Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Squint Shot 063009

Fourth of July is quickly approaching. Do you have your Uncle Sam ready like this particular Fowlervillian? Is your barbeque grill ready? Sparklers? Have a great holiday in a few days.

Growing Up Part 1

Cheryl Poch is at it again.

If you have not received this e-mail, then you are in for a treat. I received this a couple of weeks ago and sent it on to family and friends because it is SO TRUE. It starts out by saying –

“To All the Kids Who Survived the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn’t get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs with bright colored lead-base paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads!

As infants and children, we would ride in cars with NO car seats, NO booster seats, NO seat belts, NO air bags, bald tires and sometimes NO brakes. Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day was always a special treat."

Imagine that – amazing isn’t it?

More to come in the next Tuesday . . . and maybe even the next one after that.

Cheryl L. Poch, Director
Fowlerville District Library
131 Mill Street, P.O. Box 313
Fowlerville, MI 48836
517-223-9089
c.poch@fowlervillelibrary.org

Check back next Tuesday for more in this four-part article.

Monday, June 29, 2009

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More framed windows to look at a bit closer. There is so much artistry around Fowlerville that ends up being a feast for the eyes -- that is, once we start looking around. Isn't it wonderful the owners of the buildings are interested in maintaining these treasures?

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Dog and Duck

Would your dog be as patient?

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Another shot of a stained glass window. This one containing the creative artwork of keys. Keys to what? The window is in St. John's Lutheran Church.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Snack-urday 122

Here is another recipe from one of my favorite blogs for watercolors and easy meals.

Potatoes Anna

1 stick of butter, melted
4 large baking potatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Slice the potatoes on a mandoline, and do it carefully. Pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a pie pan. Arrange the potato slices in a pleasing fashion, in overlapping circles. Pour a little butter between each layer of slices. Finally, pour the remaining butter over all the carefully arranged slices. Also, shake some salt over each layer. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, pour off the extra butter. Invert on a plate and cut into wedges.

Can you imagine how wonderful these would be with a steak hot off the grill and a freshly tossed salad -- yum!

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Hungry Howie's Pizza has taken over much of the building that used to be Copeland Rentals, but there's still a discreet sign on the barn door of the metal building just east of the pizzeria. I wonder. What could be inside that building?

Friday, June 26, 2009

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When I first starting doing these squint shots, I took a photograph from the high school parking that zoomed in on this water tower all the way over on Gregory Road. Now you get to see it from the ground up.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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More trimwork . . . this time with a bit of a Swiss flair. I now enjoy looking upward at the peaks in the older homes to check out the owners' creativity. This particular house can be spotted on the main drag as you head east out of town.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

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I could not resist another picture of iris this spring. This color combination has caught my attention quite a few times around town. How lucky we are, as travelers through the village, to feast upon these colors.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Social Graces by Cheryl Poch

At one time or another, we all could use a little useless information to get us by in our social gatherings, dinner engagements and family functions.

Here are some things you didn’t think you needed to know . . . and probably don’t!

Let’s tackle the ‘literary world.’

~~General Lew Wallace’s best-seller Ben-Hur was the first work of fiction to be blessed by a pope.

~~An estimated 2.5 million books will be shipped in the next 12 months with wrong covers.

~~Guinness World Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from public libraries.

~~The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalms 119 and the Bible is the number-one shoplifted book in America.

And in case you were wondering . . .

~~A horologist measures time, a klazomaniac is someone who feels like shouting, and a librocubicularist is someone who reads in bed. I think I have done all three of those more than I like to admit. So to put it in simple terms – I will MEASURE my time when I READ IN BED and do a SHOUT OUT when it’s time to call it nitey-night!

Cheryl L. Poch, Director
Fowlerville District Library
131 Mill St. P.O. Box 313
Fowlerville, MI 48836
517-223-9089
c.poch@fowlervillelibrary.org

Thanks to Cheryl for these bits of trivia, thoughts to ponder, and words to use. More, please!

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A simple white cross stands guard over St. John Lutheran Church. It is majestic and powerful in its sturdiness.

Monday, June 22, 2009

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An old "barn style" house has been expanded with new roofing and a modernized chimney. It is a wonderful corner lot with lovely landscaping and more projects in the works.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Cows and More Cows

From this site, comes some fun Q&As . . .

