 Book Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd By Alexis Mercer As promised in my book review of Murder on the Orient Express, I have read more Agatha Christie mysteries. Two, in fact. I started my plunge into learning more about the best selling author of all time with her first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. While this book was indeed entertaining, I found myself slightly disappointed after having truly enjoyed and been enthralled with Murder on the Orient Express. But I forged on and read another: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. In this book my love for Christie’s writing was renewed. Only after having finished the book did I learn that this is known as the novel that “changed Agatha Christie’s career” (agathachristie.com). Her fourth novel, it is entertaining and suspenseful to the very end. In The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, the town doctor visits the home of Ackroyd, his patient and also friend, but later that evening after returning home, gets a call back to the house to attend to the murdered man. The reader learns that Roger Ackroyd was dating a woman who had poisoned her husband a year ago and had since been blackmailed by an anonymous person. She, the love of Ackroyd’s life, had recently taken her own life with a drug overdose. Hercule Poirot is called out of retirement, being the neighbor of the doctor, by Ackroyd’s niece, to solve his murder. Everyone in the house that evening is a suspect, and even a few others who were not in the house but who were acquainted with Ackroyd. Poirot follows his distinct style of detecting the truth; taking no one’s word as truth until it can be proven without doubt. It is through this meticulous and thorough process that Poirot does come up with the truth about who murdered Ackroyd, but not without twists and turns along the way. Immediately upon finishing this book, I ordered two more of Christie’s Hercule Poirot mysteries. I can read them concurrently with other novels and not be distracted or have a hard time following along. They are a wonderful go-to book to have waiting if I have recently read something heavy or difficult. The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to the seeker after it.
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 A visit to Market 41 We get it. You’re cruising along figuring there’s ample time to get those items for your giftees and suddenly the final days have crept up on you and here you sit empty handed with presents unprocured and the spectre of Christmas yet to come looming over your already busy schedule. What’s more is you haven’t a clue as to what to get. The time to contemplate has long since past. You need ideas and you need them NOW! Well, if truth be told (a curious saying since it implies without the preface one is less than truthful) we at SWK have walked in your belated boots before. We feel your procrastinatory pain. And we’re here to help. On Monday from 10am-5pm get yourself down to Market 41 in downtown Newaygo. Why? Because: A. You are out of time. B. They got stuff galore and C. They are indeed local. M-41 is a unique shopping experience with some things old, some things new, some things artful, some things practical, some things vintage and some things just plain fun. The shop with over 75 vendors who each display their wares in a most creative manner is located at 41 State St,(hence the name of the store we assume) the classic building that has recently undergone a facelift of epic proportions (while leaving the City Drug sign intact a nice nod to Newaygo’s past). We offer a few photos highlighting some of the opportunities available at M-41 and if you score some needed gifts but still have a few stockings to stuff? Try the New Ewe for your fabric focused friends, grab some gift certs at the Riverstop Cafe, forage for some fishing finds at Parsley’s, or jump on some jerky at Jerkies. Then browse the eclectic inventory of North Woods General Store. If you do all this and still come away in need of more? You’re on your own friends. The staff of SWK still has some serious shopping to do.  Photos by Lil DeLaat For the past couple of years we have asked folks from around the community to send in their Christmas memories.We received some great new ones this year and also really liked the ones that came to us last year as well so we decided to blend the two together because even if you might have read them before it is, after all, Christmas and most people have seen It’s A Wonderful Life and/or A Christmas Story multiple times so… Some are short, some are long, some are in between but we love these stories and hope they will touch a bit of the Christmas spirit in your heart. You’ll find a bevy of them here and more offerings on our Pulse Page Enjoy. A Crossman Pump Action By Scott VanSingel "It was Christmas 1989. I was 10 years old at the time and had been begging my father for probably a year or more for a BB gun, very similar to the movie "A Christmas Story." While he wasn't afraid of me