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Starting January 1, the squint shots are going to go indoors. After taking almost a year's worth of pictures of the buildings and everything surrounding Fowlerville, I have spent some time inside these same buildings. With my trusty camera in hand. So check out upcoming shots inside Sweet Sensations, The Decorating Center, Handy Township, churches, and more.

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Christmas tree balls or colored snowballs? Your guess? Whatever they may be, the windows in downtown Fowlerville have been colorful.

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An old-fashioned lamp post stands at the northeast corner of the main four, but it is no competition for the real lamp posts.

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It was a bright, sunny (and very cold) morning as I took these squint shots of the painted windows in the downtown area. As I checked out these pictures, some of the reflections caught my eye. What do you see?

Surrender

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Another painted window in the Fowlerville downtown area. It won't be long these windows will be washed clean, so be sure to check them out.

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Have any leftover candy canes from the Christmas tree? Well, stick them in a martini for New Year's Eve!

Ingredients:
5 oz. vanilla Vodka (Stoli)
2 oz. white creme de menthe
1/2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps

Directions
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a candy cane.

Enjoy the holidays and be safe.

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Not bah humbug, as the Grinch may have said . . . it is really Boxing Day. Boxing Day, you ask? It is an English tradition, and especially of the aristocracy with servants. The leftovers from the Christmas dinner celebration would be "boxed" up and sent home to family members of the servants or others in need. So, what will you be doing with your leftovers?

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Wishes come in a million different ways -- this little banner can be found in the empty storefront in the southeast quadrant, one store in from the former Ruth's Resale store. Hope this finds you and yours having a happy holiday.

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As with yesterday's squint shot, here is another bit of artwork found in the downtown area. It is Christmas Eve . . . do you have all of your shopping done?

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The year is quickly coming to a close and Christmas is just around the corner. The other day as I finished up those last few stocking stuffers I needed . . . in particular, chocolates from Sweet Sensations . . . I noticed all the brightly painted windows. The outlines were created by Judy Recker and high school students filled in the blanks. The next few squint shots will show various bits of artwork . . . just in case you missed them.

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The other day a light dusting of snow fell over the main four corners. As I looked up, it once again struck me how unique the roofline is of the old Ruth's Resale storefront. The bricks and cornices, as well as how the wood was painted, is worth checking out.

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The Decorating Center has announced that after 28 years in business, they are closing their doors. This is very sad for me since their store has given me a great deal of "joy" in the years I've known Ron Daly and their staff. Walking into that store has always given me a lift with the beautiful furniture, the friendly smiles, and the possibilities of how I can enhance my home. I will miss seeing everyone on a regular basis, but hope this finds wonderful experiences to come for those that have been involved with The Decorating Center.

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No room for a Christmas tree? Use The Decorating Center's painted wall in their front window as an inspiration.

In Tune

I am probably the last person that watches Fox News Network, but that is all beside the point. When this video was sent to me by a dear friend, I knew it belonged on The Observer. Who knew Terry Bradshaw could hit those notes, and sing acapella -- amazing. Enjoy!

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Here is a great recipe but you might better make them today because you will want more before Christmas!

Snowballs

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
About 1 pound Hershey Kisses
Powdered sugar

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour. Add nuts. Chill.

Use a teaspoon and scoop about 1 teaspoon of dough and put it around one piece of chocolate. Roll it in both hands but try not to let it get soft.

When they are all done put them in the freezer until they are frozen. Even a few days is okay.

Put frozen balls on a cookie sheet (separating them in rows).

Bake for about 12 minutes - until set but not brown.

Let them cool and sprinkle/roll them in powdered sugar. You may need to add a little more sugar before serving if you save them in a tin.

Hint -- Be aware that if you do not freeze them completely before baking they will come out looking like nipples and not the cute little snowballs we strive for.

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Even on a grey-cloud day, with snow drifting down, the lamp posts at the main four corners look festive. Christmas is sneaking up on us.

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There are so many old homes in the Fowlerville area, it becomes a feast for the eyes with detail around windows and doors. This is yet another window, just under the peak at the front of the house, that fascinated me.

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This may not be very Christmas-y looking but when have you ever gotten such a close-up view of a wasp nest? With the leaves off the trees, this huge nest was very visible from the road. It can be found just north of Fowlerville on Pierson Road.

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The decorations are all in place in the downtown area -- including decorating the "no biking, skateboarding, or rollerblading" signs. Something tells me there's not much of that going on during this frosty weather.

