S. Broadway
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102 S. Broadway
Cassopolis, MI 49031
(269) 445-9200
http://www.cassneighbors.com
[email protected]
jack @beanstalk.net
PAGE 2
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
REGIONAL NEWS
Federal employees to meet
The Michigan Chapter of The
National Association of Retired Federal
Employees will hold their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 6 pm at the
Super Buffet in Pipestone Plaza, Benton
Harbor (next to Burlington Coats). All
retired & current federal employees,
spouses & families are welcome. For
information, call Jean Rowe, 269 782
2769 or e mail [email protected]
CUMC Free dinners continue
The monthly, free community dinners hosted by the Cassopolis United
Methodist Church (CUMC) continue to
be held on the third Saturday of every
month. The September dinner is
September 15, 2012. The entrée is
Lasagna with a meatless alternative
available.
All dinners are held from 4-5:30 pm
in the Wood Fellowship Hall of the
Church, 209 S. Rowland in Cassopolis.
In the past, the dinners have alternated months between the Cassopolis
church site and the Vandalia Village
Hall. The CUMC dinner volunteers
hope that folks from both communities,
Cassopolis and Vandalia, will continue to
join them every month at the Cassopolis
site. Additionally, the CUMC dinner volunteers are willing to assist any Vandalia
area church or organization that would
like to continue the dinners in the
Vandalia Village Hall. Please contact
CUMC at 445-3107 or Liz First at 4453420. Individuals or organizations that
would like to assist at the Cassopolis dinners can also call the above numbers for
information.
Dinner guests are reminded 1)
Dowagiac. The public is invited; refreshments will be served. For more info call
Marilyn Fry at 782-5721.
Historic Library to get roof
The Cass District Library’s Local History
Branch will be receiving a new roof, similar in
style to the original roof which donned the
building on 1909.
Located at 145 North Broadway in
Cassopolis, the library is one of hundreds of
“Carnegie Libraries,” built through the philanthropic efforts of Andrew Carnegie during
the early 20th Century. The building was
constructed during 1908-1909. It opened
May 1909 as the LaGrange Township
Library. In 1994, it became the Local History
Branch of the Cass District Library, specializing in local genealogy and general local history.
Over the next several months, the building will undergo major repairs, including a
new roof and major brickwork.
entrance to the CUMC Fellowship Hall is
from the O’Keefe Street parking lot, 2) an
elevator is available to bring guests to the
second floor, and 3) cash and/or food
donations are accepted, but not required.
Woodcarvers Show is Nov 3, 4
The Fruitbelt Woodcarvers’ 32nd
Annual Wood Carving Show will be
Saturday, Nov. 3, from 10 am to 5 pm
and on Sunday, Nov. 4, from 10 am to 3
pm at the Cass Country Fairgrounds,.
Whether you are interested in woodcarving, woodburning, chip carving or simply
enjoy the mastery of handcarved items,
this show offers you a chance to see the
area’s best woodcarvers at work.
Included are a carving competition and a
raffle. This event is free to the public.
For more information or questions, contact Tom Grile @ 269-435-7245.
Annual Holiday Bazaar planned
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic
Church invites you to a Holiday Bazaar
on Saturday, Nov. 3 at the church at
24832 US 12 E. in Edwardsburg from 9
am to 3 pm.
The event will feature unique gifts,
hand-crafted goods, homemade baked
treats, holiday decor and more. Vendors
will provide a variety of shopping ideas,
and breakfast, lunch and snack treats
will be available.
Cass Historical Society to meet
The Cass County Historical Society
will meet Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 7 pm at
the Cass District Library main branch.
The speaker will be Steve Arseneau, who
will provide an overview of the transition
of the Southwest Michigan Historical
Museum from the SMC campus to
Business to Business Expo 2012
The Edwardsburg Area Chamber of
Commerce will host its 3rd Annual
Business to Business Expo on September
27 from 3-7 pm at the Hope United
Methodist Church Hall, 69941 Elkhart
Rd, Edwardsburg, MI.
The Public is welcome - Admission is free.
Come browse exhibits of several local
businesses and experience an eclectic mix
of goods and services. Network with old
friends and meet new area professionals.
There will be free food samples from local
restaurants, prizes and give-aways
throughout the Expo.
For more information, contact
Barbara Wright at 641-9988 or email
[email protected]
CASA Cookout a huge success
Cass County CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocates for children) hosted its
6th annual auction and cookout at the
Edward Lowe Foundation’s Big Rock
Valley in Cassopolis on July 28. Barb
Strlekar, Pat Eustice, and Denise
Wierman co-chaired the event with help
from the CASA board, volunteer advocates, and staff.
This year’s fundraiser broke all previous records. CASA’s net income from
the event exceeded $50,000. Cass County
now has approximately 180 children in
foster care and this money will allow the
program to grow to support and advocate
for many more abused and neglected children.
Approximately 200 people attended
PAGE 3
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
REGIONAL NEWS
this year’s event. The program was held
outdoors under sunny, delightful weather. A Friends of CASA reception was held
in the Tower of Tomorrow prior to the
start of the main event.
Cass County CASA was started by
the Honorable Susan Dobrich of the Cass
County Family Court in 1995. CASA is a
not-for-profit agency of trained volunteers
from the community who are appointed
by the judge to advocate for abused and
neglected children in foster care. If you
are interested in learning more about
being a volunteer advocate or a board
member, contact Jim Ward, Director at
269 445-4431, [email protected], or
visit www.casscocasa.org.
Coin Show is Sept. 22
The 12th Annual Schoolcraft Coin
Show will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22,
from 9 am - 3:30 pm at the Krum
Community Center, 515 East Clay,
Schoolcraft, MI 49087 (east off US 131).
Admission is free. For more info, see
www.schoolcraftcoinshow.com
Cass Historical Tour Book
The Cass County Historical
Commission would like to remind the
public of its Tour Book. Jon Wuepper,
branch manager of the Cass District
Library’s Local History Branch says, “It’s
a wonderful time to be doing tours of
Cass County. It’s a beautiful time of year
and a great weekend activity.
“It’s a great book because it focuses
on different aspects of the County. One
tour follows the Sauk Trail, another one
focuses on forgotten villages, “ Wuepper
said “The book lists six comprehensive
tours with a map of the County included.
We’re very proud to offer it at the Local
History Library and it’s only $15.”
Many other historical publications
are available at the Library.
The Local History Branch Library can be
reached at 269-445-0412. The Library is
open Monday - Thursday 9 am - 4 pm;
Saturday 10am - 2 pm.
The tour book can be viewed on the
County’s website www.CASSCOUNTY
MI.org.
Quartet Plus One visits CUMC
The Quartet Plus One from Hope
United Methodist Church in
Edwardsburg will be performing a cantata entitled FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
during the 10 am worship service at the
Cassopolis United Methodist Church on
Sunday Sept. 23. The group specializes
in upbeat, up-tempo songs of the church
from the past to the present.
Members of the Quartet Plus One
are Clark Mead, singing bass; Jay
Shaffer singing tenor; Phyllis Schuelke
singing alto and both pianist Sharon
Tafunai and Elaine Wright singing soprano. The cantata will be narrated by Bruce
Nurton. The group has been together
since 2001; this will be their third visit to
CUMC.
The CUMC church family extends a
special invitation to all members of the
community to join them on this first
Sunday of Fall 2012 for good time of fellowship, music and patriotic tribute.
SMC nursing licensure 100 percent
The Southwestern Michigan
College’s Board of Trustees received state
licensure pass rate for the college’s nursing graduates and conducted other business at its August 20 meeting on the college’s Dowagiac campus.
College President Dr. David
Mathews presented a report from the
state of Michigan that shows SMC
attained a 100 percent pass rate for the
quarter April through June 2012 for students graduating from the college’s registered nursing (RN) program. This 100
percent pass rate for SMC graduates
compares to the national quarterly pass
rate of 93 percent and to the Michigan
rate of 94 percent.
SMC’s annual RN pass rate is 96
percent compared to the national annual
pass rate of 89 percent and Michigan’s
annual pass rate of 91. During this same
quarter, the pass rate for SMC’s Licensed
Practical Nursing (LPN) graduates was
also 100 percent. This percentage is also
above the state and national averages of
83 percent and 92 percent respectively.
Mathews also reported that the college’s Academic Assessment and Testing
Services were recently awarded Test
Center Certification by the National
College Testing Association (NCTA).
This certification will be in place for
five years and can be renewed by demonstrating continued compliance to national
standards. NCTA membership includes
more than 615 colleges and universities
as well as 42 test companies and organizations.
Volunteers needed
State recreation officials announced
the schedule of volunteer stewardship
activities for September at state parks
and recreation areas throughout southwestern Michigan.
Activities vary by park and include
invasive shrub removal, mapping and
invasive herbaceous plant pulling. No
experience is necessary and training and
equipment are provided.
Dates, times and locations of group
workdays are as follows:
Saturday, Sept. 15 – Warren Dunes State
Park (Berrien County); 10 am to 1 pm.
Saturday, Sept. 22 – Fort Custer
Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County); 10
am.to 1 pm.
Sunday, Sept. 23 – Saugatuck Dunes
State Park (Allegan County); 10 am to 1
pm.
Saturday, Sept. 29 – Yankee Springs
Recreation Area (Barry County); 10 am to
1 pm.
Sunday, Sept. 30 – Grand Mere State
Park (Berrien County); 10 am to 1 pm.
Volunteers should wear appropriate
clothing for outdoor work (including long
pants and sturdy, closed-toed shoes) and
bring gloves and water. Volunteers
should register using forms available on
the Department of Natural Resources’
website. Contact Heidi Frei at 269-6856851, ext. 147 or email
[email protected] for registration.
The volunteer steward program is
part of the DNR Parks and Recreation
Division, Stewardship Unit’s mission to
“preserve, protect and restore the natural
and cultural resources present within
Michigan State Parks for this and future
generations.” Workdays are held each
weekend at select parks in Southwest
Michigan.
that’s where personalized care
meets specialized medicine
Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital is your close-to-home connection to wellness. That’s why we offer a variety of specialty health clinics
in your neighborhood. To make an appointment, call any of the phone numbers listed below.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Cardiology*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3017
Audiology
Doctor: Darr & Associates
Hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (800) 696.4056
Cardiology*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3017
Cardiology*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3017
Cardiology*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3017
Oncology*
Doctor: Liepman
Hours: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3045
Cardiology*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3017
Orthopaedics
Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Orthopaedics
Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Orthopaedics
Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Orthopaedics
Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Orthopaedics
Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Pacemaker Clinic*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Phone: (269) 782.8681
Pacemaker Clinic*
Doctor: Dhatree
Hours: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
Phone: (269) 782.8681
Urology
Doctor: Gauthier
Hours: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: (269) 783.3053
Dermatology
Doctor: Kuriata
Hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 429.7546
Podiatry
Doctor: Vanderbie
Hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: (269) 782.9125
Pulmonary/Sleep
Doctor: Jefferson/Doe
Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Phone: (269) 345.1161
Vascular Surgery
Doctor: Johnston
Hours: 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: (269) 492.6500
Vascular Scan
Hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: (269) 492.6500
Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital
420 West High Street, Dowagiac
*These clinics require a referral from your physician.
