Change . . .

*Written 4 years ago when Chloe' first stormed into my life . . .

Nothing is certain except change itself.

Sometimes change comes on four legs . . .

John Steinbeck once wrote that it is the nature of humans to complain about change. Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.

Chloe’ wasn’t what I was looking for that day last August. I wasn’t even sure I was doing the right thing – looking for a puppy so soon after Katie’s passing. But there she was – bounding down the dry, dusty gravel hill on a farm outside of Kalamazoo. Her bright blue eyes full of piss and vinegar. Her round body barely keeping up with her chubby legs as clouds of dust rose up around her. She sprang onto my leg and into my heart in one full swoop – I never knew what hit me!

I had just gotten out of the hospital and was looking at a long, up-hill climb to regain my health and my life. The last thing I needed – everyone close to me advised – was a puppy. But I wanted – needed – my life to change. And it certainly did. Chloe’ landed in the middle of my struggle for normalcy like a heat-seeking missile.

Chloe’ is instinctive and dominant, in the way of all well-bred border collies – and explosive. You don’t simply coexist with her – as you can with most dogs – you have to react to her. Like all border collies, she needs work – and like it or not she will invent her own work if not given something productive to do. She somehow knows what annoys me the most and commences to have at it if left alone too long. Eating my zucchini plants is a current favorite “job”.

I have been around dogs enough to know that the problem with dogs is almost always the people who own them. Chloe’ and I are both impulsive, impatient, distractible, and restless. We are also both redheads of Scottish descent. Need I say more?

Recognizing early on that I needed help with Chloe’ – a far greater challenge than I had ever imagined – I started reading books. Books on training, books on border collie history, books on trick learning, books on recognizing “calming signals”. Our coffee table is piled high with dog books.

And then there are the classes. Puppy Head-Start was my very first introduction to the world of the American Kennel Association and its members. Dog People – but a totally different bred of dog people. These are not “pet dog” people. These are serious dog people. I have been told by more than one trainer that I don’t always take my “work” as a handler serious enough (Just when did I transition from being a dog lover to being a dog handler????).

At 11 months Chloe’ is well on her way to becoming a champion Agility Dog. At 52 years I am wise enough to know that I may be the only thing that stands in her way. But I am also confident because the challenge exists to make things better for both of us. I have had other big changes in my life that were more or less second chances – this time change just happened to arrive on four legs.

*Epilogue: We have survived each other! And I have learned so much more than I have taught.

Dogs may not be our whole lives. But they make our lives whole.

- Roger Caras

Snowstorms are a Good Thing!

Wishing for MORE snow!

Life can be real with a snowmobile

There ain't no deal like a snowmobile

Footnote: For those of you not familiar with Stompin' Tom - he is most likely Canada's most prolific and well-known folk singer.

He was born Charles Thomas Connors (known as Tommy Messer) in Saint John, New Brunswick to the teenaged Isabel Connors and her boyfriend Thomas Sullivan. He was a cousin of New Brunswick fiddling sensation, Ned Landry. He spent a short time living with his mother in a low-security women's penitentiary before he was seized by Children's Aid Society and was later adopted by the Aylward family in Skinners Pond, Prince Edward Island.

At the age of 13 he left his adoptive family to hitchhike across Canada, a journey that consumed the next 13 years of his life as he travelled between various part-time jobs while writing songs on his guitar. At his last stop in Timmins, Ontario, which may also have been his big "break", he found himself a nickel short of a beer at the city's Maple Leaf Hotel. The bartender, Gaet Lepine, agreed to give Tom a beer if he would play a few songs. These few songs turned into a 13-month contract to play at the hotel, a weekly spot on the CKGB radio station in Timmins, eight 45-RPM recordings, and the end of the beginning for Tom Connors.

Be Safe Out There!

There probably is no such thing as “safe” ice, but there are some guidelines anglers and snowmobilers should consider. In Northern Michigan, ice conditions can vary from lake to lake, bay to bay, pond to pond and river to river. 

Before going onto a frozen lake, pond or river, it's important to take safety precautions to reduce the risk of falling through the ice. Remember you take a risk any time you go onto the ice. Anglers should always decide for themselves if it is safe to go out and walk on or drive a snowmobile on ice.

Knowing how to judge ice conditions will help you make more informed decisions while enjoying your outing. Ice thickness depends on several factors with the first and most obvious factor being location. The type of *water* also affects ice thickness; a shallow lake will freeze faster than a deep lake. Look for clear blue ice. New ice is stronger than old ice. Ice thickness is not consistent. Beware of ice around partially submerged objects such as trees, brush, embankments or structures. Ice will not form as quickly where water is shallow or where objects may absorb sunlight.