Q: What do you call a cow on the barnyard floor?
A: Ground Beef


Q: What do you call a sleeping bull?
A: A bull-dozer


Q: What do you call a cow with no front legs?
A: Lean Beef

Q: What do you call a cow with no legs at all?
A: Ground beef

Q: What is a cow's favorite lunch meat?
A: Bullogna

Q: What do cows get when they are sick?
A: Hay Fever

Q: What are the spots on black-and-white cows?
A: Holstaines

Q: Why does a milking stool have only three legs?
A: Because the cow has the udder.

Q: Why do cows wear bells?
A: Their horns don't work.

Q: What do you call a cow who just recently had
its baby?
A: Decalfinated


I'm just about sure every farmer that has cows has heard these jokes, but I hope you got a few laughs out of them.

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The root of this tree is reaching out as if to create a nice little spot to sit a spell. Look around and you may spot this tree trunk when you are downtown.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Snack-urday 121

With blueberries ripening soon, this recipe from Becky at Public Opinion Online will make your mouth water. But you don't have to wait for fresh; frozen blueberries will work any old time.

Blueberry Buckle

Topping

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine

Mix the above ingredients and set them aside while you mix the batter.

Batter

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Cream the margarine or butter and sugar until well mixed and light in texture. Add eggs. Blend in eggs and salt. Blend in flour and baking powder. Gently fold in blueberries. Butter a 9” X 9” square baking pan and spread the batter evenly in the pan. Spread the topping over the batter.

Bake the buckle in a 375 degree oven, on the center shelf of the oven, for about 45 minutes, or until a test probe comes out clean.

And did you know? More often than we would like to know, “blueberries” used in commercial baking applications are artificially sweetened dyed apples.

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The owners of the laudromat, located behind Maria's Dance Studio, have created a beautiful storefront by hanging four baskets of petunias and other flowers.Even in school colors!

Friday, June 19, 2009

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Red brick must have been plentiful when the buildings in downtown Fowlerville were being constructed. And a little bit of creativity abounded with the bricklayers and masons.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Ghosts of Fowlerville

I know this would be a much better post closer to Halloween, but I couldn't resist putting this article on The Ville now. That way, we are prepared . . .

I came across a website you can access here that reports ghostly sightings and eerie photographs submitted by living people across America. Fowlerville, Michigan, had its own chapter and this is what I found:

On the face of it Fowlerville, Michigan seems like your regular city, but this is a city where the undeparted pace the lanes during the night time. There have been loads of meetings with persons from another zone. Not everyone trusts in the reports the people who live here tell, but the undeceased could show themselves to you if you spend the night in Fowlerville. These are some of the spooky things that have happened here recently.

~~A woman with a half transparent body is every so often observed peeking through apartment windows in Fowlerville in the early morning hours. One of the residents strongly says that this phantom takes pleasure in scaring foolish folks who come trying to locate phantoms in Fowlerville.

~~The ghost of a security guard with a bullet hole in his forehead may from time to time be made out by Middle Branch Red Cedar River staring. In any event, it's a bloodcurdling ghost that you shouldn't go trying to find.

~~The ghost of an aged man with a huge white mustache has regularly been spotted watching cable in a Fowlerville living room at midnight.

~~A woman with a knife sticking out of her head has supposedly been perceived on one or two instances on a Fowlerville lane late in the night. A number of of the folks who live here assert this ghost may be the soul of a resident who passed away here in Fowlerville.

~~A knight's armor lacking a human inside may frequently be noticed floating in the air like a cloud in Fowlerville.

~~A moderately see-through gentleman outfitted as the skipper of a oil tanker may be witnessed time and again calling people's names in Brighton Recreation Area outside the park headquarters. No matter what, it sure is a chilling ghost that would rather not be interrupted.

~~The ghost of a youthful guy dressed in a confederate uniform has now and then been perceived in a hardware store in the Fowlerville vicinity.

~~The ghost of a shackled up guy has supposedly been perceived on a few occasions scrambling out from a drain hole on a Fowlerville road at midnight.


~~The phantom of a street bum may occasionally be observed poking around in mailboxes on a dark night in Fowlerville. It's been argued that this specific ghost could be recognized as a former resident of Fowlerville.

~~The spirit of an elderly hag was distinguished in a Fowlerville secondary school around midnight staggering the halls. The ghost mumbled about revenging a killing.