shooting my eye out, he continued to tell me I was too young. In the weeks before Christmas I noticed a rectangular box underneath the Christmas tree and began to have hope that it might actually be my desired gift, and not a cleverly packaged sweater. On Christmas morning I finally was able to open the box and much to my delight it contained a Crossman pump action BB gun. I promptly put this gun to use shooting soda cans. Over the coming years I harvested several squirrels and rabbits which ended up on the family dinner table. To this day that BB gun remains my favorite Christmas present. It has long since been retired and replaced by a Mossberg .410, but still hangs on the wall in my basement. My daughter will be 10 next Christmas and I hope I will be lucky enough for her to ask for a similar gift." Never a Christmas Like That One By Carla Roberts Two little girls about 3 and 4 came running down the stairs from their room to find the living room literally filled with toys and presents. They squealed with delight and began exploring. There was a pink kitchen sink and stove, baby doll carriage, baby doll highchair, dolls, doll clothes and on and on. Two of everything, where last night there was only a tree with a few presents. My sister and I were both in awe of the abundance and we knew for sure there was a Santa Claus because our parents could never have afforded all that stuff. We played with these toys throughout our childhood. There was never another Christmas quite like that one and the joy of that day has sustained me through some Christmas Days that were not as abundant. That is the very first Christmas that I can recall. Christmas Morning By Chris Wren Waking up Christmas morning brings happiness and joy to me that is very special and deep in family tradition. I love the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day football, but nothing beats Christmas morning. I will never forget Christmas morning when I was eight years old and running downstairs to the biggest present I had ever seen. As I tore into the wrapping paper I knew that my efforts of pestering my parents for months paid off and the G.I. Joe aircraft carrier was in fact under the tree. I shook with excitement and may even have fainted for a moment it was a great present but more importantly solidified how special Christmas morning can be. It wasn’t the present but sharing the moment with my family. Knowing that my dad had as much fun as I did watching me open a present and being with the family truly resonated from that day forward. Over thirty years later, I still wake up with the same excitement and happiness that I had that day. My wife can confirm that we don’t usually make it past 6 am before I am up excited to get the morning going. The weeks of shaking presents, decorating the house and preparing for the morning is my favorite time of the year. This year will be the most special Christmas morning yet for me as I will for the first time get to wake up with a son of my own. I don’t foresee a G.I. Joe aircraft carrier this year, but the love and happiness that my dad created for me will be replicated. Continuing the family tradition for Christmas morning is exciting and I am looking forward to seeing the happiness on my son’s face when he opens his presents and is surrounded by love, even though he will probably be more excited for the box the present comes in. Getting the coffee going, cooking a big breakfast and spending the morning with those who I love is the perfect tradition I will continue as my parents did with me. This year I may not make it past 5 am. The Time I Caught “Santa” By Noah Graff As a child I always questioned the fictional characters parents told their children about. Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc. Not that I didn’t believe them, I was just curious why I never saw them. Christmas 2007 was approaching and I was six years old. At the time Christmas was my favorite holiday, so the suspense was building. This Christmas was different though. I was determined to catch Santa, even if I had to sacrifice not getting any presents that year. I had a plan. Every night around midnight my parents would check if I was asleep. I was going to watch my alarm until 12 and pretend like I was sleeping when they checked. Soon enough, I heard my door creek then close slowly. Yes! The plan worked so far. Now I was going to stay up a little longer to be sure my parents were asleep. Around 1:30, I knew it was time. I slowly rolled out of my bed and tiptoed to the door. When I turned the knob, I started to have second thoughts. But I wanted to find out the truth. Very steady, I turned the knob the whole way and opened the door. I crept into the hallway, trying not to make the floor creek. I planned on hiding behind the couch facing our tree until Santa arrived. Almost to the living room, I heard shuffling. Was it Santa? The only way to find out was to look around the corner. As I peeked around the wall I saw a figure. It was very dark so I could just make out the silhouette. I examined