Southwest Michigan Spark-March 2023

MEANS IT’S TIME FOR THE MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL ~ PG.

Expert Advice

Funeral Services

Q: How can you help tell your loved ones story?

A: Everyone has a story, and it’s there to be told if you understand how to ask the right questions.  At Langeland we take the time to communicate with the family and uncover powerful and uplifting memories. These treasured moments from the past provide a meaningful farewell and also help ease a family’s way through grief. Helping you tell the stories of the ones you love is our life’s work.

Langeland Family Funeral Homes

“Quiet dignity with compassion” has meant so much for many people... for many years.

4 locations to serve you 269-343-1508 • www.langelands.com

Health Food

Q: What type of produce does Sawall’s carry?

Transitions

Q: Why do I need a medical assessment if I’m moving to Independent living?

Roofing

Q: Should we be concerned about the amount of snow and ice accumulating on our roof?

A: Having a medical assessment with the community you have chosen assists the community in understanding any services that may need to be set up prior to move-in. For example if you have given up driving, transportation can be scheduled prior to movein to avoid any delays in your health care routines or check-ups.

Diana Duncan Director of Sales and Marketing

Friendship Village

“Where Connections Matter”

1400 North Drake, Kalamazoo 269-381-0560

www.friendshipvillagemi.com

Counseling

Q: What should I do to lift the weight of my hidden addiction?

Justin Reynolds Manager

A: Since the first week of January, our total amount of snowfall has been significant. Since the weight of snow and ice is substantial, we recommend removing as much of the snow and ice as possible. However, safety should be your foremost concern. Emergency room personnel can tell you many stories of unfortunate homeowners injured while climbing a ladder or getting onto their roofs to remove snow and ice. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a ‘snow rake’, a long handled shoveling device, designed to pull snow and ice off the roof while you stand safely on the ground. Please be aware, however, since a snow rake is made from aluminum, you must kept it away from any electrical power lines on your roof.

Sherriff-Goslin Roofing Co.

Since 1906

342-0153

800-950-1906

Member Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo

Sleep Health

Q: What are the effects of getting poor sleep?

Mark Sawall Owner

A: Sawall’s has always carried local and certified organic produce.  Its the very best quality that can be found.  We receive produce orders almost every day!  We also carry as much local produce that we can find seasonally.  We are always looking for quality produce from local farmers.  Come in soon and enjoy the areas largest selection of fresh CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCE!!

Mon-Sat. 8am-9pm, Sun. 10am-6pm

Sawall Health Foods

Oakwood Plaza • 2965 Oakland Dr. at Whites Rd. • 343-3619 • www.sawallhf.com

Kim Powers, Owner, Licensed Professional Counselor

A: It is a brave choice to admit you have developed behavior that has become a stronghold. The next step is to choose a safe space, person, or professional to learn skills to overcome and manage the behaviors and hold yourself accountable to your goals. You can find the victory, strength, and encouragement to overcome! There is freedom in the light.

Heart Soul Mind Strength LLC

Faith. Acceptance. Empowerment. Purpose. Www.HeartSoulMindStrengthLLC.com

510-827-1305

Douglas Diemer, PA

A. Not sleeping enough or sleeping poorly due to an untreated sleep disorder can increase your risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression. It can also affect your ability to think clearly and make good decisions. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of accidents due to being less alert and reduced reaction time. If you are experiencing symptoms such as snoring, fatigue or trouble staying or falling asleep, talk with your doctor. If you need a sleep health specialist, schedule an appointment online at bronsonhealth. com/sleep or call (269) 324-0799.

Bronson Sleep Health Specialists

bronsonhealth.com/sleep

(269) 324-0799

Rob Baas Langeland

A Tribute to Perserverance

I was driving through the little town of Sunfield on M-43 west of Grand Ledge, a few weeks ago, when I spotted an old building that said, The Sunfield Sentinel - Established 1889 There aren’t many small town papers around anymore so this caught my attention. A window sign said “Open,” so I went inside where I met Jerry Maurer, the former publisher who offered me a tour.

Jerry explained that the Sentinel had ceased publication in December 2019 after 130 years in business. Jerry is 79 and still drives 50 miles each way, most days, to work on small printing jobs for the community. Jerry gave me a copy of the last issue which included a great column giving examples of several ways to say farewell: See You Later Alligator, Chop, Chop Lollipop and many others. The paper is chocked full of great little small town stories, along with local happenings, which aren’t so easy to find these days. I Googled the paper and found a nice tribute and award the community gave to Jerry for his many years of perseverance.

The tribute read: We would like to tell you about someone working in our community who has persevered for many years. Back on July 5th, 1990, three men, whose then employer was closing up shop, formed a partnership, came to Sunfield and bought the Sunfield Sentinel. Just a couple of months later one of the partners had a heart attack and left the busi-

INDEX MARCH 2023

ness. Nineteen years ago, another partner had to leave the business. This left Jerry Maurer to forge on alone-He persevered.

He found himself in a print media business that for the last 15 years has gone from a steady erosion to an accelerating avalanche of decline.

Just to recap:

• Jerry loses two of his partners-He perseveres.

