Celebrating the 4th of July in Munising

Celebrating the 4^th of July in Munising

By Sharon Brunner 

Waking from a deep, restful slumber,

bogs of fog wove through the mist.

Bugs swatted, leaving behind slimy matter.

Smell of bacon wafted from the campsites.

Children laughing, playing with toys,

riding bicycles and pulling wagons .

Trailers pulled by diesel engines.

Clowns telling jokes, freely bantering.

Skin tan from the summer sun.

Assemble to watch war heroes marching.

School bands playing loudly for their audience,

ignoring the sweat gathering on their brows.

Stoic statues stand picturesque in the park.

Masses file through crowded streets,

to go to summer parties, paid by the reap

of this year’s earnings.

Is it sane to bane, what a sham, or is it?

A row of vendors selling their wares,

musicians citing words from favored songs. 

Uncle Don’s delicious homemade pies.

Aunt Donna said it’s time to grill,

Potato salad, beans, bratwurst, and hot dogs.

Cousins pat and form the burgers.

Corn on the cob, wrapped in foil.

Feeling like fatted hogs, eating heartily. 

Sitting around with family, memories cherished.

Find the core, turn the page, dear ones caring.
Laid on the grassy knoll, staring upward intently.

Brightly colored fireworks, smoke lingers.

It’s time to quit and call it a day.

Before retiring, enjoyed Diary Queen treats.

Another 4^th of July celebrated in the beautiful

town of Munising.

Hi Readers:  I wrote this poem by using words that were developed during the playing of an Up Words Game.  I challenge you to play a game of scrabble or Up Words and come up with a poem or a short story.  Sharon

Celebrating Sault Ste. Marie

I attended a presentation put on by Linda Hoath from the Economic Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  This organization works diligently to promote Sault Ste. Marie to foreign countries and all over the United States. She enhanced my pride of being a resident of Sault Ste. Marie (Sault).  A lot of people, especially younger people, are often saying there’s nothing to do in the Sault.  I am going to argue with that statement and add activities that Linda informed the Lake Superior Elders about.  There is plenty to do in the Sault.  If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you will find this area to be absolutely beautiful and entertaining. We have a large movie theatre, plenty of shopping and lots of restaurants. Tomorrow starts an anniversary celebration of the 50^th year that the international bridge was in existence.  There is going to be fireworks, the lighting of the bridge and other ceremonies to honor that anniversary.

My husband and I are going to attend a play entitled “Die a Stranger” at the Sault Theatre Project, an old theatre that a group of dedicated volunteers has worked diligently to restore.  They still have a way to go; but have definitely made a lot of progress.  The previous owners when they closed the theatre some time ago did not winterize the building by shutting off the water, etc. so things were in complete disarray after it was closed down.  After we see the play we are going to watch fireworks. 

Tomorrow Dennis Hale is going to speak at the Soo Locks Visitors Center. Since it is Engineers Day, the Cloverland Hydro Electric Plant is holding an open house.  I attended this open house last year and thoroughly enjoyed myself. There was a video, informational displays, and speakers informing the visitors about the history of the plant. The plant has been in operation for 110 years. They offer free hot dogs, popcorn and pop along with a whole host of vendors and lots of free stuff such as key rings, pens, etc.  The Coast Guard opens its doors for Engineers Day also. Part of the Engineers Day celebration and what happens annually, is the international bridge walk.  We participated in that walk last year and may do it this year. 

On Sunday, July 1^st, we may partake in a pancake breakfast aboard the barge Nostalgia.  The Canadian Fireworks are being held on that same day, actually during the evening. 

Weekly “Music in the Park” is held.  They have many bands and musicians playing music for the public from the Sault and surrounding areas.  I especially like to listen to Gentleman George’s band. 

The community offers a variety of activities depending on your interests.  As mentioned earlier I belong to a group entitled the “Lake Superior Elders.”  You only have to be 50 to join.  I have learned so much since I have joined and joining things like this elders group can help you feel connected to this community.  You can volunteer for various organizations.  I informed my blogger audience about the Rotary Club.  I volunteer at our local animal shelter and for various organizations associated with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.  There is so much to do that I have to pick and chose. Come join us in Sault Ste. Marie.

Happiness is a Choice

I have made this statement to others and personally follow this principle.  Happiness is a choice.  I say to myself “I love my life” even if things are not going so well for me.  When I tell myself over and over again that I am blessed, I feel blessed. I tell myself that I am not alone.  So therefore I am never alone. I was away from home for a couple of days helping someone in need. When I returned home I was greeted by a husband who missed me and a house full of pets. I am blessed.