the man, quickly realizing it wasn’t the Santa I saw in pictures. Still convinced it was Santa, I contemplated my next move. Do I say something? Do I wait and watch? Do I tackle him and expose his identity like a Scooby-Doo episode? I chose to watch him a little longer. As I made out the shape of the man it began to look more familiar. Santa wasn’t as fat as I remembered and actually rather fit. Moments later another being walked into the living room. Not far from me, I realized it was my mom! Surprised, a slight gasp slipped out of my mouth. My mom turned my way and saw that it was me. She told me to come out and I realized Santa was my dad. I had found out the truth. Every day after that I would question my parents on everything. And until all my friends found out Santa wasn’t really, it took everything not to tell them the truth. Slides By Marianne Boerigter Slides….. If you are of at least a certain age, you remember them too; the slides and the slide projector. Almost every family had slides. There was always that one person in the family who could actually run the projector correctly, without them all looking backwards or upside down. At Thanksgiving, a few of us in my family were talking about old family photos, and of course, slides came up. My sister said she had the slides our parents had taken, and I remembered I had a small case of slides from our grandparents. Later that weekend, I started googling how to best transfer slides to a more usable digital format so maybe all of us in the family could have copies. I came upon a "film to digital converter" gadget and hit the "order now" button. The next day I pulled that case of slides from our grandparents out of the back of the my closet and found twelve Kodak slide trays with 30 slides in each. I took out the first tray and started holding up each slide to the light…..hmmm. Beautiful fall trees, geese, and people I had absolutely no idea who they were. The second tray had much more promise. A piece of tape on the side said "Kids". Sure enough, slides from the late 50's and 60's of our family, Christmas, birthdays, and brand new cars with the proud owners standing next to them. Being the youngest in the family, many of them were from before me or when I was a very young. My brother and sisters, mom and dad and grandparents looking so young, smiling and happy. Yes, these are the ones I needed to work on to convert and share. My new converter gadget worked wonderfully. I quickly get through the 30 slides in the "Kids" tray and went on to the next tray. My grandparents' house, and few more family shots, and then……hmmm. Beautiful fall trees, geese, and more people I had absolutely no idea who they are. Grandpa apparently really liked the trees in their fall colors. Next tray reads "Holland Tulip Time Floats". Really? No, there can't really be 30 slides of 1961 Tulip Time floats in there, right? Oh yes, there was. Next tray, "Flowers". Yep, roses, tulips, peonies, and flowering bushes with no clue where they were located. More un-labeled trays produced about 20 more slides that were recognizable for location at least or the people in them. Out of 360 slides, 50 of them I converted. But I have to say, they are the best 50 photos around because they all capture a special time for our family. This holiday season I encourage you to pull out some old photo albums or even the dreaded slide projector and take some time to remember. I imagine you will find some that give you that warm feeling of family and good times. Share some with your friends and family and spread love, laughter and memories. Happy Holidays!  This Year By Ken DeLaat While we rejoice and celebrate the season there are always folks who are experiencing loss during these days and no other time magnifies those feelings like the holidays. “This year, Christmas just is what it is”, she said softly. Garnishing the strength within and the resolve of having made strides toward change and determined to use those tools gained in the process, she came to the only place you can go and remain honest with yourself and others. I can’t feel any better than this right now. No amount of pretending will make it go away. I’m too tired to take care of all of you. Now, please, don’t attempt to wrest a Rockwell moment out of the ashes of my Christmas of loss. Enjoy and rejoice and revel and don’t feel obligated to take care of me. Just show me you care by acknowledging me, loving me, and leaving me be as I desire. I’m not gone nor am I forever changed. I’ll be happy again at my time and pace. I’ll come back to you. But this year, please, Christmas just is what it is. White Boomers By James Kelly How do you make sense of a white Christmas, dashing through the snow on an open sleigh, and Frosty the Snowman when it’s 90 degrees on Christmas day? When Christmases past were filed with memories of singing Christmas carols on Christmas eve in the local park while enjoying a picnic with your friends and family, or playing “Marco Polo” for hours in the pool with your cousins on Christmas day? Well, you