~~A guy with a big hole through his torso became visible in an apartment near Fowlerville. The observer panicked and ran away.

~~A lady's body with a horse's head was perceived in a Fowlerville area shoe store, staggering the aisles. The spirit didn't seem to be anxious of its viewers. If you listen to the folks who live here, this ghost is most likely the struggling ghost of a local person who used to have a house here in Fowlerville. In any event, it's a menacing spirit that any rational person wouldn't want to come across.

~~A gentleman having the head of a leprechaun was witnessed gulping blood from a beaker late in the night by a road sign in Fowlerville. The ghost reacted to the watcher. Many folks who live here say this ghost is the tormented soul of a long dead Fowlerville person. No matter what folks say, it unquestionably is a creepy ghost that you shouldn't go trying to locate.

~~A female on fire, holding a gasoline bottle has often been perceived staggering through a trailer in Fowlerville.

~~The ghost of a grower having on a worn straw hat is rumored to have been perceived on a few occasions staggering through a mobile home in the neighborhood of Fowlerville.

~~The spirit of a young air force pilot can often be seen at a public phone in Fowlerville talking on the phone.

~~A young-looking girl dressed in a blood-covered prom dress has from time to time been observed reading a tabloid along a wild highway in the vicinity of Fowlerville before dawn. One thing's for sure, this phantom undeniably is terrifying; one that is better not messed with.

~~A woman with a green face is from time to time perceived spending time in a vacant structure in Fowlerville.

All of these stories tends to give me a bit of the creeps. But, then I begin to wonder if my camera, as I zoom in to take squint shots of various sights around Fowlerville, just might catch a spirit or ghost posing for their close-up.

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A little white wagon is mired in the ground, currently holding a pile of young weeds. Maybe the gardener will fill it with flowers this summer.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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Even a metal wall can catch my attention. Telephone wires created shadows within the wavy wall at the back of the Keg and Cork building.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Libraries by Cheryl Poch

A little self-promotion never hurts -- as a matter of fact, it just might get you noticing something new and different. Today, Cheryl would like to remind you of just a few of the wonderful libraries in Michigan and a little bit of what makes them special.

Libraries, Libraries EVERYWHERE!

Check-out the following special state libraries.

Detroit Public Library -- It is adorned with beautiful murals and housed in a Renaissance Revival Building; one of the largest and most progressive in the U.S.

Monroe County Library -- It contains an extensive collection of Custer memorabilia.

University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor -- It is one of the largest in the nation.

Library of Michigan, Lansing -- It is our state library.

The Gerald R. Ford Library, Grand Rapids -- This library holds the papers of the former president.

And of course, the FOWLERVILLE LIBRARY, located right in the ‘hub’ of Fowlerville next to our Great Fowlerville Fire Department. Notice our beautiful outdoor ‘garden’ and our pillars that lead you into our fantastic active library. Believe me – the Fowlerville Library is a ‘happening’ place. Check-it-out!

Do you have a library card?

Cheryl L. Poch, Director
Fowlerville District Library
131 Mill St. P.O. Box 313
Fowlerville, MI 48836
517-223-9089
c.poch@fowlervillelibrary.org

Okay, now folks, I have made it very easy for you. With what Cheryl has suggested, I have created links to the library websites. Click on the library name that is in bold print and you will be there in moments. Check their schedules and consider a day trip this summer to a museum here in Michigan.


Happy reading.

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High above the storefronts on the northeast quadrant is a clover, or is it a propeller?
Sometime I'll have to wander into Sweet Sensations and ask a few questions -- oh, and have a bit of chocolate.

Monday, June 15, 2009

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Come sit awhile . . . that is what breezed through my mind when I came across this lovely bench at the back of Kim's Barber Shop.
Don't be surprised if you see me there sometime.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Belly Rub

One of my all-time favorite places to head for a smile or a laugh or a loud guffaw is this site. You will find all sorts of pictures of cats and sometimes dogs with wonderfully funny comments added.

Like today's . . .

Today's access password is "bellyrub."

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So much detail had passed me by, or I had passed it by, until I started pointing my camera at anything and everything for these squint shots. And now this door has caught my attention. A crown or another fleur de lis above the door?

