It’s almost the end of May, and with a few weather blips, we seem to be on track to welcome June’s weather, right on time. Mom Nature agrees and has showered the landscape with the most spectacular lilac blooms in years. There isn’t a single bush or a mighty stand of bushes anywhere that isn’t crowned with profuse lilac loveliness. There are lilacs, in many assorted shades of lilac from deep purple to white in nearly every yard in every town and on every farm, former home site and many a fence line everywhere. This is certainly a grandly scented gift.
In the Village of Marion there are hundreds of lilac bushes and each is in glorious bloom. There are likely none older or lovelier than the lilacs hugging the venerable Chadwick House, likely Marion’s oldest surviving residence. This year’s copious blooms hide the house’s long vacant and time-worn face and hint at her former life as the home to several generations of Marion’s second family.
All across northern Michigan, if you know where to look you will find lilacs blooming in the woods; they, along with a depression in the grass are often the only things marking a long gone home and farm. Again, we have not seen such a glorious bloom on these old hermits in a long time.
The folks in Winterfield are relieved to have Haskell Lake Road, east of the township hall once again open for travel. Among those who are most thankful are the Haskell Lake residents who traveled an extra nine miles to get home, and those whose quiet neighborhood on Keehn, McKinley and Pierce Roads was disrupted by all kinds of through traffic.
The repaving of 1.1 miles of Haskell Lake Road, east from Cook Ave. to the transfer station employed some unique techniques to repair a portion of the old road bed. When this road was first blacktopped, more than 20 years ago, a problem section of the road was simply covered over, likely in hopes that the improvement would stop problems. It did not, and in this wet area the road bed continued to spread, damaging pavement.
To remedy this, the road bed was removed, including ancient cedar logs from the original road bed, and replaced with a new bed, which included the use of high quality aggregate and ground tires, in a process developed by Michigan Tech. The work was topped by a new thick layer of asphalt, also containing a percentage of ground tires. The work was overseen by Dewayne Rodgers, Managing Director of the Clare Co. Road Commission and Dave Bondy, District Superintendent. This new road surface will last longer, is smooth, quieter, open for business, and most importantly was entirely paid for by a federal grant. Enjoy the ride. We all wish it went farther.
We’ll have a report on Winterfield’s Little Library next week.
And last, but certainly not least the subject of home enterprise. We’ve chosen this Memorial Day weekend, probably foolishly, to throw our long planned, thin stuff out now because We’ve Moved and this is the Last Garage Sale Ever! Sale. This is a combination sale and so my sisters and I will be at it Friday, Saturday, Sunday and maybe Monday, if any of our great treasures are left. There is no clothing in this sale unless it is vintage or antique.
Let me tempt you further. We’ve all been collectors and users of our stuff for a long time now. We’ve been through all the trends and so our stuff varies from Mid Century to Country and Lodge, earlier and later and everything in between. If you are looking to trick out a She Shed or a Man Cave, kitchen or bedroom, we have the items for you! Just to name drop a few…double maple four-poster double bed frame, pine dresser, antique gate-leg table with original paint, Indiana made MCM 1960’s chair, original and mint; dated 1950 oak file cabinet-16 flat drawers, local history; large wood coffee table, several pieces of Roseville, Pyrex, crocks, like new Bassett headboard and side stands, odd chairs, tables, fishing gear, tires, man stuff and more items than we can ever list. See our ad in the Press Classified Garage Sale section and come see us!
We hope you have a safe and sane Memorial Day weekend.