adapt! Sing it with me now… ”Six white boomers, snow white boomers, Racing Santa Clause through the blazing sun. Six white boomers, snow white boomers, On his Australian run.” While there may be a lack of reindeer in Australia, there is no shortage of kangaroos (boomers) that could easily provide the power needed to haul around Santa and his stash of goodies. Add a couple more verses and before you know it you will have a kids Christmas classic that doesn’t cause confusion, but one that actually adds to the festive season in a meaningful and relatable way. “Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat, Took his fur lined boots off to cool his feet, Into one popped Joey, feeling quite okay, While those old man Kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh” So for a taste of Christmas on the other side of the world consider a quick Google search for “Six White Boomers’. I’d recommend the version performed by Rolf Harris, the man you might of once heard sing that other Aussie classic, “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport”. Wherever you find yourself on Christmas day, I encourage you to sing a song that bought you some joy as a child. I’m confident the joy will return almost immediately. Fully Present By Brett Zuver The Holiday Season is always one that brings cascading memories and a sense of wonder and amazement for all, young and old, to life once more. Quite often the memories are measured in quiet and private thoughts, maybe with a smile that was meant for nobody in particular-perhaps even for someone who is no longer with us, a memory. The warm smell of Christmas cookies that instantly transports you back countless years, hearing a favorite Christmas song that reminds you of a special time or a special someone, fulfilling long-lasting family traditions or beginning new ones, and most importantly, taking time to connect, or even reconnect, with loved ones on a level where they truly understand how important they really are to you. These are the things that make this time of year special. Personally, I am in the stage of life where I am different things to different people. I am a husband, a father, a co-worker, a peer, a friend, a mentor, a learner, an employee, and countless other things to countless other people. For me, finding time to reflect and make sure that I am giving all that I can to everyone who needs me is the most satisfying part of waking up every day. There are times that I fall short, there are times that I wish I could have done better, and times where I am proud of how things have worked out. For me, this time of the year magnifies many of my relationships and gives me a much stronger lens to examine how I have done in deepening these relationships that matter the most. There will always be emails to answer and phone calls to return, those will never run out. Making sure the people I care about, whether or not I see them every day, know that I fully value and appreciate them is, to me, the most enjoyable part of this time of year. Every time I hear, “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole I am instantly taken back to a certain day at my grandparent’s lake house up North on Burt Lake. They lived there for several years when I was young and one day in particular stands out for me. My mother, father, brother and I were there for a few days with my grandparents and my uncle’s family. His family had four children, Cathy, Renee, Robert, and Suzie, all of whom ranged in age from a couple years older than me to a couple years younger. We always had a blast every time we would get together, lots of laughter and adventures, to say the least. We were visiting for the Zuver family Christmas, it was a weekend in mid-December, and it was bitterly cold outside. To me, this was a magical place. There was a lake that looked as big as the ocean where we could always find Petoskey stones and catch fish right off the dock. We would go for rides on my Grandpa Zuver’s pontoon boat, which was something I had never done before. They lived in the woods just up the hill from the lake and were surrounded by a cast of characters who lived nearby that always made the visit something to remember. Uncle Esko and Aunt Carol lived in a little house behind them, Mr. Oloffson lived in a beautiful home right on the lake and had a small fishing pond right next to his house. He would always smoke a pipe and referred to me as, “Bart”, even though he knew my name was Brett. He would smile every time he would call me that. The road cut through the woods still had the biggest tree I had ever seen growing right up in the middle of the dirt road, our car could barely fit around either side. There were neighbors down the road that actually had a big one-horse open sleigh! We would pile in as many of us as we could and ride with them occasionally when there was enough snow on the ground. I remember the smell of cinnamon rolls in my grantparent’s house and a combination of old wood and gasoline smells in their unattached garage where they kept