Leelanau.com Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

There is a good chance you might catch sight of a lucky leprechaun on Sunday, March 14 at Kilkenny’s Irish Public House located at 400 West Front Street in Traverse City. The Lucky Leprechaun Ball, sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, features music, dancing and singing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This year, the event will also benefit The Father Fred Foundation.

“We are so fortunate to have the Ancient Order of the Hibernians supporting us through their Lucky Leprechaun Ball,” said Martie Manty, Executive Director of The Father Fred Foundation. “Because we do not accept any federal or state funding, community events like these are crucial in helping us provide food, clothing and financial assistance to our neighbors in crisis.”

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. for an evening full of fun events and live music by Song of the Lakes. Hopefuls of all ages are encouraged to join in the Danny Boy singing contest. This may be a step on your way to American Idol! An Irish Trivia Contest will be followed by the Couch Potato Auction, and an evening of music from The Wild Sullys is on the auction block for the House Concert Auction. The winning bidder will enjoy an hour of great entertainment at their place of business or residence.

“The Lucky Leprechaun Ball is designed to be very family-friendly; it’s smoke free and we’re offing a kid’s menu with items under $5. Admission is $10 for adults; free for kids under 16,” said Mike Sullivan, event organizer.

Tickets are available at Nolan’s Tobacco Shop, The Father Fred Foundation, NorthPeak, Kilkenney’s or at the door.

For those unable to attend this event, a secure donation can be made online at fatherfred.org, or mailed to The Father Fred Foundation, P.O. Box 2260, Traverse City, MI 49685-2260.

The Father Fred Foundation is a non-denominational charity providing food, clothing, household goods and financial assistance to families and individuals in crisis who live in the five county Grand Traverse region. Visit www.fatherfred.org or call (231) 947-2055 for more information.

Currently it is 42 degrees and partly sunny 10:25 AM at Leelanau Coffee Roasting in Glen Arbor. The barometer is at 29395 inches and falling with a relative humidity of 53%.   Mostly sunny today with highs in the upper 40s, possibly hitting 50 this afternoon.  Chance of rain tomorrow and Thursday, with highs staying in the mid 40s.

Photo: Fall Scene Northport MI by Cheryl Parker Photography

Coming Events

Movie Series at Northport Community Arts Center ( March 14, April 11)

Check the Leelanau Calendar !  You can add your events to the calendar for FREE! Not only will they be distributed with our weekly newsletter, but they may be a featured story on leelanau.com!

Week's Weather
March 8: Sunny & 40 (54/25)
March 7: Mostly sunny & 48 (48/25)
March 6: Sunny & 45 (45/14)
March 5: Sunny & 37 (37/8)
March 4: Partly cloudy & 35 (35/11)

Looking back, comments, etc.

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from January 2009 and post your comments about the week (news, weather, whatever) on the Leelanau Almanac Week of February 25 - March 3.

Weather Resources

Weather Underground is just about as old as the internet (the first net weather service) and is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sometimes the above banner will show personal weather system data from Leland, sometimes from Leelanau Coffee and sometimes it comes from a vineyard on Old Mission (it tells you which in the top left of the page it links to).

Bouy 45002 in Lake Michigan is located halfway between North Manitou Island and Washington Island in Lake Michigan. It provides wind and wave data. Also check out Michigan Sea Grant Coastwatch for water temps (the "early evening" images in their archive will give you a better idea of actual temps during peaks swimming hours ... in seasons where you might actually want to swim!).

Dick Kerr, longtime owner and publisher of the Leelanau Enterprise, was known for this fiery editorials, which often targeted public officials. Kerr has turned his recollections and stories into a book, "Of Cabbages and Kings."

He transformed a traditional but rather sleepy weekly newspaper into a true source of local news, reports theRecord Eagle in a February 27 article.

Readers loved it. Most local officials didn't mind the scrutiny, and even appreciated the coverage.
But some hated it, particularly if they were on the wrong end of one of Kerr's sharp edits. A handful of Leelanau powerbrokers complained long and loud about Kerr and the Enterprise. They verbally attacked newspaper staffers in public settings, pulled advertising, and urged others to do the same. It wasn't unlike what the Record-Eagle went through a few years ago when a Grand Traverse County string-puller campaigned against us to our then-corporate board, an effort designed to scare the paper away from doing its job.

Another article in the Grand Traverse Insider says about Of Cabbages and Kings,"

Kerr’s memoir is filled with the excitement of meeting important personages and celebrities of the day, both in Leelanau County and in his two decades as a journalist in the Ypsilanti area. “Being in on” area happenings, and reporting on the events and people that shaped the character of the areas he served have made for an exciting career. But most of all, Kerr cites his having made friends with “many, many fine, great people” as that which has brought him the most satisfaction.

Copies of Dick Kerr’s memoir, “Of Cabbages and Kings,” are available for purchase at The Business Helper and Known Books in Suttons Bay, Leelanau Books in Leland, and the Cottage Book Shop in Glen Arbor.

Photo credit: Dick Kerr by Kristine Morris of the Grand Traverse Insider

When the New York Times decided to "draw a stylistic standard for a planned tasting of Belgian golden ales," they knew that they would find diversity, but didn't realize some of the beers would be so good that they wouldn't conform to their parameters.

