Artists in the plein air painting class included (from left) Margaret Pavey, Barbara Augenblich, Norine Rudd, Kate Rudolph (kneeling), Diane Grenier, Gene Ford, Bob Cresswell, Candine Peterson (kneeling), and instructor Roger Heuck. Helen Shoberg is missing from the photograph. The last days of August are approaching, and with them has come a number of farewell gatherings before many leave their summer nests for their winter homes. It has been a busy round of parties of friends and families and, although that is great fun, the thought of not seeing many until next spring is not. However, we will look forward to next summer, when it will begin all over again.

The annual Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat Show will celebrate its 30th anniversary next summer. It seems like yesterday when it all began.

The weather has been perfect again this past week, with much needed rain on Saturday. It has been a very dry summer and with that, we can not expect the water level to rise in the Great Lakes. For that to happen, we must endure a few seasons of cloudy, wet weather, as I remember during my first few years up here in the 1950s . Shortly after that we had the high water years.

An e-mail from a friend this week reminded me that the planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky in August. Many probably know that, but for those who do not, I'm told it will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye, reaching its visible peak August 27. The next time Mars may come this close is in the year 2287, so be sure to watch the sky August 27 at 12:30 a.m.

The later school openings throughout the State of Michigan, I believe, have made a difference in the tourist industry in spite of the high gas prices. It seems that the streets in Cedarville have been busy all week. St. Ignace too, seems to still be full of cars and people, so we hope it is a good thing for the local economy.

Speaking of school openings, we are soon to say goodbye to our college students, and probably a tearful parting to college freshmen. Just remember, freshmen, the first month is the hardest and then everything begins to come together.

The Lions Club raffle winners August 15 were Jack and Dick Saeger, who won $100. Mary Flood told of seeing a

bobolink in their yard on Island No. 8. She said that it was so tame and unafraid that she thought it might be someone's pet. I believe that bobolinks are a meadow-type bird and that it is unusual to see one around this area. Has anyone else seen one?

Being a part of the plein air oil painting class of Roger Heuck this past week was enjoyable for many. The first day was spent in the lovely yard of Carl and Judy Mock on Hill Island. The second was a fantastic view from the Reid home on the end of No. 8 Island, and the third morning we met at my home on Islington Road. It was amusing to me to see that the majority of the class chose as a subject a small, old, leaning pump house on our shoreline. Of course, there were other scenes chosen too, and it seemed that everyone left each day with something worthwhile.

A notice to all members of the Arts Council of Les Cheneaux (ACLC) requests that they bring current or past works, and worksin progress, to the ACLC Showand Tell Thursday, August 31, at the Les Cheneaux Community Library meeting room between 5 p.m.. and 8 p.m.. Especially bring works produced in classes that were given this summer. Please come and share. This will be a very informal affair and should be an interesting and wonderful time for all. If there are any questions, call Judy Mock at (906) 484-3408.

The story from Bruce Patrick this week tells of a "painted trail" on Marquette Island. Another of his interesting stories follows:

"As I have told you before, Dr. Zeit's boat and cottage were called Wanderer. Also, Dr. Zeit cleared trails through the woods for people to walk on. One was the telephone line. He kept these trails cleared of downed trees and limbs so the phone line would work. All along these trails, he built rustic seats of small poles for wanderers to sit on and rest as they walked along in the woods.

He colored slashes on trees, like yellow went out into the west all the way to Gager's, on the outside of Marquette Island. Blue went to Peck's Bay and Slacks Camp. Then white led off yellow to Liberty's. Then, once you got to Liberty's, black led to Hessel Bay. Even though Liberty had ruined the telephone line to Hessel Bay, he still marked this trail for tourists to travel on. All colors eventually led to Wanderer. So they, he, and Mrs. Zeit, had people wandering to their cottage from all points of the island.

Some of those marked roads are still evident. Each year any trees or limbs were cleared from these trails, and the wood seats were repaired along the line. It got so we hunters used these marked trails. One person would follow the yellow trail to a certain hill, stay there, and the rest of us would try to drive a deer to him at that point on the yellow trail."

We were so very sorry to hear that Harry Harris had passed away. Harry will never be forgotten and he will surely be missed. He, along with his wife, Helen, have worked so hard with their swallow houses; making them, setting them up throughout the area, taking them down, cleaning them, and going through this process again each spring for more years than I can remember. He was certainly our official "bird man." I recall phoning many times to ask about a certain bird or flower. We will surely miss him and send our sincere sympathy to his wife, Helen, and family.