their snowmobiles. This particular day started with a good breakfast and then soon a plan was hatched-my father, my uncle, and all of the kids were going to head out into the woods and find the perfect Christmas tree to cut down and bring back so we could all spend the afternoon together decorating it. Although it was cold, it was something we were charged with and none of us wanted to disappoint! I remember the snow being at least knee-deep and even walking was a challenge. We marched in line, being led by my father and uncle, trying to step in the deep white footprints that were left by them so we would not lose a boot or get too much snow up our pant legs. We weaved in and out of the forest, along the edges of some barren fields and then back into the woods again until we found the perfect tree. There was a light, soft snow falling. Big, fat flakes, that almost looked like goose feathers landing all around us but not making a sound. By this time my face, hands, and feet were freezing but I would not have missed this for the world! It took my dad and uncle longer that we thought it would to cut down our prized Christmas tree but they were successful. Now we had to get it back to my grandparent’s house. At that time it seemed like we had walked 10 miles uphill in a blizzard to find the perfect tree, in reality, it was probably more like a quarter to half a mile, but I took smaller steps back then. All of the kids took turns helping Dad and Uncle Bob drag the tree through the woods and fields. The snow did cause a bit of an obstacle as we did this and I remember more than one of us complaining about getting poked by the fresh pine needles on our wrist or through our home-made knitted mittens. After some time we were able to fight through all of the elements and challenges and succeed in delivering what we had promised to our grandparents. There was a roaring fire burning in the red fireplace when we got home and hot chocolate with marshmallows for anyone who needed it. I took my hot chocolate straight, no marshmallows. Music was playing on the record player and my mom, aunt, and grandparents had prepared a table full of crafts for us to use to make home-made Christmas ornaments. There was construction paper cut into strips to make a chain, paper, markers, glue, glitter, and almost anything else we would need to make one of a kind creations to make the tree perfect. They had brought a box of ornaments with them as well and we spent the next few hours creating masterpieces and decorating the tree together. This was a time of no cell phones, no texting, no tweeting, no Instagramming selfies in front of the tree, the television was not even on…it was just genuine human family interaction and connections, all working together to create a one of a kind symbol of our family together for this fleeting weekend. All the while, quiet music continued to play on the record player. I do not remember listening with any interest at that time, but every time I now hear Nat King Cole’s voice begin to sing, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose”, I am instantly taken back to that day, that afternoon, that moment, where I felt like things would be like that forever, but, as we know, change is the one constant we have in life. To me it was the perfect day. I recently came upon an old picture that I had never seen before that was taken that day. I also have no memory of it being taken. It was of our group, arriving back to the house successfully with our Christmas tree. We were all standing in a cluster, everyone smiling and seeming like there was no other place on earth that they would rather be with the exception of one person, me. I looked almost angry and bothered that I was outside with everyone, I was freezing and tired. Everyone else had a look of amazement, happiness, and anticipation on their faces. I looked like I wanted to be anywhere but there, completely disinterested and agitated. When I saw that picture, I was dumbfounded. How could one of my favorite memories of my childhood be captured with me looking like I wanted to beat something or someone up? I felt embarrassed when I saw the picture, confused. As I think back to that day, and especially that picture, I sincerely hope that my actions did not mirror my body language. I would be devastated if, in actuality, I complained the entire walk, distanced myself from trimming and decorating the tree, and generally made things miserable for others to even be around me on that day. That was the last time we were all together for Christmas. There is nothing I can do about that long lost day now, however, moving forward I can focus even sharper than ever on making sure I am fully present in the moment and can stay upbeat and positive with everyone, no matter the situation. After all, we are never guaranteed tomorrow, we need to make the most of today. I sincerely hope that all of your Christmas wishes come true and that you get to spend time with the ones you love the most.   