At the Pub - Scary Event

Searching the Internet for any pro republican article, I finally found one despite a close race. The sentiment is like finding a kindred soul out there in the darkness. Normally, I’m an independent voter. But I’m really anxious about the current administration, and would like to stop the direction we’re set upon as a nation, so I'm trending toward the Republican ticket.

 A stop at the pub after shopping highlighted the post Memorial Day change of atmosphere. Halloween is still a way off, but around here, it always seems to surface earlier, symbolically. The bulk of the tourists have closed up camp. In turn, the atmosphere at my favorite pub gets a more intimate feeling with familiarity between the localsI like the bartender at Waldo’s. He’s from a nice generation. Maybe he’s the one who attracts the interesting people who gather there. Teddy even goes so far as to arrange seating for people who he thinks will enjoy a conversation together.

Last night Teddy brought an elderly fellow to talk to me. A lonely widower, Alexander had a lot to say about his life. His father was a German immigrant who had served in WWI. I perked up my ears to hear about his childhood wondering whether anti Semitism existed during his father’s time. I got the answer by end of the conversation. Anti Semitism spilled over to racism in Alexander’s case. (An entire theory evolved from this conversation, and it goes to waves of dangerous fanaticism throughout history.)

This elderly man from Parma bantered how the blacks should have been sent back to Africa upon the victory of the Civil War. Alexander went on to explain that the assassination of Abraham Lincoln conspired due to abolition of slavery 

He put in plain words the reason he believes the U.S. economy is bad. The people who have money are hoarding it he related. All of this money-hiding is due to our current president’s racial background. The result is that big money is frozen in Caymen Island and other foreign banks rather than circulating here in the U.S. according to his philosophy. He projected that the bleak financial state of affairs will remain as long as there’s a black president.

A complaint that I voiced about an insanely dumb article in the “Sandusky Register” is what motivated the old man’s dialog.

“I’ve had it with the bias of the news on the internet, and now this local publication!” I ranted with the newspaper Teddy had provided me in hand.

“Don’t you know the liberal press is the reason for the black president?” Alexander queried. And then I got the whole bleak picture.

I should have gotten away from this bigot, but a momentary strange fascination came over me. I wanted to discover how or what could make someone’s mind so twisted and predatory. I thought of the impressionistic works of the artist who went to an insane asylum and painted portraits of people there. I also wanted clues to look for these characteristics concerning who’s running for president.

The Hitleresque dialog was way more extreme than the horribly incompetent article in the Sandusky Register. This bimbo’s writing actually paled by comparison to the dialog before me now. Yet the outlook of her article is only a lesser degree of the same intent as this racist. Spooky.

To the Sandusky news rag’s credit, I will say that I realize the circulation goes down after Memorial Day when the tourists close up camp. The Register had no other choice than to buy a cheap article from an ignorantly biased writer. Unfortunately, publishing this prejudiced writer showed the Register to be out of touch with current events. A photo nearly as large as the space that the article consumed showed Mitt’s portrait defaced with a black splotchy something around one eye. If this isn’t Halloween imagery, I don’t know what is.

 Clever in her slant, she coined a one word nick name for Mitt Romney which I won’t repeat because it’s so banal. She is only one example of how press has gone so wild, has so abandoned any attempt to publish quality, unbiased reporting that only one avenue remains. That avenue is more like a dark alley. I felt like I was mugged by this arrogant crap written by an empty headed bimbo. Forget about presenting both sides of an issue. But anyway, this so called writer compares Mitt to some kind of space age robot like Robo Cop. How unoriginal. What a lack of emotional depth! Halloween carries imagery that makes people want to vomit, sometimes.

This cheap trick article is the like a cousin of the fanaticism that permeates pre election 2012 sentiment. The attacks on Mitt Romney had the unpleasant flavor of something akin to gang mentality. Let’s get this guy. Everybody else is doing it.

The other frightening scenario could be that news organizations are emulating contemporary politics . . . follow the money stream. Remember Citizens United vs. Federal Election Board? That’s an ongoing nightmare.

So, this is how two themes conjoined in one evening. It went from an anger producing article of half truths, to meeting a man steeped in Nazi propaganda. I decided to get away from the eerie darkness of the evening and go home. When I stood up, the neo Nazi grabbed both of my arms. I tugged myself out of his grip and said loudly “Let go of me!” to which he responded by asking for a kiss. After a struggle to get out of his grip, I storm out; grabbing a few mints at the hostess station where the cute little hostess signaled a heads up.

The evening air and dark but starry sky felt scary and full of spooky goblins haunting and creeping things resurrected from ultimate darkness. Like I said. . .Halloween imagery comes early around here.

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The Great Lakes is another phenomena that shows how Planet Earth is changing.

