Recent Blog Posts

Friday, April 26 is Audubon Day, and to honor this day, I recently interviewed the president of the Petoskey Regional Audubon Society, Lisa Hoyt, who also just so happens to be my coworker and friend. Lisa is a lot of fun to work with, but this time of year it can be difficult to track her down...
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Spring is finally (sort of) in the air. In northern Michigan that means the ground has started to become soft and muddy with the April rain, spring flowers like daffodils, crocuses, and tulips are beginning to creep up through the ground, and we are noticing the sounds of hundreds of different ...
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What is small, furry, adorable, and cuddly, and makes you smile every time you see their fluffy face and waggly tail? What loves you unconditionally while also sleeping up to 20 hours a day? Why it is a puppy of course. Is there anything in life better than a puppy? I cannot think of one single...
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Nestled beneath Grandpa Shorter's Gifts lies a hidden gem awaiting discovery: Petoskey's first and only Easter Basket Bar! Located in Luci & Carl's Candy Cabin in Petoskey, Michigan, this delightful haven invites you to indulge in the joy of crafting your very own Easter basket, brimming wi...
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Ahh St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, and that means a day filled with shenanigans and malarkey. St. Patrick’s Day is a special day where all of us are Irish and the green beer is flowing freely. In northern Michigan it means springtime is right around the corner, and that in and of itself ...
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As you have probably realized by now, 2024 is a leap year, with February 29 being a leap day. But what does that mean exactly? What is leap year, and why do we have to have it? Get ready for some math. . . Ok, it takes exactly 365 days, five hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds for the earth...
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Wintertime in northern Michigan can be both beautiful and brutal. As a kid growing up in Petoskey, I looked forward to the first snowfall of the season, and I took advantage of all that the winter season had to offer. My brother and I would frequent the Petoskey Winter Sports Park to sled and s...
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National Puzzle Day is celebrated each year on January 29, and it is not puzzling to me as to why, in freezing, often blustery, northern Michigan, January 29 would be the perfect day to celebrate all kinds of puzzles but especially jigsaw puzzles. Working on jigsaw puzzles is the perfect winter...
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Quick trivia question for you ”What national day on January 4 celebrates those who store a wealth of (usually useless) knowledge in their brains and who like to spout it off at any given moment. . .  National Trivia Day of course! According to nationaldaycalendar.com, “[this] holid...
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One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is of all the delicious foods that I consume, and more specifically, all of the different kinds of holiday cookies that I savor. I am sure that everyone has a go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and Christmas cornflake wreaths, ...
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