Columns
Postcard from the Pines: It’s Odd Love Story
Marion, Michigan has a mystical hold on those who come from here, no matter where they may be. I’ve spent considerable time thinking about the Marion phenomena, trying to understand. I’ve written about it more than once and I still…
May I Walk with You? WITNESS
When I read these words, I was reminded that in many evangelical churches, members give their “testimony” as a witness to their faith in Jesus. It has been a long time since I heard anyone give a personal testimony, sharing…
Life as Performance Art
On Saturday the thirteen of this month, Pat and I were out along the lakeshore for beautiful evening at Ox-Bow School of the Arts. There is not cell phone service there, so we missed hearing the news of the…
Mike’s Musings: One would never imagine an assassination attempt, a president resigning in one week
What a week for the history books. First a former president, now the leading candidate for president, survived an assassination attempt, then his opponent, the current president announced he would no longer be running for a second term.I’m still confused…
Blue Star
NuclearLast week’s “STR cap may go nuclea’ anyway” story already has. Then came the shooting in Pennsylvania.I applaud Saugatuck City Council for trying to protect peace, quiet and safety in Community Residential neighborhoods. That’s what R-1 zoning is meant to…
Mike’s Musings: Tone down political Rhetric demand answers from ss
Like many of you I was in shock when I heard there was an assassination attempt on former president Trump’s life while he was speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania. It had been 43 years since the barbaric act of…
Life as Performance Art
Another “Old” in the grocery checkout lane ahead of me asked the clerk, “Is this the airport?”“What do you mean?” she asked, baffled.“I’d expect to pay this much for a bottle of water there, but not here,” he said.She rolled…
Out and About: Kentucky Derby, elections, and faith
Every year, in early May, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky is the place to be if you’re a fan of horse racing. The Kentucky Derby is definitely a race like no other. Horses are beautiful animals and a thoroughbred racehorse…
Postcard from the Pines: Next Holiday, Please
Now that July 4th has come and gone, Marion’s Old Fashioned Days is rising fast on the horizon. Almost before we can turn around, we’ll be off to the Friday night Main Street Cruise, the Saturday morning parade and visiting…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Hot, hazy and humid days
Another summer week has flown by.We spent part of the holiday weekend (the 4th of July) enjoying time with family. It was my brother Jim’s 92nd birthday – quite a milestone. He told me afterwards that there were 45 and…
May I Walk with You? CALL FOR VOCATIONS
It’s no secret! All the churches are in desperate need of vocations! While we generally focus on vocations to the ministry, as priests, ministers, consecrated life (nuns and brothers and lay ministers), we are also desperately in need of baptisms,…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorChinatown“Let’s go to the Asian shop,” said Flannery.“Which Asian shop?” I asked.“The one I went to when I was 16.” That was eight years ago. “They had seaweed,” my daughter said.“I didn’t know you liked seaweed.”“I don’t,” she…
Life as Performance Art
In many ways, Jimmy Carter was a good President. He was decent, honest, free from personal scandals, and along with his wife, Rosalind, set the example of a good long-term marriage. A good man, but it turned out he…
Mike’s Musings: STR’s Are They good or bad?
STR’s, or in layman’s terms, Short Term Rentals are a hot topic all over the United States, and even abroad, but nowhere are they a heated topic of discussion than in resort communities.In the areas, some of my newspapers cover,…
Looking Out
“Admit it. You’re a pruning freak,” says my beloved wife Marsha with a pretty smile. “I do enjoy trimming things,” I say. “But I’m not abnormal about it.” “Wait a minute,” she says. “I appreciate that you give…
“Out and About” Eggs, paint, and bread
“The red and white and starry blue is freedom’s shield and hope.” -John Philip SousaAccording to Consumer Reports, there’s no nutritional difference between cage-free eggs and others. Cage-free means that hens weren’t raised in a cage, but there’s no guarantee…
Pat’s Bits and Pieces: Mid-summer – fairs, festivals and reunions!
Another holiday is over and the middle of summer – on my calendar anyway – is almost here.Actually that is kind of depressing.I count the summer season as three months long: June, July and August. The 15th of July is…
Postcard from the Pines: Still rockin’ after all these years…
In the ‘Where has the time gone?’ department, it was just the sixtieth anniversary of the release of the Beatles first album in Britain. It was swiftly followed by the Meet the Beatles album here. I own that album, all…
May I Walk with You? SYMPTOMS
When a person gets a cold they have symptoms. Usually they have a fever, runny nose, congestion, fatigue, chills, and sleepiness. The common folk diagnosis is that they have a cold, and the symptoms point to it. One of the…
Blue Star
By Scott SullivanEditorGrand ValleyHalf a league, half a league, Half a league onward … into Grand Valley, where Ottawa Impact lies.“Siri says go straight,” said my daughter Flannery. I switched lanes from the Saugatuck exit to continue due west towards…