 
Scientists have traced the formation of the Five Great Lakes and Niagara Falls to their inception.  These  Lakes are the largest body of fresh water in the world.  Many water supplies are gleaned from these legendary waters.
 
The shape of the body of water that creates the powerful water fall feeding into the Great Lakes is changing.  It is getting larger and the northeastern edge of it is moving outward toward the ocean. 

The expected results of a larger perimeter is that due to spreading out over a greater area it will become too shallow.  Shallow water isn’t able  to provide the driving force that has kept Niagra Falls as a significant source of power. Since the power of the falls generates a lot of electricity, the shallower lake basin became an item of concern some years back.
 
Researchers have finally concluded that the origin of the Lakes evolves from two different glaciers that moved down from the North Pole.  As it were, when these huge glaciers moved southward, they picked up land mass dragging heavy rock and earth along their path.
 
When this happened the tons and tons of ice became even heavier.  As they moved and scraped the rock surfaces, the weight also compressed the earth.  Thus, the freshwater left behind by the melting ice created these wondrous lakes.
 
The St. Laurence Seaway leads from the Atlantic Ocean, and was once used as a path of travel for early settlers in the new world.
 
Over the past fifteen years, the Niagara Falls as well as the five Great Lakes have seemed to be getting lower water levels.  Naturally, the first thought was that the water is evaporating, or that there hasn't been enough rainfall.  However, the cause is much more complicated.
 
The new theory is that the compression that created the lake basins is loosening up.  Is it because of global warming? 
 
After substantial research, scientists found evidence of crystallized lava.  From this discovery, the deduction is that the St. Lawrence seaway is the result of a fissure, or a fault line that also filled with water flowing in from the Atlantic Ocean.
 
Though they only could speculate, geologists do sense that a heat source lays deep below this ancient fault line that may have erupted after the glaciers went through.  In any event, the scientists and geologists feel that heat rising from inside the earth, is causing the land below the Great Lakes to expand upward. 
 
Hence, as the lake bottoms rise, the water is moving elsewhere. 



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Vitamins and End of Summer Energy Drop Possibly about “B” Complex

Since this area had 104 degree temps and week of higher temperatures than Florida was having, I thought it would be a good idea to post something about  the physical reaction to extreme heat and how extreme perspiration can deplete vitamins from the system -

Heat waves, outdoor sports, during an active summer can result in a post season slump because of a B vitamin deficiency.  Although this extra hot season created lots of reasons to be tired, I had a hunch that my low energy was more than just normal fatigue.  Usually, I schedule eight hour days, and promise myself some relaxation time.  However, that turns out to be something akin to a split shift.  I had one clear symptom that told me something was amiss with B vitamins.  Apparent symptoms help to pinpoint if this is the case.  What are they?

Though low energy is broad based, and could even be a state of mind caused by excessive worry that drains energy.  Yet, summer weather is suspect for contributing to getting behind in B complex.  The B vitamins are delicate and water soluble. Drinking large amounts of liquid on hot summer days is one thing that can wipe out the store of the energy producing “complex.” Heavy perspiration is a major culprit that flushes out this water soluble, important vitamin.  The B complex is indeed complicated.  Replacing the lost nutrition isn’t always simple. 

Something might be missing in commonly available “B” vitamins sold in the stores: First, the studies that ended prematurely cast a suspicion that to isolate the B complex isn’t a good thing.  The waves of people who took an interest in vitamins curtailed motivation to go ahead with research about B vitamins found in nature. Suspicion was that because these phytonutrients always appeared in the same proportions - maybe they shouldn’t be separated and used as individual components.  And that each individual type of B has the symbiotic function of upholding the others.  It’s sort of like a family that sticks together.  Theoretically, focusing with one element such as niacin, or B12 creates a deficiency in the rest of the individual elements of the complex.

Second, the lining of the stomach must have the right culture to accept B vitamins.   With a good diet hydrochloric acid helps keep a balance. And this equilibrium is a very important precursor to vital mental and physical health.  Without beans and legumes and cultured food products in the diet, it’s possible to disrupt the culture of the stomach lining.  The result is that B vitamin absorption doesn’t happen.

Deficiencies in the B vitamins at the most severe level lead to depression, or even worse, mental illness.  According to nutrition writer, Adelle Davis, even some cases wrongly diagnosed as schizophrenia, have been cured with restoration of this nutrient. A slight deficiency could just show up as general malaise or a case of the blues - one symptom that something’s off in the digestive tract.

A minor deficiency is easy to correct with cultured dairy products like yogurt or keifer.  Sauerkraut is another helper.  Brewer’s yeast tablets have the entire balance of the complex.  Yet, by the time these are processed into pill form, it’s necessary to take them by the handful.  So they are pretty inconvenient.  Brewer’s yeast flakes combine with orange juice or a favorite fruit juice, but the flavor leaves much to be desired.  Some people get accustomed to it, though.  After a while, I eventually acquired a taste for the flavor.  

