A Different Fawn on a Different Day!

Another fawn on another day. I came across this one at around 11:30 AM this morning.

I guess Gladwin County is growing a huge crop of fawns this year. This is the second little guy I've come across the Meredith Grade road, in the past week. This one was on the same road, but about a mile west from where I saw the first one, (on Friday).

This one was a little sturdier on his feet and could walk and run better. This is where he landed in the woods, just a few feet off of the road.

Again, I took a stick from the ground and coaxed the little guy to run and hide a little farther from the road. About 30 ft off the road or so, this is where he settled. I pulled a young pine tree away from the fawn to take these pictures. This time, he didn't try to put his head down to hide.

Don't worry. I didn't touch him. I left him here to hide. I sure his mother was nearby.

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Summer Vacation is HERE!

We start out the morning with Titus laying on Heather's head. She was giggling about it and asked me to take a picture.

The day before the last day of school, the kids got to take their first swim of the year!

The water was cold, but they got used to it.


Then, we end the day with a beautiful sunset!

I love Gladwin in the summer! (Ok... so it's still Spring... BUT it feels like summer!)


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Ryan's Turning 8!

Can you BELIEVE IT!?!! Ryan is already going to be 8 Years Old!!!
Where has the time gone?

His Birthday Party will be Saturday, June 2nd at 2 PM.

Location: The Retreat in the Woods at 430 Sugar River Road.

Need a Map? Click on the map below for a larger view.

From Gladwin: Take M-18 N to Wagerville Road E to Hockaday Road N to Sugar River Road E. Go past Fitzwater Road approx 1/4 mile. There will be a sign that says "Creative Woods of the North". Turn Left onto that drive. When the driveway splits, go left (where all the boats are). You're there!

There is a pond there, so if the weather is good and you have a child that wants to swim, bring them a swim suit.

We will provide pop, chips, cake and ice cream.

Call if you have any questions. 989-426-1528

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A CUTE sign of Spring!

Springtime Newborn

I took these photos around 5 pm this evening. The kids and I were coming back from checking in a family at the Chalet, and this little guy (or gal) was standing along side Meredith Grade Road. When it saw the car coming, she/he laid down in this funny position.

She/he almost looks like Bambi on ice (without the ice).

This baby instinctively laid down to hide from us. However, to road didn't provide much cover. I got out of my car with my camera and took these photos. Shortly after I took the first two photos, I let the kids walk up to see, but I didn't let them get too close or even attempt to touch it. We just looked at him.

Soon another car drove up and we pointed out the baby along side the road. Of course, out came the camera phones. Then when one of the guys got out of their car to take a picture, the little fawn got up and did a clumsy trot for the woods. When he came to the edge of the woods, he tripped and fell. The fawn laid there as still as it could and we took the next photo below.

Shortly after I took this picture, I grabbed a small tree branch that was laying in the ground and coaxed him to move away from the edge of the road. The little guy got up and wobbled away, baaing like a little sheep. I'm sure that it's mother was flipping out. I know she was nearby, because we could here her in the woods across the road.

After the baby was at a safe distance away from the road, we let it be. We got in our car and drove away. I'm sure that mom would be showing up soon to lead the awkward little baby away to better cover.

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We will Dearly miss our Friend Wes

In Loving Memory of our Dear Friend, Wesley Bush

We will dearly miss him.

Back in 1992, we met Wes and Julie Bush when we had moved up to Lake George MI. Wes and Julie bought the Lake George Campground the same month that we bought our 10 acres. Our 10 acres was within walking distance of the campground. Being that we were all new to the area, we became very good friends. In a way, we sort of adopted each other over a short period of time. We sincerely of thought of them as our "Up North" second family.

We helped each other out and Jim and I spend countless hours up at the campground just talking with Wes and Julie at the store. We have many, many fond memories of sitting inside the store, or out under the lean-to along side the store, talking for hours. We never got board of their company and they were always happy to have us around.

In 1995, Jim and I sold our place in Lake George and moved to Gladwin... but we still kept in touch with Wes and Julie through the years.

About 2 years ago, Wes and Julie decided to put the campground up for sale. Of course, they asked me to be the one to list it for them. In December of 2004, the campground was sold and I helped Wes and Julie find a new home on Vernon Road in the Rosebush area. Any time Jim or I were in the area, we would try to stop by for a visit.