Mastery of your own personal happiness takes effort.  Happiness is a state of well-being and contentment. It is easier to be sad and find fault with our lives.  People get so used to being unhappy that unhappiness becomes their norm.  If you force yourself to smile on a daily basis, smiling will become your norm. Feeling grateful for what you have is first step to happiness and then there needs to be humility, appropriate communication skills and a desire to control your need to obtain all your wants.  The recipe for happiness involves two parts of being grateful and not reaching for things beyond your reach plus two parts of not allowing things to bring you down.  You are in charge of your emotions.

We often practice feelings of lack instead of being grateful. We look at things we don’t have in our lives instead of being thankful for what we do have. If we choose to be enthusiastic about our lives, we will be able to overcome laziness.  We need to seek happiness like our life depends on it because it does.  Happiness and prayers have been known to cure illness or at least makes the illness more tolerable.  Happiness is the end result of thinking and behaving in a positive manner. Keep asking yourself how can I change this thought into a positive one. This book clearly delineates how to achieve happiness. When we are happy, we are able to cheer up others. 

Another barrier we need to overcome is our expectations of perfection which is counter- productive.  To master life satisfaction we have to challenge our counter-productive ways of thinking and consciously make an effort to convert our thoughts to positive productive thoughts. Selfish happiness and frivolity are considered a fault in character and represents a badge of shame.  When we have more things in our lives, we end up with less control of our lives.  We have to fight the urges to have more things in our lives, especially the things we don’t really need.

I  examine the good and bad things in my life and look for the lessons and blessings with each and every one of these circumstances.  I believe that when something bad happens that causes discomfort, we are being taught a lesson.  When good things happen to us it is the universe giving us blessings.  Either way, good or bad, there are good things that can come out of every situation.  The terrible 911 situation brought alot of people together to help those negatively effected by this disaster.  I have suffered many losses in my life; but at the same time things have come into my life to fill those voids. 

Last night I was at the Chippewa County Animal Control Shelter getting  to know more of the cats that have a temporary residence at the shelter.  They are all looking for a good permanent home.  Many of the cats are sweet, loving and fun to be around.  I sit on the floor and they come to me for attention.  When I walk in the front room where the cats are displayed in cages, the manager stated they know I am here.  Most of the cats were trying to get my attention.  At the shelter, I meet with many of the cats to conduct interviews.  I complete bios that are presented on the front of their cages and on petfinder.com.  I work with socializing the cats and both my husband and I work with cats who demonstrate behavioral problems so they can become more adoptable. We have experienced a lot of success stories.  Another worker made the same statement that the manager made and I told him "believe it or not they do more for me than I could ever do for them." Part of how I fill my tank is by being in their presence. 

I serve as a chairperson for the Lake Superior State Elders which leads me to feel that same way. On June 13, 2012 the annual luncheon was held.  What I witnessed was a room full of people who enjoyed being in each others' company.  Again, I was getting my tank filled.  We need to get our tank filled with all these heart warming moments.  I don't look at my role as a responsibility; I look at my role as chairperson as an opportunity.  Volunteering is very good for the soul. 

Take time to count your blessings.  They are plentiful.  Perhaps you have to be thankful for the small things at first such as you have a roof over your head, actually not a small thing.  When I was attending a sociology class working on my undergraduate degree, one of my professors stated that she thinks the poorest people are those who don’t have a home. When I struggle to get comfortable in bed at night, I think about the poor people living in boxes that are placed on cement sidewalks. I am reminded how lucky I am.  I soon fall fast asleep.  Happiness is a choice.

 

An Outdated Elaborate Mating Ritual

The mating ritual I am referring to are weddings.  I attended one recently and was amazed at all the expense involved in such an event.  The bride wore white as do others who are living together.  I viewed on Facebook a wedding event that involved a son who was only a few months old, a three year old, with their mother dressed in white and her new spouse.  Is it a good idea to wait until a few children are born before tying the knot?  Is it crucial to get married for the sole purpose of procreating? What do you think?  A lot of brides are wearing white which is a symbol of purity even though they have been living together and perhaps already have children.  Is there a rule for men?  Should they have to wear white also to prove that they are pure or have the purest plans in mind for their betrothed?  I question these customs.  Granted the white overpriced dress does make most women look really nice; however what is the real message? 

I am also aware of a situation in which the parents of the bride refinanced their home to pay for their daughter’s wedding.  Another couple is so far in debt they won’t see daylight from that burden for many years and they are spending excessive amounts on their wedding.  What’s with this wedding craze in a country with such high divorce rates?  I too had a big Catholic wedding with 300 people in attendance, my first wedding. A big elaborate wedding does not insure success. I am married to my second husband and we flew off to Vegas to tie the knot. 