Severe deficiencies are indicated when there’s a strange burning sensation over the top lip.  Recognition of this lack shows up in lipstick bleed lines.

A long term B deficiency yields symptoms such as people who are cold even during hot weather.  Checking the tongue out in the mirror tells even more.  If the sides of the tongue are cracked or have a bumpy outline, this is clear evidence of a problem.  Vertical lines forming above the upper lip are often associated with growing old, but these lines may not be simply wrinkles - they could be caused by lack of B.

A third situation is that vitamins manufacturers aren’t allowed to produce a full regimen of B vitamins balanced as in nature because of one component that’s been limited by government- folic acid.  It’s possible to overdose on folic acid if a person takes it by the handful, or swallows a whole bottle.  Pregnant women are allowed to have the full gamut of B with a prescription from a doctor.  

Most of what I learned about B vitamins is from information Adelle Davis provides in her book, “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit.”  The rest of the proof came with practical application. Davis backs up all of her information with scientific studies and the results. I’ve rarely come across other sources of nutrition information that were as thorough.  Without health insurance, learning about nutrition was a godsend.

Thanks to researching this material, I was able to concentrate on my problem of the low energy, and it was fairly easy to regain normal vitality. Now is the time to harvest and preserve the garden, and soon I‘ll start moving firewood closer to the house.  Luckily, I only needed yogurt and acidophilus capsules to get back to a normally busy life.  

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The Rest of the Story 2012 Weather Disasters – Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Gilbert's brother and faithful friend, Ron had to sit out this phase

The revival of an old time way of caring came about after the micro-burst that pummeled the Lake Erie, Marblehead Penninsula and nearby Catawba Island.  Now, the latest phenomena gave everyone a scare when the tail winds of Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in the neighborhood.

We had barely recovered from the Microburst occurring earlier this summer, when Hurricane Sandy’s tail winds hit the Marblehead peninsula. Combining the two incidents, a bright side to the story came by way of neighbors helping one another recover from the damages.

Gilbert isn't able to climb ladders, so he's the "go fetch it" man

The higher up on the ladder, the hotter it was

A big maple tree some estimated to be around four hundred years old fell on the neighbor’s barn.  The insurance wouldn’t pay for damages though it seemed it should have.  Just on the other side of the property line, the neighbors whose barn it was had to use their own insurance to make repairs.  Naturally, the repairs would cost more than insurance allowed, so the neighbors pitched in to defray the cost of repairs.  

Gilbert and dick work in extreme heat of the drought that followed the  micro-burst

The November storm resulted from Hurricane Sandy which swept across the eastern states and plummeted into the New Jersey Shoreline.  Our end of the storm wasn't quite so devastating, but we got worried about the old willow tree, which was about thirty feet tall, branches hanging perilously close to the our good friends and neighbor's house.  This inspired the job depicted here in the below photo essay.

The new storm story in a pictorial essay below.  Since my husband helped rebuild the barn, Ron and Gilbert came over and worked all day to help get rid of tree branches.  Ron pulled up a resin chair and operated the chain saw cutting the branch into manageable pieces for firewood.  We'll have a toasty winter thanks to their help.

After the micro-burst, things had just about gotten back to normal, then came hurricane tailwinds of "Sandy."

A strange dimness remained until late afternoon the day of the tailwinds from  hurricane Sandy.  Here in the dark morning are objects blown, and downed from the wind.  In the background is a toppled swing.  Thankfully, the boat didn't sustain damage.

Below: Ron hung his cane in the tree and helped Larry tackle the big tree branch that was threatening to fall on their house. Gilbert is in the background trying to escape the snapshot.

Ha ha!  Gotcha Gilbert!  (in the background)

They wondered what I would do with the pics.  I told them I was going to write a story called "Three Bald Men."  We all got a well deserved laugh.


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Tale of Hurricane Sandy Winds and the Nor'easter

After three days of constant wind blowing from the north and hurricane Sandy tail winds bludgeon the northeast, one comes to understand this almost unmentionable word, nor’easter. 

This morning, obsessed with going out into sixty mile per hour winds, I donned a raincoat and rubber boots and went.  This bizarre fascination about weather phenomena is nothing new. Making the turn around the side of the house that sits next to a boat barn blocking some of the wind, I was almost knocked down. The power of it was dizzying. I stiffened my legs against the force, but knew staying out any longer, I’d be down.  Not very sure about whether a tree on our partly wooded lot might timber down on top of me, I was back inside in a flash.

