Somewhere in Time: Bluewater Memories and Huckleberry Friends

October 23, 2010

By Susan G. Parcheta

 

“We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waiting ‘round the bend, my huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me…” – Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini from  ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s

I took a trip back in time in more ways than one on a beautiful October visit to the Bluewater area of Michigan, the St. Clair River from Algonac to Port Huron.

Bluewater Memories

The somewhere in time for my husband and me was the mid-1960s in the sweet, quiet village at the bend in the river, Algonac. Back then, Henry Mancini’s Moon River – from the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the pop lyrics crooned by Andy Williams – surely had to be written just for that time in our lives. For me, at least, Moon River was the St. Clair.

It was there in the Bluewater Delta, tucked remotely off the map, in the magical realm of “the river” northeast of Detroit, that we met as first-year teachers. My husband was drawn to the area because of the waterways and his love of boating from growing up in Grand Haven, on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Grand River.

I, having known only the flat expanse (everything-in-square-miles sections) of Gratiot County in the Middle-of-the-Mitten (mid-Michigan), just wanted a new adventure. It was one of those follow-your-hunch impressions after several interviews around the state. I can still recall the feeling; when I interviewed in Algonac, with its water world of canals and the big river, my heart said, “Yes.” Somehow I knew I was meant to be there.

The Writer Within: A reflection on ‘The Creative Life’ of Julia Cameron

October 12, 2010

By Susan G. Parcheta

Julia Cameron

Julia Cameron, bestselling author of ‘The Artist’s Way’ and ‘Vein of Gold,’ reveals her authentic writer self in her newest work: The Creative Life – True Tales of Inspiration.

The cover slogan, ‘Finding Your True North,’ seems misleading at first glance. As a writer, and as one who cares deeply about one’s creative life – and, as one who loves to write about the creative spirit in others – that’s what drew me into the story. Finding your true north; what writer, or any person, doesn’t wish to discover that? Finding your yellow brick road and following it, staying true to it, following your North Star.

While I was looking for new perspectives on Creative Spirit, what I found was affirmation of what I’ve known, intuitively, all along. Writing, or any other act of creativity, is all about relationships. As I read, I kept thinking how the book is set up as a running diary of a year or so in the life of a famous writer – a writer who inhabits New York’s Upper West Side, and who enjoys the company of many collaborative friends.

‘Blue Door’ spellbinds at Williamston Theatre

September 30, 2010

By Susan G. Parcheta

 

Like the beautiful full moon in clear skies over Williamston on September’s first day of autumn, the ‘Blue Door’ opened the first night of a beautiful new, and fifth, season at Williamston Theatre.

‘Blue Door’ – by Tanya Barfield – is about “History. Roots. Heritage.” So writes Chris Purchis, WT managing director, who figures the play is great for working through the themes of “Where did we come from? How did we get here? Where are we going?” Questions the theatre company is also working through.

Says Director Tony Caselli: “I’m hoping we pack the house for this one – it’s a show that I think is going to knock people’s socks right off, and leave them with a LOT to talk about after they leave the theatre!”

Hellava Traffic Hullabaloo in Fowlerville

“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.”

 
Getting to where you want to go can be a hellava time, now that construction zones are everywhere across the state and country. My local community, Fowlerville, MI, is having one traffic hullabaloo right now.  And, it’s not the kind of party where you’d love to make an appearance.


I tried. All I wanted to do was get to the chiropractor the other day.  I knew the road construction on the south end of town, where I travel from, was a mess. But that day it looked impossible. I needed some exercise, anyway, so I parked (asking the manager first) in the Sunoco parking area and walked across all the other parking lots until I reached the chiropractor’s office.


I asked Dr. Tim (Tersigni) if the traffic construction zone had affected business. Definitely, no picnic. In fact, he informed me, the wonderful Irish store, owned by Don and Maureen Call across his parking lot, is wondering if they can hold out until the end of December when the construction is supposed to be done. He hinted that I should blog about it.

Walking: It's a good thing at Genesis House

Pink peonies greet walkers along village sidewalks

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Take time to smell the flowers…walk. 

For the  folks at Genesis House, the clubhouse in Fowlerville affiliated with Livingston County Mental Health organization,  the daily mantra might well be: “All Things Walking.” 

To clubhouse member Bea Eldridge, it definitely includes taking time to smell the flowers. Eldridge helps keep the flowers around the clubhouse blooming all summer long; and during the daily noontime walks about town, she slows to appreciate the colorful beauty of blooms flowering along village sidewalks.

This May clubhouse members experienced their 9^th walkathon, an annual fund-raising effort held during that month, which is also national Mental Health Month.  For the past several years they’ve been inspired by a walk, talk and visit with Clayton Klein, Fowlerville’s own walking hero – who walked each year from 2005 to 2009 (to benefit Michigan Hospice & Palliative Care Organization) from Paradise in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Hell in his home county of Livingston and on to Ohio – a journey of about 420 miles.