Squint Shot 043010

Now you just might be wondering why in the world I've made today's squint shot the back side of a building. Well, wonder no more. If you head to the parking lot behind Save-On, look up to the second floor of the building just east of the future Maria's School of Dance building (formerly The Decorating Center), you will see this boarded-up rectangle. At one time, according to one of our elder citizens, this was a picture window. Jensen's Photography Studio was located on the second floor of this building in the early 1900s. The picture window provided natural lighting for their work. So, next time you are parking the car to do a little shopping, look up and imagine nearly a hundred years ago the Jensens working hard to photograph the residents of Fowlerville.

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The last couple of days have had squint shots of some of the things the DayDream Galleries has to offer -- and today is a bit more. These purses hang close to the front door. One of the first gift ideas to greet the shopper. Tomorrow, we will be back outside for an interesting squint shot -- be sure to check back.

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Yesterday's squint shot showed some photography work in the DayDream Galleries -- today's is a showcase of pottery and glassware. A quick wander through this storefront gets me thinking of what birthday gifts I can purchase.

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Still inside DayDream Galleries on South Grand Avenue in the old hotel. The brick wall shown separates this storefront and the hair salon to the south. It has been decorated with some of the photography work that can be done by the owners.

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Part of what DayDream Galleries, located on South Grand Avenue, offers is photography and portrait work. A portion of the showroom is set aside just for that purpose.

Fowlerville - My Town

A couple days ago I posted a video made by a Fowlerville High School student -- click here and check it out. Well worth it.

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Once inside the DayDream Galleries, I started checking out the artwork beautifully displayed through the showroom. This particular piece of glassware caught my eye sitting in one of the north exposure windows.

Snack-urday 163

I love my cup of coffee in the morning. That is no secret. So, I thought one of these Saturdays, I should give a recipe on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee -- at least what I think is the perfect cup.

I went looking for recipes and the debate is huge on how to brew coffee. Therefore, I'll just give you my take on making coffee.

Tools:

A French press -- the smaller one works the best because, unless you have a couple people drinking coffee, it will get cold in the larger sizes.

A grinder.

An electric water pot or tea kettle.

Ingredients:

Coffee beans -- I like to use whole bean coffee and grind just what I'll use for a pot of coffee.

How to:

Put the water on to boil.

Grind 4 level T of beans and place in press.

When water is boiling, pour into press, filling it, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.

Press the grounds to the bottom.

Serve.

I like cream and sugar in my coffee. Just remember one thing, if you scrimp on the coffee, it may taste bitter. You may want to experiment with the number of scoops but make it a full-bodied flavor instead of weak. Enjoy your Saturday.

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If you look back at yesterday's squint shot, you will see this stained glass window from the outside looking in. By comparison, the "eye candy" of looking at stained glass from the inside out is far superior. This window is over the front door of the DayDream Galleries on South Grand Avenue across of the soon-to-open Curtis Groceries.

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Yesterday's squint shot showed the sign in the window -- today's shows the stained glass over the doorway. It is beautiful to look at, but tomorrow's picture is even better. You will see the stained glass from the inside with light coming through. You can take my word for it or head over to DayDream Galleries in the old hotel and check it out for yourself. I, for one, hope this store is around for a long time. I might even have to see if my husband and I could set up a time to have our portrait done. Tomorrow we will step inside.

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Fowlerville has an art gallery, newly located in the old Lockwood Hotel, in the former location of the RGD jewelry designs storefront -- DayDream Galleries. I stopped in to meet the owner and also to walk around. I love this storefront, and now it has been filled with beautiful pieces of artwork (more of which will be shown the next few days) as well as photography equipment for portraits or whatever can be dreamed up. Check back tomorrow and the next few days for more squint shots of this new business in town -- and then be sure to stop in to say hi and welcome to our village.

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The office of the CSX company in the old depot appears to take up only half of the building. Apparently the west half used to have benches for passengers waiting to board the trains, but that area has been cleared out. This squint shot shows the heater and the door at the left that passengers would have passed through after picking up their tickets. Once again, I would just like to comment how nice the two fellows were to let me look around -- maybe I surprised them before their first cup of coffee that morning! Tomorrow, onto a new storefront.

My Town

Enjoy this film created by Dylan Villerot for a Fowlerville High School Multi-Media class project.

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The window trimwork of yesterday's squint shot was at the top of the window. This is what the window looks like at the sill. A dark wood surrounds the lower half of the entire room of the CSX office in the old depot building, which matches the window trim. It all is smooth to the touch.

