 The NCCA-Artsplace Holiday Card Contest had 551 entries this year from Newaygo County students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The 2020 contest winners were selected by Katelyn Morse. The award winning selections were from Evie Folkema from Fremont Christian School; Raiane Wolven from Newaygo Elementary School; Lily Yonker from Pathfinder Elementary; Liberty Malone from Grant High School; and Emily Rowe from Fremont High School. The selected students received 25 cards of their design as well as having their original design framed. The award winning cards are available for purchase at NCCA-Artsplace. The winning entries will be on display through December 30 at NCCA-Artsplace, 13 East Main Street in downtown Fremont.
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 It’s that time again! Time to visit NCCA-Artsplace to shop for great personal holiday gifts! The Holiday Artist Market is ready for you to come in and shop now through December 30. Make your selections from handmade functional or decorative pottery, unique paintings, prints, textiles, candles, photography, wood turning, sculpture and jewelry. Decorate your tree this year with a variety of handmade ornaments or give them as the perfect holiday gift! Whether you’re looking for fine hand made jewelry for the special someone, new ornaments for the tree or an original painting, you’ll find it all at NCCA-Artsplace Holiday Artist Market. And you can give the gift of creativity this holiday season with NCCA-Artsplace’s gift cards available in any denomination and can be used towards original art and future classes. The NCCA-Holiday Artist Market will be open through December 30. Regular hours are Monday- Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information stop by or call NCCA-Artsplace, 13 E. Main, Fremont, 231.924.4022 or check out www.ncca-artsplace.org.  Andrea and Terry Grabill a.k.a. Bird Goober Andrea and Terry Grabill answer your latest avian queries
What is a “spark bird”? And, what was YOUR spark bird? From Rachel J. A spark bird can be defined as the bird that helped spark your interest in birding, helped you open your eyes to the incredible beauty of nature and, more importantly, birds. I would have to begin by saying that I have always noticed birds and how beautiful and unique they are. Each of them have their unique colors and details, from the pretty and cute little chickadees and sparrows to the magnificent size and stature of the bald eagle, the floppiness of the flying ducks and geese, to the elegance of flight that the great blue herons and egrets show. That being said, as I was learning to grow as a birder and while practicing more, I began to focus on the different sounds and songs that these magnificent creatures made. My husband has been endlessly supportive of me and my desire to be a better birder. Once, we were walking by a swamp area near our home when we kept hearing a bird singing. It sounded like a song that I felt I knew, but I just wasn't sure of myself. Terry was chuckling at me because he could see the frustration beginning to build (I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself) when suddenly I got a big smile as I thought I had come up with the bird that was singing... I looked over to him and I said "is it an Indigo Bunting?" He got a really big smile on his face and assured me that, yes indeed it was.. That moment was when I finally realized that I was better at this whole bird thing than I had given myself credit!! From that day forward, I have to say, I finally considered myself a birder... My spark bird is most definitely the Beautiful Indigo Bunting. I love hearing stories of how people have fallen in love with birds. I have a co-worker who is a pretty terrific new birder and bird photographer. She has grown to be pretty passionate about capturing birds through her camera lens. When I asked her what "sparked" her interest in birding she explained that she was just looking out her window and saw a couple of beautiful red birds chasing and playing in her backyard, she said she just couldn't stop watching them. They were beautiful and they just looked like they were having so much fun and enjoying themselves. Her "Spark Bird"? Why, yes indeed ...you guessed it, the beautiful Cardinal!! AFG Are domestic cats a threat to birds? Cats are remarkable predators! Their patient “hide and wait” tactics make them popular “mousers” in homes and barns. Interestingly, they also do not need to be hungry to hunt. Our cat, Pooters, will hunt mice in the basement at night and leave them at our bedroom door for us in the morning! The effect of domestic cats on wild bird populations can be a point of contention and really “ruffle some feathers”, so to speak. The bottom line is that of all human-produced problems to birds, outdoor cats rank #1 in bird deaths. Tens of millions of outdoor cats, either free-roaming pets or feral populations, kill an estimated 2.4 BILLION birds annually. I cannot state this more emphatically, I believe domestic cats belong as indoor pets, PERIOD. Allowing cats outside and letting nature “take its course” is a fallacy. Nature taking its course would require us to keep cats away from nature! Domestic cats have no place in nature. Native birds and other small animals are not adapted to cat predation. Cats are not part of the natural world. To be clear, I’m not a cat-hater. I love Pooters and she tolerates me. But, cats are pets and deserve to be treated as such. TWG BirdGoober is Terry and Andrea Grabill, of Newaygo. They have been birding together since they met and love to share their passion for birds with people of all ages. Please send your birding questions to the Grabills at birdgoober@gmail.com or visit their website www.birdgoober.com.  