Whenever an old fisherman talks of nor’easter, his voice is filled with reverence.  So far, living in the Great Lakes area hadn’t illustrated the fearfulness of a storm like this.  One of the thoughts to keep in mind about Lake Erie is that it’s only forty feet at its deepest.  Anyone foolish enough to take a boat out in a storm could end up pounded to the bottom of the lake in a heartbeat.

Trees are bent over ready to touch the ground.  They wave and bounce back in a valiant effort to stand up straight.  Overnight the autumn colors disappeared catapulting all into a season of bitter desolation.  Skies outline barren tree branches darkened by rain, struggling to reach upward.  With upcoming snow season, we would have a frigid sky overlaid into black and white.  Yet now, the horizon is an imperious miserable grey.  It serves us as a memento of how small we really are in this universe making our little lives but under the grace of God.

Lake Erie from the Peninsula Side Ominous yet Peaceful

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She Follows the Moon - Lake Erie Backyard Evenings Summer 2012

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What Are Local Voters Saying?

Though Lakeside Marblehead postal service is great, voting by mail felt uncomfortable. Normally an independent voter, I arrived at my candidate of choice by looking at the background and experience of either candidate. Another factor involves the story of how I was turned down for a job due to relaxed immigration rules/

Recently, I had a talk with a local union man, Skipper Jack, who is semi retired.  He’s the first mate of a commercial fishing charter offering excursions on Lake Erie.  Jack appears undecided about his favorite candidate, but was a union member most of his working career. He talked of attending a union function in Cleveland. Hopes are that the union won’t be such a powerful factor in this election.  Though not a religious person, my feeling at this point is to pray. I feel the problems with the economy are part of a huge moral crisis in the U.S.A. Unions are no exception.

I’m approaching retirement age, but would like to continue working in the landscaping trade.  I’m physically fit and healthy. With seven years local experience, my nickname at my previous job was “Kubota Queen.” I could operate the bucket, plow and mow with this tractor. With plenty of gardening experience to boot, I was always able to find work until recently. But I was turned away at the gate of Barnes’s Nursery and Greenhouse.  The person who denied my access had a Spanish accent, and in the lot I could see that the whole crew was of Spanish descent.  I don’t think they were from Spain, either. Does this give a clue about who I’m going to vote for?

Voters residing on the Marblehead peninsula are few compared the seasonal population explosion. Most of the people I talk with deplore the current president. Lakeside Marblehead is close to the tourist destination of Port Clinton that diminishes from one million to ten thousand after Memorial Day, but news broadcasts from the bigger cities like Toledo, and Cleveland are influential around here. 

I was stunned when I recently viewed the Toledo Station with news anchor Jerry Anderson. He interviewed Julia Torres Barden ,  who began to speak of the past associations of the current president.   She may change her voting party after mulling over murmurs of communism concerning the president's background.  This trend is beginning to even out, but was ridiculous prior to recently.  News caster Jerry Anderson got brave and actually interviewed a democrat who planned to switch to republican because of the president’s dark background concerning associates from the past. 

From the People Who Bought Mitt Romney's Home in Utah

With Ohio being such a key state insofar as the elections, and since both candidates will be making another stop here, I am publishing this email that's being circulated.  I'd like to preface that I'm not a religious person in the typical sense of the word.  Nor am I an atheist.

The press has been so biased lately, I'm compelled to publish this intercepted e-mail for which the author has provided permission to reprint.

The communique with contact information accompanying:

Here is a very interesting non-political-issue story that very likely has not been heard. It was written by Corinne and Hal Prewitt, the owners of Mitt Romney's former home because manyDemocratic, Republican and Independent voters strongly recommended and found it valuable. Private details, how he acted out of public view and when not running for office. This is provided by witnesses delivering facts and not initially his supporters nor anti-Obama. Mitt Romney is very different from the man that many Americans have been led to believe.

Regardless of who any of us are supporting in the presidential election, we all are better served by knowing the truth as this does influence who we support. It was not approved byMitt Romney or his campaign. A PDF in Spanish is available for download

www.prewitt.net/storysp.pdf  or in English at www.prewitt.net/story.pdf  You are welcome to email the PDF, page link or forward this email to your friends. If you do, please include this introduction and include your own comments....

The Mitt Romney we know - Insight into the man & his family 8/26/2012
Ours is a factual story that provides a rare glimpse and insight into the real Mitt Romney.Does he really relate to the average American? As President, would he impose his beliefs on others? Is he really Christian?

Growing up in Florida and Pennsylvania, we knew little to nothing of Utah, Mitt Romney, his family or values, beliefs, religion and his capabilities. We were amazed by what we learned.We are messengers, delivering facts and initially were not Mitt Romney supporters nor antiObama. The facts do change who we support. We are not part of any campaign, not Mormon nor religious activists. We have voted for Democrats and Republicans and believe voters should elect the best person regardless of political party.