The Newaygo County Museum will continue our speaker series with Ned Hughes, Chair of the Newaygo Conservation District Board. He will be presenting “The Star of Bethlehem”. Did you ever wonder what the Wise Men really saw on that night some 2000 years ago? What did the sky look like, who were these men, why did they come and from where did they come? All of these questions and more will be answered! Please join us at the Museum on Thursday, December 19 at 6:30 pm. Ned Hughes is a retired health care chief executive officer with 35+ years’ experience in the health care sector. He has a Bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from the University of Cincinnati, and a Masters’ Degree in Health and Hospital Administration from Xavier University. He is a Life Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and a Rotarian. Ned served as Chairman of the Board of the Michigan Center for Rural Health, Past Chairman of the Michigan Rural Health Association, and Past Chairman of the Board of United Way of Newaygo County. He has served in various capacities on the Michigan Health and Hospital Association Board and Executive Committee. He is currently a Director on the Newaygo Conservation District Board and currently chairs that organization. He is also Vice Chair of Region 4 of the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts and chairs the Newaygo County Community Collaborative Steering Committee. Ned has lived in Newaygo County since 1985 with his wife Linda. He has two children and four grandchildren. He oversees the Kropscott Farm Environmental Center including the SF Wessling Observatory, and in his spare time loves to star gaze, kayak and fish. Please join us at the Museum on Thursday, December 19th at 6:30 pm for this forty-minute presentation, an ongoing part of our yearround Heritage Speaker series, which will be followed by a time of questions and answers. The Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center is at 12 Quarterline in downtown Newaygo. Doors are scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are matched at 50 percent by the Fremont Area Community Foundation, which provides core operational support for the organization.  Shopping with Ken began when I was a young man in my early to mid 50’s freelancing for the Times Indicator. T-Iers Deb and Rich started the first area Shop Local movement by sending me out to local establishments to sample the shopping experiences then reporting ( actually kind of rambling) on them and it traveled with me to N3. It was and has been fun, but if my memory serves (always a bit iffy) the very first spot we targeted that inaugural year was the NCCA Artsplace Holiday Artists Market. It remains an all time favorite. Why? This is shop-local at it’s very roots with items not only sold locally but created locally. Painters , potters, printers, makers of fine things, authors and more of the creative collective who reside in our region bring their items of distinction to the downtown Fremont center of artistic expression known as the Artsplace where the Holiday Artists Market springs to life each season. Over 100 artisans are represented by their works and the variety of items available will fulfill your gifting needs from stocking stuffers to primary presents. The crew at NCCA Artsplace are highly helpful and excellent wrappers which comes in handy when your ability to finish off gifts in a somewhat tidy fashion is limited to tossing the item in a gift bag with a sheet of tissue paper. It’s a feel good place with an airy atmosphere and as a bonus you can give your giftee a certificate to one of their myriad of classes allowing your gift to keep on giving beyond the holiday. Fair warning. When you go, give yourself more than a smidge or two of time because this is a browser’s treasure trove and will require some serious perusal. And again, when you go tell them Ken sent you and be assured you will be welcomed with the words... ‘Ken who?’ https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/ncca-artsplace-holiday-artist-market-opens-november-16  Photos and Story by Alexis Mercer Newaygo's annual Christmas Walk, where the streets downtown are closed to traffic other than the horses and carriages that pull people down the middle of the road to see the full view, was held on Friday, December 5. Businesses stay open late, Newaygo Jazz band performs on stage, the Christmas tree that elementary students decorate with handmade ornaments gets lit, vendors sell (or give away) hot chocolate, donuts, popcorn and an array of other treats, and people of all ages are able to walk and enjoy the town together to somewhat unofficially kick off the Christmas season.       The winners! The NCCA-Artsplace Holiday Card Contest had 536 entries this year from Newaygo County students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The 2019 contest winners were selected by local graphic artist Nate Bender. The award winning selections were from A’Brehn Aprile from Big Jackson School, Dana Rumsey from Fremont Christian School; Aiven Warmbein from Newaygo Elementary School; Francesca Crescenzo from White Cloud High School; Abigale Hoaglin from Grant High School; and Claire Magers from Fremont Middle School. The selected students received 20 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 28 at NCCA-Artsplace, 13 East Main Street in downtown Fremont.  