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Snack-urday 120

It won't be long and our gardens will be over-run with zucchini plants. So, to that end, I went in search of a recipe I've made for years but was not sure on the quantities of the ingredients. Food Network is a great resource and that is where this wonderful side dish to seafood, beef, or chicken came from.

Zucchini Crisps

Cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (3/4-ounce)
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, pressing the coating on to stick, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve immediately.

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A recent stop at our local library brought a chuckle from me. There, sitting in the driver's seat of a truck was this adorable dog, looking so forlorn.
He waited so patiently.

Friday, June 12, 2009

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Fowlerville has been ablaze with color this spring, and the lovely iris flowers have stood the tallest and brightest for the last few weeks.
This particular group was spotted in the southeast quadrant of the village.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Party Central

Fowlerville is going to be the place to be July 4th, 2009 -- party central.
In cooperation with the Fourth of July Committee, Fowlerville Rotary, Fowlerville Business Association and the Village of Fowlerville, a day-long celebration is schedule, with events beginning at 8 am and culminating with the best fireworks show in a 50-mile radius.

There will be food, competition for the kids, arts and crafts, music, car shows, and even a bingo-type game called Bovine Bomb Raffle.

Plan your day by heading to Fowlerville's website and checking out all the details.

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A couple flags constantly move and flutter from a flagpole at the U.S. Post Office at the corner of Grand River Avenue and Cemetery Road.Take a minute to look up and remember.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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Fowlerville may not be located close to any lakes or oceans, but we have a lighthouse. As a matter of fact, the front yard that boasts this particular beam of light has another one, taller and with even more detail. The next time you are at the Fowlerville Library, look to the southeast a bit and you will spot them.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Sunk by Cheryl Poch

Cheryl has been at it again, looking for books and stories that will intrigue you, interest you, and help you learn more about Michigan's history. Check this out -- no, literally -- check it out of the library!

Here is an interesting book entitled WRECK OF THE CARL D. A TRUE STORY OF LOSS, SURVIVAL, AND RESCUE AT SEA by Michael Schumacher.

By the way – this book was donated in memory of Jim Tinsley this year.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on November 18, 1958, the Carl D. Bradley, a 623-foot lime-stone carrier caught in one of the most violent storms in Michigan history, snapped in two, and sank in less than five minutes. Four of the 35 man crew escaped to a small raft, where they hung on in total darkness braving 30-foot high waves and frigid temperatures. As the storm raged on, a search-and-rescue mission hunted for survivors, while the frantic citizens of Rogers City, Michigan, the hardscrabble town that was home to 26 members of the Bradley’s crews, anxiously awaited word of their loved ones’ fates.

If you are interested in finding out more about the book, click on the book cover shown in this article and it will take you to the Amazon site. Following is a portion of the Booklist review:

This chronicle of the November 1958 sinking of the limestone carrier Carl D. Bradley in Lake Michigan is sure to appeal to the many fans of Junger’s The Perfect Storm (1997). Almost the entire crew of 35 died when the ship was literally torn in half during a fierce storm; the book recounts the incident and its tragic aftermath, including a dramatic search-and-rescue effort. It’s a poignant story, made even more poignant by the fact that most of the crew’s families lived in the same small town, Rogers City. This isn’t just a story about a tragedy on the water, but about an entire town coming to terms with the sudden loss of so many of its friends and family.

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This squint shot goes along with yesterday's selection. Same building, a lot of detail. Has anyone figured out which building these belong to?

Monday, June 8, 2009

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After taking so many squints shots of the brick and stone architecture around Fowlerville, I truly thought it had all been captured. But this window frame caught my squinty-eyed view the other day. So much detail to decorate a window. Can anyone guess where this picture is located?

Sunday, June 7, 2009

A Horse is a Horse

Mr. Ed had nothing on this horse!

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An antennae -- how often do you see these anymore? I wonder if it even picks up a signal or two?Maybe even something from outer space?

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Snack-urday 119

I have not had a chance to try this and I'm a little leery about the "1 staple" but, none the less, my mouth is watering. I'll try it and get back to you.

Fool-Proof Popcorn

Serves the masses.

1 brown paper lunch bag
1/4 cup popping corn
1/4 cup melted butter
Salt to taste

Pour popping corn into brown paper bag. Use 1 staple to close bag. Put the bag into the microwave and cook on high for about 2 minutes.

Pour into the big wooden salad bowl and repeat as necessary. Cover the popcorn with melted butter.