When you buy a home and its contents from someone you really learn a lot about their true character, values and beliefs. And rarely does anyone have the opportunity to learn how a politician acts out of the public's view and when they are not running for office. Well, this actually happened. When? Only a few years ago, in spring of 2009 when we bought Mitt Romney's Park City, Utah home. His family lived in this home for about ten years. Because our purchase included most of the contents, we gained a unique and unusual perspective of him and his family of which most Americans are completely unaware. What we experienced was not what we expected. Not the stereotypical actions of a millionaire and more importantly not the image most Americans have of Mitt Romney.

The Romney Park City home, which they designed and built, and its contents had much to say. It is located in a public neighborhood and without gates.  Having raised a family of our own, we saw that the home was built with a focus on his family.  There are no maid, butler or nanny quarters. Clearly Ann and Mitt raised their kids. No gold faucets, no fancy silverware.The kitchen was simple and typical of most homes with kids, very much like those in which we were raised. No swimming pool, tennis court or movie theater. We were struck by the discovery that most of the art, furniture and all the curtains were made in America and many by local craftsmen. Most of the linens were of good quality but not what is found at very high end, exclusive stores. The master bedroom pillows had tags from the average American’s most popular discount store.  

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In the most honored place in the master bedroom hung a painting of Jesus Christ. Most Americans know little about Mormonism and we didn't either.  The home is beautiful, but far more important and often falsely reported or overlooked are the facts the Romneys selected a public neighborhood and actually chose not to build a truly luxury estate. It is a home noteworthy not for what they built, but more for what they did not and easily could have.  Mitt and his family are much more in-touch with average Americans than many people realize. They had a home of faith and family just like many of us.

One of the most interesting questions many have asked is, "As president will he impose his beliefs on others?" Many claim that a President Romney would take away rights and impose his beliefs on all Americans. The Romney home contents gave us insight into this question.One of the strongest Mormon beliefs is the prohibition against drinking alcohol. We were surprised to find a small supply which we were told was available for guests, not for the family. Mitt Romney had a respect for his guest's wishes. By not imposing his beliefs on others even within his own home, then clearly a President Romney would not take away rights and impose his beliefs on all Americans. Those making such accusations should stop. The facts do not support their claims.

When most of us buy a home, the real estate agent or seller hands over the keys at closing and then as buyers, we are on our own. Not this time. We met Mitt Romney by himself at the house. He spent as much time as we needed showing us around, answering our questions and explaining how to use and service the home's equipment. And when he was done, he gave us his direct contact information should we have problems.

To move, if we can afford the cost, most of us would hire movers with a team of workers. To save money, many of us are the do-it-our-selves types. Which did Mitt Romney do? Like many of us, on his own he rented a six-wheel truck and moved himself. He drove to the local Home Depot and purchased wood to build whatever he needed for the transport. Mitt moved his family's clothes, his family's photos, his family's mementos, his grandchildren's toys. With the help of a friend and family, they loaded the truck. Then, after answering all our questions Mitt Romney said his goodbyes, climbed into the truck and began the long drive to his new home by himself.

It is amazing what can be learned about someone from observing the smallest details. In the Romney's family mud room, where the boots and outdoor clothing were stored, we found the Governor's ski gloves. One of his son's apologized for his dad's lack of concern about his appearance when Mitt went skiing because the gloves would surely be noticed. They were worn out and had holes in the fingers. Mitt had gone to the garage tool box and wrapped them with duct tape. Thrifty? Yes, and the repair provided an immediate practical solution rather than traveling to the store to buy a new pair. His indifference to appearance demonstrated his
confidence, true character and priorities. Good qualities, but easily misunderstood because they are quite different from those displayed by many famous people and certainly politicians,who highly protect and prize their appearance.

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As you have read, our story is not about a wealthy man's nice home or its beautiful contents. It is about the story they tell and how our experiences with him showed the real Mitt Romney.How his family truly lived is a real indication of their values and beliefs.  Mitt Romney is very different from the man that many of us have been led to believe. Clearly he is more like most Americans than not. We learned many things about Mitt Romney that contradicted what we have been told. He is not aloof or out of touch. He is a man of faith, family and American values. A guy who is well-grounded. It is not beneath him to roll up his shirt-sleeves and get the job done. The fact that he has allowed this to be kept so very private is a true testament to his character and shows how different he is from many other politicians.

Who are we and why are we speaking out?  We want nothing more than for our fellow citizens to know what we know.  We live in Miami and Utah. Hal was raised in Florida, is a farmer,race car driver and retired after creating a number of successful businesses. Corinne is a retired government employee. We do not come from wealthy families. Our parents worked average jobs. Our fathers were a mailman and an engineer. Our mothers were a nurse and a housewife. We struggled, worked hard and are grateful for having been rewarded over the years. We have never given up on achieving the American dream. But the story we tell is not about us.