FROM THE EDITOR

• For almost 30 years, Jerry commutes about 100 miles a day round trip from Mason to his shop in SunfieldHe perseveres.

• As Sunfield businesses close, and advertising revenues drop-He perseveres.

• As the Post Office raises their rates 19 times-He perseveres.

• As the Sentinel’s circulation plummets 85%-He perseveres until December 19, 2019.

• The Sentinel may be gone, but Jerry’s commercial printing part of his business will remain open here in Sunfield.-So yet, he perseveres.

Perseverance is defined by Webster as “steady persistence in a course of action - a purpose. To persist in spite of counter-influence, opposition, or discouragement.

I’m sure you’ve had times in your life when you had to push on and persevere or know of others, like Jerry, who embody the word perseverance.

Steve Ellis, SPARK Publisher

ON THE COVER:

Editor and Publisher: Steve Ellis

Graphic & Page Development: CRE8 Design, Kalamazoo

Content/Photography: Lauren Ellis

Writers and Contributors Include: Area Agency on Aging, Steve Ellis, Lee Dean, Laura Kurella, Richard Martinovich Dave Person, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Portage Public Library, Senior Services of Southwest Michigan, YMCA

SPARK accepts advertising to defray the cost of production and distribution, and appreciates the support of its advertisers. The publication does not specifically endorse advertisers or their products or services. Spark is a publication of Ellis Strategies, LLC. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

The Maple Syrup Festival at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.

Photo provided by the Kalamazoo Nature Center

What’s the good word?

Lee A. Dean screendoor@sbcglobal.net

It’s confession time: I’m an incorrigible logophile. Now before you go to the phone and call the cops, the definition of “logophile” is simple: someone who loves words. This is certainly a useful behavior trait for a writer, but not one not shared by everyone who practices the craft. Some writers obsess over larger pieces of the puzzle, such as sentences and paragraphs. I get nerdy about finding the most fitting word for the occasion.

Other times, I simply enjoy using certain words because they’re fun to say and write. This kind of pizzazz (marvelous –all those z’s) goes against my Quakerish value of plain speaking, but a little color never hurt anyone.

My father planted the seed for the use of what he called “50-cent words.” Instead of threatening me with a spanking, he would proclaim, “If your behavior does not change, I will chastise your posterior extremity.” I looked up the new words and altered my behavior accordingly. Most of my favorite words are multisyl-

labic (more than one syllable) — for example, “multisyllabic.” A person can sound quite smart when all those syllables roll off the tongue. Here are two prime examples.

Skullduggery: We could say that someone is “up to no good” but this phrase doesn’t convey the same sense of menace as “skullduggery.”

Preposterous – The minor league way to express displeasure about a statement is to say, “That’s stupid!” Why settle for that sophomoric taunt when you can employ, “That’s preposterous!” The double “p” gives the word extra punch. No one used it with more skill than the late great Charles Krauthammer.

There are a series of older words perfectly suited for a political debate. Instead of banal recent examples like “Why don’t you shut up, man?” or “There’s nothing smart about you,” candidates could turn the clock back and find words with more snap and style.

I would seriously consider voting for candidates who use any of the following words in reference to their opponent: knave, poltroon, mountebank, and nincompoop. Want my vote? Look at your opponent and say, “You sir (or madam) are a scoundrel and a calumniator!”

Certain writers are masters of invective, including one of my journalistic heroes, H. L. Mencken. The Sage of Baltimore would often employ such gems as balderdash, flapdoodle, and piffle on his targets.

For example, Mencken cudgeled President Warren Harding for the quality (or lack thereof) of his written English: “It drags itself out of the dark abysm of pish, and crawls insanely up the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and doodle. It is balder and dash.” This isn’t kind language, but if you’re going to be mean, at least be artful about it. The most recent presidential debates are a stark reminder of two of my other favorite phrases, both coming from the American South: hissy fit and conniption fit. A hissy fit is when someone yells and waves their arms. A conniption is when someone yells, waves their arms, and throws things.

English has borrowed liberally from other languages to add spicy words to our common speech. Yiddish has given us words like schmuck and putz, each of which has a rather earthy bodily origin. Other words come from acronyms, such as snafu and fubar (look them up yourself for the meaning, as this is a family publication).

A set of other words related to “skullduggery” denote someone who engages in certain antisocial activities. A scalawag or a rapscallion stays out late at night, traipsing or gallivanting in search of nefarious

pleasure. However, if this activity persists, these miscreants run the risk of encounters with the constabulary and subsequent incarceration.

There is one complimentary word that should be far more prominent, but I rarely see or hear it. This is a word that describes someone who operates with self-confidence or assurance in a challenging situation. The word is “aplomb,” and it is the direct opposite of a hissy fit. My bias in favor of the older words supports a belief that older people should not use young folks’ slang. We should act, and speak, our age. Phrases such as “cray cray” (slang for “crazy”), natty (as in “national championship”), and trudat (“true that”) should be avoided at all costs. We don’t need to be hip. We’ve outlived most of you.