ThatsWhere.com
A member of Ascension Health®
PAGE 4
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
REGIONAL EVENTS CALENDAR
September 1 — Kee-Boon-Mein-Kaa Pow Wow
September 2 — Sister Lakes Lions Pancake
Breakfast
September 5 — Toddler Time, 9:30 am, This
NEW toddler story time will meet every
Wednesday (for ages 18 months-2 years old),
Cass District Library, 319 M 62 North,
Cassopolis, 269-445-3400
September 5-7 — Guided Autobiography Class,
COA Lowe Center, $75, registration required,
445-8110
September 6 — Medication Drop-off, COA, 10
am - Noon, 445-8110
September 18 — Cass County Historical
Society meeting, 7 pm, Cass District Library
Main Branch, 782-5721
pm, $2 bag day, Mason/Union Branch, 17049
US 12, Edwardsburg, 269-641-7674
Annual Wood Carving Show; 10 am - 5 pm on
Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm Sunday. 435-7254
October 10 — Cass County 4-H Science Blast,
445-4438, www.msue.msu.edu/cass
November 3, 4 — U-Pick’em Bingo, Cass
County Conservation Club, Union, 641-5439
October 13 — Under the Harvest Moon,
Dowagiac, 782-8212
November 16 — Old-Fashioned Christmas
Celebration, Dowagiac, 782-8212
September 21 — Book Club, 1 - 2:30 pm, COA
Lowe Center, 445-8110
October 13 — Giant Pumpkin Contest, Dussel’s
Farm Market, Cassopolis, 445-8715
November 17 — Barn Swallow Ice Cream
Social, 7 pm, Barnswallow Theater, US 12,
Adamsville, 445-2511
September 22 — 12th Annual Schoolcraft Coin
Show, 9 am - 3:30 pm, Krum Community
Center, Schoolcraft,
www.schoolcraftcoinshow.com
October 20 — Free Community Dinner,
Cassopolis United Methodist Church, 4 - 5:30
pm
September 20 — Teddy Bear Campout Family
Story Hour, 6 pm, FREE and open to the public, Howard Branch, 2341 Yankee Street, Niles,
269-684-1680
September 23 — Quartet Plus One at
Cassopolis United Methodist Church, 10 am
September 8 — Big Foot Monster Golf
Tournament, 782-8212
September 10 — Monday Movies for Grown
UPs, COA Lowe Center, 1 pm, 445-8110
September 11 — Book Bunch Book Club, 5:30
pm, Join us to discuss The Invisible Ones by
Stef Penney, FREE and open to the public,
Howard Branch, 2341 Yankee Street, Niles,
269-684-1680
September 12 — Pizza and Pages Teen Book
Club, 6 pm, The club is discussing Lovetorn by
Kavita Daswani, Cass District Library, 319 M 62
North, Cassopolis, 269-445-3400
September 25 — Lunch & Learn, COA Front
St. Crossing, RSVP 445-8110
September 25 — Michigan Chapter of the
National Association of Retired Federal
Employees monthly meeting, 6 pm, Super
Buffet, Benton Harbor, 782-2769, [email protected]
September 26 — Caregivers’ Support Group, 1
- 3 pm, COA Lowe Center, 445-8110
September 14 — Senior Health Fair, 8 am Noon, COA Lowe Center, 445-8110
September 27 — Edwardsburg Area Chamber
of Commerce 3rd Annual Business to Business
Expo, 3-7 pm, Hope United Methodist Church
Hall, Edwardsburg, 641-9988, [email protected]
September 15 — Free Community Dinner,
Cassopolis United Methodist Church, 4 - 5:30
pm
October 3-4 — Annual Fall Book Sale, 11 am-7
pm, Mason/Union Branch, 17049 US 12,
Edwardsburg, 269-641-7674
September 15 & 16 — U-Pick’em Bingo, Cass
County Conservation Club, Union, 641-5439
October 5-7, 12-14 — “Bad Year for Tomatoes”
a comedy, Beckwith Theater, Dowagiac, 269782-ROLE
September 17 — Quilting Club, COA Lowe
Center, 10 am - 2 pm, 445-8110
M
November 3 — Our Lady of the Lake Annual
Holiday Bazaar, US 12, Edwardsburg, 9 am - 3
pm
BY
LLC
HAMPSHIRE
COUNTRY CLUB
Jeromy Bogue
Phone: 269-445-3848
Fax:
269-445-3828
Custom Monuments, Field Stones, On Site Lettering and more
www.monumentsbydesignllc.com
December 7 — Dowagiac Candle-light
Christmas Parade, 782-8212
February 2 — Dowagiac Ice Time, 782-8212
FALL RATES START
Tuesday, September 4th
Weekday 18 holes
w/power cart ......................$20.00
Weekends and Holidays
18 holes w/power cart ......$25.00
Hampshire Country Club
29592 Pokagon Hwy.
Dowagiac, MI 49047
(269) 782-7476
www.hampshire36.com
Complete Lawn Care Maintenance
■ Lawn Fertilization Programs
■ Brush Hog work
■ Spring & Fall clean-ups
■ Mole Treatment
November 24 — Dowagiac White Sale, 7828212
November 3, 4 — Fruitbelt Woodcarvers’ 32nd
October 6 — Annual Fall Book Sale, 9 am - 1
onuments
Design
21945 M60 East
Cassopolis, MI 49031
October 27 — Cass County 4-H Off the Street
Trunk or Treat, www.msue.msu.edu/cass, 4454438
November 17 — Theta Mu Sorority Craft Show,
Dowagiac, 782-8212
■ Shrub trimming
■ New Lawns Installed
■ Aeration & Dethatching
■ Snow Plowing
269-445-3302
22282 Loupee Dr.
Cassopolis, MI
PAGE 5
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
CASS COUNTY
Cass County Commissioners’ meetings
August 2, 2012
The County Board of Commissioners
met in regular session on Thursday,
August 2, 2012. Chairperson Minnie
Warren called the meeting to order at 7
pm.
Visitors introduced themselves.
The agenda was approved
There was no public comment.
Kathy Emans, CEO of Woodlands
Behavioral Healthcare updated the
Board on pending House Bills 4862 and
4863 dealing with mental health and
substance abuse.
Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Marchetti, to go
into the Public Hearing on the Proposed
FY 2013 Cass County Budget. Motion
carried by voice vote. The public hearing
convened at 7:15 p.m.
Interim Administrator Csokasy
announced that the public hearing was
to solicit comments from citizens regarding the Proposed FY 2013 Budget.
Janet Feick, Friend of the Court
employee from the City of Dowagiac,
asked questions regarding the status of
the County’s Rainy Day Fund; Interim
Administrator Csokasy addressed those
questions.
Linda Kramb, Family Court employee from the Township of Pokagon, questioned why property taxes are declining;
Interim Administrator Csokasy indicated he was not able to answer that question.
Commissioners Ziliak, Higley,
Bickel, Marchetti, Wagel and Francis
commented or gave committee reports.
Interim County
Administrator/Controller Louis Csokasy
gave the Administrator’s Report.
Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Bickel, to
approve the claims dated 7/20/12 as submitted by the Claims Committee.
Motion carried by voice vote.
Commissioners Francis, Rodebush,
Arnold, File and Higley made comments
or announcements.
Meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.
August 16
The County Board of Commissioners
met in regular session on Aug. 16, 2012
in the Cass County Board of Commission
Chambers. Chairperson Minnie Warren
called the meeting to order at 7 pm.
Visitors introduced themselves.
The agenda was approved
The board heard a report on
Citizenship Washington Focus Trip.
Stephanie Smith, 4-H Program
Coordinator, introduced Citizenship
Washington Focus Delegate Gavin
Francis. Gavin talked about his trip to
Gettysburg and to Washington D.C.
Stephanie also announced that
Trunk or Treat will be held at the Cass
County Fairgrounds on Oct. 26 from 4-6
pm.
The Board then heard a report on
foreclosure funds. Cass County
Treasurer Linda Irwin reported that the
recent county tax sale from 2010 foreclosures grossed $548,600; the county
required $292,136 to make it whole;
which will net approximately $256,464
for Cass County. She further advised
that some additional costs would be
taken from the net profit which would
reduce it slightly, and that the money
could be released to the county general
fund in two years. She also advised
there are 30 parcels of property that did
not sell at the tax sale and will be up for
auction again on October 4, 2012 at noon
at the Cass County Road Commission.
She then provided a written report
to the Board on the 2007 Fund Balance
— (Foreclosed March 31, 2010). She
indicated that $57,136.26 could now be
transferred into the General Fund and
suggested that it go into either Public
Improvement or the Budget
Stabilization Fund.
Questions and discussion followed.
Public comment followed.
Leroy Krempec introduced Cass
County Road Commission’s Interim
Manager Christopher Bolt. Christopher
briefly addressed the Board.
Interim County Administrator/
Controller Louis Csokasy reported on
communications he received which
included two FOIA requests and a confidential employee letter. He also discussed correspondence he received from
the United States Department of
Interior advising that they had received
an application from the Pokagon Band of
Potawatomi Indians asking to transfer
approximately 320 acres of property
located in LaGrange Township into trust
status.
Discussion followed.
Commissioner Rodebush moved, seconded by Commissioner Bickel, that the
Cass County Board of Commissioners do
not object to the Pokagon Band of
Potawatomi Indians transferring their
requested real property into trust status.
Motion carried by voice vote.
Commissioners Marchetti and
Higley commented or gave committee
reports.
Interim County
Administrator/Controller Louis Csokasy
gave the Administrator’s Report. He also
discussed a proposed Workshop to be
held on Dec. 8 to talk about organizational changes and to discuss proposed
changes of the Board of Commissioners
Rules of Procedures.
Commissioner Rodebush moved, seconded by Commissioner Marchetti, to
amend the Board of Commissioners
Rules of Procedures, Rule I (C) Public
Code of Conduct to state “Each person
shall be allotted three minutes by the
Board Chairperson.” Motion carried by
voice vote.
Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to
approve the claims dated 8/3/12 as submitted by the Claims Committee.
Motion carried by voice vote.
Commissioner Ziliak moved, seconded by Commissioner Higley, to increase
the budget of the medical examiner
expense line items to allow for an
increase in expense. Motion carried by
voice vote.
Commissioner File moved, seconded
by Commissioner Goodman, to adopt a
resolution to allow Cass County to participate in the Nine County Association.
The resolution passed.
The board reappointed Minnie
Warren, Kathy Emans, Cal Butler and
Tom Atkinson to the Community
Corrections Advisory Board and Dawn
Bolock to the Economic Development
Corporation Board
Commissioner Marchetti moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodman, to
approve the Community Corrections
Plan and Application for FY-2013.
Discussion was held. Sheriff Joseph
Underwood answered questions. Motion
carried by voice vote.
Commissioner Dyes moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to
amend the Social Welfare Fund Budget.
Motion carried by voice vote.
Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Bickel, to
amend the State Veteran’s Trust Fund
Budget. Motion carried by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
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PAGE 6
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
THE LAW
Michigan’s Property Tax uncapping law
by Adam Russell
Tuesley Hall Konopa, LLP
n 1994, Michigan voters passed
Proposal A, which amended the
state’s constitution to place a “cap” on
property taxes.
Beginning in 1995, property taxes
were calculated on the taxable value,
which could only increase by the lesser of
5 percent or the rate of inflation, regardless of the change in assessed value.
However, any “transfer of ownership,” as
defined by statute, serves to “uncap” the
property taxes.
What we mean by uncapping is that,
after a transfer of ownership, the taxable
value is automatically adjusted to the
current state equalized value (SEV).
Anyone who has owned property in
Michigan will recall that the annual
notice of assessment from their township
treasurer lists both the taxable value and
the current SEV. Unless you bought or
received the property in the last year,
those numbers will not be the same.
A quick example may prove helpful.
