Goodbye 2014 from the Irish Hills of Southern Michigan

Here we are, writing this on the very last day of 2014. The sun is shining here at Dewey Lake Manor, making the lake look much like the picture, only it is frozen and the willow tree has no leaves. But there is no snow so the grass is like the picture; quite different than last year.  

I have never really written about the Irish Hills, and we live in the middle of them. The Irish Hills have no formal boundaries or unified government structure. The name designates an informal area that to many, straddles four counties, while to others it is a small historical area along US Route 12.The area is characterized by scattered lakes-52 with names-and rolling hills. There are several historic sites on US12-The Towers(which unfortunately are closed now), St. Joseph Shrine-the beautiful little church- and Brick Walker Tavern-which has just been restored.            The area was settled by the Irish, who came to America during the potato famine, and there is a very large rock- brought over from Ireland -near St Joseph Church commemorating those who came and those who died. 
The corner where US12 and M50 cross was known as Cambridge Junction, or" The Junction", and Brick Walker Tavern, located on that corner, was "the place" to meet and have parties.
A few miles east of the Junction on M50 is Hidden Lake Gardens, MSU's Botanical Gardens, a place you don't want to miss if in the area. To find out more you can check www.IrishHillsRecreation.com, and www.otih.org.                       Goodbye  2014         Hello 2015!  

Thanksgiving-the First

Since we just finished Thanksgiving, it's interesting to think about November 1621,when the Pilgrims gathered with the Indians to celebrate the autumn harvest. Their day was quite different from ours. They had to go out and hunt for their turkey and pick their vegetables from what they had grown. They had pumpkins to use as a side dish, but no flour or butter to make a pie, and no sweet potatoes as they wouldn't grow where they lived. And as for cooking dinner-they didn't have ovens so cooked over an open fire. That would have been quite uncomfortable for us on Thursday, as here at Dewey Lake we had a good 1/2inch of snow in the afternoon-beautiful but a little chilly!

Too Many Choices!

JULY-There are just too many things going on-I want to go to all of them! This weekend is the Faster Horses music festival. I understand the crowds are humungous! And tonight there will be fireworks. It's also the weekend for the "Hot Air Jubilee in Jackson. Have you ever seen a dozen balloons in the sky at once? It is breathtaking. They do a morning launch and a night glow-both are quite a sight. And this is the weekend for the Ann Arbor art Fairs. And the weather has pretty much cooperated- a little rain one morning but not like last year. The campers at the music festival last year, nearly got washed away. Keep these events in mind for next year., and remember to check www.fasterhorses.com, www.visitannarbor.org, and www.experiencejackson.com.

Friday the 13th

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th and believe it or not, there is a full moon! Are you superstitious? This month it overlaps with the superstitions surrounding the full moon. In case you are wondering about the frequency of a full moon occurring on a Friday the 13th; it last happened in October 2000 and won't take place again until August 2049! Because the full moon reaches it peak at 12:11am EDT, by Friday night it will technically be starting to wane, but will still look full to the average moon-gazer. The full moon of June is sometimes called the Rose Moon or Strawberry Moon, but this one will be a Honey Moon because of its position in relation to the sun. It will be the most amber or honey-colored full moon of 2014. And now that you have had your history lesson, just go out and enjoy it and " howl at the moon" if you like.

APRIL Michigan Wine Month and it's SPRING

April is Wine month, so why not experience the wine of the Irish Hills and nearby wineries. The Pioneer Wine Trail runs right through the Irish Hills, so why not take a road trip? www.pioneerwinetrail.com





Hidden Lake Gardens present National Herb Day April 26 10am to 3pm. There are educational presentations and ideas for your summer gardens.www.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu



Spring also means the Sandhill Cranes are back. Michigan DNR biologists lead Spring Birding Tours at Michigan Wetlands.

And remember, Michigan Wine & Beer Fest is May 10 at Michigan International Speedway. Tickets are $30 and includes $10 worth of tasting tokens. Saturday, May 10 12-9pm and is for guests 21 and older.

EARTH HOUR

Did you know today-8:30-9:30pm- is the "Earth Hour"?  I did not-just heard about it. It started in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and has continued to raise awarness of how we use the earth. It takes place all across the world whenever the time is 8:30pm. It has already taken place in some countries.
What do you do to be a part of "Earth Hour"? TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS!
The Coco Cola company spoke this morning on tv-they are big supporters of Earth Hour, and all of their facilities will honor the hour and their sign in Times Square will be dark. They suggest doing something by candelight-play a game with your kids,I suggest eating by candelight. I think "Earth Hour" is a great idea.

St Paddy's DAY

Yes, today is St Patrick's Day. And did you know that the Saint was neither Irish nor Patrick. He was English and took,or was given, the name of Patrick later in his life. Designated by the U.S.Congress in 1995,March is National Irish-American Heritage Month. Many, many Irish made their way all over the state of Michigan during the mid-1800's fleeing the potato famine. They were fishermen, farmers, miners, long-shoremen; some worked for lumber barons or the growing railroads. And sometimes they were paid in land. Therefore there were settlements north of Grand Rapids and small ones near Ann Arbor and Jackson. The Irish Hills in Jackson and Lenawee Counties is so named because the rolling hills and the lakes reminded them of their homeland. Just a little more trivia-over 94 million people will wear green today, 13 million pints of Guiness will be sold, Chicago has a green river-dyed green since 1962, and believe it or not-it was a dry Holiday-Ireland mandated the Pubs be closed on 3/17- until 1961. And "The Luck of the Irish"-legend has it that the Irish have a lock on "lucky." The four-leaf clovers, Horseshoes, rabbit's feet-Celts believed that rabbits possessed wisdom and any part of them brought good luck. I will leave that thought with you and wish you a HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