A final classification of favorite words is known as “onomatopoeia.” (Whose idea was it to coin a six-syllable word to describe words of one syllable?)

If you remember your ninth grade English, onomatopoeia words are those that sound like what they describe. These words are wonderful little descriptive darts: splat, clang, grunt, fizz. Followers of modern music may be familiar with “skronk,” which describes a discordant trebly guitar tone.

I hope you enjoyed this exploration of my favorite words. In fact, I hope you got a bang out of it.

Rosemary Magic!

by Laura Kurella

Perhaps best of all, as one of the most aromatic of the herbs, rosemary helps us to elevate the flavor of our food! offering a pungent taste that is a bit lemony-piney-mintysagey-peppery, rosemary can help counteract richness and fattiness, enabling it to pair well with poultry, oily fish, lamb, beef, and game, especially when roasted. Rosemary also enhances tomatoes, grains, spinach, peas, onions, potatoes, and mushrooms as well. Whether to use fresh or dried is dependent upon convenience, and recipe use.

Beautiful Rosemary Chicken Con Broccoli

Approximate servings per recipe: 4.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied into 4 pieces flour for dusting

2 tablespoons light olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 large sprigs of fresh rosemary (2 for garnish)

14 ounces low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 pint heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup Orecchiette pasta, cooked al dente

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided use

1 fresh crown of broccoli, cut into small florets

Dust chicken cutlets with flour. Heat oil in a large skillet on a high flame for 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and chicken. Sear on high flame for five minutes. Flip meat. Add chicken broth and the needles of one sprig of rosemary. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan on a low flame, melt butter. Add your milk choice and cook on the lowest flame possible, until needed, about 30 minutes. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, for approximately 12 minutes or till they become “al dente” (noodles will finish cooking later in recipe).

Place broccoli florets in a heat-safe bowl. When pasta reaches al dente, strain pasta, over the bowl of broccoli, so that hot pasta water completely covers broccoli florets. Let broccoli bathe in the hot pasta water bath until it turns bright green, about 3 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, rinse pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process. Returning to the chicken skillet, remove chicken to a warm plate. Add milk mixture to skillet then add the minced leaves of one rosemary sprig then the Parmesan. Over medium heat, bring the skillet to a boil. Add pasta and stir, cooking for two minutes, then add chicken. Strain broccoli and add it to the skillet as well. Let the skillet cook for a minute or two to ensure all ingredients come up to the same temperature. Serve immediately.

DISH ENHANCEMENT: To further elevate this dish, try adding in a little spinach (fresh or frozen) too!

Laura Kurella is an award-winning food columnist, recipe developer, and home cook who loves life in Michigan. She welcomes your comments at laurakurella@yahoo.com.

“We all hope to leave a positive mark”– Michael Sobel

By Jim Coppinger, Milestone Senior Services Volunteer

The majority of Michael Sobel’s life has taken place on either the east or west coast—primarily Los Angeles and New York. He attended the University of Southern California which transitioned into a business career in broadcast and cable television. As an intern, he worked on popular shows with performers such Lucille Ball, Red Skelton, and Judy Garland among several.

Michael’s career soon evolved along with an emerging cable network TV industry. He became vice president of national sales for MTV and also represented CNN. He shares the story of having a challenging time selling advertising for MTV as it began; advertising agencies and accounts were skeptical about a “24 hour music-video” channel. But, Michael’s perseverance paid off and soon advertisers were calling him to place commercials on the popular channel.

In 1999, Michael and a business friend traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia to explore opportunities in the newly emerging post-Soviet television market. He lived in Russia for seven years until he met another

business person from Kalamazoo at a BBQ event in St. Petersburg. The two hit it off and Michael was offered a position to help build a new product line for the entrepreneur’s manufacturing company based in Kalamazoo.

That is how someone so strongly rooted in a coastal lifestyle settled in Kalamazoo twenty-three years ago and has remained ever since.

As someone who has always enjoyed singing, Michael met a member of Kalamazoo’s famous Mall City

Harmonizers—a male cappella chorus we all know as “Barbershop.” Mall City Harmonizers formed in 1941 and has entertained throughout the region ever since. He is currently the organization’s president and marketing manager.

Michael says for anyone who loves to sing in the shower or the car— whether they think they can carry a tune or not, just might find a marvelous opportunity to sing and develop their skills with the chorus. For more information, go to www.barbershopharmony.org or call (269) 350-4085. Barbershop isn’t Michael’s only community service. Several years ago he volunteered in the call center for Loaves & Fishes. For the past year as an RSVP volunteer through AmeriCorps Seniors, Michael delivers Meal on Wheels for Milestone Senior Services twice a week primarily at two high-rise senior living facilities in Kalamazoo.

Michael says he wants to always stay active and busy and do what he can to help other people. His gregarious personality has contributed to his ease and enjoyment of meeting people. But, he adds, whether someone is outgoing, shy, or somewhere in-be-

tween—and whatever skills they may have – there’s a perfect fit with a local organization’s aspirations to serve people of our community.

Michael says, “We all want to leave a positive mark along our path in life.” He says it can begin by simply calling Milestone to see what needs exist and find that perfect harmony.

