An e-mail I received recently from a faithful reader states: "Visit your area several times a year, and read your column in the newspaper. The poppies across from the hardware are beautiful. Several places in town have wonderful displays of beauty. Think the rock garden next to laundromat is a nice addition to the town..." This rock garden is tended faithfully by Vi Ozak, who certainly deserves recognition for her successful efforts. Her work, and that of other local gardeners, does not go unnoticed by our visitors.

The musical "Cinderella" celebrated 19 years of the Les Cheneaux Summer Theater and it certainly brought back that wonderful fairy tale for many of us. Enoch Jacobus as the prince, and Emily Couling as Cinderella, who both have beautiful voices, carried their parts so well. The Murrays as the King and Queen and the Sudol sisters as the mean stepsisters did a great job in their roles. The cast, musicians, directors, and crew deserve another big hand for a job well done. We know how hard they all work to present these summer productions.

The Arts Council is having an exhibition of its members' work at the Cedarville Inn throughout the month of August, and on Sunday, August 26, at the Cedarville Inn there will be a reception honoring the work of the Friends of the Les Cheneaux Arts Council (LCAC). The reception will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will also showcase the work accomplished during the classes sponsored by the LCAC this year. All are welcome to stop by, have a bit of refreshment, meet the artists, and enjoy the show.

For those who may not be familiar with the Les Cheneaux Arts Council, it is a volunteer organization, newly reorganized and formerly known as the Arts Council of Les Cheneaux. It now operates through the Les Cheneaux Community Foundation and is governed by an advisory board. Objectives are to promote the growth, knowledge, and appreciation of the arts for all age groups in the community, and to sponsor workshops, classes, scholarships, and art shows.

Anyone can help by becoming a "Friend" and giving a donation to the Community Foundation, earmarked for the Les Cheneaux Arts Council. The Council operates only from donations to sponsor scholarships and classes. Those who donate $20 will have a reduced cost for classes and be able to show their work at the next art show.

Now's the time to get some of those old items out of your garages and attics. Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce is organizing a community garage sale that will be held Saturday, August 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can hold a garage sale at your home and get on the map, or rent a space at the parking lot at First Union Church. Register for free by calling the chamber office at 484- 3935, or rent a table at the church for $5 if you don't want to do it at your house.

Dick and Bertha Carr won the Lions Club $100 raffle July 31.

Bruce Patrick's story this week is another amusing tale about Charlie Tassier and a big buck deer:

"This was when Charlie Tassier moved from across the channel by Dollar Island to a shanty by Duck Bay. This shanty was originally built by Ed Valley. There was a garden spot beside the cabin, where Charlie grew green beans. He harvested some of them, if he could keep the deer off his garden. He also set snares along the log road that ran through a very deep moss bog. The rabbits actually made runways in this deep moss.

"One day, while looking at his snares, he ran into a huge buck deer walking on the same moss runway. As he was walking on, he stopped and the buck kept walking toward him. Finally the buck deer stopped, as he saw this man coming toward him. When they were about 20 yards apart, the buck did not know what to do, and Charlie did not know what to do, either! So, for a few seconds, they both stood and looked at each other. Finally, the buck jumped off the moss trail. How do you like that, having a very big buck nearly run over you, when you have no gun?"