Dear friends,
As my wife and I are getting older, we have found it a necessity to live frugally. We recycle like many people do now, and we consume much less than we once did. We have become content with fewer goods, and fewer services. Now, it makes more sense than ever to live within our limits. You might think that life is drudgery, to live without luxury. But you'd be wrong. Life is enriched.
This is where our Rail Trail comes in. It is a luxury in the sense that there is so much that we can learn from a hike around our fair city and our grand countryside. It changes each and every day.
Betty and I have had the rare opportunity of taking a camping trip with our oldest son, Derick, his wife Krista, and their sons, Andrew, Tristan, and Derick Jr., or DJ: as we all call him. We went to a very-favorite spot along the backwaters of the Manestee River.
As the price of gasoline has increased, we have taken fewer camping trips that require hauling our travel trailer a long distance. The backwaters of the Manestee River have been a favorite place for the last 30 years in our family. Our kids have grown up with an appreciation for the natural things that a simple life affords. We now focus our outdoor adventures closer to home.
Purple Loosestrife
Those of you who live near the Bay City State Recreation Area, might remember a campaign to rid the area of purple loosestrife; an aggressive, foreign invader that arrived in eastern North America in the early 1800's. Loosestrife is deadly to wetland ecosystems: choking out natural plants. Several years ago, a beetle was introduced in the area that loves to eat purple loosestrife. The hungry little bugs seemed to have removed all signs of plant. But, this year, purple loosestrife is back, with a vengeance. We hadn't seen but a few loosestrife blooms last year on our daily tour of the area. Now they seem to be proliferating at an alarming rate.
A field of loosestrife in a field that had been
burned just this last spring to kill the plants.
Barb Morrisette, Visitor's Center, State Recreation Area.
I stopped in at the visitor center and talked with one of the DNR workers about the problem. Barb Morisette has worked for the DNR at the Bay City Recreation Area for 8 years. She explained the program, and seemed to think that the problem was cyclic. She did not know if, or when beetles would again be introduced to the area. She was very helpful in locating written information concerning the loosestrife problem. We will keep you posted as far as any new developments are concerned.
Meanwhile, learn to identify the plant. If you see any purple loosestrife on your property, pull it up with as many roots as possible. Then, burn the plant and its roots. For further information, contact: Michigan Sea Grant at www.miseagrant.org/pp/.
If you haven't seen the visitor center recently, or the natural history museum there, it would serve you well to mark a time in your calender to see the creativity and the expertise that have gone into this exceptional place.
If you are a new-comer to the Rail Trail, and you ride a bicycle, there are a few things you should know about trail etiquette:
You need a bell for your bike. Use the bell whenever you come up behind other people moving in the same direction. Then, if you wish to pass, just say: “Passing on the left.”
Also, use your bell when you approach a blind driveway.
Keep to the right of the trail if there are other people present.
The Pere Marquette Rail Trail has listed some other points of trail etiquette, but I don't remember what they were. Help me. If anyone has information on events, or on the history of anything that pertains to the Rail Trail system in Bay County, Michigan, please email me at boggdweller@yahoo.com.
A doe and her fawn, along the trail.
I stopped in to Country Drugs, on State Park Drive, on Friday, August 23, and talked to the owner, Marty Howard. Marty has owned the store for 23 years. There has been a drug store on the site, since 1947.
Marty Howard, owner of Country Drugs
As it turned out, Marty and I had a mutual acquaintance. I asked him if he knew Bud Demmick, who had owned Bay View Stables, back in the 60's. Bay View Stables was located directly across from where Bay Cafe' now stands; not more than 50 yards to the north of Country Drugs. Bud Demmick rented horses and was always a pleasant person to talk to as he continuously cleaned up the horse manure. I related to Marty that I had skipped classes in my elementary school days, hiked from the south end, and spent the day talking with Bud, back in the early 60's. I rode Bud's horses on more than one occasion. I remember how tentative the horses were when you left the stable, and how eager they were, once you headed them back toward the stables. At the time, there were very few houses and many dirt paths to ride your rented horse undisturbed; just to the east of State Park Drive. Marty remembered Bud well, as did one of his employees. I don't think I have ever talked to anyone who didn't like Bud Demmick.
Country Drugs is one of a very few independent drug stores left in Bay County. I asked Marty if the recent proliferation of new drug stores, (that seemed to pop up overnight), had hurt his business. He answered that he hadn't felt much of an impact. But, that the mail-order business was what had really made an impression. He said his prices are very competitive when compared to the franchised pharmacies. In fact, Marty says that he has plans to expand his business to double the size in the next few months.