Sarah Cleveland greeting the other residents of Happy Hog Farm Ready to try a new direction when it comes to gifting? Tired of looking around with no clear idea of what to get then settling for a quick panic grab of something that will likely never see the light of day again once opened? Want something practical and yet a little fun? A gift that is likely to be remembered? How about meat? I’m talking bacon, sausage, chops, maybe a loin or two or even some combination of pork related products. After all, while aware of the number of vegans and vegetarians among our readership there remains a great deal of folks whose carnivorous habits have been maintained for the better part of their lives. And they really really love meat. But you don’t want to gift someone just any meat, correct? You want high quality stuff. Something a bit special. A meat that says “Merry Christmas”. Well, we have an idea... Years ago Jay and Sarah Cleveland decided to strive for a more self sufficient lifestyle. They bought acreage, built a house and began to add outbuildings as their livestock grew to chickens goats and eventually the hogs. “It started out to be just raising meat for our family then we last year we became a state licensed meat processor.” Sarah explained. And so began the story of Happy Hog Farm, a local opportunity for carnivores to get a hold of some quality pork raised by folks who truly care for the animals in their keep. Sarah talks of the farm and their livestock with such a deep and abiding love for what she and Jay have built from a desire to tend to their animals in a humane manner. “We want the animals we raise to enjoy their time here. We want them to have good lives,” she explained. From the tour we took on behalf of SWK the animals were indeed well cared for. The goats welcomed me with an attempt at a nibble on my jacket that might have been successful had Sarah not warned me of their less than selective feeding options. From there we visited a couple of moms-to-be in their farrowing stalls. All the hogs are born on the farm and not purchased elsewhere as piglets. We also met their Livestock Guardian Dog, an impressive Great Pyrenees named Tao who eyed me with what seemed like more than a trace of suspicion. My hunch is Tao performs her duties well given her vigilance regarding my presence. The Clevelands are a busy lot with 3 school age children at home and Jay’s regular job consuming a lot of time but they are committed to delivering a high quality product raised locally without corn or soy in their diet and raised with caring and kindness as well. . While Sarah handles the business end of HHF her gratitude for her husband’s contribution runs deep. “Without Jay none of this would be possible,” she stated. “He works so incredibly hard on every single one of his days off of his regular job to keep this farm running and he is the main meat cutter in the shop. “His role is so vital.” Their porcine prowlers have ample room to mill about doing their thing (mainly rooting and digging) on the HHF grounds. Unlike large operations who keep their livestock confined and contained these pigs can go ‘hog wild’ in a wooded area where they are allowed to roam about a bit. Their diet is free of GMOs and their ability to have a varied fare produces a more flavorful taste. As Sarah called them out of the barn for an appearance they pushed and nudged to get a little attention from her. This past summer Happy Hog Farm set up shop on Saturdays at the Grant Farmers Market and won over a following and are now offering CSA’s where an early investment brings fresh meat to your door all year round. Sarah has become a sausage creator blending mixtures of spices and flavorings to add a personal touch to their product. She admits the taste testing is run through the family first for approval. And the results? Well, a package of “Seriously Good Hot Dogs” that came home with us lived up to their name the evening after our visit. As Sarah had explained the texture differs from most ‘traditional’ dogs one gets at a grocery store but the taste was superb and when garnished with just a touch of some really good mustard they moved from superb to sublime. The experience has admittedly altered my personal weenie world a bit. The Happy Hog Farm has gift certificates available because if you leave pork chops under the tree Santa may not get them but a furry friend could very well nose them out and besides you’d have to keep it in a cooler which might give away the whole surprise even if the cooler was wrapped and all. So yeah, gift certificates. And if meat gifting may not suit your needs, hitting them up for some main course Christmas Dinner material could certainly be in the offing and add a nice local touch to the feast. Because if the rest of their meat proves to be as tasty as those hot dogs? I’m in. Way in. You can contact Happy Hog Farm through their facebook site https://www.facebook.com/Happy-Hog-Farm-2056623171285149/ Or by giving them a call at 616.446.4059.   The Spanish-Language (English supertitles) theatrical presentation El país sin nombre (the country without a name) will be presented by Grant Middle School students in the Grant Fine Arts Center at 6pm on Wednesday. It is a short comedy about the importance of memory.
