Chris Tuckett’s view of the Charles M. Beeghly passing beneath the Mackinac Bridge.

484-2626 mink@cedarville.net

Driving north toward Sault Ste. Marie the other day, I noticed that many trees are already beginning to show some color. The summer has flown by and time is passing so quickly. The weather has been so beautiful that the days are flying by. The days, too, are growing shorter, seeming to add to the lack of time. Football season has started as well as girls’ basketball, giving sports fans another reason to love this time of the year.

Our son is coming to visit next week and there are so many projects on my list of “to do’s” for him that he may decide not to visit again! Each week I accomplish a few things myself, but more is always added to the list, many that I cannot do. Does anyone else have that problem?

We think of wildlife mostly in the rural areas such as Cedarville and Hessel and complain about them eating our flowers and vegetables. My daughter and son-in-law, who live just outside the city limits and quite a busy area of Sault Ste. Marie, had a young woman staying in their home a few days ago to “baby-sit” their little dog while they were away. During the night, this young woman heard footsteps on the deck. She was quite alarmed and tiptoed over to a window to look out. There on the deck, munching a big beautiful pot of red geraniums, was a big deer! This animal had to walk up at least seven steps to get on that deck. It is a climb for me; can you imagine a full-grown deer climbing seven steps?

A short time later, she heard noises on the deck again. Naturally, she thought it was the deer returning, but when she looked out there were two raccoons finishing what the deer had left behind. However, that is not the end of the story. In the morning, hearing a rustling once more, she looked out and there were four wild turkeys in the yard very close to the house. That just proves that we shouldn’t be surprised at anything that happens where wild animals are concerned.

Habitat For Humanity is an organization that does so much for those who need housing throughout the United States. Last winter, the North Star chapter of Habitat for Humanity from Sault Ste Marie held a silent auction and one of the prizes was a climb to the top of the south tower of the Mackinac Bridge. Chris and Martin Tuckett of Hessel won this prize. Martin opted not to go, so Chris invited her son, Matt Pizzedaz, to accompany her. Matt resides in Traverse City and is a third mate working on the lake freighters. They were also accompanied by a bridge guide, Dan Merren.

Chris does not advise this feat for anyone who is afraid of heights, but it was one of the big thrills and challenges of her lifetime. The climb was a combination of elevators, climbing on rung-like steps, and pulling oneself up with a lot of arm strength. However, once at the top, the view was spectacular. One of the wonderful sights from a height of 552 feet above the water was to look down and see the freighter Charles M. Beeghly pass under the bridge.

Do you remember when we had real “ice boxes” with a drip pan underneath to be emptied every day, pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards, and using hand signals before cars had turn signals?