We had beers that tasted of spices, like coriander and cloves, and those that tasted like fruit. Some were aged in oak barrels. One beer resembled the most exotic sort of lambic, a type of beer that is brewed using wild yeasts rather than those selected by brewers to produce predictable results. It had a sour funkiness that is a taste well worth acquiring. Another was so bitterly hoppy and dry that the beer seemed to have the texture of cotton, which was actually not unpleasant.

The lambic beer that they were referring to was Leelanau Brewing's Good Harbor Golden Ale, which they chose that the the # 4 beer of their top 10. Michigan's Jolly Pumpkin took top honors for the Belgian beer contest. Behind the taste of both of these beers is Ron Jefferies, who is the founder of Jolly Pumpkin, and partners with Leelanau Brewing's Charles Penska.

MyNorth.com caught up with Penska for a little scoop on his "funky" brew.

It is a beer that was designed to drink on the beach at sunset. Its distinction is its sour notes, which are all naturally occurring. We also age all of our beers in French Oak. The truth is, however, we’re just lucky to have Ron brewing our beer. His work literally changed my life, and I think he’ll go down in history as one of America’s greatest brew masters.

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below! You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the February 2009 and March 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac Week of February 18 - 24.

Photo credit: Fall Scene Northport MI by Cheryl Parker Photography
I know this photo takes us back a few months, but have been trying to convince my friend, Cheryl, to post her picture to the leelanau (dot com) flickr pool. Since she finally did, thought that I would use one of her photos. Thank you, Cheryl!

With Valentines Day behind us, and spring yet to sprung, events around the area are at a lull. We did feature Futsal 4 Haiti, which was an indoor soccer game that benefited Haiti. Speaking of events, our calendar is looking a look slim. Remember that you can list your events for free at www.leelanau.com/calendar! Your events will not only be listed on our site, but will go out in our weekly newsletter. This calendar is also the first place we go, to find events to feature.
We did feature some interesting stories from the area. Bruce and Deb West welcomed us to the Sugar Shack! We also looked back in time with Leelanau History: The Leelanau School and the short video, Roaming Through Michigan c. 1949. On Photo Friday, we featured Omena Point Berries by Trish Petrat.

Week's Weather

Mar 3: Mostly sunny & 24 (35/12)
Mar 2: Mostly sunny & 26 (35/12)
Mar 1: Partly cloudy & 32 (32/24)
Feb 28: Snow & 34 (34/30)
Feb 27: Snow & 34 (34/27)
Feb 26: Snow & 25 (30/25)
Feb 25: Overcast & 25 (25/17)

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below! You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the February 2009 and March 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac Week of February 18 - 24.

Photo: Beach chairs waiting for summer by dancingfrogz
I had to use this photo, because today I feel like the beach chairs...waiting for summer!

Sit back and enjoy this short tourism documentary on Northern Michigan c. 1949. The film was part of James A. Fitzpatrick's "TravelTalks" series. Includes footage of Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Mackinac Island, Traverse City, and other places.

In the summer of 1923, Cora and Skipper Beals founded a camp for boys on the shores of Lake Michigan in Glen Arbor and named it Camp Leelanau. Both were on the faculty of Principia College, a Christian Science School, in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1929 the camp’s success prompted some male campers to ask the Beals if they would consider opening a nine-month high school program. The Beals agreed and The Leelanau School was born.

From the beginning, the boys were involved in more than just “preparing for college”. The Beals valued the preparation for life. To them, teaching was an around-the-clock, all-encompassing mission. The boys were taught the value of mental and manual work, spiritual and scientific lessons, and an appreciation for the environments they encountered. These values remain an integral part of our program.

By the early 1940s, it was clear that a sister school was needed and The Pinebrook School for Girls was founded.

Mr. Beals died in 1942, and the administrative reins passed to Helen and Arthur Huey, both of whom had been involved in the school during the Beals’ tenure. Under the Hueys’ leadership, the Schools grew significantly, while maintaining the same sense of purpose and direction.

The Leelanau Experience developed from the wisdom and foresight of these four outstanding educators who, for Leelanau’s first forty years, carefully and lovingly guided the values associated with The Leelanau School.

from http://leelanau.org/ab_schoolHis.asp

Photo: Leelanau Glen Arbor MI Roadside Signpost Leelanau Schools and more from UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

Trade Tools

Debbie West, of Wests Windy Acre Farms, asks, "Does anybody know what time it is?" For Debbie and her husband, Bruce, is it Sugaring time. "Sugaring" is the art of turning sap from Maple trees into Maple Syrup. The Michigan Maple Syrup Association states that Michigan ranks 5th in Maple syrup production in the United States, and produces approximately 90,000 gallons of syrup/year. Maple syrup is one of the few agricultural crops in which demand exceeds supply.

Visit Bruce and Debbie's blog, lifeinnorthernmichigan.blogspot.com, for a glimpse of life in the Sugar Shack and to purchase some of their tasty Maple Syrup.  Wests Windy Acre Farms also has grass fed beef, eggs, and Maple butter for sale.

As the sun rises over the hills,
smoke from the sugar shack
drifts across the crystal laden snow
the trees warm up, the sap begins to flow
Thick bubbles form in the pans
then burst with maple scent
reminding us
the reward will be sweet
the long hours well spent
its a bitter cold but beautiful morning here in the North
BUT we are looking forward to the perfect temps
for sap flow over the next week or so -
We need to have warm days and cold nights
for the perfect conditions!
-Bruce and Debbie West

Omena Point Berries by Trish Petrat