Milestone Senior Services (previously known as Senior Services of Southwest Michigan) is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. AmeriCorps Seniors empowers people age 55 and older to serve their communities. Milestone’s AmeriCorps Seniors programs help people find a volunteer opportunity that fits their passion. There are currently opportunities in Kalamazoo County and Calhoun County. Volunteers are needed with Meals on Wheels, Companionship Calls or Visits, Transportation, Home Repair and Ramp Builds and more with area nonprofits. Regular, flexible schedules available. Contact Milestone’s Volunteer Services at 269-382-0515 or apply to volunteer at HYPERLINK “http://www.milestoneseniorservices.org”www.milestoneseniorservices.org.

WARRIORSWednesday

Spring Into Action

Springtime is a dizzying time of new beginnings, beckoning us to get outdoors and see what’s popping out of the ground, and on the trees. The Wednesday Warriors who volunteer for the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy get a front row seat at all the action on the preserves we visit. Speaking of action, here are some action shots of some of our past escapades. And don’t worry, newcomers who (like me once) need to be taught which end of the loppers to hold, get plenty of encouragement and help. No experience necessary, just enthusiasm. If you want to get out this spring and see what’s popping, please join us. The Wednesday Warriors even have a spin-off group that meets on Mondays. Email the Conservancy at conserveland@swmlc.org and ask to get on their email list. Their website www.swmlc.org is also kept up-to-date with details of each week’s workdays. Attendance is weekby-week as your time allows.

Kristi Chapman, volunteer, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

Book Reviews

Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery)

Vivien Chien

This cozy read is an absolute delight. From learning about the Asian American community outside of Cleveland, OH, to the lovable characters, this is the warm hug you need during a dreary winter. Lana Lee finds herself back in her family’s restaurant serving tables after she dramatically walks out of her office job. But Lana will need to put all her woes aside to figure out what really happened to Mr. Feng after he died eating dumplings from her restaurant. You will enjoy visiting Lana’s culture, and the setting is so close to Michigan relating to this book is a breeze.

The Lioness

Chris Bohjalian

The Lioness starts off on a suspenseful note and never lets up. Movie star

Katie Barstow and her new husband David take off with seven friends on an African photo safari in 1964. Every chapter reveals the fascinating backgrounds of each member of the group. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned as the African politics of the time interfere with the group’s adventure. The Lioness is pulled tautly across these pages. Bohjalian has done an immense amount of research on this time period and

the interlopers who make their way onto the African continent. You will be totally immersed in this storyline with this strange bevy of characters. And at the core, you will have non-stop action aplenty. The Lioness is highly recommended if you are one to step forward for a taste of adventure.

Spare

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex What little boy or girl hasn’t dreamed of becoming a prince or princess? Unsurprisingly, the Royal Family is like many families, with lots of love but also dysfunction. Prince Harry is open about his mistakes, his mental health issues, and his immense privilege. When writing about his family, it is clear he loves them, but he also holds them accountable. His greatest ire is for the British press, which he blames for his mother’s death, the intense scrutiny throughout his life, and the treatment of his wife. He begins with the image that so many remember, a twelve-year-old boy walking behind his mother’s coffin. That traumatic event shaped him forever. The book then delves into his teen years and his time in the Army, finishing with his romance and wedding to Meghan Markle and leaving the Royal Family. If you want an unflinchingly raw and revealing look at the Royal Family, this is the book for you.

Book Reviews by the Portage District Library staff

Jo-Lo Island Park

by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library

From a 1920s roadside fruit stand to a picnic park and baseball field, a meeting hall, a nightclub, a horse racing facility, and eventually a postwar airfield, “Jo-Lo Island Park” was Kalamazoo’s place to be.

Born in Illinois in 1876, Joseph H. Lowe owned the Kalamazoo Construction Company and maintained a large fruit farm along U.S. 12 between Comstock and Galesburg. When automobile travel became popular during the late 1920s, Joe set up a fruit and barbecue stand in his front yard to attract passing motorists.

The rear of Lowe’s property bordered the Kalamazoo River near Rowe’s Island, a 60-acre wooded isle that once featured an ancient garden bed and a large Indian mound. The island, commonly understood to be a former Native American ritual site, made an ideal picnic spot, which Lowe made accessible by a small ferry. During the late 1920s, Dr. Caroline Bartlett Crane spearheaded efforts to designate Rowe’s Island as a Michigan state park. Joe Lowe called it “Jo-Lo Island Park.”

The state park designation never came to be, but JoLo Park hosted numerous political rallies and social gatherings during the 1930s. Civil War veterans, fraternal organizations, county commissions, and religious groups gathered for picnics and meeting on Lowe’s riverfront acreage. After a gravel roadway was built to the island, summertime dances became popular.

As the park grew in popularity, Lowe built a pavilion and dancehall on the island, as well as a concrete tennis court and a baseball field along the river’s edge.

During the mid-1930s, “Old Time” dances with Charlie Fischer’s Globetrotters and “Hot and Sweet” music from the likes of Chuck Kruizenga’s Band drew even larger crowds.