Andrea and Terry Grabill aka BirdGoober Andrea and Terry Grabill answer the latest avian queries Winter irruptions – what are they? From Rachel J. Wild bird populations sometimes get very exciting in winter. Birds that we’ve not seen in Lower Michigan suddenly appear in great numbers, causing all kinds of talk among birders and feeder watchers. An irruption, or sudden change in the density and distribution of birds can occur for several reasons, but the result is a regional buzz among the birding community as pine siskins, redpolls, red-breasted nuthatches and evening gosbeaks show up in yards where they haven’t been seen for years, even decades. Irruptions among songbirds are linked to poor seed crops in their northern winter ranges. With a mild spring and summer, pines produce a low amount of seeds and when fall approaches, these birds are left with little option but to move south, and in large numbers! This year, pine siskins have arrived and, for the first time that I remember since the 1970s, evening grosbeaks are turning up throughout Southern Michigan! Owl irruptions bring northern owls south, including great grey, northern saw-whet, northern hawk, and, of course, snowy owls. Not much brings people out owl watching like a report of snowy owls from the north. The winter of 2013-14 was called a mega irruption and snowy owls were found as far south as Florida. Owl irruptions are a factor of the breeding adults being overly successful at raising young. Every year, parents produce more young than can be supported by the northern food supply of rodents. In years of high rodent density, these chicks survive at a higher rate and once winter sets in, these rodents become difficult to find. Often, the surplus owls raised that year are forced to move south in search of prey. Be on the lookout for irruptions! Evening grosbeaks and pine siskins are popping up and it’s only a matter of time before some snowy owls are around! TWG
Above: Evening grosbeak male and group at a feeder. Photos by LouAnn McLaren What steps should be taken for Fall bird house maintenance? From Heidi B. Now that nesting season is over, it is a great time of year to inspect nesting structures. If there are any rotten materials, now is an opportune time to replace and repair them. The following are some tips for cleaning and winterizing nest boxes:
Just remember some fun facts:
AFG BirdGoober is Terry and Andrea Grabill, of Newaygo. They have been birding together since they met and love to share their passion for birds with people of all ages. Please send your birding questions to the Grabills at birdgoober@gmail.com or visit their website www.birdgoober.com.  A masterpiece of pizza preparation The Murrells come full circle
N3- Hit the Road Joe has long been a food lovers favorite resting comfortably in its cabinesque headquarters just outside of Croton. Since the pandemic HTRJ, like many smaller venues, transitioned from inside dining to take out providing dinners three nights a week out of their Elm Avenue locale. The N3 Nibbler section updates their takeout offerings each week and from time to time Chef T. (aka Tracy Murrell) has added a Saturday pizza night, a move proven to be popular among those of us who savor a good pie. Their offerings have thrust them into ‘where to find the best pizza’ conversations throughout the community. The demand has been so high that changes were necessary and we caught up with the engaging personality that is Chef T. to have her describe their latest venture and how it came to be. “Faced with the new challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic we were forced to close our doors and scramble for new avenues in keeping the business afloat. As you know I just took over Jan 2020! (https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/the-torch-is-passed-at-hit-the-road-joe) So I decided to do Dinners to Go through the drive-thru three nights a week which has been going well and will continue to be offered to our patrons. I have chosen not to re-open inside service at this time due to the half capacity regulation and for the safety of my community. It just isn't worth being staffed and stocked for only a handful of inside customers, as well as the obvious health concern of having people sitting at tables without a mask. At this time we must go back for a little history lesson on Jeff and Tracy Murrell and Pizza and Cooking and training in things related to Pizza and Cooking… And lions and tigers and bears. After less than a year of dating, we bought a pizza shop in Grand Rapids on the corner of Michigan St. and Fuller, promptly changing the name to “J. Morello’s Pizzeria” (Our name is Murrell, which is not very Italian sounding). Jeff brought a wealth of pizza experience, learning the craft from years working on Leonard St under Sam Vitale himself. We always knew that we wanted to do pizza again together. During this time with the pandemic, the organic opportunity arose to slide into another avenue of serving the community and still keeping the business alive. That’s when we decided to try the wood-fired oven. We could combine Jeff’s pizza knowledge with my culinary training to create truly artisan pizza creations keeping true to HTRJ’s roots and ideals of homemade goodness prepared fresh. The first oven was just a small dome type oven which could only cook two 12” pies at a time and the phone was ringing off the wall. We could not keep up and wait times were commonly over two hours. We quickly realized we were onto something and the good feedback and orders kept coming. It was obvious there was a demand for artisan pizza in our area. WIth that realization, my husband decided to build a new larger oven that would be wood-fired but customized for larger capacity while still having the sustainability of cooking with wood and maintaining that Artisan quality! He did it and it is truly a masterpiece. We can now cook up to 10 pizzas at a time if needed. We are still working out a few kinks but feel that we are ready to move forward and start offering our crafted pizzas every Saturday starting on Halloween night!!!! I haven't given up on the cafe and breakfast but at this time while we are navigating through these uncharted waters of 2020 this seems to be the direction Hit the Road Joe will be pursuing, at least for now!! It is our hope that we can maintain reputation and offer something new to our community…. Thanks Yours Truly, Chef T There's no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box in your lap."