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One of my main philosophies in life has been "the worst you can get is a 'no' answer." Which means if it isn't 'no' then it must be 'yes.' That is exactly the type of thinking I used recently when I stopped at the old Pere Marquette Depot at the railroad tracks. The lights were on and there were cars in the parking lot. I decided to stop and ask if it would be possible for me to take a few pictures of the inside of the building. It is no longer a depot for travelers but is used as an office building for the CSX rail company. The two fellows in the office were more than receptive to my request, so today's and the next two days' squint shots will be just a little bit of the inside of the building. This squint shot shows the wonderful trimwork that has been kept around the windows. It has been painted and maintained and the windows themselves have been sealed up for warmth during the cold months. It makes one wonder how they looked years ago.

Counting Cows

My father's method of accounting for the hundreds of cattle on his ranch was very unique. Every spring, he would move the herd down a long ramp, through a wooden gate and into a holding pen for inspection. As each animal entered the pen, he marked the count on the gate. One summer, he went to the bank to apply for a loan, using his cattle for collateral. The bank officer asked to see his records. "No problem," replied Dad. He went back to the ranch, took the gate off its hinges and brought it to the bank. Dad got the loan.

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The real squint shot for today is the last one -- the current trim -- but the following pictures gives a view of the process to recapture this look. The first picture shows the old trimwork taken from along the top of the building. It was very old, rotted in many places, and appeared to be unrepairable. The second picture shows the artistry of the wood-worker in creating pieces very similar. The third picture shows these pieces installed. And, then voila', the finished look.

Snack-urday 162

With the sap running from the maple trees, how about a recipe using maple syrup. This recipe is from the Food Network site.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup low-fat milk (or 1/2 cup if adding vodka, for the adults)
2 cups butter pecan ice cream
2 T maple syrup
1 t almond extract
2 shots vanilla vodka (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend for 1 minute, until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve with straws.

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Some of the trimwork at the corner building, formerly Ruth's Resale, still needs a bit of tender-loving care. The work is progressing and so much refurbishing has been done -- no doubt, a never ending process. Tomorrow's squint shot involves three before and one after shot of the wood-work along the upper portion of the building. Then we move onto another site.

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The last few days, the squint shots have shown different trimwork and detailing given to the buildings at the southeast corner. This one shows the top of the one of the pillars. I, for one, am glad this artwork has been preserved and restored instead of removed with something more modern. This bit of detail would have come from the New England style brought during the time Fowlerville was settled.

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So how often have you really looked at the buildings and their trimwork? This simple button and diamond decorates the storefronts we've been visiting the last few squint shots. Be sure to take a minute to check out what was done years and years ago to make the buildings in Fowlerville unique and interesting.

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More trimwork on the outside of the two buildings at the southeast corner. It has been interesting to see how these have been cleaned and repainted.There will be a few more squint shots of the detailing of these buildings and then onto more sights.

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Another bit of detail is shown in this squint shot on the outside of the buildings at the southeast corner. The following pictures shows the flower in another color scheme.

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A few squint shots ago, the pictures showed this storefront from the inside to the street. Now a look back at the heavy wooden, beautiful door that graces the entrance. The storefront is now filled with a hydroponics business, with signs in the front windows. A few years ago, this is what this storefront looked like.

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Little flowerettes adorn some of the trim at the building on the corner of East Grand River and South Grand. They can be easily overlooked, they are so small. But if you take a few minutes to look up from the sidewalk below, they are an interesting sight. Below is a photograph taken when the color scheme was different -- burgundy and green -- about the time Ruth, of Ruth's Resale, commissioned to have work done on the outside of the building.

Laws on the Books

Obscure Michigan Laws

A woman isn't allowed to cut her own hair without her husband's permission.

There is a 10-cent bounty for each rat's head brought into a town office.

It is legal for a robber to file a lawsuit, if he or she got hurt in your house.

You may not swear in front of women and children in the state of Michigan.

Any person over the age of 12 may have a license for a handgun as long as he/she has not been convicted of a felony.

Snack-urday 161

Four-Cheese Margherita Pizza

1/4 cup olive oil
1 T minced garlic
1/2 t sea salt
8 Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 - 12-inch pre-baked pizza crusts
8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
4 oz shredded Fontina cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, washed, ddrived
1/2 cup freshley grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Directions:

1. Stir together olive oil, garlic, and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Brush each pizza crust with some of the tomato marinade. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Arrange tomatoes overtop, then sprinkle with shredded basil, Parmesan, and Feta cheese.

3. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Yum! You can either make this wonderful pizza or head to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Pietros -- a wonderful Italian restaurant on 28th Street that serves this up.

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I couldn't resist taking one more indoor shot -- the staircase leading down from the second floor of the building at the southeast corner -- now housing Farmer's Insurance. It is a very long staircase. Tomorrow and for a few days, there will squint shots of some of the interesting points on the outside of the buildings as well as some pictures of restoration work done. A great deal of time and effort went into fixing these buildings up.

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Yesterday's squint shot showed the ceiling at 108 East Grand River -- today's is of the second floor ceiling of the corner building. But before you see the finished product, take a look at how sad the ceiling looked before renovation. There was no saving it. The drooping paper and wood slats were removed, as well as as many nails as possible. Then it was cleaned up and painted. This is now the look. A huge improvement in my book. One more indoor look tomorrow and then we will head outside. I'll also be including more before and after pictures.