When the sale of beer became legal in 1933, Lowe applied for a license to sell beer at his establishment. The dancehall was enlarged, and a restaurant was added. Chicken and steak dinners, beer, floor shows, and dancing until the wee morning hours kept the park busy. “Dance and drink beer” became the order of the day until 1937, when it was announced that construction of Morrow Dam would flood much of Rowe’s Island and bring an end to Joe Lowe’s picnic area and dancehall.

In response, Lowe put up a new 3,300 square foot “beerless” dancehall and restaurant near the highway and called it “Castle Hall.” He also built a new half-mile horse track and brought harness and saddle racing back to Kalamazoo for the first time in nearly a decade. The new dancehall remained popular, and the horse races at Jo-Lo Park often attracted thousands.

After Joseph Lowe’s death in 1944, the Castle Hall nightclub was closed. In 1946, Roger Parrott and Frederick Mills, both veteran Kalamazoo pilots, signed a five-year lease and turned the 80-acre parcel into a twin-runway landing field and clubhouse called the Aviation Country Club. The airfield served as an instruction center for pilots until after the war, but Mills and Parrott did not renew the lease, and dissolved their partnership in 1952. The former Castle Hall clubhouse saw use as a rental and auction hall until 1963 when fire destroyed the building.

Today, Rowe’s Island lies mostly submerged just beyond the Morrow Pond Boat Access. Rosemont Street now runs south from M-96 where Jo-Lo Park Road used to be. Otherwise, little evidence of Jo-Lo Park remains.

More at kpl.gov

MAPLE SUGAR FESTIVAL CELEBRATING NATURE’S SWEET TREAT

By Dave Person david.r.person@gmail.com

This year’s Maple Sugar Festival at the Kalamazoo Nature Center will feature the activities of previous celebrations, plus some additions, all packed into one day, Saturday, March 11.

The festival — this year is the 58th annual — previously was spread over two days, with some activities and locations only available to visitors for half a day each day.

“We decided to pull all of the fun into one day so people can do all the activities,” says Lisa Panich, director of marketing and communications for the Nature Center.

This year, for example, the pancake breakfast, previously offered only in the mornings, will run the entire day of the festival, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Of course, the star of the show will be the maple sugaring demonstrations, both at the sugar shack on the main campus, which uses modern-day syrup-making

techniques, and at the log cabin on the DeLano Homestead property.

“At the DeLano site we’re going to be offering the historic sugaring practices as usual but we’re also going to be offering the indigenous collection methods,” Panich says. Sap from maple trees “was a valued resource for people back then.”

It takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of syrup, according to statistics from the Michigan Ag Council, and Michigan, on average, produces around 90,000 gallons of syrup per year.

“It’s one of our lovely natural resources,” Panich says.

Don’t expect to bring any Nature Centerproduced maple syrup home with you, however. With a limited number of sapproducing trees on the property, it is only used for demonstration purposes, she says. The festival also will be an opportunity for the Nature Center to show off recent upgrades to the Visitor Center exhibit area,

PHOTO BY DEREK KETCHUM

including its new “Up in the Air” exhibit, “that showcases the avian research that we’ve done here for decades at the Nature Center,” Panich adds.

Here’s what else visitors can expect: At the main campus, 7000 N. Westnedge Avenue:

• Maple sugar tours

• Bird of prey presentation and training demonstration

• “Up in the Air: Birds Navigating the Anthropocene” and “Art Drawn from Nature II” exhibits and artist talks

• Art-making and other activities for children

• “Creature Features” with KNC’s ambassador animals

• Story Trail: “Mushroom Rain,” by Laura K. Zimmerman

• Live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with The Goat’s Beards

At the Delano Homestead and Farms, 555 West E Avenue:

• Horse-drawn wagon rides

• Candle-dipping and traditional children’s games

• “Chicken Encounters” with a representative of the farm’s flock

• Soil blocking

• “Earth Loom”: Community coming together to create a work of art

• Fiber arts demonstrations by the Weavers Guild of Kalamazoo.

There will be two levels of admission: A general admission, which includes access to the grounds and the maple sugar tour, and an all-inclusive pass, which is good for food and activities.

Pre-registration is required for the

maple sugar tours and can be done online at NatureCenter.org.

An admission-only daily pass is free to KNC members, $12 for nonmembers; and $10 for nonmembers ages 4-17 and 55-plus.

The all-inclusive daily pass is $8 for members; $19 for nonmembers; and $17 for nonmembers ages 4-17 and 55-plus.

The Maple Sugar Festival is the Nature Center’s largest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds support programming that is offered throughout the year.

Panich says this year’s festival will be a return to both outdoor and indoor activities. The festival was canceled in 2021 because of Covid and last year it was held exclusively outdoors.

In 2020, right before the Covid outbreak, the Nature Center welcomed 5,000 to 6,000 visitors to the festival under pleasant weather conditions, but most years it hosts 2,000 to 3,000 people, Panich says.

“Generations of families have been coming to this and still do,” she says. “We see the whole range from kids to grandparents coming together to enjoy it.”

Some people come from great distances to attend. “This is probably our biggestdraw event, so people will travel for it,” she says.

