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Featured Blog Posts – November 2009 Archive (16)

Black Friday ~ Russ-Stick Style

No crowds.

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No shopping, no stores, no malls, no travel.

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No early sales. No gimmicks, no gizmos.

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No aggressive behavior...

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No biting...

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No pushing...or shoving.

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No stampede...

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For us, just a serene day at home.

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We… Continue

Added by Sherry Sutherby on November 26, 2009 at 11:22pm — No Comments

How to preserve land and reduce estate taxes

LandChoices interviews Tom Bailey about how conservation easements can reduce estate taxes on land you want to preserve and pass on to future generations.

A conservation easement, a legal tool used to permanently protect land, can be used to lower or eliminate estate taxes on land. This is explained in this second in a series of videos on conservation… Continue

Added by Kirt Manecke, Smile book on November 26, 2009 at 8:11am — No Comments

Gobble Gobble

Enjoy your bountiful day as you give thanks.

Until tomorrow ~ God willing,

Woodswoman

Added by Sherry Sutherby on November 25, 2009 at 6:29am — No Comments

Which Green Features Would You Choose?

Consumer interest has grown significantly over the years for homes that offer energy-efficiency and cost-savings — that also have minimal environmental impact on the earth. But will they pay for it?

According to a recent survey of more than 500 builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the answer is, not necessarily.

“Although we are seeing significant interest in green building, cost effectiveness is clearly a key concern among home buyers,” said NAHB… Continue

Added by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on November 23, 2009 at 11:50am — No Comments

Nordic Walking and Nordic Running During Deer Season

It is deer season here in northern Michigan and our favorite trails in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore are pretty much off limits.

During deer season we hit a local soccer or football field. After a casual warm-up of at least 4 laps with poles around the goal posts (200+ meters a lap) at Level 1. See the American Nordic Walking System for Level 1 description:…

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Added by NordicWalkingUSA on November 20, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Suttons Bay, Michigan, a Leelanau County Holiday Treat

Looking through my kitchen window of the Korner Kottage Bed and Breakfast is always a special treat this time of year. From that window, as the last rays of light melt away into darkness, all the glowing little Christmas lights in the distance, begin to light up the night time view. The twinkling little lights, on all the trees and in all the shop windows, invite diners, shoppers and passersby to stop, pause and take a closer look at what our little village has to offer..... especially this… Continue

Added by Linda Munro on November 20, 2009 at 8:21pm — No Comments

One thing I will not do on a radio show...

Recently I was asked to be a guest on WTCM talk radio. I had been a guest on radio shows plenty of times, so I kind of knew the drill, at least my end of it. I get introduced as a Spiritual Channel and Medium, the host explains that they are "trying something knew" and after I get asked a few basic questions about what I will be doing on the air, I jump right into taking calls and doing what I call "flash" readings, which are only about 1… Continue

Added by Jennifer Tavana on November 20, 2009 at 7:41am — No Comments

Join 1920's Samels Farm on Skegemog Point Rd in Williamsburg

Come join the farm. Be a 1920's farmer. Learn blacksmithing, draft horse plowing, rope making, wood stove cooking, quilting, planting, and all things old and wonderful. Become a farmer before electricity, tractors, running water, indoor plumbing, autos, etc. Be a part of this dynamic group. Help us teach 8th graders how to teach 4th graders about this American history. Contact me. I'll sign you up.

Added by Samels' Family Heritage Society on November 19, 2009 at 4:43pm — 2 Comments

FREE Knowledge: The Coffee Buzz Inside The CREMA Scene

Who knew that a Peaberry is a misfit coffee bean, growing as a solo seed within the coffee tree “cherry”? Or that one coffee tree only produces a pound of coffee? Have you ever seen a coffee bean (seed) before roasting? It’s green! By the way, what is the best roast for a Peaberry from Uganda – light, medium or dark? Did you know that light roasts have more caffeine than dark roasts? It makes sense when you think of the caffeine being roasted out the longer it roasts… These are only some of the… Continue

Added by Café CREMA on November 19, 2009 at 4:32pm — 4 Comments

Protect your land with a conservation easement

LandChoices interviews Tom Bailey, executive director of Little Traverse Conservancy. A conservation easement, a legal tool used to permanently protect land, is explained in this first in a series of videos on conservation easements.

Stay tuned for more short videos in this series explaining how conservation easements preserve water quality and nature from LandChoices… Continue

Added by Kirt Manecke, Smile book on November 19, 2009 at 6:06am — No Comments

The Simple Things

To be among power and greatness...

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To be the leader, if only for a moment...

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To see another farmer show the fruits of his toil...

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To encounter wisdom...

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To have a special tree, on which to lean your back...

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To experience wonder...

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To tease the senses...…

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Added by Sherry Sutherby on November 17, 2009 at 5:24am — 2 Comments

Movie: A Year In Mooring--filming in Traverse City, MI (updated November 30) Bonsai trees included!

b>Dean Bull, James Cromwell, Ayelet Zurer, with the hinoki--the Northwestern Michigan College logo tree (unofficial, so far)

Note: at the bottom of the page are numbers in squares--click on them to read more...

Sometimes good things just fall into your lap while you are simply minding your own business. It all started Friday morning, October 30, while I was just getting my work day started. I had just… Continue

Added by Dean Bull on November 12, 2009 at 2:00pm — 39 Comments

A Toast to the Season: Cheers to Wine Weekend Fun!

I love wine, so when the opportunity to enjoy a whole weekend of it presented itself, I gladly accepted and decided to make it a celebration. I invited my sister, cousin and best friend up to visit me for a girls weekend of wine tasting, laughter and cheers to one another! Being the organizer that I am, our tickets were purchased a month in advance and itinerary emails were sent weekly in excitement for another girls' trip. As the weekend approached, I emailed everyone with a final outline of… Continue

Added by Renee on November 11, 2009 at 10:35am — 1 Comment

Cruisin' Amish on the Blue Highways

I’m not sure when my fascination began.

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It’s like wondering when you began loving nature, or having a dog by your side.

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But I know I’ve always been fascinated.

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Mystified.

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If asked, my boys could remember back in their childhood and teen years, traveling through Amish country. I would give them a dime or quarter, and later, a dollar, to inform… Continue

Added by Sherry Sutherby on November 10, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments

What would YOU do for a cupcake?

I’ve never been a girl who excelled in sports. While other kids were playing basketball and softball, I was studying the dictionary for the next spelling bee. In 3rd grade, I was scheduled to run the 100 yard dash on Field Day and, right before the race, I fell from the monkey bars and had to disqualify myself because I had a stomach ache. Coincidence? Mmmmm….no. I was a cheerleader for awhile, but that’s not really a sport, right? Right leg out, left leg out. Two claps. Go team.

In… Continue

Added by The Happy Woman Store on November 7, 2009 at 7:48am — No Comments

Conservation Planning: "You'd never drain a lake..."

We asked LandChoices' advisory group member and conservation developer Ed Noonan, "What advice do you have for planning departments?" Watch the video to hear his answer.

Planners can use innovative conservation design for subdivisions to preserve water quality, natural areas, working farmland and wildlife.

But they have to… Continue

Added by Kirt Manecke, Smile book on November 5, 2009 at 10:17am — No Comments