A couple bought a lakefront property in
1965. They have two children, Amy and
Bill. Their Wills leave their assets in
equal shares to their children. Their most
recent notice of assessment shows a taxable value of $100,000, and a SEV of
$500,000. Without any other transfers
during their lifetime, after the second of
them dies, the property taxes will uncap,
just as if they sold it.
Assuming Amy and Bill inherit the
property jointly, when Amy and Bill
receive the next year’s notice of assessment, assuming the SEV doesn’t change,
the new taxable value will be $500,000,
accompanied by a corresponding and significant increase in the amount of property tax due.
That said, the state legislature did
provide exceptions to the rules; certain
types of transfers of ownership are
exempt and will not uncap the property
taxes. These include transfers between
spouses and certain transfers into trusts.
But the exception that gets the most
attention, thanks to a series of recent,
and widely publicized Michigan court
cases, is the one concerning joint tenants
with rights of survivorship (which we will
refer to as JTWROS).
The Supreme Court of Michigan, in
its March 10, 2011 decision in Klooster v.
City of Charlevoix, clarified the rules governing the JTWROS exemption.
I
What a tremendous windfall
the Michigan legislature and
courts have given us, right?
Not so fast. There are major
issues of concern here.
Specifically, a transfer between two or
more people that creates or terminates a
JTWROS will not uncap the property
taxes if:
(1) at least one of the parties to the
transfer was an original owner before the
JTWROS was created, and
(2) at least one of the parties to the
transfer was a joint tenant at the time
the JTWROS was created and has
remained a joint tenant ever since.
Let’s return to our example. Father
owns lakefront property in Michigan in
his sole name after the death of his wife.
Current taxable value is $100,000 and
SEV is $500,000. Given the disparity
between these two values, he knows the
taxes will skyrocket upon uncapping. As
we saw before, if he dies tomorrow, the
taxes will uncap, just as if he sold it.
However, JTWROS offers him an opportunity.
He conveys the property to himself
and his two children, as JTWROS. He
now owns the property jointly with his
children.
Do the property taxes uncap on this
conveyance?
No; he is an original owner and
remains a joint tenant upon its creation.
When he later dies, the property is
owned, by automatic operation of law, by
the surviving joint tenants, his kids.
Will the property taxes uncap on his
death?
No. This is the key difference. The
property is now owned by Amy and Bill,
JTWROS, the taxable value remains
$100,000, and the taxes remain capped
going forward.
What a tremendous windfall the
Michigan legislature and courts have
given us, right? Not so fast. There are
major issues of concern here.
First, note that the property is still
owned JTWROS. If Amy dies, Bill owns it
outright (the converse would also be
true). Amy’s heirs have no interest in
the property after her death.
So why don’t Amy and Bill alter the
ownership arrangement, say to tenants
in common, after their father’s death?
Because any subsequent conveyance,
under this example, would not satisfy the
original ownership requirement of the
narrow exception, and the property taxes
would uncap. As you can therefore see,
this option works very well, especially for
highly appreciated property, so long as
the parents have only one child, or intend
to give the property to only one of their
children.
For comparison, what if the father in
our example conveyed the property just
to himself and to Amy, JTWROS, leaving
Bill out (Bill lives abroad and has no
interest)?
Again, the initial creation of the
JTWROS will not uncap, because the
father is an original owner and a joint
tenant. When the father later dies, Amy
automatically becomes the outright
owner of the property (father’s death terminates the JTWROS), and the taxes do
not uncap. Amy will then enjoy a continuation of the capped property taxes until
she transfers ownership, such as upon
her death. She cannot create her own
joint tenancy without uncapping, because
she is not an original owner (there is
therefore a limit of one lifetime of this
benefit — the taxes will uncap eventually).
Another major issue with JTWROS
is that, not only is it a competition where
the last survivor wins it all, but also the
property is available for attachment by
creditors of any of the joint tenants,
including a divorcing spouse.
One additional final caution is that
this is the state of the law in Michigan as
of the date of this article, and the legislature may change the rules regarding
transfers of ownership and property tax
uncapping at any time.
In summary, JTWROS offers a
unique, albeit narrow, opportunity for
owners of highly appreciated property to
transfer that property to the next generation without uncapping the property
taxes, but it is an option not without pitfalls. Consultation with a Michigan attorney is highly recommended before any
sort of conveyance of real property, especially due to the property tax uncapping
issue.
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PAGE 7
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
CASS COUNCIL ON AGING
Why isn’t your workout working?
By Brenda Harris
Cass COA
hen you started a regular exercise program, whether to lose
weight or improve your overall
health, your motivation was high. Even
though exercise wasn’t the most exciting
activity you had experienced, you began
feeling better health wise. You managed
to get yourself out of bed early, to squeeze
in a workout, and stick to your plan.
Slowly the workouts became boring.
You started finding reasons to sleep in
and found better things to do with your
time. Then before you realized it, you had
missed a whole week. Could something
else be getting in the way of the excitement and effectiveness of your previously-rewarding workouts? The answer is
yes! Luckily, you can learn to identify
the signs that it’s time to shake-up your
workout routine so you can remain consistent and enthusiastic about exercise.
Here are four of the most common signs
and what you can do to get back on
track:
4 signs your workout isn’t working
1. Your workout bores you. You used
to like walking on the treadmill, so why
do you dread your workout each day?
It’s easy to get bored if you stick with the
same routine for too long. Sometimes it
helps to add variety to your walks. For
example, try taking your workout outside, adding speed intervals, putting new
music on your iPod or bringing a friend
along. If all this isn’t enough, then its
time to try a new activity. Change can
help keep your workouts fun and interesting, giving you something to look for-
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Cass County
Council on Aging
Proceeds go to
in Cass County
Sept. 21
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on Whee
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5 to 9 p.m.
Live entertainment
by the
more fit. By using a heart rate monitor,
you’ll know to change up or intensify your
routine, and ensure that you’re working
in your target heart rate zone.
Challenging your body improves your fitness level and can also provide a sense of
accomplishment as you become stronger
and work toward your goals.
The key is to pay attention to how
you’re feeling both physically and mentally. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore that you
dread, but something that makes you feel
good about yourself.
Activities at the Cass County Council on Aging
The following activities are scheduled the Cass County Council on Aging Lowe Center and Front
Street Crossing in September:
Sept. 5 to Nov. 7, Wednesdays: Guided Autobiography Class. Write the story of your life with this guided
writing class for adults of any age. Cost of $75 covers tuition and all course materials for the 10-week
class on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the COA Lowe Center. Registration required.
Sept. 5, 12, 19, and 26, Wednesdays: Enjoy a sample yoga class at Front Street Crossing from 11 a.m.
to noon on Wednesdays through Sept. 26 with Frannie Stites. $20 per month or $5 for walk-ins.
Sept. 6, Thursday: Medication Drop-off. Bring in unused, expired or unwanted medications for proper
disposal from 10 a.m. to noon. Medications must be in their original, labeled containers and signed in
when dropped off. Medications will not be accepted at any other time.
Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27, Thursdays: Euchre Club at Front Street Crossing. Euchre comes to Dowagiac
Thursdays at 1 p.m.
Sept. 17, Monday: Quilting Club. Use or develop your quilting skills to make items for donation to groups
in need. Meets 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at COA Lowe Center.
Sept. 10, 12, 17, 19, 24 and 26, Mondays and Wednesdays: Zumba® Class. Zumba® is back at the
COA Lowe Center Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:45 p.m. Cost is $5 per class or $20 per month.
Sept. 10 and 12, Monday and Tuesday: Brain Aerobics. Get ready to charge up those neurotransmitters!
We’ll talk about recalling events with multiple senses in “The Many Flavors of Memories.” This is a free
class, but you must register due to space limitations. This class is open to everyone. 10 a.m. to noon
Monday at the COA Lowe Center in Cassopolis and Tuesday at Front Street Crossing in Dowagiac.
Sept. 10, Monday: Movies for Grown-ups. Monthly movies from AARP’s Best Picks! September’s feature is “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” a PG-13 film about a child searching for answers. Free
movie, popcorn, and water at 1 p.m. at the COA Lowe Center.
Sept. 14, Friday: Senior Health Fair. Get free health screenings, information, and a healthy brunch at the
Senior Health Fair. Event is sponsored by Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital from 8 a.m. to noon at the
COA Lowe Center.
Sept. 21, Friday: Book Club. The “Read & Share” club has selected “In the Garden of the Beast,” by Eric
Larson for the September meeting at the COA Lowe Center. 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Doug James Duo
Sept. 25, Tuesday: Lunch & Learn. Light hearted, engaging talks over lunch at Front Street Crossing
continue with this month’s topic, “Buried Alive – The Hoarding & Cluttering Behavior of Older Adults.”
RSVP needed due to space limitations. Program is free; lunch is available for about $5.
Call (269) 445-8110
for more information
and reservations
Sept. 26, Wednesday: Caregiver’s Support Group. Support group at the COA Lowe Center for those
who care for family members, friends, and neighbors. Care can be provided for your loved one free of
charge in our Adult Day Services center if prior arrangements are made. 1 to 3 p.m.
Meals on
Wheels
COA Lowe Center, Cassopolis
www.casscoa.org
$30 per person
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ward to. And that is exactly what will
keep you coming back for more.
2. Your workout isn’t giving you
results anymore. Someone who does the
same activity all the time is likely to
plateau much sooner than someone who
varies their workouts. Doing the same
exercises, your body can also adapt to
these exercises so that they don’t offer the
same benefits that they once did.
Spicing up the routine might be just the
thing you need to get the scales moving
again or bust through that strength
plateau. “Variety” means either changing your currant routine by adding speed,
distance, hills, resistance, etc. or trying a
totally different activity. This will keep
your muscles challenged, your body
guessing, and the results coming!
3. You’re working too hard. Yes, you
can actually work out too hard and too
much. If you’re someone who goes all out
in every workout, or rarely to never take
a day off to rest, you could actually be
breaking your muscles down instead of
building them. If you always feel tired
and sore, have headaches, can’t sleep or
just lack motivation and an inability to
complete your workouts, you may be
overtraining. Take off three or five days
of exercising. This will give your body
time to repair and recover. Then slowly
ease back into your routine, making
shorter, less intense workouts part of
your workout plan.
4. Your workout is no longer challenging. If your workouts aren’t challenging you anymore, it can be helpful to
wear a heart rate monitor.
Your heart
rate will change over time as you become
Cass County
Council on Aging
COA Lowe Center: 60525 Decatur Rd., Cassopolis
facebook.com/casscoa (269) 445-8110 (800) 323-0390
Neighbors August2012.indd 1
These are just some of the activities and classes that the Council on Aging has to offer. For more information on Council on Aging programs, call (269) 445-8110 or (800) 323-0390 or visit www.casscoa.org.
The Cass Council on Aging Lowe Center is located at the corner of M-60 and Decatur Road in
Cassopolis. Front Street Crossing is at 227 S. Front St. in Dowagiac. Many activities are free of charge,
and schedules are subject to change.
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PAGE 8
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Retiring Solo/
Provided by Greg Schoenfeld, CFP®
Compass Wealth Advisors
ost retirement planning literature portrays a
retirement transition in the context of a couple
or a family — but what about those who retire
alone? What particular challenges do they face, and how
must their preparation for retirement differ?
Retiring alone presents unique challenges. Singles
who retire may lack a spousal and familial support network other retirees count on. If a lone retiree faces sizable medical bills, he or she can’t draw on the financial
resources of a spouse. Unmarried, childless retirees also
lack adult sons and daughters who might be able to offer
them financial help or serve as executors of their estates
one day.