As Americans, we depend on our press to provide us with factual and unbiased information. We hear politicians sometimes misspeak and others take their statements out of context. Many times it is hard to tell what is fact and what is fiction. Over the past few months, we have noticed how different from reality some of the public perceptions and media presentations of Governor Romney are. Unfortunately, some political opponents spread false information and misconceptions. This is wrong.

This injustice and the value of our story has led us to speak up and provide these facts. No one can say with absolute certainty what kinds of decisions a president will make while still a candidate for that office. To predict, we only have access to their words, history and if available the most useful facts of all, how they acted out of public view and when they are not running for office. This is why our story is so important, valuable and must be told. No doubt some will want to dismiss our story, argue that it is not newsworthy nor relevant and possibly subject us to an undesired spot light. However, we hope the American people are given the opportunity to hear the truth, especially when the facts directly contradict what many people think to be true.

Corinne & Hal Prewitt
mail@prewitt.net
Please email us as we value and desire your comments. The number one question we have received asks if our story is true. Yes, we are real and this is a true story. You can google “HalPrewitt” and will find much public information verifying who we are.

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Undercurrents of Lake Side Gossip

This article is true, but so casual without last names to go with the characters in this watering hole scenario, I've classified the script as scuttlebutt.  During the last week there were reports of two senior citizens out fishing who were accosted by Homeland Security and the Coastguard.  One of these men was interrupted by authorities twice in one afternoon.

In a previous report from about a year and a half ago, Ralph and his wife were out fishing close to the Canadian border. Suddenly, here comes a very fast boat headed in their direction.  They came close, and boarded Ralph’s boat wearing sheer black masks that Ralph described as looking like Ninja face gear.

This makes me wonder what’s actually going on.  Some rumors floating around the dot com world show suspicions that go along with our illustrious leader stopping the pipeline which was planned for just north of the U.S. border. As part of this ecological concern, many fishermen feel that the flip side of the coin is to stop sport fishing in the Great Lakes Region.  These are two of the undercurrents of local waves of sentiment.

Getting back to watering hole exchanges . . .  Ray, who is a scientific sort of person, recounted a conversation with someone from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.  When asked why he didn’t purchase a fishing license this year, Ray gave a fairly blunt answer. 

His first mention was that he has to purchase the fishing license that he feels is over priced.  (Before this age group turned senior citizens, there was a discount for retirees.)   Second, Ray has to buy insurance for his boat.  Third, he would also have dockage fees.  Before this area was inundated with police type agencies, Ray liked to go fishing for relaxation.  Now he can’t.  So that was the answer he gave to the ODNR man. 

“Why should I go out and spend my money on these things just so I can go out and get stopped?”

Another conversation on the same subject:

A talk with Larry, the neighbor down the road, revealed what he was thinking.  My perspective was couched in the preoccupation of selling our house to keep us from financial demise – sort of like whistling in the dark:

“We’ll probably have a lot more people moving into the area with the escalation in security and the new Homeland Security headquarters that they just built, “ I said. 

“We’ll have to see if they catch any terrorists,” Larry replied. 

“From the sounds of it they are pretty good at stopping senior citizens,” I chimed in.

He said no more.  Quite often I get the feeling that people are afraid to speak out.  It’s like an undertow. 

“It’s time for a revolt,” someone at the watering hole said. 

He wasn't afraid to make that statement, but I was afraid for him.  I can’t really explain how I became fearful about exercising my right to free speech. It’s just some kind of subconscious undercurrent that I’ve been feeling over the last three or four years. So I omitted the name to go with this quote.

View from Marblehead back in the days we were all friends with the "coasties."

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DOT ruling: DIY Cigarette Revenue Goes up in Smoke

Traveling on route two, from the Marblehead Peninsula to Sandusky takes five dollars worth of gas. Hopefully making more than one stop while there justifies five dollars cost for a thirty two mile round trip. 

While cutting through Sandusky, Bruce Springsteen’s, “My Home Town” plays on the radio. The minor keyed tune portrays a factory town he remembers as thriving in a by gone day. Similar memories linger throughout my hometown not too far away. Sandusky is kind of like this, too.  Streets form diagonal routes past and around factories splayed throughout a warehouse district all but abandoned.  Little shops and cafes that resemble cottages are dotted throughout.  Learning the different routes of this lake's edge town is how I found the "Cheap Tobacco Store."  It's the best place around to buy incense.

Situated next to one of those instant money places; next door is an auto parts dealership and sprawling parking lot. Upon entering the variety cigarette store called “Cheap Tobacco,” I hear a rhythmic muffled clatter.  I see a big wooden box that’s thundering with the sounds of industry. A viewing window in the big box reveals a nebulous ball of tobacco whirling and transforming into the end product – cigarettes.  The operator is a customer.