I have been a customer of Country Drugs since Betty and I first moved into Bangor Township, in 1996. When I was a massage therapist, I wrote a monthly newsletter for an eight year period, and usually bought the stamps for my monthly newsletter there. I like the homey, friendly feel of the place.
Since Country Drugs is located right on the Rail Trail, I asked Marty if the Rail Trail had had any impact on his business. He answered that he could see the difference in the sales of drinks and snacks since the trail opened. He expressed a great amount of enthusiasm for his coming expansion to his pharmacy, and for the future of our Rail Trail. He says he is also considering putting a bike rack up in front of the place when he expands. He will also expand his product line, and his hours of operation.
We wish the very best for Marty Howard and his friendly people at Country Drugs.
The Trail
This passive, palomino and I have seen each other
frequently this summer. He seems to affirm the
fact that there really isn't any need to hurry.
In our last letter, we left you in front of Tri-City RV and Yooperville Pasties, on Patterson Road.
We now cross east Wilder, and follow the big curve until the trail is parallel with Truman Blvd. Here you begin to feel the pulse of the Bay County's commerce. It is a change from the calm and quiet of the countryside. The four lanes of traffic are heading either to the Bay City Mall, or into Bay City itself.
On our left, we pass Dore Enterprises. Art Dore is a local entrepreneur who is nationally known for his Tough Man Competitions. SC Johnson Company is next. Their neatly groomed exterior attests to the fact that they are a successful company. After a quarter-mile stretch, we reach the light at the foot of Independence Bridge. Here, we cross Truman Blvd, to the right, and into a continuation of Marquette Industrial Park.
Gougeon Brothers, Interstate Battery, and Wirt Stone Dock are some of the businesses along the Saginaw River on our left. There are high mountains of gravel, and heavy trucks moving about the dock area. Giant Great Lakes freighters pull up here and drop off their cargo via conveyor. The neat homes of the Banks area are on our right. There is a neat, little pocket park on the right- well maintained and colorful.
The Marquette Street Pocket Park
We enter the Banks Business District. (continued in 2 weeks)
Some Quotable Thoughts
I've been in a sprint all of my life; racing here and there to do important deeds, and to acquire things of value. One day, I would have bought so many things, that there would be nothing but beautiful things all around me. One sunny morning, I picked up my field glasses, just to watch a pair of cardinals in a cherry tree. They were primping and preening themselves in the morning sun. What simple pleasure; to watch God's little creatures. I've stopped sprinting. Now I watch birds a lot. D.A. Boggdweller
Ah, dear nature, the mere remembrance, after a short forgetfulness, of the pine woods! I come to it as a hungry man to a crust of bread. Henry David Thoreau
Culinary Favorites
Over an eight-year period, I wrote a monthly newsletter titled “Feelin' Fine”. The newsletter included our favorite recipes. I have gone through these recipes and picked out some of my favorites.
Sweetcorn & Potato Chowder
This creamy, hearty, and substantial soup is high in fiber, and flavor. It's a favorite of ours. It's great served with thick, crusty home-made bread and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Makes a great cool, or cold-weather soup. Serves four.
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 medium-sized potato, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small green pepper, seeded, halved and sliced
2 tbs[ sunflower oil (I have also used olive oil)
2 tbsp butter
2 ½ cups vegetable stock or water
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 ¼ cups milk
1 x 7 oz can of Lima beans
1 x 11 oz can, whole corn kernels
Good pinch of dried sage
Method
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Put the onion, garlic, potato, celery and green pepper into a large saucepan with the oil and butter.
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Heat the ingredients until sizzling, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and sweat the vegetables gently for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
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Pour in the stock or water, season to taste and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
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Add the milk, beans and corn, including their liquors, and the sage. Simmer again for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and serve hot.
Source: The New Vegetarian Cookbook by Roz Denny
Music
Music has always been a part of our lives. Our children grew up while being exposed to all varieties of music. Music is a form of communication that is universal. I have a few favorite albums that aren't exactly in the mainstream of modern pop culture, that I would suggest you listen to, if you haven't already heard them:
Sarah Brightman, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection. This is one of those special albums that needs to be listened to, when you can give it your full attention. Sarah has the most incredibly, beautiful voice that I have ever heard. Andrew Lloyd Webber is the musical genius of our time.
Neck and Neck. Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler (of Dire Straits fame,) got together in 1990 and recorded this remarkable CD together. This is a great album to listen to while you are driving. Both of these men are great guitarists in their own right. Together, they make finger pickin' sound easy. To me, it's a real feel-good album.
If you have any comments, or ideas for Life Along the Trail, please contact me on line at:
boggdweller@yahoo.com.