Singles must plan ahead for them. The earlier, the
better: if you anticipate a solo retirement, it might be
very wise to plan for it decades in advance.
A basic financial truth can’t be dismissed: single
retirees will need to amass savings comparable to those
of a retired couple.
Why? It is because many retirement costs are fixed.
Hospitals, universities, banks, pharmacies, mechanics
and home improvement specialists do not offer discounts
to single parents or lone retirees. Usually, a couple can
absorb these costs more effectively than an individual.
Some steps to consider. Those looking at the possibility of a solo retirement may want to think about these
factors:
M
The need to save early & consistently
Sometimes young singles are bad with credit, or
spend whole paychecks without regard to putting anything away. You are different, right? Think about
increasing your savings rate. It is possible: look at how
much parents save for their kids’ tuition, food, clothing
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Uniting all the pieces to benefit
your goals
Things to think about when
planning for a single retirement
and child care, in the face of economic pressures that
may exceed your own.
The possibility of building wealth
through real estate
Astute real estate investment may provide a single
individual with a place to live, a steady income stream
and the equity to pad retirement savings.
The possible need for long-term care coverage
According to NPR, only about 8 million of 313 million Americans have any long-term care insurance. The
average private room accommodation in a nursing home
is currently $87,000 a year. The 2012 Long-Term Care
Insurance Price Index of the American Association for
Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) estimates that a
single 55-year-old would pay an average of $1,720 a year
for LTCI with an immediate value of $170,000 and a
value of $354,000 at age 80 — a purchase that may very
well be worth it given trends in American longevity.
Many people investigate buying LTCI as they turn 50;
you may want to take a look at it in your 40s.1
The value of a social circle.
“Family” has many different definitions today - and
increasingly, single retirees are creating family-like
bonds by moving in with one another, and saving household expenses as well. This can be good for the soul, and
some solo retirees with few or no living relatives go so
far as to assign power of attorney to a close friend in
case of emergency.
What if you are divorcing without kids?
A divorce earlier in life is often more bearable financially than a divorce later in life. In the financial aftermath of divorce, the key is whether the settlement
reached is truly equitable. Not equal - equitable. While
assets may be divided equally, the lesser-earning spouse
may be left with less income and less potential to accumulate wealth in the future. (This is often the case if one
spouse has helped the other build a business or a professional practice.) An equitable settlement considers and
addresses these factors, especially in view of retirement
savings needs.
These are all crucial factors to think about if you
find yourself thinking that you may retire alone.
Contemplate them, and consider planning accordingly.
Greg Schoenfeld may be reached at 888.820.9100 or www.compasswa.com
This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not
necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. Marketing Library.Net Inc. is not affiliated with any broker or brokerage firm that may be providing this information to you. All information is
believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves
risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional
services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the
services of a competent professional. This information should not be
construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on
for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is not a solicitation or a recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All
indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.
Citations:
1 - www.npr.org/2012/05/08/151970188/
long-term-care-insurance-who-needs-it [5/8/12]
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PAGE 9
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Vacant homes and insurance risk
Provided by Vicki Brossman
Kemner-Iott Agency of Cass County
s the housing market continues
to struggle, many homeowners
are faced with the problem of a
vacant home. Whether you relocated
due to a job change, purchased a new
home expecting to sell your previous
home, own a rental property that is
without renters, or purchased a home
needing renovations before being occupied, your insurance policy automatically takes away important coverages.
Vacant dwelling polices are available.
While these policies are more expensive
and offer limited coverage, it could save
you money in the event of a loss.
In insurance terms, a vacant home
is one the residents have moved out of
and taken their belongings with them.
An unoccupied home is one where the
residents are not staying at the home,
but furniture and other belongings
remain.
A
The added risks of vacant homes
■ Vandalism-vacant homes are attractive targets for vandals. Without someone at the home to discourage vandalism, criminals could cause significant
property damage.
■ Burglary-Burglars are also attracted
to vacant homes. It is easy for a burglar to gain access to a vacant property
to steal valuables including copper piping and air conditioning units.
■ No emergency response-without any-
one home to call 911 or respond to
emergencies, a manageable problem,
such as a small electrical fire, can turn
into a much larger, more costly disaster.
■ Vermin-Vacant homes often develop
vermin infestations, since there is no
one to spot these problems before they
spiral out of control. Vermin can damage valuables and furniture and even
compromise the structural integrity of
the home.
■ Plumbing problems-Ruptured or
leaking pipes in a vacant home can
cause significant water damage. A ruptured water pipe could remain undiscovered for days or even weeks. The
amount of damage caused by running
water for 7 hours (the amount of time
before the owner returns from work)
and 17 days (the next scheduled visit
from your neighbor to look in on an
empty home) can be enormous, with
the latter being a several hundred
thousand dollar claim, as all the walls
being infested with mold.
■ Property liability-There is no one
present to prevent others from entering
the property or to supervise activity,
which could increase the likeliness of
an accident on the premises or property
damage when the owner is not there.
What coverages are changed
when a home Is vacant?
■ Most companies will not cover vandalism and malicious mischief after the
home has been vacant for thirty days.
■ Most companies will not cover frozen
pipes unless you have taken reasonable
care to keep the heat turned on and
otherwise prevent the pipes from freezing.
■ Many homeowners policies have a
“vacancy clause” that can be triggered
if the homeowner is gone for an extended period of time. If this happens, the
homeowner could violate the terms of
their contract and some or all the coverage many not apply in the event of a
loss.
■ Most insurers won’t continue to
insure a vacant home. Your policy will
most likely be canceled or non-renewed
for vacancy reasons.
Ways to prevent losses
on a vacant home
■ Notify local police and give them an
emergency contact phone number.
■ Adjust the thermostat. In the winter
keep the heat no lower than 55
degrees.
■ If it will be empty for an extended
period of time, have the water turned
off and the pipes drained.
■ Keep the grass cut, the snow cleared,
the yard maintained, and curtains
drawn.
■ Ask a neighbor to park their car in
your driveway.
■ Put several lights on timers, along
with the television or radio. Set them
at different times so that someone who
watches the house will see lights go on
in one room and off in another, creating
Vicki Brossman
can be located at
Kemner-Iott
Agency of Cass
County, 60267
Century Dr.,
Cassopolis, MI
49031
269-445-2425
www.kemneriottcass.com
the appearance that someone is home
and moving around.
■ Trim the shrubbery near the
entrance and walkway. This makes it
harder for someone to hide, and it also
makes it appear you live there.
■ Set up a monitored security system.
Let the security company be your eyes
and ears.
Before you purchase a home to renovate or decide to leave a home vacant
or unoccupied for a long period of time,
talk to your insurance agent or company to learn how they define vacancy
and unoccupancy, and whether the
company will pay claims if the house is
unoccupied. Don’t assume that because
you have paid your premium, you have
nothing to worry about. Be honest
about your situation. Remember,
vacant dwelling polices are available
and even though they are more expensive and offer limited coverage, it could
save you money in the event of a loss.
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PAGE 10
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
CIVIL WAR DIARY
The Civil War Diary of James Wesley Riley from Volinia Township in Cass County
Continuation of the Civil War Diary of James Wesley Riley of Volinia, Township, Cass
County. By June 1865, the war had been over for several weeks. So technically, this
segment is a post-war diary. Original spelling, grammar and punctuation remain for
historical accuracy.
June 1, 1865 — I had the pleasure of listening to one of the best speeches I ever heard
delivered. It was an address to the Soldiers by Col. Jacques of the 74th Ill. It was
sound, I thought.
June 2, 1865 — This morning went on guard and the day was warm and pleasant.
June 3, 1865 — Came in off of guard and then went and laid down and took a nap. No
news in camp today.
June 4, 1865 — Company Inspection today. Letter writing and lolling around in the
shade has been the programme for this day. It has been the warmest day of the season.
June 5, 1865 — Drew rations. Had drill and the rest of the day was spent in the
shade, for it was another hot day, I tell you.
June 6, 1865 — This morning our Reg’t was ordered out on picket and our Co. took
Post No. 2. Had a very good time for the weather was all we could ask for; and the
mail came up which cheered us up with letters from home.
June 7, 1865 — Came in from picket and was tired and sleepy; and the day being hot
and sultry, I laid down in my tent and took a long sleep, which made me feel better.
June 8, 1865 — Last night some of the boys went down to town and got on a spree
and came back to camp and raised Hell over some appointments of NonCommissioned Officers. But the Captain soon put a stop to that, I tell you. It was well
he did, or there would have been a big racket in Company E, sure, for the boys were
taking sides and fixing for fun when the Captain stopped it.
June 9, 1865 — It looked like rain all day; but it didn’t. There is some talk of our
Division being sent to Texas.
June 10, 1865 — Today all the members of the Corps that felt interested in meeting
and selecting a badge for the Army of the Cumberland met and there was quite a
time. Some Officers thought that there should be a distinction badge; one that would
show who were Officers and who were Privates. That was voted down, for it was
shown that there would be no distinction at home; a Private would be just as good as
an Officer, if his behavior was a good, and so I thought.
To be continued...
James Wesley Riley
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PAGE 11
NEIGHBORS
September 2012
HEALTH & FITNESS
Summer of sport
By GARY ANDERT
Outpost Sports
he Midwest summer started a
month earlier than normal with an
unfortunate end to winter. With
the earlier arrival of warm temperatures,
summer sport activities kicked in and the
suppliers of summer sport products were
caught with their respective shorts down.
As suppliers and retailers of sports
products scrambled to get product delivered, people packed away their insulated
clothing and pumped up their bike tires
and rolled out the golf bag.
My last day of skiing was on March
17 at Boyne Mountain, Michigan. Snow
conditions were outstanding, but the
balmy 66 degree temperatures proved a
challenge to dress for. I was at Boyne
Mountain on a bicycle trip the first week
of June, where on June 3 the morning
temperature was 34 degrees! Sort of
makes you wonder if the Mayan calendar
predictions may be correct.
Nevertheless, most of the United
Sates got a jump start with warm weather which allowed weekend and other athletes to get outside and train, compete
and just have fun.
And what a Summer it’s been for
sports! The three week bicycle endurance
race known as the Tour D’ France bicycle race was back to its epic grandeur
with only two (so far) doping scandals.
Bradley Wiggins became the first
Brit to win the 2012 edition of Le Tour.
Which is quite fitting in an Olympic year
where the 2012 Summer Olympics were
held in London, England. Wiggin’s team-
T
mate on Sky Cycling placed second and
the fiery Vincenzo Nabili, of Italy placed
third. The highest finishing American
rider, the outstanding Tejay Van
Garderen placed fifth and won the Best
Young Rider award.
The Summer Olympics proved to be
also extremely exciting to view. With
2012 being the 40th anniversary of Title
IX, it is no wonder that American women
provided not only more medals than men.
NBC, by some miracle or maybe just a
gross mistake, telecast bicycle, kayak and
sculling competitions at a time when
those interested, do not have to set their
recording device for 3am!
The 2012 United States Masters
Bicycling track racing championships
were held in Colorado Springs in July.
Bruce Gordon, realtor and cyclist extraordinaire decided that his friend Carl
Grove, of Bristol, Indiana needed another
cycling challenge beyond his past-master
world championships road and time trial
racing endeavors. Carl agreed and started training for track racing competition.
Training under Bruce, who has a history
of road and track racing, Carl learned
quickly with road and velodrome riding.
Track racing takes place in a banked
track velodrome where the participants
race on a fixed gear bike. A fixed gear
bike has no brakes and there is constant
pressure on the chain.