The store owner is always friendly and conversational.  Giving the scoop on roll-your-own cigarettes, she was pleased by the extra revenue it brought her. More than being cheaper, this kind of tobacco lacks the addictive chemicals that are in ready made ordinary smokes.  Commercial companies deny adding extra substances, though.

In Florida I’d seen another store like this with a picture window view and three roll-your-own machines inside.  Whenever I’d go shopping at Beall’s outlet, I could see the cigarette place was quite busy.

The next trip to Sandusky, I made the stop at “Cheap Tobacco.” The silence was too tranquil.  The wooden cigarette machine shoved next to the wall bore a sign written with big magic marker letterin. The memo registered as non sequitur:

“Sorry for the inconvenience, this machine has been closed down by the government”

What’s the government got to do with it?  I’m wondering, so I asked the proprietor.

“Obama closed it down,” she said.

“What do you mean Obama closed it?” 

“He signed a department of transportation bill declaring what we are doing here is illegal manufacturing.” 

I immediately mentioned the store in Florida that only provided tobacco and the use of the rolling machines.  This DOT ruling would put them completely out of business.

The mystery of what the transportation department has to do with manufacturing is yet unraveled.  I always wondered how government officials had the time to read all the bills that pass across their desktops.  I figured, our president hurried through the reading and signed the bill.  He wouldn’t allow democracy to be smeared like this, would he?

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Ex Libris Volunteer Bookstore adds charm to Marblehead

Ex Libris is all about books.  It's a growing volunteer library organization that parallels the overall growth in the formerly sleepy, little burg of Marblehead Ohio.

When I first came to Marblehead and found out about this fledgling library campaign, I joined up immediately.  That was four years ago during the beginning phase of this hugely successful book sales endeavor.

Ex Libris is located on a peninsula near Lake Erie.  Marblehead, Ohio is a small village, that has spent a long time in relative obscurity.  For years, development along the waterfront went unsupervised as happens often in areas near the water.

Currently, the development is more focused, and the incoming new people have been really supportive toward the growth of Ex Libris.  Their support shows up in boxes and boxes of donated books.

Forty volunteers formed the initial hub of this hard working drive to support literacy.  The president, Lorrie Halblaub, is a special education teacher.  Her leadership has been impeccable, and everyone thinks the world of her.  She's so organized with everything amid miriad books of different topics.

Lorrie  knows all of the businesses that contribute to our concern, like Wallmart.  Thankfully, we are well supplied with all of the office materials we need, and they are all stowed away in perfectly organized niches. She has been a tireless worker with both hands-on labor, and organized events.

"How do you do it?"  I just had to ask.  

" I don't know.  It just sort of comes to me." she sanswered,

 And she had sort of a baffled expression on her face as if some divine entity bestowed a special grace to help her on this mission to encourage literacy.

Lorrie talks with volunteer arranging centerpieces for the volunteer luncheon.

She's had many other teachers follow in her footsteps right up the steps and across the porch and through the door of the old century home converted to the Exlibris.   The book store funds our goal of a library for Marblehead.  The creativity that abounds throughout really adds a nice touch.  The older books that couldn't be saved were converted to book markers by removing the spine portion and laminating the old titles in Gothic print.  Gold tassels added a nice touch.

Other folks from around the community have joined the volunteer effort making for a powerful force in the community.  I recently learned that this year we have expanded to sixty volunteers, and there is plenty of work for everyone.

Our staff is loosely divided into two groups.  One of the groups, I must warn people not to get into a an arm wrestling match with.  These are the people who transport books to the various events.  Interesting events like the Lighthouse Festival, and the Perch Festival are just a few examples.

The other part of the group watch the book store and take care of sales.  Early on we were located in a newly renovated building - the Kukay. The small shop, barely bigger than my living room, drew 4,000 enthusiastic customers the first year.

With hardback books at $2.00, and paperbacks $1.00, it's easy to understand why our customer base keeps growing.  Many local historical sites draw visitors to the area.  Fortunately lots of these tourists follow the beaten path to Ex Libris.

Situated near downtown Marblehead, Ex Libris is flanked with a Byzantine style Russian Orthodox church, an original historical school building, an art gallery, restaurants, ferries to the islands to name a few of the surrounding interests.

An overheard conversation between friends shopping and marveling at the good prices and selection went like this:

A lady shopper asked her friend, "Why don't you get one of these hard back books?  They're only two dollars!"

"I like paperbacks better," answered the friend.  "When you fall asleep reading in bed, they don't make such a loud noise when they hit the floor."

I have really enjoyed my Ex Libris volunteer post - people who read a lot of books are the most interesting people to meet.