“By the turnout, I think it’s very important (to the community); it gives people that first taste of spring for the year.”

Satellite Records

By Richard Martinovich

Remember hanging out in your local record shop, spending hours thumbing through stacks of vinyl records, and scouring over the latest albums from your favorite musicians and bands!

Satellite Records is that record shop you remember, or never forgot. You may still be adding to your collection, and Satellite Records has everything to compliment your music tastes.

Satellite Records has over 10,000 records; new and used vinyl LPs, classics from jazz, rock, folk, classical and soul; CDs, cassette tapes. Flipping through crates of vinyl albums will take you back! Perhaps you can replace the treasured record you lost. Satellite will special order for you!

“Several years ago, a customer asked for a record we hadn’t carried,” recalls owner Mike Evans. “No one on staff heard of Mort Garson’s Plantasia. “When we got it and listened, we all liked it. The album became popular with customers, and I still order copies of it!”

Satellite Records is located in the Vine Business District, an area that had a vibrant past life as a record store hub, with names like Second Go Around and Music Exchange. Satellite inhabits the old Sounds Unlimited storefront.

Vinyl albums were works of art; creative and colorful. You could hold them, and admire the cover and back, maybe even read the lyrics! The Beatles Sgt. Pepper broke ground with printed lyrics on the album. John Lennon, however, preferred 45s, reasoning you might only like one song on an album! Satellite Records has hundreds of 45s. If you still have your jukebox, you can fill it up!

Vinyl has made a comeback and Satellite Records is the place for Record Store Day (April 22), the annual event that celebrates independent record stores and features exclusive releases.

In 2021, Satellite launched an on-line company with select favorites.

Satellite Records will buy your used vinyl, and is the ultimate source for “crate diggers” – record enthusiasts -- in Michigan!

808 S. Westnedge, Kalamazoo

HEALTHYLIVING:

March is National Cheerleading Month.

Yes, there really is such a thing.

And while there’s just a tiny portion of the population that this specifically addresses – those super athletic, spry, and spirited young people ready to spring into action in the shape of a pyramid or a series of cartwheels down the football field, there just might be something relevant and inspiring for the rest of us side-line sitters to celebrate, too!

First, what is cheerleading? One web definition (thank you Wikipedia) is “an activity wherein the participants cheer for their team as a form of encouragement.”

How about the kind of cheerleading we do to build morale in our relationships? The family? The workplace? The neighborhood? And our communities? We might not be doing actual handstand flips down the 50-yard line, but proverbially speaking, flag flying and cartwheeling is part of the enthusiastic support we give our friends, family, co-workers and leaders to help motivate, inspire and lead into action. Of course, there are much more subtle tactics, too. But all styles can be equally effective in inspiring others and cheering them on to giving their personal best.

Every day, we’re given opportunities to cheerlead others. To boost morale. To advocate. To give a voice to the voiceless. Maybe this month, we pay a little closer attention to the cheerleaders in our circles and give them an “atta girl” or a fist bump. Perhaps we might even look for ways we can be the more active cheerleaders, ourselves.

LIFT OTHERS WITH INSPIRING WORDS AND DEEDS

This time of year, in the Midwest especially when sunlight is infrequent and the winter blues affect a lot of us, a “shout out” of encouragement that reaches the intended’s ears can go a long way in helping to build emotional strength and a more positive outlook. Know someone who has situational depression suffering from personal loss? Send them a word of encouragement – a text, an email – snail mail, too! Today, it’s easy to send an “I’m thinking of you” message. How about the stranger in the checkout line, a young mother managing the grocery cart, her wallet, and three littles under the age of five? Cheer her on to the next thing on her list with a supportive smile and “you’re doing a great job!” And how about the person at the gas station who asks us for extra change or a cigarette? How can we lift him with a caring word? Or a caring smile? Cheer him on to the next thing. Follow up with an act of kindness.

RAISE A SPIRIT FLAG FOR YOUR FAVORITE CAUSE AND GIVE

When we align our values with initiatives for good, we can accomplish great things. Having causes we believe in and ultimately support has exponential positive impact that can help individuals, groups, communities small and large. The first step can be to share the good news about a program or organization that we know to make a difference by our own experiences or others’. When we take up the flag for a community initiative, we are rallying for change, and communicating to our friends and neighbors that we are behind efforts that are making a positive impact. Be able to speak with conviction for your favorite cause(s). Follow up with your time and treasure.

DO A CARTWHEEL AND REPEAT

Okay – maybe that’s a little over-the top. But the point here is that acts of encouragement to those around us and taking up causes we believe in are the cheerleading opportunities in the arena of life. When we speak words of encouragement, or support that favorite cause, don’t stop there. Do it again. And Again. And again.

So, get your pom-poms out– figuratively speaking, of course. Let’s make some noise and do good wherever we can.

Vicky Kettner is the Association Director of Marketing, Community Relations, and Member Engagement for the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo.