 

FAT TUESDAY

The Feast before the Fast! Today was Mardi Gras Day.It is held on a different date every year. It is always the day before Ash Wednesday and Ash Wednesday is 40 days before Easter, which can fall on any Sunday from March 23rd to April 25th, with the exact date coinciding with the first Sunday after the full moon following a Spring Equinox. Whew!(I bet you really wanted to know that) Mardi Gras is a big deal in New Orleans where the celebrations officially begin on January 6th, which is also known as 12th night, but the majority of festivities and parades are held two weeks before and on Fat Tuesday. The first parade was not in New Orleans but in Mobile Alabama in the 1700's, and other places in the world also celebrate-Brazil, Mexico, and Italy to name a few. Another interesting tidbit is the colors used in the parades and their meaning; Purple-justice, Green-faith, Gold-power. We also know this day by another name-Packzi Day! Have you had yours? They are so good and only 700 calories. Hope you got one.

FEBRUARY A month of many faces

February-a prelude to Spring -Groundhog Day; the month for Lovers-Valentine Day; Presidents Day-a Holiday for many ;   and did you know February is National Cherry Month and Michigan supplies more than 70% of the nation's tart cherries.

And, this year-SNOW! It hasn't melted-the snow pack has been around since November-it just keeps piling up 5 more inches here last night, in the Irish Hills of Southern Michigan!

And the temperature-Hell has frozen over". That's the community south west of us, but so has the whole state.In February, 1934, Vanderbilt, a community in Otsego County, recorded a temperature of 51 degrees below zero! Thank goodness, we haven't hit that -20 below is enough for me!

Now we are going to warm up-Spring is coming and you can get out to help get rid of cabin fever. The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea is still running The Redwood Curtainwww.thepurplerose.com. Hidden Lake Gardens is having programs almost everyweekendwww.hiddenlakegardens.msu.edu. And keep in mind,March 8 & 9 The Irish Hills is having a Taste of the Irish Hills with 18 restaurants participatingwww.OTIH.com.

February-Chocolate lovers Month

February is for Lovers   and Chocolate Lovers

I have read that more chocolate is sold in February than any other month, except the month Easter falls in.  And Valentines Day is this Friday,so----celebrate by bringing your sweetheart to the Irish Hills of Southern Michigan. So many people need a getaway about now-it just keeps snowing  3 more inches last night! Come to Dewey Lake Manor Bed & Breakfast and stay at the Lake. Sit by the fireplace and enjoy complimentary Chocolate and bubbly, and of course a rose.

Early February Happenings

Today, the second day of February is the Super Bowl, but it is also GroundHog Day. The first time ever,I think, they fell on the same day.Does everyone know what a groundhog/woodchuck is ? To me it is a big fat rodent.It hibernates nearly 6 months of the year-in hibernation it breathes once every 6 minutes and its temperature is maintained at 38 degrees.

How it became a Holiday-though it is a minor one -started way back in Roman times when most peoples lives were linked to farming. It was called Candelmas Day in the church calendar.There was a celebration midway between the winter soltice and the spring equinox.German folklore involves a badger. If it sees sunshine it goes back in its burrow for more winter. This is the ancient message of Groundhog day-even though it's cold and dark outside, now is the time to lay the foundation for spring and summer planting, a piece of ancient wisdom.   
This is also the Chinese Year of the Horse-it began on January 31.

If this is your year it represents prosperity. And there are parades and this picture shows a street ready for a big parade. I wonder who hangs all those lanterns--.

A Winter of Discontent

As I write this, winter in the Irish Hills of Southern Michigan this year is a humdinger!Yesterday it was temperatures nearly zero and 20-30 mph wind. Overnight there was 3 more inches of snow and today off and on, snow whiteouts mixed with sunshine. I guess you could say there's something for everyone. Tomorrow, January 26, Wamplers Lake, in the Irish Hills of Michigan, will host the highest paid fishing tournament in the country. The Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tournament will pay $20,100 to the winning two-man team. There will be anglers from 10 states and Canada, and if you are interested in ice fishing you can attend and watch for free.On that same note, Michigan has a Winter Free Fishing Weekend February 15-16 with workshops & ice fishing basics without a fishing liscense. You can also xcountry ski and snoshoe out here in the Irish Hills, and if you are an "outdoors" person interested in fitness did you know you can burn 550-650 calories per hour xcountry skiing and 450-500 per hour ice skating(that doesn't count the calories you would burn clearing the ice of snow!) But if you prefer indoor events, there are a couple neat ones in the area. Ann Arbor has the 37th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival January 31-February 1 at the Hill Auditorium www.visitannarbor.org/events. And The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea is presenting REDWOOD CURTAIN January 16-March 15. Chelsea is also having their " Chocolate Extravaganza" February 8. www.chelseamich.com. HAPPY WINTER ALL!

Interesting ICE

January is the month for ice festivals. Plymouth;which is a big one, just finished, and this weekend is one in Tecumseh. Saturday and Sundaywww.downtowntecumseh.com . There will be carving demos, a bell choir performance,Lost Arts demonstrations on the Rooftop Cafe, a "warm-up beverage walk" on Saturday and a "chocolate walk" on Sunday. Saturday evening at the TCA wwwthetca.com, there is a film fest with 20 short films-cost is $5.
Also this week 12-17 is Ann Arbor restaurant week, and the end of the month-1/31-2/1 is the Ann Arbor Folk Festival www.visitannarbor.org/events, and Jeff Daniels will be there. ENJOY!