If you’ve never been on a fixed-gear
bicycle, it is quite a challenge.
But Carl is always up for a challenge. One of these he encountered at the
Championships, where the organizers
Carl Grove with one of his gold medals
found they did not have an age class for
him. For those of you that haven’t read
my previous articles concerning Carl;
Carl will be celebrating his 84th birthday
this summer. So Carl raced against the
70- and 75-year-old age racers; the
“youngsters” as Carl refers to them.
Those poor “youngsters.”
Carl received four gold and one
bronze medal and is awaiting confirmation of a world’s record! So, if you happen
to be out on a bike ride and encounter a
5’ 5”, 140lb. grandfather and feel a need
to challenge yourself; good luck!
News reports have stated the Baby
Boomer generation will be the most
active. If you need some incentive or a
boost, attend any of the many bicycle
rides in our area and pay attention to
how much grey hair you see.
With summer soon to end, we must
turn our attentions to questions: if
Andrew Luck can fill the shoes of Peyton
Manning. Can Peyton Manning do for the
Broncos what he did for the Colts? And
will Cam Newton repeat his accomplishments of last season? Locally, will the
best name for any quarterback, Gunner
Keil, rise to the starting position?
Question and more questions. That’s
one of the great things about sport;
there’s always the question of how so and
so will perform. Will that great pitching
in June be there in October? Can that
player learn the playbook in time to compete? Will I ski as well as I did last season? Will I ride as well next summer as
this summer? For an athlete there is no
off-season. You train and cross train to
stay in shape so you may compete at your
desired level. And above all, have fun!
NATURE NOTES
Green Heron a rare visitor
Provided by the Cass District Library
Local History Branch
Photos by Mark Parren St. Joseph, taken along
St. Joseph River, in Berrien County, June 2012.
erons are medium to large wading birds with long necks and
spear like bills. In flight, herons
necks are folded into an S formation, and
the legs trail in back.
The green heron, which is about a
foot and 1/2 (18 inches) tall, is one of our
most common species being found near
large and small inland lakes, ponds,
streams, rivers, etc. By late July and
H
early August, young green herons begin
to leave their nests.
One such bird was photographed by
Dixie Burkhart of Lawrence, Michigan.
Young green herons during their first
year of life have brown and white stripes
on the chest, appearing similar to another heron called American bittern.
American bitterns are larger than green
herons and quite uncommon. Adult green
herons eventually acquire solid brown
plumage on the upper chest and gray
lower chest.
Green herons eat mainly fish, snails
and crayfish. The species spends the win-
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ter along the Gulf Coast south to
Northern Central America. In our area,
the first green herons of the spring are
usually seen around April 20. In the fall,
October 5 is usually the last date reported, though sometimes they linger until
the end of the month. In Michigan, there
is only one winter (December-February)
record, occurring on December 15, 1974,
near Baroda in Berrien County.
At right: Green Heron, recently fledged the nest,
sits on a log awaiting it’s next meal, August 11,
2012 in Van Buren County. Photo by Dixie
Burkhart of Lawrence, Michigan.
PAGE 12
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
KATHY’S RECIPE CORNER
Dear Neighbors,
Thanks for your requests! I hope they are similar to what you remember. I wish I had all the
recipes from my family. It would be kind of hard
to duplicate my Grandma’s recipes measuring
flour by the handful. It is amazing how ladies
baked in the day with a handful of this and a
dash of that…they created masterpieces! What
great memories! Enjoy these selections.
~Kathy
MORNINGS!
Aunt Goldie’s Blueberry Muffins
These are delicious and cake-like. I always double
the recipe and make huge Texas style muffins.
Original Recipe Yield 1 dozen
Ingredients
■ 1/2 cup butter
■ 2 cups all-purpose flour
■ 1 1/4 cups white sugar
■ 2 eggs
■ 1/2 cup milk
■ 2 teaspoons baking powder
■ 1/2 teaspoon salt
■ 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners. Sift flour, baking powder
and salt together and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add
eggs and beat well. Add milk and flour mixture. Beat
until combined. Stir in blueberries.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25
to 30 minutes.
Super Easy Doughnuts
Ingredients
■ 2 tablespoons white vinegar
■ 3/8 cup milk
■ 2 tablespoons shortening
■ 1/2 cup white sugar
■ 1 egg
■ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
■ 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
■ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
■ 1/4 teaspoon salt
■ 1 quart oil for deep frying
■ 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions
1. Stir the vinegar into the milk, and let stand for a few
minutes until thick.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening
and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla
until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking soda,
and salt; stir into the sugar mixture alternating with the
vinegar and milk. Roll dough out on a floured surface to
1/3 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts using a donut
cutter. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet to 375 degrees F.
Fry doughnuts in the hot oil until golden, turning over
once. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners’
sugar while they are still warm, and serve immediately.
Bacon for the Family or a Crowd
This is the way to get crisp bacon without having to
constantly turn it, watch over it, or get burnt by splatters of grease. It ‘fries’ up flat and doesn’t curl, which
looks great beside a breakfast plate of eggs, and makes
BLT sandwiches much easier. This is helpful when feeding a family or crowd.
Ingredients
■ 1 pound thick sliced bacon
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet
with aluminum foil. Arrange bacon on baking sheet in a
single layer with the edges touching or slightly overlapping.
2. Bake in preheated oven to desired degree of doneness, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon from the baking
sheet with tongs or a fork, and drain on a paper towellined plate.
APPETIZERS!
Garden Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
■ 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
■ 1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
■ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
■ 5 slices pickled jalapeno peppers, or to taste
■ 6 fresh tomatoes, quartered
■ 2 teaspoons olive oil
■ 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
■ 1/2 lime, juiced
■ 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Place onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
Add tomatoes, and pulse just a few times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl with a
tight-fitting lid.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine
vinegar, lime juice, and salt.
3. Pour dressing over tomatoes, and stir well. Cover,
and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Unbelievably Good Fruit Dip
This creamy fruit dip has only three ingredients. If
you want a simple dip that’s the perfect complement to
fruit, especially strawberries, please try this one.
Ingredients
■ 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
■ 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
■ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sweetened
condensed milk and lemon juice. Cover and chill in the
refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.
Bacon and Date Appetizer
Ingredients
■ 1 (8 ounce) package pitted dates
■ 4 ounces almonds
■ 1 pound sliced bacon
Directions
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Slit dates. Place one almond inside each date. Wrap
dates with bacon, using toothpicks to hold them together.
3. Broil 10 minutes, or until bacon is evenly brown and
crisp.
BEVERAGES!
The Real Mojito
This is an authentic recipe for mojito. I sized the
recipe for one serving, but you can adjust it accordingly
and make a pitcher full. It’s a very refreshing drink for
hot summer days.
Ingredients
■ 2 tablespoons white sugar
■ 4 sprigs fresh mint
■ 1 ounce club soda
■ 1 lime, halved
■ 2 ounces light rum
■ 1 1/2 cups ice
■ 2 ounces club soda
■ 1 sprig fresh mint
Directions
1. Muddle sugar and mint with soda water in pint
glass. Squeeze both halves of lime into the glass leaving
one hull in the mixture. Add rum, stir, and fill with ice.
Top with club soda.
2. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Bellini Meanie Martini
Peach schnapps and vodka are shaken, and then
topped off with a splash of champagne, and a few fresh
raspberries.
Ingredients
■ 1/4 cup good quality vodka
■ 2 fluid ounces peach schnapps
■ 1 cup ice cubes
■ 2 fluid ounces champagne
■ 3 fresh raspberries for garnish
Directions
1. Pour the vodka and peach schnapps into a shaker
with the ice. Shake until frothy. Strain into a martini
glass, and top off with champagne. Garnish with fresh
raspberries.
Wild River Bloody Mary Mix
Ingredients
■ 1 (46 fluid ounce) bottle tomato juice
■ 1 1/2 tablespoons celery salt
■ 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
■ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
■ 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
■ 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco…as
desired)
■ 1 TB Lemon juice
■ 1 TB Line juice
Directions
1. In a large jar or bottle, combine the tomato juice, celery salt, pepper, garlic powder, juices & Worcestershire
sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Secure the lid and shake,
or stir to mix until well blended. Store in the refrigerator
for up to one week.
Blackberry Lassi
Ingredients:
■ 8 oz. plain yogurt (1 cup)
■ 10 oz. blackberries (I used frozen)
■ 1 tbsp. lemon juice
■ 1/8 tsp. cardamom
■ 3 tbsp. honey (or to taste)
Directions:
1. Blend up the yogurt, blackberries, lemon juice, cardamom, and honey until combined. You can either
strain the seeds out or leave them in. I didn’t like them
in mine, but my husband liked the texture. Pour into
glasses and serve immediately.
MAIN DISHES!
The Ooey Gooey Cheesesteak Sandwich
Ingredients:
■ 3/4 pound strip steak
■ 1 tbsp. olive oil
■ 2 tbsp. butter
■ 1/2 a softball sized onion, thinly sliced
■ 1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
■ 2 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
■ 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
■ 8 slices of provolone, Swiss, or a combo of both
■ salt and pepper
■ 4 hoagie rolls, sliced in half about 3/4 of the way down
Directions:
1. Freeze the strip steak for 30 minutes, and prep and
cook the other ingredients while you wait. Freezing the
steak is a little trick that makes slicing the steak
MUCH easier for you.
2. In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil and butter over
medium heat. Throw in the onions and season with a
pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes until
translucent and soft, and then add the peppers. Season
with a little pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the peppers
and onions together for 20 more minutes until everything is softened and sweet. While that cooks, slice the
strip steak into very thin slices. Season the slices with a
good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Remove the onions and peppers to a plate, then heat
the pan to medium high. Add the mushrooms one handful at a time, and cook for about 5 minutes until they
turn brown. If there is mushroom water pooling around
in the bottom of the pan, your pan isn’t hot enough, or
you’ve added too many mushrooms to the pan at a time.
Adding the mushrooms a handful at a time ensures that
you don’t overcrowd the pan and cause the mushrooms
to steam instead of brown. Remove the mushrooms to a
plate.
5. Add the steak slices to the pan, cook for about 30 seconds on each side just to cook it through. Turn off the
heat (but keep the pan on the burner), and add the
reserved cooked onions, peppers, and mushrooms.
Divide the filling into four sections, and top each section
with two slices of cheese. Give the cheese a minute or
two to melt, then spoon each of the four sections into one
of the four hoagie rolls.
6. Roll each filled hoagie very tightly in aluminum foil,
and toss them in the oven for 15 minutes. Eat the
cheesesteaks while they’re hot and gooey from the oven.
Enjoy!
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
■ 2 lbs. chicken wing pieces
■ salt
■ 3 tbsp. Frank’s hot sauce
■ 2 tbsp. butter
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Heat up a big pot of boiling water. Season the water
like you would for cooking pasta (taste the water; it
should taste a little repulsively salty, like sea water).
3. Boil the chicken wings for 7-8 minutes, and then
remove them to a wire rack. Let them drip dry, then dry
them well with a paper towel.
4. Season the chicken wings lightly with salt (though if
you salted the boiling water enough, it won’t need much,
if any). Bake the chicken wings for 30 minutes on one
side, then flip the wings and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side.
5. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat up the
hot sauce and butter until melted. Whisk to combine,
then toss the hot wings in the sauce, and serve immediately. Gobble them up while they’re still crisp, and coated with sauce. Enjoy!