In the past with traditional people, the man would approach the parents of the woman he was interested in and ask for her hand.  He would present a deer or other game to the parents to prove that he could provide for his wife and future children.  If the parents approved of this mate for their daughter, the parents gave their blessings and the couple would go off by themselves to consummate their marriage. If the couple’s relationship did not work out, the wife would place the husband’s belongings outside the hut and that was the end of the relationship.  They did not have to hire expensive lawyers to divide their belongings, deal with child custody, and other legal issues. I paid over $2000. to terminate my first marriage. Weddings and divorces appear to be a big scam. 

The way the media portrays women sets up this country for high divorce rates.  Almost every time you turn on the television, there is a woman who is scantily clad or she is cleaning to advertise some cleaning product.  Do you ever see a man cleaning up after himself?  I honestly feel that there is a conspiracy between the wedding businesses, lawyers and the media. Have you priced wedding rings lately?  What is the going rate for a lawyer?

What I see often are women marrying men because of and not in spite of.  Men be weary of women who marry you because of.  In the end it will end up costing you a lot.  These women marry you because of what they think you are going to give them; children, large houses, fancy cars, etc.  They don’t marry you for you.  Most of the time what happened to end these marriages was the man finally started telling her no to some of her demands. 

In order to avoid making a mating selection mistake we need to examine what we have learned from the classrooms of our childhood. Examine these classrooms.  When I refer to classrooms, I mean our family of origin. Some of our childhood learning institutions may include manipulators, people who place the responsibility of their feelings onto their children and others around them. During these pertinent early learning experiences is when most of our learning occurs for future relationships. I often say to someone in my life, “I’m not packing for that guilt trip.”  History will repeat itself if lessons are not learned from past mistakes.

Also be aware that romantic love can be wrought with jealousy, aggression, and madness. This is the result of the ownership associated with loving someone else.  I tell my husband that I go away sometimes so I will like him more.  You can’t spend all your spare time with your spouse. Your spouse will eventually get on your nerves. You need to give each other space.  You need to have some separate interests. Remember all mates come from different backgrounds and were raised with different values.  There are going to be difficulties and struggles.  It’s a given.

My barometer when I was in the market for a second husband consisted of:  he must love children and animals, everything else can be worked out.  He does love children and animals.  He was the first man who melted me when he kissed me.  However, we both have experienced feelings of jealousy, aggression, and sometimes madness because of the love we feel for each other. 

To get back to the point, men be weary of women who want to marry you because of and everybody be aware of wedding and lawyer scams and the harmful effects of the media. Avoid being involved in a scam by making sound decisions about who you want to spend the rest of your life with.  Why do you need that expensive wedding dress, and the other elaborate wedding expenses? If you are in love, you’re in love.  Save your money for the wee ones you are going to bring into the world.  Ask your parents to help you with child expenses instead of expensive weddings. Raising children is not cheap.  If children are not your gig, go on a nice vacation. 

Sun Watchers

On Friday, June 8^th, 2012 I had an opportunity to visit a SunWatch Indian Village.  The reconstructed village is located next to the Great Miami River in Dayton, Ohio.  I thought the name of the village was interesting and during the tour I discovered why the village was named SunWatch which was originally named the Fort Ancient Native American Village.  Some of the prehistoric materials were discovered by recreational discovers during the 1960s. Professional companies began excavation in 1971 as an effort to establish a salvage undertaking.  The city was planning on using the area for a sewage treatment plant. With the discovery of artifacts and the remains of a fortified village, the city decided to preserve this site. Excavations continued to be conducted until 1988 except for additional smaller studies. 

It was discovered that walls were constructed around the village which created a fortress to protect the villagers from hostile attacks.  The villagers were farmers, mainly the women, planted and harvested vegetables while the men hunted wild game.  Huts with thatch roofs were located around the perimeter of the circular village of a total population of 250.  A large hut was constructed to hold council meetings.  Inside the inner circle of the village, the members of the village with higher status were buried with significant artifacts while villagers of lesser status were buried closer to the huts. 

Past history portrays a vast scientific knowledge demonstrated by traditional people.  Ancient Mayans developed a numerical system based on zero and ten.  The villagers from this ancient settlement established an agricultural system based on the location of the sun by utilizing astrological methods.  The large portion of an imaginary triangle was extended from a roof top, an observatory site, and the point of the shape extends to a small location.  When the sun shines at the point of the triangle, it is time to harvest the three sisters; corn, squash, and beans.   Their planting rituals were based on the solar calendar.