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Christmas is 10 days away. This lovely Christmas tree at the Woodshire Place provided a wonderful reminder of all the "eye candy" we get to enjoy this time of year.

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The wind would pick up top layers of snow and cause a "foggy" look over the fields. The last three days have shown some fields south of Fowlerville, off from Fowlerville Road.

We Have A Problem

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The other day this field had cornstalks rustling in the wind . . . but by the time the snow fell, it had been cleaned off. Snow whirling-dervishes would work their way across the field with the strong wind grabbing handfuls of snow.

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Christmas cookies are always fun to make this time of year, but how about a bit of a twist. Here's a recipe for sesame cookies:

Koulourakie Greek Sesame Cookies

1 pound butter, softened
1 cup fine sugar
4 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons orange rind
3 whole eggs
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
2 egg yolks
½ pint heavy cream
2 pounds of flour (More flour may be needed if you have trouble rolling out the dough)
Egg wash
Sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat butter, sugar, orange rind, 3 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks and heavy cream. Fold in beaten egg whites. Add the flour mixture slowly, until you can work it with your hands. Take a small amount and roll out on a floured surface, to about 1 inch. Cut with cookie cutters into happy Christmas shapes, or into strips – you can braid them! Paint with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown.

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Winter has arrived to the mid-Michigan area, and that includes Fowlerville. The other morning the trees were dusted with snow while the strong wind tried to blow it away.

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Take time to drive through town after dark and fun light displays such as this Santa can easily be found.

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Fowlerville puts on their show even early in the morning. As I headed out of town at 6 am one morning, it was imperative for me to stop, snap a quick picture, and post it for your enjoyment.

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Head down the side streets around the main four corners and you will see houses lit up such as this one on Power Street.

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Yesterday's "snowflake" is different than this one . . . be sure to check out all of the snowflakes in the downtown area.

Dashing Through the Snow

This last Saturday afternoon and evening was the "Christmas in the Ville" celebrations. Stores stayed open a little bit later, crowds gathered for the upcoming parade, Santa's arrival, and there was another successful "Dashing Through the Snow 5K Walk/Run." The fourth annual such run for Fowlerville - an effort spearheaded by the Fowlerville Rotary Club.

Over 70 participants gathered in the cold to run west from Ann Street out of town, past the fairgrounds and Gregory Road, to just past Potts Road. They then turned around and dashed east back to the finish line, with the last couple of blocks a gradual climb, from Veterans' Drive to Ann Street. Cheers and applause greeted the runners as they approached the finish line with the first runner arriving in just over 13 minutes.

Registration began at the Wedding Chapel on South Second Street, and that is where the runners and walkers headed back to for awards, snacks and water, and a round of congratulations for another successful event.

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"Snowflakes" have been added to the taller lampposts in the downtown area, and of course, since no two snowflakes are alike, a different shape will be a squint shot tomorrow. Check it out!

Hair Today

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Another squint shot taken around 6 pm . . . the baptist church stands behind one of the many lightposts that have been decorated. All's that needed is a little snow on the roof . . .

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Oh, let's start drinking . . . it is the holidays after all!

Just kidding . . . but I did get this recipe from some friends of ours and thought I would pass it along.

Mother Johnson's Irish Cream

1 1/4 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 cups half and half
2 cups 80 proof whisky
1 t. instant coffee
2 oz coffee liqueur

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill before serving.

Cheers!

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The village offices have definitely "put-on" their Christmas spirit. White lights outline the various rooflines and a huge wreath hangs over the front entrance.

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Drive through Fowlerville at 6 pm and you will see bright street lights and colorful bulbs wound around the poles. It is a feast for the eyes this time of the year.

Webberville Care Packages

A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to be a small part of putting together packages to be sent to Afghanistan. You can find the article by clicking here. Well, more packages are heading to Afghanistan and Iraq.

I wasn't a part of putting them together, but I did have the honor of gathering the information and taking a photograph at the Webberville Post Office.

This picture and my article should appear in Fowlerville News and Views this weekend, but for those of you outside of the Fowlerville/Webberville area, here's the article . . .
Lori Wright, the Officer-in-Charge at the Webberville Post Office, saw a need and decided to do something about it. With the help of the Webberville Lions Club, Webberville Feed and Grain, Aldi’s, and numerous community members, 44 boxes are heading to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Phillipines, to troops of the Armed Services that probably would not be receiving a “care” package this holiday season. Each box, filled to near bursting with snacks, socks, razors and various health aids, cards and books, non-alcoholic wipes, and powdered mixes to add to water, costs $11.95 to send overseas and has a specific name on the label. Those names were obtained from www.anysoldier.com where a list can be found for troops that may have family members unable to send packages.