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There's the restored and the in-need-of restoring buildings throughout the Fowlerville area. The back of the Bob Smith building is a unique portion of the complex, with a curved roof and cavernous bays for working on cars.
But, unlike the hotel across the street, this building is showing its age a bit. My hope is that, as Fowlerville maintains and upgrades the history and structures, that each business owner contributes. So much of what makes Fowlerville the village it is is housed under the unique roofs and inside the brick and stick walls.

Friday, June 5, 2009

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As I so enjoy doing, I have pointed my zoom camera upward again. This time I zeroed in on the archway over the video store in the old hotel on South Grand.A few years back, this building was restored and businesses have occupied the street level, while apartments are available on the second floor. Shortly after the construction was completed, the owner gave the Fowlerville Rotary Club members a tour. Each apartment is unique in its layout and how it is decorated. The businesses at the first level are nicely varied, from a jewelry store, to a hair salon, to a coffee shop, to a video store. You can look nice, have your morning coffee, and enjoy a movie all at the same time!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Recycling

Our economy has been in a down-turn for quite some time.

That is hardly news. But what is great news is that Alchin's Disposal, located on Grand River Avenue by Nicholson Road, has started up additional services. This is very forward thinking.

When many are pulling back and tightening up their belts to survive until the economy gets going again, this company has decided to take a chance on a new service.

Recycling.

I love it. We used to travel into Williamston, or Howell, or even to DeWitt sometimes to return bottles, cans, plastic, and papers. But now, we can recycle locally.

And the list is long and varied of what you can deposit at Alchin's. Click on the picture in this article to head to their website for more information.

So if you are a recycler, save time and gas by heading to this location. If you are not into recycling, consider it. As they say, every little bit helps. Just imagine if every household chose not to have their trash end of up landfills . . .

A round of applause, in my book, goes to Alchin's Disposal.

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Fowlerville Farm Services has a huge complex of silos and elevators. The evening sun plays with some interesting shadowing on the cylinders.This is my second squint shot of grain elevators. Early on, with the start of The Ville, I posted a picture of the grain elevator at Herbie's Fowlerville Feed and Pet Store. If you would like to see every single squint shot ever posted, scroll down to the bottom of this page and under "Labels" you will see "Squint Shots." If you click on that, you can find page after page of pictures from in and around Fowlerville, starting with the most recent to the oldest. Enjoy.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

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Flags come in all shapes and sizes, and convey all types of messages. This one, whipping and snapping in the wind, is telling us to help out our economy and buy a used car.We have 3 dealerships in Fowlerville and all of them are very active in the community, and it would be a shame to lose any one of them.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Pocket Guide by Cheryl Poch

Our Fowlerville Librarian is back with more wonderful information on the latest and greatest reads. Books worth exploring. Today's book is a pocket guide for Michigan.

What’s in a name? If you are from Michigan – would you rather be called a Michigander or a Michiganian? I prefer Michigander myself.

It’s always fun to learn new facts about our grand old state of Michigan. Here are a few I came across in a little book called My First Pocket Guide - Michigan.

Michigan got its name from the Ojibwa Indians. This tribe is also known as the Chippewa. They called Michigan, michigama, which means “great waters.” And did you know that Michigan is the only state that is divided into two distinct parts?


Speaking of names – Michigan is not the only name by which our state is recognized. We have a few other nicknames, official and unofficial like The Great Lakes State, Wolverine State and Water Wonderland.
-
Here are some special Michigan-related words to learn – you can ask your friends if they know how to spell these as you read them out-loud -- Keweenaw, Mackinaw, Manistique, Menominee, Ontonagon, Peninsula, Tahquamenon.

Discover Michigan – take a trip – read a book.

Cheryl L. Poch, Director
Fowlerville District Library
131 Mill St. P.O. Box 313
Fowlerville, MI 48836
517-223-9089
c.poch@fowlervillelibrary.org

Just like Cheryl, I prefer Michigander. How about you?

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As I drive around Fowlerville, I'm intrigued by some of the things I see. Especially what many of the homeowners do around their houses, in their yards, adding birdhouses, and how they decorate their mailboxes.
This "truck" caught my eye the other day and here it is for you to wonder what the mail carrier thinks everytime he or she tucks the mail into the box.

Monday, June 1, 2009