Don’t Wait — Enjoy the Lake Now!
We all have that “window” that we look forward to. It’s those few years between the time when we are done working, raising kids, paying mortgages and improving our homesteads and the time when we begin to slow down, feel the effects of health issues and begin to look back on life instead of living it. For some of us that window is either shorter or longer than others’, depending on our health, finances and where we are in life. The tricky part is that we never know just how long our personal window will be. Because of this, [...]
It’s Freezing! Facts about the Lakes in Winter
I thought I heard someone calling the other day. As I listened closer, it was the lake softly whispering, “Don’t forget me. I can still be fun, even in winter.” Every season brings its own blessings and trials, and winter is no different. Branch County’s lakes offers their own share of pleasures … and dangers. With just a little understanding of lakes in winter, you can discover a whole new way to enjoy what your lake has to offer while it is frozen over. It has been a while since I have played on the ice, but when I [...]
Runner’s High
My life is very busy. I work in a busy medical practice, teach spin classes and sell real estate. I have a husband and two fur babies. There is not a lot of time in the day to relax and take in the beauty of Coldwater Lake. I have discovered a way that works for me. I run … A LOT. Running for me is a way to release the anxieties of an overwhelming day. I run on an average 30–40 miles a week. I have run in many different places, but my favorite and the most relaxing is [...]
Life is to be Lived! Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Last month I started thinking about updating my living room. Everything I was drawn to revolved around the light, airy tones of grey, beige and even off-white. For me, personally, the linen-looking fabrics were the most appealing. Those colors seem to give the clean, comfortable look I am striving for. Wow … stop right there. We live in our living room. All entertainment takes place in our living room. I’m ashamed to admit that the cocktail table doubles as a dining table quite often. And when the grandkids come over, we usually have movie night … and that always [...]
Coldwater Lake Ski Bees
On any Saturday morning in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s you could find a group of Coldwater Lake teenagers practicing for the annual ski show. They were part of the Coldwater Lake Ski Club. Back then, people didn’t have cell phones, YouTube or the impressive boats you see on the lake today, but they had a love of the lake, friendships and the type of fun you remember for the rest of your life. The Coldwater Lake Ski Club was started in 1956 by lake residents John Milnes, Fred Nichols and Pete Goshia. John and Fred were college students who [...]
Feed Me! (That’s your plant talking)
Every spring, people flock to greenhouses and garden centers to gather up everything they will need to make their yard and porch beautiful. They buy hanging baskets, potted plants, flats of flowers and maybe a couple bushes or trees to complete their landscape. Once everything is in the ground, the hard part is over, right? Not if you want everything to stay looking as beautiful as the day you bought them. Watering and fertilizing are keys to making sure your yard and porch stay looking fabulous. Most everyone knows to water their plants as often as needed to keep [...]
Faith on the Lake
Why do I love coming to the lake? I look forward to it. I crave it. The rest, the time with family and friends, the beauty of nature … it calls to me. I think it calls to many of us. We were made to enjoy these experiences. The lake offers the rest and fellowship that God desires for people. When at the lake, I feel alive. Why is that? I don't think the lake has any special power in itself, but it may have the power to help us see God more clearly. When I think of the [...]
Ooooo! Ahhhhh! Summer Spectacular
Every summer in America we celebrate the birth of our country with fireworks on the Fourth of July. Have you ever wondered about the history of fireworks? Most attribute the invention of fireworks to China around A.D. 800. Chinese alchemists, looking for a concoction for eternal life, quite by accident created a crude gunpowder. They formed the very first “firecracker” by packing the mixture into bamboo tubes and throwing them into the fire. The resulting loud blast was believed to keep evil spirits away. Eventually, the design evolved into using paper tubes with attached fuses, and then eventually the [...]
Riley Dam Gets a Facelift
The berm around the dam on Union Lake got a much-needed upgrade this past year
Senior Summers
Take advantage of all the activities and services for seniors that the Burnside Center has to offer
One Couple’s Dream Helps Others Launch Theirs
In life, we are given opportunities we never could have imagined but which fit our destiny perfectly. Twenty-five years ago John and Kathy Hemker purchased a beautiful property for the purpose of building a family home. Kathy had dreams of landscape architecture and residential design. Her dreams and life came together precisely to help create a wedding venue on the island part of the property. Only one problem stood in her way: T-I-M-E. The large flowering gazebo canopy, for example, took 10 patient years to grow into the beauty we see in these pictures. This year will be their [...]
Livin’ the LAKE LIFE Year-Round
Activities abound on the lakes through every season of the year. From old to young, Type-A to social sanguine, there’s something for everyone. SUMMER The height of activities on the lake, of course, occurs in the summer. For the active enthusiast, there’s swimming, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, skiing and more. For those in need of speed, Jet Skis are in full force, alongside speedboats and pontoons, not to mention the occasional aquaplane. For the nature lover, there is abundant wildlife to observe, including birds, insects, reptiles, turtles and of course fish. For the sportsman, fishing tournaments begin in [...]
Don’t Be That Guy!
Let’s talk shop—lake shop. There are only so many fuel and food fill-up stops on the lakes, so there are bound to be waits, which in turn create some opportunities for … our better selves to emerge. So, let’s go over some good ideas for these scenarios. Fuel: It’s always a little stressful to pull up to the pumps. So, passengers, relax! The driver will let you know when he/she needs help (so says my husband). No one needs a bunch of “front-seat drivers” adding to the pressure. Don’t be that guy! Get your gas, then go. Be considerate. [...]
Play it Safe
Lakes provide refreshment, entertainment and fun. However, there are injuries unique to lakes and the water activities they invite. My most memorable fishhook injury happened when my son, age 15 at the time, somehow got a treble hook stuck into his index finger. We can laugh about it now, but at the time it was one of the most stressful experiences. It was one of those hot, sweaty summer days (90°F) and we did not have air conditioning. Josh was very calm, but I had to decide the most pain-free way to remove the hook. The hook had penetrated [...]
Diggin’ the Chain of Lakes
About a century ago, most of the land around the lakes was owned by cement factories. There were four cement factories in Branch County by 1900, including Union City Peerless, Bronson Portland, Coldwater Portland and Quincy Wolverine Portland. The lakes were not the beautiful, cottage-lined view you see today. Back then, it was a swampy wasteland in which no one would have dreamed of living. The county contained numerous swampy lowlands, rivers and lakes. These watery areas formed a material called marl. (Marl is the grayish, mucky matter that you find your feet sinking into along the lakes.) The [...]
The One that Didn’t Get Away
Fishing has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy the fun of the fight, the challenge and intellect involved, and the ever-present hope of catching a trophy bass. Above all, however, I appreciate how fishing provides the opportunity to create memories and spend quality time with the people I love. Countless shared memories have been birthed from fish at the end of the line. I remember taking the boat all the way up to Coldwater Dam with Dennis Babjack when his son Brad and I were just young kids, and I can still recall catching 40 largemouth keepers [...]