 Doings this weekend
For many years the Friends of the White Cloud Library have been putting on a dinner event with small decorative trees and wreaths on the auction block (silent auction block, that is). Swiss steak is the star of the dinner held at the Eagles Club and proceeds will go toward the groups efforts to help the WCCL the well loved oasis of fun and learning in the county seat. Friday 4:30-7pm, 8 bucks a plate and some truly fine looking trees and wreaths on display for perusal and purchase. Friday at 6pm is the Christmas Walk a time honored downtown Newaygo tradition that has closed the streets to all but horse drawn carriages wandering carolers and holiday revelers for over a decade. It is all the chestnut roasting, wagon riding, Santa sitting fun one can have in a 2 hour binge. If you’ve never been, it is a wonderful way to generate a little seasonal spark. And if you have? You’re likely a regular. We recall being at the inaugural St. Nick Kick when a collection of brave souls took off in a bit of a snowstorm to benefit the Newaygo Cross Country program. Man, has it grown. The SNK has become one of the area’s ‘must’ runs and they do it really well and we’re not saying that just because Newaygo Cross Coach Alexis Mercer is the N3 Editor. Well, maybe partly but it’s still a great race and if we ever decided to extend our footwork beyond trips to the mailbox this would be the race we would run. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/9th-annual-choiceone-bank-st-nick-kick Saturday afternoon you can head back up to the Cloud for more Christmas doings from Noon to 3pm. Lots of events and activities and Santa will be making an appearance as well. Bellewether has their annual open house Saturday from 11am-3pm featuring pet photos with Santa, their always enticing dog and cat calendars, pet (and human) goodies and toys because pets can never have enough toys. Microchipping is also available so if Bowser or Sylvester tends to wander this process provides a little insurance should they get a bit lost. Not had your fill of craft shows? If you want to travel to GR Saturday 9am-3pm the one they annually hold at West Catholic has been one of the premier shows in our Metro neighbor to the south for many years but if you still have the itch and want to keep it local check out the one at Grant Christian School starting at 10am. Got a wreath-making desire going? The Howard Christensen Nature Center where you can fashion a grapevine wreath with foraged cuttings and personalize it with trimmings. Everything supplied, including refreshments for the bargain price of 10 bucks for non members and a mere fin for members. http://www.howardchristensen.org/product/12-08-wreath-making-craft-make-and-take/ Our columnist Megan (Megan Again) has organized a caroling tour of some local nursing homes for Sunday. Here’s the skinny straight from the keyboard of writer/singer/domestic goddess Ms. Wirts. Join me my friends and family in spreading joy this holiday season by singing some classic carols together! We will meet on Sunday December 8th at 12:00pm in the parking lot at Fountain View Retirement Village in Grant. We plan to also travel to the Newaygo Medical Care Facility in Fremont, meeting there at 4:00pm. Dress festively! I will provide song lyrics and a loud voice. Raven will be bringing her ukulele, otherwise we will be doing this acapella. Invite others to join! The more the merrier! If you’ve any small ones at home or have the rep at being that ‘Fun’ aunt call up and get tickets to the Velveteen Rabbit production at the Dogwood Sunday at 3pm. If you know the story you will love this version and so will the littles you bring. If you don't know the story you will still love it and perhaps be buying yourself the book for Christmas. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/velveteen-rabbit-at-the-dogwood-on-december-8 And Sunday night you can wrap up the weekend with the annual River Country Community Choir Concert at the Grant Fine Arts Center beginning at 6pm. Over 50 folks will be tuning up their vocal chords to entertain attendees with some really fine choral arrangements for just a free will offering as the price of admission and proceeds heading to Love INC. We know, we know it’s a lot and there is likely more on the way but hey, January and February are going to give you ample time to hunker in and do a little hibernating so get out there and revel folks. |
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September 2024
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