When ice fishing, it is always a good idea to drill test holes or use an ice chisel as you venture onto a lake to help judge the thickness and character of the ice. These “Test” holes should be at no more than 30 foot intervals.

You should also have a safety kit specific to ice fishing whenever you go. The items on this list will help prevent someone or something from falling through the ice. If you or someone else should fall through the ice, know how to use these tools to perform a self-rescue or assist in a rescue. The safety kit should include the following:

* Ice chisel or auger to check the ice thickness.

*Always carry ice picks or set of screw‐drivers that will float and are securely connected together with a piece nylon cord 24 to 30 inches in length. These picks should be carried allowing for quick and easy access so you can pull yourself out of the water and back onto the ice. “Pick‐of‐Life” ® is a product which is commercially available.

*50 feet of nylon rope with a large loop tied to each end.

*Wool blanket.

*Thermos of HOT liquids.

 *A cell phone or portable CB to call for assistance.

Other considerations for a safe trip include:

The use of crampons, or cleats, for walking on ice are always a good idea in Northern Michigan. With the state’s powdery snow and wind, there is often no snow cover on ice. Blowing wind and snow actually polish ice to a glassy, slippery surface.

Attaching a long cord to sleds should make them easier to pull, and if someone falls through the ice, anglers can push their sled to them while holding onto the line.

Anglers should carry two picks—or spikes protruding from wooden hand holds—that will float and are securely connected together with a piece nylon cord 24 to 30 inches in length. These picks should be carried allowing for quick and easy access in case anglers need to pull their way out if they fall through the ice.

Ice fishermen should carry a portable flotation cushion. The cushion will add to their seating comfort and give them something to throw should someone fall through ice.

Anglers should keep their augers covered because the blades are sharp, and can easily cut them, their children or their dogs.

Ice fishermen should spray vegetable oil on their auger and snowshoes. That way, snow won't stick and anglers won't cut themselves cleaning off the snow.

Beware of ice covered with snow. Snow acts much like a blanket, insulating thin ice and preventing the formation of clear, blue ice. Snow can also hide cracked, weak and open water. Daily changes in temperature cause ice to expand and contract, creating cracks and possibly pressure ridges which can affect ice strength. Extreme caution should be exercised when approaching a pressure ridge. Ice may be unstable up to 20 feet from the ridge itself.Stay away from cracks, pressure ridges, slushy or darker areas that signify thinner ice.

Traveling on a snowmobile or ATV early or late in the season is an accident waiting to happen. Do not drive across ice at night or when it is snowing. You can easily become disoriented and end up in areas of the lake you never intended to be.

Have fun! But always remember to
 *Be Safe Out There!*

For weekly updates on the ice and snow conditions surrounding Drummond Island, be sure to check out the Drummond Island MI Snow Report page on Facebook!

Shop local, shop local, shop local . . .

Holly Daze has one focus - to inspire you to do your holiday shopping locally by making it easy for you to find fabulous holiday gifts right here on the Island. Supporting local entrepreneurs as well as local artisans in the process.

I have written on this subject several times because it is one I am passionate about. It is one of those catch phrases that we all think we understand - and do. But then we just can’t resist that One Click on the internet. It seems so easy and so cheap. And trust me - I am guilty of late night Surf Shopping too!

But with that click we send money streaming through cyber space out of our community to who knows where. Money that could have helped our neighbors pay their mortgage, our school buy supplies and our community remain robust and intact.

And really, what do we get with that click? Not the Made in Michigan, Made on the Island, gifts featured during Holly Daze. Not the handpicked merchandise featured by our shopkeepers. Not the personal insight of those that know us and the individuals we are shopping for.

And not the connection to the joy of the season found during Holly Daze when our businesses are decked out in their finery, and person-to-person, human good cheer abounds.

Shopping locally is truly one of the best gifts you will give this holiday season - to yourself and to your neighbors.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~William James

Autumn Leaves . . .

Eva Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel and pop classics.. Beautiful Eva died in 1996, from melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Her music was little-known during her 33 years of life, but today her soul-stirring voice is reaching people all over the world.

Delicious Autumn!

That smell.

It fills you with the tang of being up north in the fall.

It is earth and decomposition and sunshine and pureness in leaf shapes.

Golden yellows, soft roasted-looking reds, flaky brown ones, orange ones speckled with bits of brightness.

Bringing a handful to my face I close my eyes and see back to the trails I used to make in the yard as a child. Raked labyrinths leading nowhere and everywhere.

Inhaling I feel a shock of chilled air in my lungs. Exhaling I hear geese in the sky.

It is one of those perfect autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.