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A few more indoor shots of the two buildings at the southeast corner of the main four and then there will be a few close-ups of the outside detail. As these buildings were being worked on, the ceiling materials that covered these beams was rotting, falling from the ceiling, and not worth saving. When all of the materials were stripped and the nails pulled out, the effect of the large beams and underside of the wood floor above gave a new and different look to the inside of the room. It was cleaned up, sanded, and painted. If you have a chance to be in this store, be sure to look up.

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The address is 108 East Grand River, and this is what a store owner would be looking at streetside. The Christmas decorations and lights have now been removed from the window displays making ready for the new shopkeepers. I have to applaud the owners over the years for maintaining this old style center door entry and large windows. It is like a painter's empty canvas to decorate and show off what is offered for sale.

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Still wandering around in the second storefront from the southeast corner -- a building that has been cleaned up, refurbished, and ready for occupancy -- which is now in the process of happening. More information to come on that once I've had a chance to stop in when they have opened their doors. In the meantime, once again, as in so many of the older buildings, here is a shot of the doorframe that is so prevalent.

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A quick few steps to the front of the building from the back staircase and one is at the front door. The original door has been cleaned up and restored, with the mechanics of the handle and lock in place. To touch the wood is to feel years of hands smoothing the texture. During the last Christmas season, this building was used as a reception hall for the grand marshalls of the parade.

Happy Easter

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This staircase was shown in yesterday's squint shot, looking down from the landing of the second floor to the first floor. After descending the stairway, I pointed my camera back up so a better look could be seen of the brickwork.

Snack-urday 160

An online recipe site, which you can find by clicking here, is my favorite place to head for all sorts of ideas.

With Easter tomorrow, this one especially caught my eye. And it is as easy as making cupcakes!

Here's how:

Make a batch of cupcakes.
Frost each one.
Color some shredded coconut with green food coloring and place a patch of green on each cupcake.
Top with jelly beans.
Curl a piece of licorice candy and poke into cupcake to form a handle.

And there you have it -- Easter-basket cupcakes.

Have a great Easter Day tomorrow.

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Yesterday's squint shot showed the glass-block window at the back of the building. This is the staircase that descends to the first floor. The west wall has been brought back to the original brickwork, which is gorgeous and colorful. The steps have been cleaned up, repainted, and treads added for safety. The handrail and spindles provides a simple, yet beautiful approach down the staircase. Courtney Daniels and her co-horts have done a wonderful job of bringing this storefront back to usable and yet a step back in time.

Spring in Livingston County

Another "Sunday drive" took place a couple days back.
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I was heading back from some deliveries for my "day job" (which you can check out over to the right sidebar) and decided it was too nice of a day to head back to work. For a few minutes.
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So I took what I like to call a "left turn." Instead of heading back by the most direct route, I took a longer way. Most everyone that lives close to Fowlerville knows about Six Corners, also known as Fleming, halfway between M-59 and Fowlerville on Grand River Avenue. It consists of three roads that intersect -- thus the "six corners" reference -- has a couple businesses, an old church that may be refurbished someday, an old schoolhouse that serves as a learning center on history, and a few homes.

Well, I was heading west on Grand River Avenue and turned north onto Fleming Road. It took me past a very old cemetery and then open fields on both sides. Except for these maple trees. A picture doesn't really do it justice, but just about every tree had a white bucket hanging from it, collecting sap for delicious maple syrup. As I headed further north, I came to Marr Road and turned right to go back to Burkhart Road. I turned left on Burkhart Road and headed north a couple more miles to Allen Road. It was time to head closer to Fowlerville so I turned left, heading west. I had heard about Cook Lake but had never been in this area. Allen Road dips south around this lake and then continues west in a straight line all the way to Stow Road. There is a park to the northeast of Cook Lake, crowded with mobile homes and RVs, and there are a few houses around the lake. I'm a bit curious if it is a recreation lake for boats or is more for fishing.Anyone with a bit of information about Cook Lake?

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At the back of the second floor staircase of the storefront just east of the first built at the southeast corner of South Grand and East Grand River, glass blocks allow a bit of daylight into the area. The blocks may well be a bit newer but the window frame is old. The woodwork has been scraped, treated, and repainted, but the mechanisms are evidences of a day gone by. There will be more pictures of this storefront and the old Ruth's Resale (before that C.D. Hamilton) and even some pictures when the refurbishing was taking place, so be sure to check back.

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After spending a few minutes upstairs, I worked my way to the back staircase to head downstairs. The brick walls have been brought back to their original look and the woodwork has been cleaned up, sanded, and repainted. The black railings contrast with the white and red, making the staircase a feast for the eyes.