<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <span class="mceItemObject" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> </span> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I have been a &lsquo;fan&rsquo; of The Times columnist Simon Barnes for quite a while. Simon is a well known sportswriter, but his columns that interest me most are those on wildlife, especially birds. His book &lsquo;How to be a bad birdwatcher&rsquo; was serialised on Radio 4; I have been fortunate enough to obtain a copy courtesy of a Mind charity shop.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Last January I posted a piece <a href="blogs/entry/Watch-the-Birdie">http://www.writelink.co.uk/community/blogs/entry/Watch-the-Birdie</a> about the birds I saw in my garden in 2009. I have just collated my records for 2010. This year they cover 339 days (330 in 2009).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_HcW1R2xVTKA/TF7yMzxoK5I/AAAAAAAABkA/Lv6ysrA4Lww/s640/Woodpigeon%20010810%20001.jpg" border="0" width="640" height="480" /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>As in the previous year I have seen 35 different types, averaging 22 (23) and month and 8 (9) per day.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>There has only been one change in the top ten most frequent visitors with the robin entering the list in place of the greenfinch. Top of the pile again is the wood pigeon on 95% of the days (93 in 2009), followed by rook 93% (78), blackbird 85% (89), starling 67% (69), collared dove 64% (72), sparrow 60% (41), robin 53% (29), gull 44% (48), hedge sparrow 42% (40) and the blue tit 40% (34).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A tree creeper put in an appearance in December; newcomers during the year were owls, fieldfares and the most spectacular arrival, a woodcock which crashed into the front window on December 27^th.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_HcW1R2xVTKA/TRiaYmoYmjI/AAAAAAAACTo/ReQIah5Y-vQ/s640/Snipe%20271210%20002.jpg" border="0" width="640" height="480" /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>My favourite photo was of the goldfinches in the conifer in our front garden on Boxing Day (See Boxing Day Birds). Did you know that the collective noun for them is a charm of goldfinches?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>However my favourite birds of the year were not in my garden but the sand cranes on Oxford Hills golf course in Michigan. They were quite content to share the course with us.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_HcW1R2xVTKA/TBnRcEbD5KI/AAAAAAAABMc/fAX0GiGfRCk/s640/DT%20may%202010%20023.jpg" border="0" width="640" height="480" /></p>

<p><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #9e5205; font: normal normal bold 160%/normal Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px;"></h3> <div class="post-header"></div> <div id="post-body-6188165238177841000" class="post-body entry-content"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I watch it rain in&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;I must beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The flowers on the chives in the herb garden at my daughter&rsquo;s home are a favourite with butterflies and dragonflies. I have had to spend time on the web to identify what they are. If I&rsquo;ve got their names wrong please let me know.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzIsTuRXnLE/TgPhO3TUFHI/AAAAAAAADss/T6LL9w98f4E/s1600/Butterfly+001.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzIsTuRXnLE/TgPhO3TUFHI/AAAAAAAADss/T6LL9w98f4E/s400/Butterfly+001.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="343" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Silver-Spotted Skipper</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This butterfly was reluctant to fully open its wings:</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIogatm1A3Y/TgPiMqcRVgI/AAAAAAAADsw/PnMOx7LI0uk/s1600/Butterfly++002.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIogatm1A3Y/TgPiMqcRVgI/AAAAAAAADsw/PnMOx7LI0uk/s400/Butterfly++002.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="343" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Silver-Spotted Skipper</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">However this little beauty was more obliging:</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t4jBbB_W-4Y/TgPjLRLwuuI/AAAAAAAADs0/JjgaRbZBvDU/s1600/Pearl+Crescent+003.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t4jBbB_W-4Y/TgPjLRLwuuI/AAAAAAAADs0/JjgaRbZBvDU/s400/Pearl+Crescent+003.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="352" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pearl Crescent</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was an elegant dragonfly that really caught my eye:</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-24rO4l2V874/TgPjzDH9QYI/AAAAAAAADs4/BDHeZoZ0J-Y/s1600/Dragonfly+006.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-24rO4l2V874/TgPjzDH9QYI/AAAAAAAADs4/BDHeZoZ0J-Y/s400/Dragonfly+006.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="300" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Widow Skimmer</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The most prolific dragonfly was this vicious brute seen here on a post to the deck at the back of the house:</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYhPsG90AMQ/TgPkvuKDK9I/AAAAAAAADs8/6i0IPTtAxhY/s1600/Chalk+fronted+corporal+005.