Out and About Blog by Norm Stutesman

We are only into the third week of November, and Christmas is still more than a month away, but I couldn’t wait until next month to pay tribute to Ron Linton. Ron passed away at the beginning of this month, and those that knew him were more than deeply saddened. My condolences go out to Ron’s family. Ron’s favorite time …

Today (Tuesday, November 6) is Election Day, so every eligible citizen should exercise their right and get out and vote. I can’t think of a valid excuse not to do so. If you can’t drive or if you don’t know of anyone who can take you to the polling place, the St. Joe County Transportation Authority will take you there …

Happy Halloween to all you ghosts, goblins, and other creepy creatures out there. This is one of those days when most of us hide the bathroom scales and magically forget to count calories. It’s time to clog the arteries with cholesterol and anything else that “THEY” say is bad for us. After all, it’s been over a month since we …

Autumn has arrived. I know this because I’ve already removed about ten five-gallon buckets of walnuts from our driveway and have made numerous trips to the DPS property to dispose of the fallen leaves that have graced our property. I’ve tried to make friends with the neighborhood squirrels, in hopes that they’ll help me get rid of the walnuts. No …

I never earned the privilege of wearing the Eagle/Globe/Anchor of the United States Marine Corps, but am honored to be an Associate Member of the St. Joseph County Marine Corps League. I’ve always had the highest regard to those men and women who survived a grueling boot camp and became for the rest of their lives a Marine. This year …

With winter just around the corner, I thought it appropriate to share a conversation I had some years ago with a dog we had adopted. With all the dogs and cats needing adoption, I’ve found it more rewarding to visit an animal shelter than a pet store. I’ve also come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter whether a dog …

We are in the middle of another “Highway Cleanup” project. This community event involves various voluntary groups who pick up litter along mile-long stretches of major highways. The cleanup lasts for several weeks. This should be the last one of the year. The volunteers can be found walking the shoulders of the highways wearing bright colored vests. As you approach …

The 2017 St. Joe County Grange Fair is now in the history books.. The next stop for the attractions is Hillsdale, Michigan. As far as I know, the fair has always happened in September. As a kid, I remember getting half-day off from school to attend this annual event. I think the students get the whole day off now. It …

If you you’ve traveled all over the state of Michigan and have never visited the upper peninsula, then you’ve never experienced the “Real Michigan”. The upper peninsula, or better known as the UP, is quite unique and a lot different than the lower peninsula. Both peninsulas are extremely picturesque, especially north of Cadillac in the lower peninsula. The upper peninsula …

This is the best time of the year to live in Michigan. The days of heat and humidity are behind us and the days of icy roads and freezing temperatures are still a month or two away. This is the season of multiple colors in the foliage and pleasant scents of fall in the air. I long for the days …