PAGE 13
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
KATHY’S RECIPE CORNER
Fall-Off-The-Bone Oven BBQ Pork Spareribs
Ingredients:
■ 2 cups sliced yellow onion
■ 1 cup ketchup
■ 1 cup water
■ 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or honey cider vinegar
■ 1/4 cup sugar
■ 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
■ 1/8 cup molasses
■ 1/2 tsp. salt
■ black pepper
■ 4 lbs. pork spareribs
■ scallions for garnish
Directions:
1. Place the yellow onion, ketchup, water, vinegar,
sugar, Worcestershire, molasses, salt and pepper in a
saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and
simmer for 45 minutes, until the onions are nice and
soft.
2. While that simmers away, trim any excess fat off the
ribs, and then slice in between the bones to cut them
into individual ribs.
3. Heat up a cast iron pan (a stainless steel pan will
work too, but cast iron will lend a more smoky flavor)
over medium high heat, and sear the ribs on all sides
until nicely browned.
4. When the BBQ sauce is done simmering, spread
about 1/3 of it on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, and
place the ribs on top. Don’t worry if the BBQ sauce is
thin or the onions aren’t soft enough, it will be cooking
in the oven for 3 hours. Place another 1/3 of the sauce on
top and brush the ribs so they are evenly coated.
5. Bake, covered in foil, at 350 degrees F for 3 hours,
and halfway through cooking, baste the ribs with the
last 1/3 of BBQ sauce. By the end, the bones will be
falling out.
6. I absolutely love to top my ribs with finely chopped
scallions and suggest you do the same. Enjoy!
Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi
Ingredients:
■ 2 6-ounce mahi mahi fillets
■ 1/2 cup ground macadamia nuts
■ 1/4 cup bread crumbs (use panko if you have it)
■ 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
■ 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
■ 1/2 a yellow onion
■ 1 lime
■ 1 tbsp. coconut milk (I used the rest of the can for
coconut rice)
■ salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan
with aluminum foil.
2. Combine the macadamia nuts, bread crumbs, flour,
and butter.
3. Slice the onion up and lay the slices down on the foil
to create a bed for the fish. This not only flavors and
gives the fish a wonderful aroma, but also ensures that
the fish does not stick to the foil. Slice the lime into
rounds, and rub the fish on both sides with the lime.
Season the fish with plenty of salt and pepper on both
sides, and lay the fillets on top of the onion bed. Lay the
lime rounds right on top of the fish, and seal the foil up
all around the edges. Pop it into the oven, and bake for 7
minutes.
4. Remove from the oven, open up the foil, and remove
the lime wedges. Brush the tops of the fish with the
coconut milk, and then use your fingers to pack the
macadamia crust on top of the fish.
5. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the fish is cooked
through (this time may vary depending on the thickness
of your fish, but either use an instant read thermometer
(I cook mine to 130 degrees F) or flake with a fork to
check for opaque flesh.
6. I served my mahi mahi with coconut rice (I put 1 cup
of rice, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 1 cup of water into a
rice cooker. Easy and delicious).
SIDES!
Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
■ 1 head of cauliflower
■ 4 cups rice Chex cereal
■ 1/2+1/4 tsp. salt
■ 1/4+1/4 tsp. black pepper
■ 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
■ 2 eggs
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the cauliflower up into small florets.
3. Whisk together the eggs until the yolk and white
have blended, and season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp.
black pepper.
4. Smash up the Chex by either pulsing the cereal in a
food processor or sticking them in a plastic bag and
bashing them with a rolling pin. Season with the
cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
5. Dip the cauliflower florets into the eggs, then
straight into the Chex, then lay the cauliflower florets
out on a baking sheet.
6. Roast for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and
crunchy. Serve the cauliflower florets hot out of the
oven. In my experience, these don’t store very well in the
refrigerator because they lose their crunch, so eat them
while you can
Aromatic Green Beans
Ingredients:
■ 1 tbsp. olive oil
■ 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion or shallots
■ 2 tbsp. minced garlic
■ 1 lb. fresh green beans
■ 15 sprigs of fresh thyme
■ 1/4 tsp. red wine vinegar (optional)
■ salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Heat up a skillet over medium heat, and then add
the olive oil. Add the onion and season with a pinch of
salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the green beans and thyme, and season with more
salt and pepper. Sauté for 15 minutes, until the raw bite
has been taken out but they are still crisp and al dente.
3. Remove the thyme stems before serving, and add the
vinegar for a little bit of brightness. Enjoy!
Bacon Cheddar Scallion Scones
Ingredients:
■ 6 slices bacon, diced
■ 10 oz. all-purpose flour (2 cups)
■ 2 tsp. baking powder
■ 1 tsp. sugar
■ 1/2 tsp. salt
■ 5 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
■ 3 scallions, chopped
■ 5 tbsp. butter, cubed
■ 2/3 cup heavy cream (plus or minus a tablespoon)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then drain on
a paper towel and let cool completely.
3. Whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, sugar,
and salt. Stir in the cheddar, scallions, and bacon.
4. Work the butter cubes in with your fingertips, until
you get pea sized pieces of butter coated in the flour mixture. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy
cream.
5. Stir to distribute (and do not over stir or the scones
will get tough). The scones will be a little crumbly but
should press together well. Turn the dough out onto a
piece of parchment paper, and use your fingers to press
it into a big rectangle. Then cut into triangles.
6. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the edges are crisp
but the interior is still moist (the best way to tell is to
taste). Enjoy, preferably while they’re still warm.
Cranberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
■ 1 tablespoon butter
■ 3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
■ 1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
■ 1 cup dried cranberries
■ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
■ 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
■ 1/2 cup white sugar
■ 2 teaspoons minced onion
■ 1/4 teaspoon paprika
■ 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
■ 1/4 cup cider vinegar
■ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium
heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted
almonds and cranberries.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds,
poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar,
cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just
before serving.
SWEET ENDINGS!
Raspberry Tiramisu
Ingredients
■ 1 pound fresh or frozen raspberries
■ 6 tablespoons white sugar
■ 1 cup white sugar
■ 1/3 cup hot water
■ 1/4 cup brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand
Marnier®)
■ 1/2 cup cold water
■ 4 egg yolks
■ 6 tablespoons white sugar
■ 1 pound mascarpone cheese
■ 4 egg whites
■ 6 tablespoons white sugar
■ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
■ 12 ounces ladyfingers
■ 4 ounces grated semisweet chocolate
■ 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine raspberries with 6 tablespoons sugar. Crush a few of the berries; set aside. In a
small bowl, dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1/3 cup hot water.
When dissolved, stir in Grand Marnier and cold water;
set aside.
2. Beat egg yolks with 6 tablespoons sugar until ribbons
form, about 5 minutes. Mix in mascarpone until smooth.
In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the whites into the mascarpone mixture, and
then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks
remain.
3. Brush ladyfingers on both sides with Grand Marnier
syrup. Place on bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch glass
baking dish. Spoon raspberries evenly over ladyfingers.
Spread 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture over the raspberries. Sprinkle chocolate shavings over cream, and then
cover with the remaining cream mixture. Top with
toasted almonds. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate
overnight.
Chocolate Cavity Maker Cake
Ingredients
■ 1 (18.25 ounce) package dark chocolate cake mix
■ 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
■ 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
■ 3 eggs
■ 1/3 cup vegetable oil
■ 1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur
■ 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10
inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour
cream, eggs, oil and coffee liqueur. Beat until ingredients are well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Batter
will be thick. Spoon into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until cake
springs back when lightly tapped. Cool 10 minutes in
pan, then turn out and cool completely on wire rack.
Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
■ 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
■ 1 teaspoon baking soda
■ 1/2 teaspoon salt
■ 1 1/4 cups margarine
■ 2 cups white sugar
■ 2 eggs
■ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
■ 1/4 cup white sugar for decoration
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl,
stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 2
cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at
a time, then the vanilla. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until just blended. Roll the dough into walnut
sized balls and roll the balls in remaining 1/4 cup of
sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until
lightly browned at the edges. Allow cookies to cool on
baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire
rack to cool completely.
I’ll see you next month with some selections for
cooler fall weather. Send me your recipes
please. I would love to share them with our
readers. As always e-mail me with your
requests. It is great to hear from our readers.
Sincerely, Kathy Ruple
One of your Neighbors
[email protected]
PAGE 14
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
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110
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110 S. Broadway
Cassopolis
269-445-5550
www.smilecentermi.com
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Kitchen open until
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Open 11 am Monday - Saturday
Noon on Sundays
445-6070 (kitchen)
445-5757 (tavern)
PAGE 15
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
FIELD TRIP!
10TH YEAR
ANNIVERSARY
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And the BEST PIZZA in the WORLD!
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N E W — Concrete Edging
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IN CASSOPOLIS
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OF MICHIANA’S
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Contact
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tion and
445-2111
quote www.jllandscapingsite.com
After
PAGE 16
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
FIELD TRIP!
For the Record:
DeFries Gardens is located at 17477
CR 46, 1.25 miles east of New Paris, IN.
The Garden is open in January,
February, November and December from
9 am to 6 pm; March and October from 9
am to 7 pm, April and September from 9
am to 8 pm; and May-August from 9 am
to 9 pm.
The Garden is a part of the Elkhart
County Parks Department.
For more information phone 574-5356458; TDD 574-535-6420
Email [email protected]
You can see more photos of the
DeFries Garden on Flickr at
www.flickr.com/photos/46211765@N04
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PAGE 17
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
HISTORIC POSTCARDS
Historic postcards depict rich scenes of early area life
n this issue of Neighbors, Jerdon Real
I
ing by the publisher, Arcadia Publishing.
antique postcards of a few of the many lakes
62 West, and at Whistlestop Gifts, which is
in our area. Floyd and his wife Donna started
operated by the Dowagiac Chamber of
collecting post cards more than 20 years ago,
Commerce.
Among other places, the book may be pur-
Estate of Dowagiac, owned by Floyd
Jerdon and his son Tom, has provided
and since Jerdon Real Estate specializes in
chased at the Jerdon Real Estate office on M-
For more information or to get a copy of
marketing lake property, it was a natural fit
Jerdon’s book, visit the website: www.arcadi-
that Floyd’s interest be directed to the lake
apublishing.com
In this edition of Neighbors we have
cards. The collection now numbers many
selected postcards showing images in
thousands.
and around Niles. In future issues, we
Jerdon has recently used many of his
postcards featuring the Sister Lakes area in a
will couple additional cards from one or
book written by RL Rasmussen. The book,
more of the area’s lakes with views of
which retails for $19.99, is in its second print-
nearby communities and countryside.
Open 7 days
a week
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footsolutions.com/granger 574-272-3668
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269.423-6011
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Mon. thru Sat. 9 am - 7 pm
www.nutritionworksinc.net 574-271-2076
THE OLIVE BRANCH — Tastings of the finest imported oils and vinegars from
around the world let you try before you buy. · Gift Baskets · Cruets, dipping dishes, pasta sets and related products.
Mon. thru Thur. 10 am - 7 pm, Fri. & Sat. 10 a m - 8 pm, Sun 12 pm - 6 pm;
email: [email protected]
theolivebranchinc.com 574-855-1059
PAGE 18
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
HISTORIC POSTCARDS
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Cassopolis, MI 49031
(269) 445-2231
(1) FINANCING AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED BUYERS. NOT ALL BUYERS QUALIFY. MINIMUM PURCHASE PRICE REQUIREMENT APPLIES. SEE STORE OR CUBCADET.COM FOR IMPORTANT DETAILS.
MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS REQUIRED. TRANSACTION FINANCE CHARGES MAY APPLY. SEE YOUR CUB CADET RETAILER FOR DETAILS OR GO TO CUBCADET.COM FOR FULL DISCLOSURE.