-Kevin James  N3- Terry and Andrea Grabill have occasionally regaled us with wonderful stories and photos from the world of birding. We are happy to announce that they have agreed to do a Q&A column for all of us who share a fascination with our feathered friends. How can I make the birds that come to my feeders safe from window collisions? Rachel J Bird-window collisions are a real problem at homes with large windows. The very opening that allows us to better view birds often puts them in danger! Many backyard birders enjoy having a lively bird feeder that is easily viewed from the comfort of our homes and can, unfortunately, cause collisions that often are fatal. Often, collisions result from birds leaving feeders in a panic, perhaps to avoid predators such as hawks or domestic cats (more on that in another edition). Cover items near the feeders can give an escape path that does not include the window. Windows give the illusion of a clear path to safety. Bird-window collisions can be reduced by having items in your windows. If a bird can see the reflections of landscapes in windows they think that they can keep going safely. So, by tastefully placing items in the window that breaks up the sense of safety and being able to continue flying, the birds will know that there is a danger to them and they will have time to correct and change their path. Here at the BirdGoober home, we have strung 4-5 silver holiday bulbs on fishing line and hung them in our upper windows. We’ve not had a collision there in years! Many online retailers sell window clings and treatments that are designed to reduce the dangers. While standing outside, medium sized black birds flew in the same direction, not as an organized flock, but in a steady stream that lasted for several minutes involving possibly hundreds of birds. What are these and why do they do this? Ken D. In Michigan, late August is the time for blackbirds to gather in flocks to roam the countryside feeding in preparation for their migration south. These mixed flocks can contain thousands of individuals of several species, including common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, and European starlings. The cloud-like river of birds can be very impressive! As we finish this edition, a flock of at least one hundred perched in the hardwoods in our backyard. Blackbirds come together in flocks in the fall as they are getting ready to migrate. People always say there is safety in numbers, right? So, birds instinctively do the same! People notice blackbirds more because it’s a “cloud of black moving in the sky” which is great because at least people are noticing the birds! Birds tend to fly in flocks for safety from predators as well. When you are travelling hundreds of miles to migrate and it’s better to have a group for safety…just like humans! The flow of these clouds of black can be mesmerizing to watch. Flocks of starlings, especially, are known to flow in the air in what’s called a murmuration. Research has shown that in these sky-dances, individuals key in to the motion of the six nearest birds and the result is a beautiful black cloud that seems to move as one. BirdGoober is Terry and Andrea Grabill, of Newaygo. They have been birding together since they met and love to share their passion for birds with people of all ages. Please send your birding questions to the Grabills at birdgoober@gmail.com or visit their website www.birdgoober.com.  Paul Vondiziano Classical guitarist Paul Vondiziano will be at the Dogwood Center for the Performing Arts Friday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage. Vondiziano is a prestigious guitarist who plays music from Bach to Mediterranean composers with brilliant technique. Vondiziano’s performances typically include works such as Fernando Sor’s "Mozart Variations Op.9”, Manuel Ponce’s “Suite in A Minor”, J. S. Bach’s “Prelude-Fugue-Allegro”, Joao Guimaraes’ “Three Brazilian Pieces”, Carlo Domeniconi’s "Koyunbaba Op. 19”, as well as some of his own original pieces. Vondiziano was born in Larnaca, Cyprus where he began his study of the guitar at the age of eight. He continued his education in the United States in both philosophy and music, and holds a Master of Music degree from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania. Following his studies he returned to Cyprus, where his performance activities led to further engagements and tours in Europe. Since his return to America he has been active as a performer, and continues to make appearances abroad. This talented guitarist has collaborated with various musicians and ensembles and has performed as concerto soloist with ensembles such as the Cyprus National Chamber Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, Kalamazoo Symphony, Plymouth Symphony, and various university–related orchestras. He has had well received solo performances in Athens, Greece, Nicosia Cyprus, Sotogrand and Jimena in Spain. Tickets are only $15 and are available at www.dogwoodcenter.com, through the Dogwood Box Office, downtown Fremont at NCCA-Artsplace or click here. Seating style is reserved seating with social distancing. Seating is limited to 75 total. Masks worn over mouth and nose will be required at all times in the Dogwood Center. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Discover the Big Top Within with Cirque Amongus at the Dogwood Center on Saturday, October 31, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.! The half-day Circus Camp will promote teamwork and self-esteem while introducing children, ages 6 to 12, to a wide range of circus skills. There will be an abundance of fun as participants laugh and giggle while they ride unicycles and tiny bikes, walk a tightrope, do magic tricks, stay atop a rolling barrel, swing on a trapeze, or learn to juggle! Participants will also have the unique opportunity to see a performance by Cirque Amongus instructors! Advanced registration is required. Please include your phone number when registering so we can contact you with details before the class. Registration will be limited to 20 participants total, which will be broken up into 4 small groups of 5 participants each for activities. Each participant will use hand sanitizer between activities and equipment will be sanitized between groups. All participants will be required to wear masks, no food or drinks will be provided but participants are encouraged to bring a water bottle. Each participant will take a brief health survey prior to entering the facility. The cost for the morning is $20 per child. Children must be ages 6 - 12 years old to participate in this full morning of activities between 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. The program is funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Register at www.dogwoodcenter.com, through the Dogwood Box Office, downtown Fremont at NCCA-Artsplace or click here. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. Dogwood Center for the Performing Arts, 4734 S. Campus Court, Fremont, MI 49412  Aeriel Stroven's winning entry Autumn Umbra The NCCA-Artsplace Fall Community Photography Contest is a free annual contest for all ages and all levels of skill. The 2020 contest had 51 entries and award winners were selected by Dee Burkle of Awards and More. The first place award was given to Aeriel Stroven of Fremont for her photograph “Autumn Umbra”. Second place was awarded to Avery Geisen of Grant for the entry “Fragmented” and Amalie Jansen of Fremont was awarded third place for “Flowers in the Sunrise”. An Honorable Mention award was given to Susan Gilliland of Hesperia for "Into the Woods". All entries will be on display through October 31 in the corridor gallery at NCCA-Artsplace, 13 East Main Street in downtown Fremont.  On the Run: Events without the Busy Buzz
By Alexis Mercer Most cross country meets that the Newaygo High School team attends throughout a typical season are large; consisting of hundreds of runners per race, with multiple races per day. The Michigan State meet that takes place in mid-September, for example, would often contain more than 500 runners toeing the line per division. The gun would go off indicating runners could begin and the ground at Forest Akers Golf Course would tremble with the impact. With five high school divisions (both boys and girls) and also a college division, this meet meant thousands upon thousands of runners, spectators, and volunteers from the break of dawn until the sun was setting. Covid changed all that. Michigan State was canceled. The Portage Invite (the only invite we attend where schools from other states were allowed to travel to participate) canceled. Other meets weren’t canceled completely but altered to meet the safety requirements given by the MHSAA and allow runners to still compete. CSAA schools have added JV races to allow everyone to be able to participate as opposed to limiting the number of runners who can attend. Hill and Bale, an early season meet, limited the teams to 10 and allowed 7 runners per gender to compete. So when Allendale sent out information saying they were changing format to allow all schools who had originally participated to be able to compete, I was thrilled. My athletes love the Allendale course. Its elevation change is perhaps 1 ft total. They run quickly and the weather most often seems to cooperate being that it is held in early October. Not too hot, not too cold. There were annoying complications, like parents having to sign up early for spectator passes and an online system that wasn’t easy to navigate. But we would get to compete! Allendale put on a lesson in event planning, however. The teams would be split up into geographical regions. 7 regions total competing between Friday evening and Saturday all day. No more than 7 teams per region and each team could then allow 10 runners to participate. Results would be compiled from all regions and handed out the following week. All of this was impressive and I was grateful to them for finding a way to make the race work for our athletes. But I have to say, as I pulled in to the nearly empty parking lot at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon, and found my team huddled in the location where we would have normally put our team tent, coolers, food, bags, and blankets, only with their one extra layer of clothing over their uniforms, I could only think of one description for what I was feeling: eerie. The masses of people. The rolling off a bus at 6:30 am having watched the sun rise on the way to the meet. The smell of the caramel corn being made in person as you ordered right at the half mile mark. The volunteers holding back crowds to cross the track in order to get to the start line on the East side of the field. Sprinting through parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends who happen to live nearby and are so excited to watch a race to get to a point on the course where you could scream for your school’s athletes and be heard. Hearing over the loudspeaker to stay off the football field unless you are a runner. It was all missing. Eerie. I’m grateful for any chance to compete in a safe way. I’m grateful to Allendale for being brave enough to rework a well-oiled machine and find a new format for their race. I’m grateful that my runners put their hearts on the line and ran the course with pride regardless the number of competitors in the field. But I can’t help but think about just how eerie it all is. |
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November 2020
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