Movie Reviews

Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical film

The Fabelmans plays as a sort of Rosetta Stone for the legendary director’s filmography. Attending his first motion picture with his parents, a young Sam Fabelman obsesses over a sequence in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth. Instead ofor in spite of - a traumatic effect, the scene’s impact leads to its recreation in Sam’s first 8mm film. His growing interest in filmmaking is encouraged by his mother, a frustrated musician (Michelle Williams, carefully balancing the character’s whimsical and anxious nature). His father, an electronics genius (Paul Dano, whose straight-laced performance may not register as acting), encourages his son’s new passion only as a hobby. Sam’s response to this push-pull dynamic is intensified by a visit from an estranged family member (a tour-de-force turn from Judd Hirsch), who makes it clear that “art will tear” the budding creator’s “heart out”. As his father’s increasingly lucrative job offers uproot the family every few years, Sam (Gabriel LaBelle, perfectly capturing the pangs of adolescence) hones his craft. Family scandal and school rivalries deepen the emotional core of his works, presaging the spirit of the real director’s big-screen masterpieces. Subtle callbacks to earlier films, loving close-ups of mid-20th century film equipment, and a surprise cameo during an all-time great closing sequence make The Fabelmans one of Spielberg’s most compelling movies, its raw honesty and love of life producing a touchstone of an already fabled career. –

Submitted by Karl Knack

The Menu

Skewering the obscenely wealthy in the name of sociallyminded satire is a tale as old as time, but recently, we’ve had something of an embarrassment of riches in that regard. From big screen entrees such as Ruben Östland’s Triangle of Sadness to HBO’s delicious The White Lotus and even Rian Johnson’s lukewarm Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, it does seem so be some-

Mylod’s The Menu. Given the title and subject matter, it would be tempting to assume this eat-the-rich tale might take that call to action literally, but Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) is not the type to make his point by serving up human protein at his ultra-elite island restaurant, Hawthorne. As the evening progresses course by ostentatious course, the true meaning behind Slowik’s carefully crafted menu is gradually revealed to his hand-picked clientele. Slowik’s meticulous planning is upset, however, by Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) who arrives as a last-minute substitute date on the arm of a particularly obnoxious quasi-intellectual foodie, much to the consternation of the Hawthorne staff. As a satire, The Menu takes careful aim at the artist/patron relationship and the thematic disconnect that often exists therein, and while the tale that unfolds is certainly a harrowing one, those with a stronger stomach will find plenty to laugh at. – Submitted by Patrick Jouppi

Tar

Actress Cate Blanchett gives an electric, tour de force performance in Todd Field’s Tar (2022). Blanchett plays the imperious Lydia Tar, an exceedingly accomplished symphony conductor who has seemingly done it all. At the beginning of the film, we see the imposing Tar preparing to conduct and record Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. As Field’s, precise, skillful study of Tar’s complicated character unfolds, some audiences will see a calculating, master-manipulator who wields her power over those within her orbit in unscrupulous ways. Others may see Lydia as a victim of one-sided, internet-driven character assassination based upon rumor and unsubstantiated hearsay. Some audiences will embrace Field’s intentionally vague storytelling, seeing a mixing of the two threads moving back and forth between Tar’s enigmatic, multi-layered persona. Yet, as the story of Tar’s fall proceeds, Field’s impeccable film resists lazy binaries and clear-cut answers, instead it amplifies ambiguity, even going so far as to playfully raise questions about the trustworthiness of the narrative itself. – Submitted by Ryan Gage

Reviews submitted by Ryan Gage. These great titles and others are available at the Kalamazoo Public Library.

The Tastiest Sign of Spring

By Kimberly Zewatsky Kalamazoo Nature Center

Early signs of spring in the forest include the flowering of the yellow trout lily, the distinctive ‘peter-peter-peter’ whistle from the tufted titmouse bird, and, if you step deep in the forest, you just might see sap collection buckets or bags hanging from sugar maple trees.

The sugar maple, (Acer saccharum) is the major source of sap for making maple syrup. The tree can be found from regions ranging from northern Ontario to southern Tennessee, and Minnesota to Vermont. But, only about 10 states, Michigan included, have significant production capabilities with Vermont being the maple syrup king.

The process of gathering enough sap to produce syrup is labor intensive and tedious. Although, maple species

such as the red, silver and Norway maple can be tapped, their sugar content is not as high as the sugar maple. The ideal time for tapping all begins when the temperature rises above freezing during the day and falls below freezing at night. These conditions trigger the sap to begin to flow up the tree. When the holes are drilled into mature trees, spouts are inserted into the trunks and bags, or buckets hang below to begin to collect the sap. All the containers filled with sap are then boiled, the water evaporates and what’s left is the concentrated syrup. A healthy tree can produce a gallon of sap a day. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. The process can render a variety of hues concentrations and tastes.

The origins of maple sugaring, (the practice of making maple syrup from sap) are steeped in tradition. Europeans first learned the practice from Native peoples and Indigenous

tribes. It’s unclear what tribe first discovered maple sugaring; however, it is known that native peoples collected sap in hollowed out logs. Maple wood was also used to make tools and furniture, and its bark was used as medicine.

The tradition of maple sugaring has been celebrated by the Kalamazoo Nature Center for close to 60 years. This year, the annual Maple Sugar Festival will be held on Saturday, March 11, 9am-5pm.