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Drought Story 'Round Here

Blessed rain comes, and soon the earth is dried and cracked all over again. Trees look very unhappy. I look at them and wonder whether my old friends will be back again next year. Even the hardiest of hardy, my walnut tree, looks as if it's going to die any time, now. The shoreline of Sandusky Bay is shrinking. Plants in the garden are slow to produce. Fruit is half the size it was last year around this time.

The weather here has simply not been very nice to living things, and no relief is in sight once the rainfall has gotten this far behind. NOAA reports show rainfall average statistics as only 3.4 inches for the Sandusky Bay area. Only one city, Toledo, has a lower average of 3.2.

According to NOAA,"17-day deficits ranged between 1.5 to 3 inches from the central Great Plains to the eastern Ohio Valley, and temperatures averaged well above normal. Triple-digit heat was common during the first week of July. Current NLDAS soil moisture anomalies . . . reveal widespread moisture deficits on the order of 5 to 8 inches."

I feel so dehydrated after I work outside. It's as if every living thing is competing for moisture. I think I'll buy some stock in a company that produces lotions for dry skin, or hair. I had to go to the Hair Hut for my hopeless hair. It was so dried out from the heat that it turned into an utter frizz ball. Hair salon owner, Janet, gave a sigh of relief once the dead ends laid in a thick pile on the floor. "There - that's better," she said.

The future is bleak weather-wise. According to Associated Press writer Jim Suhr, half the counties in the U.S. are categorized as disaster areas. More than not knowing what to expect, or the anticipated high prices, the whole situation makes me feel helpless. Extreme droughts don't come along often enough to anticipate what's going to happen to affect the harvest . Are there any remedies? Watering doesn't help after a time. Plants need the ions that thunderstorms produce. The next time it rains, I'm going to go out and play in the puddles. Maybe, I'll do a thankful rain dance, and hope for a happy ending to this depressing extreme drought.

Red sunrise signals hi temps

 There’s not much to harvest

 Unhappy

Apples look a little better

                                          See the difference - this cabbage is from last year




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Local Wild Garlic and Meadow Mushrooms found on Peninsula

If you’re like me and dabble in gourmet cooking (not literally,) you might look to the sides of road during spring around Marblehead peninsula.  Wild garlic, that some consider a nuisance has a wonderful mild and woodsy flavor.  Once you get a plug, it’ll be sure to grow nicely in your garden. 

I added it to my herb garden and it makes a nice statement because it’s stately and unique.  These grow up to three feet tall.  Nothing else around looks the same as these.  Look for the seeds or flowers to gather at the top of the stalk. You'll need a shovel or hand digger tool if you want to transplant one of these. The seed head flowers turn into seeds all in a cluster.  Grab a handful of seeds, and if mature enough they'll show up next year wherever these are planted. By the end of the season, the root can be harvested for more of that unique, mild flavoring.

This year, I saved the seed heads as soon as they developed. I dried them and added them in with favorite herbs.  Using kosher salt, I ran it through the herb grinder till it was almost powder.  Then I added ground up dill, sage, and oregano.  It takes a while for the flavors to congeal, but it adds tang to any recipe and is worth the wait.  Just in case a dish turns out bland, I keep a shaker of it on the table.

Meadow Mushrooms

Locals know the varied places to find wild mushrooms like Morels.  These are scattered throughout the woods during late spring around East Harbor.  Warning:  If you are not well versed in recognizing wild mushrooms, don’t try this. 

Before moving here, I was in north central Ohio.  One year I was graced with abundant mushrooms that seemed to blow as if upon some kind of fairy dust.  Looking out the window one morning, the yard was full of them. Thanks to a neighbor teaching me how to recognize this variety, I was able to harvest several pounds of these.  These are round and smooth on the edges, and have a certain glow. This is tricky, because there’s an imposter mushroom that looks very similar.  The exterior of the imposter is very similar to the edible variety.  It’s called fly agaric and - warning it is poisonous.  The fly agaric has white gills.

In any event, the Meadow Mushrom is smooth white on top and has rose colored gills.  The gills are unique, and when turning them over are obvious.  Once they get older, the gills turn chocolate brown.  By then, they aren’t usable as they’ve lost their entire flavor.

Last year in the back yard here where I live near Sandusky Bay, I saw some larger sized mushrooms that looked promising.  Turning them over, yes! – these were my favorites.  So good when freshly picked!

Over the next few days, more Meadow Mushrooms appeared.  As time went on each patchy spray got bigger.  Finally toward the end of their short season, I actually found one that was the size of a dinner plate!  This is no exaggeration.  I wouldn’t have mentioned with the accompanying photo.

 The dinner plate is a larger sized one at that!

Normally, the Meadow Mushroom looks similar to the variety sold in grocery stores.  Whatever made them grow this large is a mystery.  My husband and I cut them into cubes and froze them.  They didn’t stay in the freezer very long.

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