The photos above were taken on December of 2006 on one of our "drop in" visits. I'm so glad that were were able to get these pictures. These are some of the only photos we have of Wes.

On May 24th 2007, Wes left this world to go home with God. We know that he will be looking in on us from time to time.

We'll MISS YOU WES!

Love, Jim, Ivie, Heather and Ryan

Baseball 2007

Ryan & Heather ~ Baseball 2007

Butman Township Fire Department Team

Northside Party Store Team

Ryan posing for his picture, during a game.

Heather smiling for the camera.

Heather being GOOFY!

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Family Sunday

Today was a nice day to take some country photos.

Here is a farm on Hockaday Road, across a field.

Amish Parking Lot?

Well... I guess it is for the day. The Amish community has church at different member's homes each week. This house on Hockaday Road is where church was held today. Many buggies were parked in front of this house and by the barns, today.
While Ryan and I were out in the yard today, we discovered a mother Morning Dove sitting on her nest. She let us get very close to her and she had no intention of leaving her nest while we watched her. We'll be keeping an eye on her and the nest the next several weeks.

Ryan and I also practiced some baseball in the yard while Heather was at a friends house.

Here he is being GOOFY!


I also couldn't resist taking pictures of some of the bleeding hearts in my front garden. I had thought that they had been killed when we put out new well in several years ago, but they popped up somewhere else in the garden.

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Gladwin High Graduate Killed in Iraq

On May 7th, I was sad to find out that the brother of one of my fellow real estate agents (Gretchen Lang), at Kehoe Realty, lost her brother in Iraq, Sunday May 6th. It has been a worry of hers that this was a possibility... and unfortunately, it became reality.

Please take a moment of silence in remembrance and the sacrifice that was given by this soldier for his country.

Visitation will take place at 4pm on Monday May 14th at the Gladwin High School, followed by the service at 6pm on the same day. Bobby will be flown back to Minnesota to be buried with full military honors in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Article as written on WSBT South Bend:

A Minneapolis soldier who graduated from high school in Gladwin and was just three months into his tour in Iraq was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, the military said.

Army Spc. Robert J. Dixon, 27, died May 6 in Baghdad, the Defense Department said Wednesday. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan.

Dixon was born in Portland, Ore., but moved to Gladwin in 1992, said Irene Dixon, who said she and her husband Daniel were Robert Dixon's legal guardians. In high school, Robert was a running back for the football team, set the school record in the 100-meter dash and also wrestled, his mother said.

"He especially enjoyed family activities," Irene Dixon told The Associated Press on Thursday. "We did a lot of family activities. He hunted, he paintballed, he snowboarded. We went camping, snowmobiling.

"If you ever knew Bobby, you'd love him. Every time we got a report from a teacher it couldn't have been any better. We got a call from a commander who said everybody there (in Iraq) loved him."

After graduating from high school, Dixon attended Olivet College for a year and later was briefly enrolled at Northwood University in Midland.

Dixon joined the Army in the summer of 2005, shortly after he moved to Minneapolis in search of work, his mother said.

"He wanted to further his education, and he always had a desire to be in the Army," she said. "He had planned to make it his career."

Dixon said she last heard from her son last Friday, when he called during a funeral for her uncle to express his condolences.

Robert Dixon is survived by his wife of 1½ years, Rusty Rose-Dixon, and two children. Funeral arrangements were incomplete but were likely to take place at the Gladwin High School gymnasium.

"I can't even convey to you how we're going to miss not having him here," his mother said. "But I also know that he is a Christian and he is with the Lord now."

Carpet of YELLOW in Gladwin County

The colors were so stunning, that I had to turn my car around and go back to take some pictures!

These were taken at an Amish farm on Hockaday Road, north of Ritchie Road, in northern Gladwin County.

Magnificent!

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My Desk PAPER WEIGHT! (IZZY)

IZZY loves to sit on my desk. Normally she likes to lay right in the middle of my paperwork...

Which isn't usually the most convenient spot for me to get any work done.

Of course, being on my lap while I type, isn't easy either.


SILLY CAT!

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It's a Doggy - Dog World (at our house!)

Lazy Dog Living!

I wish I could sleep in all day! Here's Angel, taking a morning SNOOOOOZZZZE!

Isn't she PRETTY!?!


What Dixie? Don't you want your picture taken?

She looks a little shy this morning.

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