484-2626 mink@cedarville.net

Labor Day is upon us and summer is over. We all hope for a long and glorious autumn. It is truly one of the most pleasant times of the year. Starting it all off will be the annual Art in the Park celebration by the Les Cheneaux Artisan’s Cooperative. This is an active organization that helps to promote local artists. The coming event will feature local talent and helps one to become acquainted with the many artists and their varied talents in our community.

Once more, I, along with many, am watching the progress of hurricane Katrina as it roars toward a landfall along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. By the time this paper is printed, we shall know where it has come ashore and, hopefully, lives and property will be spared.

Living along the southern coast of the United States has become a hazardous situation for many that have retired and moved to that warmer climate. Personally, I’d rather be snug in my northern home. Winter weather is lovely, even when one is in his 80s. Just stay snug and warm indoors and look out on all of the cold. The roads are always plowed and well maintained in the stormiest of weather, so one can always get out if it is necessary, and the very best part is that there is no traffic!

Tansy and Queen Ann’s Lace are pretty much gone, but Goldenrod and cattails, along with fall grasses, are now lining the highways. It is the time to gather a few of these for a lovely autumn bouquet. If one sprays them with hairspray or something similar, they last for a long time. In a pretty vase they add a nice touch to almost any home, at no cost.

The weekend of September 9 and 10 is the Stalwart Fair. The wonderful turkey dinner that the ladies of the Presbyterian Church serve is always a highlight for the beginning of this event. They start serving at 11 a.m. Friday and will serve again Saturday. It is a feast not to be missed.

Another hint for doggy odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with a dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

If you have any family news, travel news, or any other kind of news, please let me know. My address is P.O. Box 217, Cedarville, Michigan 49719; my e-mail address and phone number are on the title of this column. It is always nice to hear from readers.