While the practice has been going strong at KNC for over a half a century, sadly there may not be a Maple Sugar Festival exactly as we know it two or more generations from now. Research indicates climate change is a real threat to the future of healthy forests, in particular KNC’s sugar bush area, a beech-maple forest filled primarily with maple trees. Forest restoration began in that area several years ago after the emerald ash borer, a deadly invasive insect, wreaked havoc killing most of the ash trees. This left an enormous number of dead trees and holes in the forest’s canopy making room for even other invasive species.

If that clean-up wasn’t enough, the KNC land management team is charged with the further task of combating the insidious elements

of climate change.

“We expect it to be warmer here in Michigan in future generations because of climate change, “said Jessica Simons, Vice President of Conservation Stewardship at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.

What if, in the worst-case scenario, sugar maples die off because of climate change? In an effort to prevent that from happening, the strategy includes genetic diversity by bringing in sugar maple trees from a region a little further south of Kalamazoo. “We sought trees from Indianapolis thinking that the particular genes of those trees may actually be better adapted for the future warmer conditions in Michigan.”

Simons added, ‘It’s been a fun experiment. We don’t have the perfect model. We are doing our best with hopes that in one to two generations into the future, people at the (Kalamazoo) Nature Center will benefit from choices we made now.”

Sugar bush restoration continues this fall. Volunteers are always welcomed. Simons enthusiastically concludes, “Get out and get your hands in the dirt. It feels really good to plant trees”.

Visit

After a long, cold winter, new life is beginning to emerge around us, bringing a sense of nature’s reawakening.

By Steve Ellis

A few weeks ago, I headed up to Grand Ledge to visit my Uncle John, my dad’s older brother who is 93.

After spending many years taking I-69, when heading northeast across the state to the Waterford area to visit my family, I decided to to head north on M-66 out of Battle Creek.

Tales road FROM THE

~ M-66 ~ Michigan’s Route 66

trains one day (trains didn’t travel at night) to reach Nashville from either the Jackson or Grand Rapids terminals. Prior to 1920, trains had stopped in Hastings overnight. These “stop-overs” required a hostler to tend the locomotives while the train crew spent the night in town. A hostler was

M-66 runs from the Indiana state line to Charlevoix in the north and is the only state highway to run the northsouth distance of the Lower Peninsula. It is 273 miles in length.

Nashville is 28 miles north of Battle Creek. My only previous trip to Nashville was for a Jerry Lee Lewis concert in June 1984 at Sandyland Park. Sandyland opened in the 1970’s and over the years, legendary performers including: The Everly Brothers, Chubby Checker, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Carl Perkins played there. It had been closed for many years but reopened in 2016. The first settlers came to Nashville in 1836 and the community remained nameless until1869. In 1866, the chief engineer, Garaudus Nash, for the Grand River Valley Railroad began a survey for a route from Jackson to Grand Rapids and suggested that his name be used, and without objection, the community was named Nashville. Beginning in 1920, Nashville was used as the half-way stopping point between the Jackson and Grand Rapids railroad terminals. It took the

originally a term for those who tended to the horses at night when travelers stopped at inns with their horses and carriages. As this mode of transportation changed, those who guided the trains into service areas at night and checked them over, also became known as hostlers. In 1920, Nashville became the stop-over point and the hostler’s job was moved to Nashville. Just south of Nashville, I passed MOOville Creamery. I stopped there a few summers ago with Jackie and her grandkids for some great ice cream and the fun farm and animal petting

zoo. They offer homemade ice cream and dairy products and self guided tours for a small fee. For the second year in a row, MOO-Ville has been recognized for having the best ice cream in America by The North American Ice Cream Association. The Creamery is open year round and the petting zoo is open April-October.

I passed the Corner Kettle Cafe, Shirley’s Chuckwagon Cafe and the R & D Pizzeria in town but did not stop on this trip.

Ten miles north of Nashville is Vermontville, with a population of about 750.

It is home to the oldest Maple Syrup Festival in Michigan . The Festival,

other maple treats, such as maple syrup cotton candy, which is popular with the kids.

The weekend offers something for everyone - carnival rides, a talent show, arts and crafts, a flea market, two parades, a petting zoo, a princess pageant, various displays, games, free entertainment, a pancake derby, and arm wrestling.

On the way into town, I noticed a sign that read, Welcome to the Village of Vermontville, Home of Ken Beardslee, National High School Baseball Strike Out Champion. In the late 1940’s, Beardslee compiled an unbelievable high school pitching record of 24-1, with eight no hitters and two perfect games! He had several good years in the minor leagues but never made it to the majors.

which began in 1940, is held the last full weekend in April. Local syrup producers are found throughout the village, selling syrup, candies and

Downtown Vermontville has a handful of interesting old buildings, including the 1896 Vermontville Opera House. The opera house auditorium was wellused for dances, lectures, plays, musical performances, and Vaudeville over the past several decades. The lower level now holds the town library. These towns are just a sampling of the many wonderful small towns along this historic highway. Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure next month.