Lori was quick to thank three very generous organizations and businesses in this endeavor. The Webberville Lions Club donated the funds for shipment. These packages, with an approximate overall weight of 500 pounds, normally can be sent for $13.95 but were discounted off $2.00 by the US Postal Service since they were heading to troops. Aldi’s donated a large majority of the contents, and Webberville Feed and Grain donated both items and funds for purchasing what was needed. As the project became more well-known, community members found their way to the post office with private donations, as well as help offered by the Webberville Women's Advance Club.

Shown in the photograph taken this last Thursday morning are Dave Jason, Bill Turner, and Grover Whitehead in front of the counter, all representing the Lions Club. In the background, Lori Wright hovers over just a small portion of the boxes, moments before these boxes were loaded onto a truck for their ultimate destination.

With Christmas just a few short weeks away, time is of the essence. And, if all goes as planned, 44 soldiers will have a bit of “home” sent all the way to them from Webberville, Michigan, and the efforts of Lori Wright.

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"Christmas in the Ville" is a mere 48 hours away -- and then the fun begins. There will be a parade, a 5k walk/run, and Santa's arrival in the village for all those young at heart. My camera will be pointed in all directions this December for a number of squint shots to help you celebrate the holiday season. Come January, I will be stepping inside buildings to take close-up shots and then wandering around those same buildings for overall views. Be sure to check these out starting in the new year.

Party Animal

We attended a party last night -- a library open house -- and, oh what a nice time.

But to backtrack a bit . . . a couple of months back (which you can find by clicking here), I reported on the remodeling activity going on at the Fowlerville Library. It is now completed and the library is just a wonderful place to spend time with the gracious staff and the wealth of information in the columns of stacks. It is comfortable and welcoming, even with a couple of animal heads mounted on the wall of the back room -- overlooking the adult fiction. But back to the open house . . . the spread of food was inviting and the staff was ready to answer a myriad of questions. And the 45 minutes spent there convinced me there will be a lot more visits to the Fowlerville Library in the near future.

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Until recently, I had always thought there was just one quonset hut in the village of Fowlerville. You can check out a previous squint shot by clicking here. But now I have come upon another one . . . this one bright red and well lit.

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Oops, one more window treatment window. This particular peak can be found at the old Greenaway house at the corner of Mill Street and North Grand Avenue. It makes one wonder if this is original woodworking or was it updated at one time.

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This final pictures ends a short series of squint shots of the work done around the windows of various brick and stone buildings in the village. Having a close-up look at this window, notice how the bricks have been turned at 45 degree angles above the arch for a unique look.

In One Ear

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The wedding chapel has some very interested brickwork around its windows and doors. It is fun to point my camera close up and personal at some of these windows to see the end result of artistry and hardwork.

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Just in case you're tired of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, here's a flourless chocolate cake:

For the cake:
5 ounces of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter, softened
5 large eggs, room temp, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon of brandy or bourbon

Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

For the cake: melt the chocolates and butter together over a low heat, stirring. Set aside to cool. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and lemony-looking - about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff - set aside. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the yolks, then fold in about a third of the egg whites. Fold in the rest of the egg whites, blending carefully there are no more white streaks. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. The cake rises a great deal in the oven. Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then remove the side of the springform pan. By this time the cake has collapsed and you will look down on it sadly. When it is cool remove the parchment paper.

Glaze: melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Add the brandy. Pour the glaze over the cake. Raspberries are nice on the side.

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As with yesterday's squint shot, here is the same window treatment, only painted red instead of green and white.

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Today's squint shot shows artistry above a window on the northeast quadrant. Tomorrow's will show another one right by it, only having been refurbished with red paint.

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Over the next couple of days, I pointed my camera at various window treatments on the older buildings at the main four corners. These two squares with circles were painted a few years back, helping to give additional depth to the carving in the stone. Tomorrow's squint shot will have another bit of artistry from long ago.

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In the bottom right hand corner of the pad of bricks in front of the Rotary rock, you will see . . .

Carl & Carol Kuch & Sons and Families, and

Karen Ryan Enterprises LLC.