FINANCING SUBJECT TO TD BANK, N.A. APPROVAL. PROGRAMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
(2) A MINIMUM PURCHASE OF $1,500 IS REQUIRED. THE OFFER IS SUBJECT TO CREDIT
APPROVAL ON A CUB CADET CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT. DURING THE 24 MONTH PROMOTIONAL PERIOD THE MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENT IS CALCULATED BY DIVIDING THE PURCHASE AMOUNT BY
THE LENGTH OF THE PROMOTIONAL PERIOD. NO INTEREST ACCRUES DURING THE PROMOTIONAL PERIOD. AFTER THE PROMOTIONAL PERIOD EXPIRES, INTEREST WILL BE CHARGED AT THE APR FOR
PURCHASES ON ANY REMAINING BALANCE UNTIL PAID IN FULL. THE APR FOR PURCHASES IS CURRENTLY 27.99% AND MAY VARY WITH THE MARKET BASED ON THE PRIME RATE. IF ANY REQUIRED
PAYMENT IS 60 DAYS PAST DUE, THE PENALTY APR WILL APPLY TO REMAINING BALANCES. THE PENALTY APR IS CURRENTLY 29.99% AND MAY VARY WITH THE MARKET BASED ON THE PRIME RATE.
MINIMUM INTEREST CHARGE $2.00. FOR A PURCHASE OF $1,500 TO $2,499 A ONE-TIME PROMOTIONAL FEE OF $39 WILL BE APPLIED TO THE ACCOUNT FOR THIS TRANSACTION. FOR A PURCHASE
OF $2,500 OR GREATER A ONE-TIME PROMOTIONAL FEE OF $125 WILL BE APPLIED TO THE ACCOUNT FOR THIS TRANSACTION.
* Product Price — Actual retail prices are set by dealer and may
vary. Taxes, freight, setup and handling charges may be additional and may vary. Models subject to limited availability.
**See your local dealer for limited warranty details and information.
Certain restrictions apply.
† as rated by engine manufacturer
Specifications and programs are subject to change without notice. Images may not reflect dealer inventory and/or unit
specifications.
© 2012 Cub Cadet
2PV_3C8
Corner of US 12 & Union Rd., Union, MI 49130
Independent Agency
269-641-5995
fax: 269-641-5787
email: [email protected]
www.unionins.net
PAGE 19
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
HISTORIC POSTCARDS
F i r s t t i m e Au t o ?
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Full take out menu available
Mondays: $2.50 spaghetti & meatballs
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
Home Equity – 1.5% off Fixed rate
add’l .50% off if finance 10 yrs or less
Auto Loan – 1% off posted rates refi 100% from other institution*
Wednesday: Live trivia at 7:00 pm
1/2 off all appetizers 7-9 pm
$1.50 well drinks & domestic pints 7-close
Karaoke Saturday 9 pm - 1:30 am
Drink Specials during Tigers Games
1.5% off posted rates if financing $25,000 or over
*some restrictions apply.
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Three Rivers, MI
(269)
279-9800
PAGE 20
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
OUR CHILDREN
Releasing your child’s inner author
by Sandy Fleming
or some students, writing is one
of the toughest subjects in school.
It’s not that they don’t understand how to put periods at the ends of
sentences or which words to capitalize.
It’s more like they can’t think of how to
start or what to write when faced with
an assignment.
Does your student labor over writing
assignments? Does he always put them
off until the last possible moment? Does
she sometimes stare at the blank page
for hours? Here’s how to help students
of all ages release their inner authors.
Writing skills are actually a part of
language development. Young children
first learn to understand words when
they are babies, then they learn to talk.
We’ve all had the experience of telling a
preverbal child “no” or “bring me the
toy” and seeing evidence that they
understand even though they can’t yet
say so. In other words, the receptive
language (the “taking in”) develops
before the expressive language (the “giving out”).
The same sequence applies to written communication. Reading is the
receptive version of written language.
Writing is the expressive part. Children
usually learn to read in early elementary school, then learn to write shortly
after.
It follows that since writing is
expressive language, kids need to be
competent speakers in order to become
competent writers. That’s actually the
place to begin when helping a child
learn to be a writer.
Pay attention to the language interaction around your home for the next
few days. If you are like most households, there is really very little conversing going on! Adults tend to be directive
or corrective when speaking to kids. It’s
practical; we need to remind them what
needs to be done, tell them what’s coming up so they can get ready, and help
them understand what they’ve done
wrong (or right). Kids, when they
answer at all, often choose the one or
two word method. They agree or disagree, and they say “yes” or “no.” They
might complain or protest, or ask permission for a privilege or an event.
These language exchanges are important and necessary, but they do little to
help children improve their expressive
F
language.
Another source of language examples comes from books. We’ve all heard
the admonitions to read, read, read to
young children. However, most of us let
the habit slip about the time they learn
to read for themselves. If you have a
child in the house who is older than
about second grade, ask yourself when
was the last time you read a story to the
youngster? When was the last time you
hauled the family off to the library?
Reading aloud needs to be a daily habit
for just as long as you can possibly convince or bribe your child to join you.
When the kids get tired of hearing you
read, encourage them to read to you or
to each other. Have them read to pets
or stuffed animals. There’s more going
on than simply learning to be a better
reader! Your child is soaking in language, description, vocabulary and lots
of other communication. Reading aloud
is one of the most powerful tools available to help your child become a writer.
Conversation is another. Now, I’m
not talking about the directive and corrective talk that is so necessary around
the house. That’s not really conversation. Conversation is the oral give and
take that you engage in with other
adults, when you just want to chat. You
talk together about things that are
important to you both, you share ideas
and information, you express opinions
and you listen while your partner or
friend does the same. When was the
last time you had a true conversation
with your child? If you’re not already in
the habit of conversing, it will be a monumental task to get the ball rolling once
again, but it is possible. Try chatting
during your drive time. Start by banishing electronics from the car and the
dinner table. Have family dinners several nights a week (as often as possible!). Turn off the television, video
games and computers in favor of a family outing, game time or group chore.
Your child will reap benefits if you can
find a way to make this a habit every
single day.
It’s never too late to get going with
building expressive language skills. It’s
never too early, either! Here are some
ideas to try for each age and stage.
Many work for a range of age groups, so
try them out with the siblings. Try having “together time” with each child once
or twice a month where the child has
the parent’s undivided attention even
for a short time. It doesn’t take much!
Language and Infants
Babies are literally like language
sponges. Their brains are wired to
acquire language as quickly as possible.
All you need to do to nurture language
development is talk! Talk to your baby
as you go through the routine tasks of
the day. Describe what you are doing,
what you are seeing, what you are feeling and so forth. Those commercials
that were common on television a few
years back that showed an apparently
crazy adult talking to herself in a sing-
song voice, then showed the baby listening were exactly on target. Parents of
babies need to keep up a nearly constant monologue to help babies not only
learn words but also to develop understanding of sentence structure, sequencing, cause and effect and to gather in
information about the world around
them.
Babies also benefit from the traditional poems and stories across cultures.
There’s a reason why nursery rhymes
have lasted for hundreds of years: they
have an important job to do! Those
goofy songs and rhymes and games are
teaching lessons about how language
works. They need to be sung by parents
and caring adults, though. Popping on a
CD or putting in a DVD of them is simply NOT the same thing. There’s no
substitute for human interaction on this
one, so make the time to teach “I’m a
Little Teapot” and “Mary Had a Little
Lamb.” Encourage your child to sing
them back to you and get excited when
he or she manages to memorize them.
Do the silly motions and make the silly
faces, knowing that you are enriching
the child’s life right now and also setting
the stage for later school success.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Now that baby can talk back, the
work of language development begins in
earnest. Keep up the monologues and
add some conversation into the mix. I
did say “conversation,” too. Your toddler or preschooler is developing into a
real person with thoughts and opinions,
desires, hopes and dreams. Encourage
your child to share every day. Take
whatever is said and treasure it. There
is no right or wrong way to feel or think.
The important part is the expression.
This is also the time to begin helping your little one learn to tell stories.
Ask him to tell three things (or more!)
that happened in the favorite story. Ask
her to recount five things she did at the
birthday party or list four presents she
got for Christmas. Make up stories
together. Try to help your young child
see that a good story has a beginning, a
middle and an ending. It has characters
that do things, a setting and a plot. You
won’t want to use those words yet, but
you can help get all the elements into
place by asking the right questions.
Description is also an important
skill to nurture. Start by listing attrib-
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PAGE 21
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
OUR CHILDREN
utes, like the ball is big, blue and
striped. Progress to sentences about the
ball. Start with things that your child
can see then move to things he can
remember, and finally start describing
things that he’s only imagined. Use
increasingly specific and descriptive
words, moving from big to huge, giant,
gargantuan, and so forth. Don’t forget
to describe actions as well as things.
Tell how the dog moved or how the box
fell.
And keep reading! Toddlers and
preschoolers will enjoy picture books,
rhyming books and even some chapter
books. It’s good to read an array of
types of books, and don’t forget poetry!
Keep the nursery rhymes in the mix
and add in children’s poems and even
descriptive adult poetry.
Help your young child prepare to
bridge from the spoken word to the written by writing down the stories that she
tells from time to time. You can make
little books from his words, type them
up or write them neatly, help her make
a few pictures to illustrate the pages,
then bind them into a book. You’re trying to get across the idea from a famous
reading curriculum: “If I can say it, it
can be written down. If it is written
down, I can read it. If I can read it, so
can other people.” (paraphrased from
the Writing to Read program by Dr.
John Henry Martin and Ardy Friedberg)
Elementary Students
Keep the ball rolling with your children when they enter school. Keep
telling and retelling stories and make
them more and more complex. Play lan-
guage games and spelling games.
Commercial games that use letter tiles
or letter dice are outstanding selections.
So are crossword puzzles, word search
puzzles and similar activities. Let your
child see you doing and enjoying these
activities so that she learns they are not
work but play. Be sure your child sees
you reading for pleasure, too. The
example you set during these formative
years will be with your child for decades
to come.
Make lists with your child as you
drive around. How many foods can you
list? How many colors? How many animals? Try making lists of descriptive
words that tell how long something
might be or how hot it might be. Make
lists of words that begin with the same
letter and those that end with the same
sound. Try for rhyming words, words
with a certain number of syllables and
words that have specific attributes, like
suffixes or blends.
Keep on telling stories together, but
they should be getting longer. Make up
fanciful tales. Try a bag story, where
you put a collection of small, common
items in a bag and each player must
pull out an item and work it into the
story. Try a Refrigerator Tale, where
you post a piece of paper on the fridge
and family members take turns adding
a sentence or two to the story throughout the day or week. Declare Five
Sentence Days when everyone writes
five sentences about a given topic. You
can make these into races-who can come
up with their five good sentences most
efficiently? It’s even possible to make a
rule that all privileges or outings need
to be requested in writing, giving reasons and support for why this should
happen.
Remember to keep reading out loud.
At this age, students can understand a
lot more when they hear it than when
they read it. Reading harder books out
loud will help them build those comprehension skills and will open doors to literature that might not otherwise be
accessible. You also don’t have to read
the entire book! Try reading a teaser
then leaving the book laying on the
table to see if your student picks it up.
Reading chapter books also will help
your student build memory and attention skills that are so vital to school
work.