I walked around the site exploring the huts, the gardens, dance arena, and other artifacts.  The villagers used all parts of nature from deer bones to gourds to provide for their daily needs.  The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery located on the same property was filled with interesting artifacts and historical data.  I watched a video about the practices of the Fort Ancient Native Americans, very interesting.  Many children were exploring the site while I was there.  Site experts were explaining some of the aspects of the Fort Ancient Native Americans such as how many people lived in each hut, from 10 to 12 people as well as what the gourds were used for such as the containment of water.  There were signs depicting historical data and other things that were occurring during specific time periods around the world.  For a small fee of $5.00 I learned a lot about the Native American inhabitants who lived a long time ago in what is now the Dayton area.

Rotarians

I attended a Lake Superior Elders presentation covering activities and services associated with the Rotary Club in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. The presentation was provided by Tom Ewing.  I could tell he was a little nervous at first because he was replacing a speaker that was originally scheduled and following in her footsteps could be intimidating for anyone.  Betsy Demaray is currently suffering from some rather serious medical problems.  Betsy has successfully climbed the ladder within the Rotary Club structure by her diligent efforts.  Tom referred to her as an overachiever.  Betsy is now filling a position for the Rotary Club at the international level, very impressive.  I was simply amazed to learn about all the services and activities that the Rotary Club was involved in and the dedicated participation of its members.

The first Rotary Club was organized in Chicago, in 1905, by Paul P. Harris, a young lawyer.  He had a vision of a group of individuals comprised of business and professional men, a club where members might recapture the true meaning of community, associated with comradeship and friendliness.  The way things use to be.  When a neighbor needed help constructing a barn on his property, the neighbors would get together to help him with this project. 

The term Rotary was derived from the concept of rotating meetings in different locations.  The first meeting was held on February 23, 1905.  The goal was to expand the small town, community mindset to around the world.  The group had in mind that membership would include one active member from each business or profession and this concept became the cornerstone of Rotary.  The Rotary Club in the Sault began January 1, 1919.

Women were first officially allowed to become members in 1989.  The U.S. was the first country to allow women to become members.  Although allowed to, not all countries permit women to become members. 

The Rotary Gear (the Rotary insignia), affixed to lapels of men and women around the world, is a wheel with six spokes, twenty-four cogs, and a keyway.  This identifies one as a Rotarian.  Today, 1.2 million business and professional executives belong to 30,000 Rotary Clubs on six continents. I reviewed the booklet describing the Rotary Club in Sault Ste. Marie and I think most types of businesses and professional  were represented.  Part of the requirements of maintaining a membership is to ensure that your attendance is exemplary.   The way it appears the group in the Sault meets weekly and if you cannot attend you are still required to pay for your meal.  A set cost for the meal is arranged.  There are breakfast meetings and nighttime meetings to meet the needs of its members.  The restaurant must be giving some of their proceeds to the club. Members must pay their dues on time. 

Herbert J. Taylor, born in Pickford, MI, and attended high school in Sault Ste. Marie developed the Four Way Test.  This test was adopted by the Rotary Club as a guide for business and for living.  Here it is:

1.        Is it the truth?

2.       Is it fair to all concerned?

3.       Will it build good will and better friendships?

4.       Will be beneficial to all concerned?

I strongly support this way of thinking.  Also, what impressed me were the goals of Rotary International.  They want to eliminate Polio around the world.  The club has provided through extensive fund raising efforts millions of vaccines.  Betsy has traveled all over the world and has met with children and their families from third world countries.  She told a story, via a video, about a little girl who hung out at the local dump to find food and other things she needed.  Lots of children visited this dump on a regular basis.  Betsy became more acquainted with this girl.  And Betsy stated that when you model things perhaps your children and grandchildren will pick up on this and follow in your footsteps.  Her granddaughter gave Betsy this beautiful red dress to give to this little girl.  When Betsy traveled to that county she was able to meet with that girl again and gave her the dress.  This story brought tears to my eyes, how touching. 

Before attending this presentation, I didn’t know a lot about the Rotary Club.  In fact, it didn’t get my attention at all to tell you the truth.  Now that I know there is a program out there with their philosophies I feel a sense of hope.  Betsy told a story again via video about supervising a date for one of her grandchildren and her date. Betsy picked them up from the movie theater and was driving them to their homes.  It was so quiet that she felt she had to bring up some small talk to break the silence.  When it was only her granddaughter in the car, Betsy asked if there was anything wrong.  Her granddaughter replied “no, we were texting each other.”  Technology has provided us with connection to people all over the world; however we are more alone than we have ever been.