NOTE: DRUMMOND ISLAND FALL ON THE ISLAND FESTIVAL:

Every autumn, nature puts on a brilliant show of color on Drummond Island. From bight yellows to vibrant reds, the leaves transform the landscape,

showing off their rich and intense hues.

Every year people flock here to take in the fall foliage, 

to catch a glimpse of nature's splendor.

Now they come not only for the colors - they come for the Festival too! 

To learn more go to the official Festival website: 

www.drummondislandfallfestival.com

Near Death Experiences

There are many who wonder about near-death experiences. Enough that the topic frequently becomes a plot twist in TV dramas - especially when the writers run out of ideas.

Take the TV show, Walker, Texas Ranger. Admit it, you have watched this classic show, starring American icon Chuck Norris. Remember the episode in which Walker has been shot. His heart stops. We know this because the monitor flat lines and it makes a buzzing sound. Walker is dead.

But wait! He is only half-dead.

His friends, who have circled his bed, don’t notice that Walker is actually floating on the ceiling. Walker reaches for the white light. But first he has to relive past life experiences – which consist of a montage of previous episodes. This takes about a half-hour. Just as he’s about to go to the “other side”, he hears a voice.

“Walker, don’t leave me!” It’s his extremely hot girlfriend. Walker decides to come back.

Some scientists are skeptics when it comes to Chuck Norris and near-death experiences. They think these experiences are bunk, the result of the brain being deprived of oxygen. They also think Morgan Freeman is not really God.

Personally, I never gave near-death experiences much thought. But then I had one.

You may recall from previous ditties that I tend to be somewhat of a spontaneous “doer” – only pausing ever so slightly to reflect on the possible consequences of my actions. And it really doesn’t matter if my grand adventures involve potentially risking life and limb of others – the more the merrier from my perspective. My grandchildren still talk about the winter of Grandma’s Death March involving the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys on a hot, glaringly bright day. (One granddaughter is still thankful she spent that day in the emergency room in Marathon while the others who participated still wish I had let the police pick up us for trespassing!)

Not surprisingly it has become routine for Barry, my ever patient husband, to admonish me each time he leaves with a stern, “Don’t do anything stupid while I am gone. Be careful!” He assumes that an admonition not to do anything stupid covers every possible scenario. It does not.

I can achieve stupidity with unbelievable speed when left to my own devices! Which is exactly why my twin grandsons will always remember last winter’s Florida Key’s experience known as Grandma’s Wretched Kayaking Adventure a.k.a The Night We Almost All Drown or What Can Happen When Grandpa Leaves Grandma in Charge.

Who knew the wind could come up so fast out on the Atlantic? Who knew that getting to a place with the wind at your back was so much different than getting back home from that place as you desperately tried to paddle a two-person, sit-a-top kayak over choppy seas as the sun was setting and the temperature dropping?

Oh, did I mention said kayak was loaded with a four-year-old grandson and an over-protective Border collie? Neither of which were manning a paddle of their own I might add. I vividly remember at one point wondering if I could swim and drag the kayak faster than I was paddling – one stroke forward, four strokes backwards was not exactly the progress towards shore I was wanting. And it didn’t help that off in the distance I could see neighbors standing on their balconies pointing in our general direction – obviously either impressed with my kayaking prowess or wondering at what point they should call the Coast Guard.

My daughter-in-law, Jill, manning a kayak loaded with a twin herself – having been talked into this insane adventure by yours truly – kept calling back at me; “Are you okay? Do you want me to tow you?” She sounded like my husband, only more patronizing. Who did she think I was? An old, rather chronically ill woman who just completed a series of chemotherapy?

I kept going. My arms screamed. I stopped singing My Paddle Gleaming Bright and started mumbling – and this goes back to near death experiences – Barry is going to kill me! Aaron is going to kill me!

We made it to shore without the assistance of the Coast Guard – none of us the worse for wear except for aching arms, chilled bodies and the concussion I would soon have.

The concussion would be caused when either my husband or my son (father to the twins) would hit me upside the head as they said, “I told you not to do anything stupid!”

Actually, that’s not true. Barry is a loving, patient, and understanding husband – the best thing I ever did for myself. Aaron grew up with me as his mother and knows what to expect by now. But I would rather be smacked upside the head sometimes than endure the torrent of “I told you so’s” from all of them. They think I should give up my adventuresome ways now that I am more mature. More ‘fragile’ as the grandchildren put it.

Why don’t they just kill me now? That way I could float up on the ceiling like Walker. I can see it now.

“Come back, Candis (mom, grandma),” they will all plead. “We didn’t mean it. You can go off on whatever spontaneous adventures you want and we won’t say a word!”

“Well, OK,” I will reply, “But have you seen how much dust is on top of this ceiling fan?”

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.”  - Helen Keller