Middle and High School Students
By middle and high school, students
should be comfortable writing down
anything they can say, and they should
know how to express their thoughts
clearly both orally and in writing. It’s
time to help them learn to organize, use
transitions to connect ideas together,
and discover logical support. Family
debates can be great ways to help them
gain the skills they will need to write
those persuasive pieces required in
school and for high-stakes tests in the
upper grades. Don’t let your student get
by with “because” as a reason for something!
One great way to hone writing skills
is to defend a position that is opposite
from what you actually feel. Choose an
issue your child feels strongly about,
then challenge him or her to argue the
opposite side. You can do this orally, as
a debate, or in written form. Teach logic
and persuasion, and teach your youngster to demand proof. Examine advertising to uncover the tricks that are
being used to manipulate thought and
desire.
Keep reading out loud! Even at
these ages, students can understand
more than they can manage in written
form. This is your opportunity to help
your young adult build vocabulary
skills, learn about classic literature, and
develop familiarity with stories that
have shaped our culture.
See? No matter what the ages of
your children are, there are some things
you can do to help them take command
of writing and learn how to express
themselves. The skills will be useful for
life, so you are giving a priceless gift
each time you lay a stone on this foundation. Not everything will work, but
that is just your cue to try something
else. Like many other healthy habits,
the writing habit takes time and energy
to nurture. If your youngster is already
in school, he or she may be out of shape,
and we all know how hard it is to start
any kind of exercise program. It can be
done, and it must be done if your child
is to succeed in college and beyond.
Become a coach today!
*********************************************
Sandy Fleming is a tutor and educational consultant in Edwardsburg. Online tutoring is a
specialty, so if your child is having trouble in
school, please get in touch. Email [email protected] today!
GREG NICHOLS
Wood Flooring Inc.
Installation, Refinishing, Repairs and Sales Distribution
of Wood Floor Products
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Over 30 Years Experience of:
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www.nicholswoodflooring.com
free
estimates
PAGE 22
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
INDEX TO NEIGHBORS’ ADVERTISERS
ALL AREA CODES ARE 269 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
Boats, Marinas, Piers, Sports
Nichols Wood Flooring .............................21 .................800-308-7246
Food, Restaurants, Liquor, Catering, Markets
Apollo Marine............................................17...............888-996-BOAT
http://www.nicholswoodflooring.com
Brewsters ...................................................19.........................279-9800
http://www.apollomarine.net
Pluta Roofing.............................................10.........................646-6162
Full Bull Tavern........................................14.........................445-5757
Boat Butler ................................................8...........................476-2222
RS Pest Control.........................................5 ...................574-534-7378
Hardings.....................................................10.........................445-2607
http://www.boatbutlermarine.com
Saugatuck Gallery ....................................7...........................857-1189
Jake’s Country Meats...............................10.........................445-3020
Four Lakes Country Club........................14.........................699-5701
Salela Construction ..................................8...........................445-4663
http://www.jakescountrymeats.com
Greg’s Pontoon Services...........................5...........................279-7275
Sun and Shade Awnings..........................21.........................244-5307
Lindy’s Restaurant ...................................4...........................782-4533
Hampshire Country Club ........................4...........................782-7476
http://www.sunandshadeawnings.com
Marcello’s ...................................................15.........................445-3900
Stacy’s.........................................................7...........................699-5113
http://www.hampshire36.com
High’s Marine............................................16.........................423-7065
http://www.highsmarine.com
Zeke’s Restaurant .....................................6...........................782-5070
Dental/Medical/Health
http://www.zekesdowagiac.com
Cass COA...................................................7...........................445-8110
O’Donnell’s Docks .....................................16.........................244-1446
http://www.casscoa.org
http://www.odonnellsdocks.com
Forest Glen ................................................20.........................782-5300
Lawn/Landscaping
http://www.leisure-living.com
Carter Electric Motor ...............................5...........................476-2220
JL Landscaping.........................................15.........................445-2111
Construction, Home Improvement, Home Repair
Lee Memorial Hospital.............................3...........................783-3052
Advantage Plumbing................................4...........................687-7192
Smile Center..............................................14.........................445-5550
http://www.jllandscapingsite.com
Bogen Concrete .........................................4...........................651-6751
http://www.smilecentermi.com
New Leaf Landscaping.............................3...........................462-0966
http://www.bogenconcrete.com
Timbers ......................................................9...........................782-7828
North Star Landscaping ..........................23........................ 445-9100
Bowles Well Drilling.................................14.........................663-2820
http://www.atriumlivingcenter.com’
http://www.northstarlandscape.net
http://www.bowlesjwwelldrilling.com
Turf Services..............................................10.........................782-6900
Education
U-Dump-It .................................................4...........................228-6481
http://www.budgetblinds.com
Cass District Library................................5...........................445-3400
Wright Way Lawn Service.......................4...........................445-3302
Cass Heating .............................................4...........................445-5350
http://www.cass.lib.mi.us
Budget Blinds............................................9 ...................888-882-8343
Misc.
Cass Outdoor Power Equipment ............18.........................445-2231
Design + Decorating .................................5...........................445-8060
Financial
Cleopatra’s Hair Hut................................4...........................445-2686
Diamond Construction .............................5...........................759-4010
Compass Wealth Advisors.......................8 ...................888-820-9100
Kenneth G..................................................21.........................273-9790
Grover’s Plumbing Service ......................10.........................445-3458
http://www.compasswa.com
Mahogany Outfitters................................2...........................663-3032
Hearth & Home.........................................4 ...................800-769-3031
Dowagiac Credit Union............................19.........................782-2410
http://www.mahoganyoutfitters.com
http://www.hearthandhome-sb.com
http://www.dafcu.net
McGann Hay Funeral Home...................2 ...................574-232-1411
Imperial Furniture ...................................20 .................800-884-5020
Kemner Iott Insurance.............................9...........................445-2425
http://www.mcgannhay.com
http://www.imperialfurniture.net
http://www.kemneriott.com
Monuments by Design .............................4...........................445-3848
Larry’s Painting ........................................10.........................445-3979
Tuesley, Hall, Kanopa..............................6...........................445-1818
Toscana Park.............................................17 ...........................Various
Lutz Concrete ............................................23.........................279-7973
http://www.thklawfirm.com
Vetter Chevrolet........................................22.........................278-1485
Martin Unlimited......................................11.........................445-8205
Union Insurance Agency..........................18.........................641-5995
http://www.vetterchevy.com
http://www.martinunlimited.net
http://www.unionins.net
Union House Bed & Breakfast ...............5...........................641-9988
http://www.unionhousebb.com
Midwest Energy ........................................24 .................800-492-5989
http://www.teammidwest.com
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PAGE 23
NEIGHBORS
SEPTEMBER 2012
THE LAST WORD
Because kids only grow up once
S
o there he sat at the end of my
pier, dangling a line from the end
of his fishing pole into the water
and daring any fish to come close enough
to grab the wiggling red worm we had
somehow managed to get onto the hook
without poking bloody holes in either of
our fingers.
For the six thousandth time in the
last eleven minutes, he pulled the bobber,
line and hook up to eye level.
“Nope, nothing yet,” he said again.
“Have to try again.”
I sighed again.
“Dominic,” I admonished as calmly
as I could, “You have to leave the hook in
the water ... the fish NEVER jump up to
bite the hook when it is out of the water.”
And once again, he didn’t hear me.
I ducked as he reared back in preparation to cast the line back into the
water, his fast side-arm delivery of the
small but scary hook barely missing my
left ear. Again.
I sighed. Again.
Dominic, our five-year-old grandson
was spending a week of nights with us
while, for the first time in his life, he
attended day camp at Tannadoonah on
the north shore of our lake.
A born and raised city boy, Dominic
is well on his way to becoming something
of a lake rat, especially when he visits
without his parents.
This week was certainly another step
on his journey to that end.
But for a while at least it was wearing my patience pretty thin — and I was
getting a little concerned about the very
real possibility of some new piercings in
one or both of my ears (and possibly my
nose, lips, eyebrows, cheeks, and any
other human flesh a barbed snelled hook
could possibly penetrate).
“Maybe we should check again,” he
said with real concern that he might be
missing something ...
“Not yet,” I almost said just before he
pulled the whole rig up to eye level again.
I sighed again.
And ducked again.
And the process started over again.
It was only the second day of our
week together, and we’d already been
through our share of issues.
To be honest, none of us (adults)
were sure this was going to last for a
whole week ... and as for the proposed
finale of spending the last night with the
boys at camp ... well, let’s just say we
were ... ahem ... skeptical.
His mom had done the best she could
to prepare him, discussing all the fun
things he could do at camp and explaining that he could stay overnight if he
wanted .... but that he could come to our
house after dinner every night to sleep in
a real bed if he wanted.
But after just the first day of camp,
it was pretty clear that he wanted ...
About 45 minutes before pickup
time, the camp director had called and
asked us to come help. Seems Dominic
had been accidentally knocked down by a
bigger boy on a swing, and they couldn’t
get him to stop crying. The nurse had
checked him over pretty well and there
didn’t seem to be any damage, but he had
promptly turned his face to a wall and
started to bawl, sobbing that his mommy
missed him.
I picked him up early that day.
After a piggy back ride and a bit
more crying when he discovered mommy
wasn’t at our house (she’d gone home to
put his sister to bed), he calmed enough
for me to bribe him out of his funk.
“Let’s go fishing,” I said.
Like magic the tears dried up, the
redness receded, and his eyes sparkled.
And ten minutes later we were
“practicing” casting with a hookless lure
at the end of the pier.
But we weren’t catching any fish.
He made that clear. Repeatedly.
So I promised to stop at the worm
store the next day while he was with his
boys at camp and pick up some real bait.
Bait that would catch fish!
And after we’d had a tubby and
brushed our teeth and climbed into bed
for the night ... the promise was echoed
back to me in five-year-old-speak at least
five times in five minutes.
And the next morning as we were
dressing to go have breakfast at camp, I
was reminded that I had to go to the
worm store to buy bait that would catch
fish ... so we could fish again tonight after
we got home from camp.
“But you might spend the night,
though, right?”
“Maybe,” he acknowledged. “But we
might need to fish!”
So after dinner, there we were, pole
in hand, hook baited, bobber bobbing in
the waves as we waited for Moby to bite.
“Maybe we should check again,” he
said. Again.
I sighed as I watched the worm yo-yo
up to eye level again.
“Dominic, you have to leave the hook
in the water ...”
Then I ducked.
And sighed.
But then, all of a sudden, the bobber
disappeared under the water.
Dominic held on despite his surprise.
I coached him on reeling and gaped
as he pulled a good-sized largemouth
bass from the lake ...
His first fish.
Ever.
“Yippee,” he squealed like a fiveyear-old. “I got him!”
We briefly discussed how to take the
fish off the hook and decided that it
should be done right away, since the
fish’s mommy missed him ...
And even before the bass was eased
back into the water at pierside, he was
ready to catch another
Briefly, I worried if I’d created a
monster. He was incredibly intent for a
five year old ... focusing on the bobber,
looking into the water for another one to
hook and reel in ...
For a while.
Then, using logic to which every five
year old boy in the world ascribes, he
handed me the pole and reached for the
plastic carton of redworms.
“You fish, Pop Pop,” he said. “I just
want to play with the worms.”
And he dug his hand into the worm
dirt like an old pro ...
I sighed as I watched the bobber bob
in the waves and thanked the gods above
and the fish below for a once-in-a-lifetime
evening with my grandson.
Lutz Concrete
SW
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Concrete Staining
17050 M-86 — Three Rivers, MI
Ph: (269) 279-7973
Fax: (269) 279-0133
E-mail: [email protected]
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Certified Nurserymen ~ Licensed Applicators
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