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYhPsG90AMQ/TgPkvuKDK9I/AAAAAAAADs8/6i0IPTtAxhY/s400/Chalk+fronted+corporal+005.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="391" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Chalk-Fronted Corporal</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;This was more at home on a rock by the lake:</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VoYNjocSx0A/TgPleshX3aI/AAAAAAAADtA/NSz3lppsP4E/s1600/Chalk+Fronted+Corporal+Dragonfly+010.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VoYNjocSx0A/TgPleshX3aI/AAAAAAAADtA/NSz3lppsP4E/s400/Chalk+Fronted+Corporal+Dragonfly+010.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="337" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Chalk-Fronted Corporal</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">What looked like blue-flying matchsticks just stayed on the reeds. It was only when you look closer you can see they are stripped.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <table class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; padding: 4px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wLwg6QNztw0/TgPmFDc6TjI/AAAAAAAADtE/L0naA2UtJAk/s1600/Bluet+Dragonfly+007.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wLwg6QNztw0/TgPmFDc6TjI/AAAAAAAADtE/L0naA2UtJAk/s400/Bluet+Dragonfly+007.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="300" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Double-Stripped Bluet</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile the roses in the bed in the centre of the back paddock are ignored by butter- and dragonflies alike.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">&ldquo;I beg your pardon.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I never promised you a rose garden.&rdquo;</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">You will have to make do with these pictures instead.</span></div> </div> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" align="center"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Clouds, Ashes and Dust</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Polling Day began at 03.30 with an early morning call and a room service breakfast at 04.00. We were to check in at 04.30 for our flight out of the country.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Rain clouds covered the sky as &lsquo;dawn&rsquo; broke; a steady drizzle fell as we entered Teesside Airport.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">At check-in our first question was, &ldquo;Any ash clouds today?&rdquo;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">&ldquo;Not that we know of at this time,&rdquo; was the encouraging reply.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">At Amsterdam the sun shone, and clouds were high and wispy. We did not think of volcanic ash again until we were en route to Detroit &ndash; overflying Iceland.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">From the plane we never saw any sign of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption. Nevertheless it was great to leave the threat of ash behind.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">With white clouds like a billowing sea below the plane Marc Lynton&rsquo;s recent folding mirror poem about clouds came to mind. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Our first sight of land was as we flew over Canada before the blue water of Lake Huron as we approached Detroit.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">For the first time ever we were at the front of the queue for passport control, fingerprinting, photos and the usual barrage of questions as to why we were in the USA. Our luck held when our luggage was among the first 50 bags to arrive.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Any thoughts of clouds and ash were forgotten when our daughter arrived to collect for the drive to her home outside the town of Oxford, Michigan.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">That&rsquo;s where the dust came in. Her house is reached down dirt roads. Every vehicle including ours was followed by a dust storm, nothing like a vapour trail.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">By this time the UK election was over and now we all have to wait for the dust to settle.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">[Marc &ndash; if you read this please post a link to your poem]</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" align="center"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Sam&rsquo;s Downfall</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The door in the kitchen at the top of the spiral staircase was closed. The staircase leads down into the basement. A counterweight on the door ensures it closes after anyone descends..</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">Day 2 of our trip to my daughter&rsquo;s home; my wife and I had been left in charge. I was refreshing my memory on birds of Michigan, my wife was in the kitchen.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The sound of a crash and my wife exclaiming, &ldquo;What was that?&rdquo; brought me into the kitchen. We knew at once that Sam, my daughter&rsquo;s 13 year-old yellow Labrador, had nosed the door open enough to fall down the staircase.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">[Long time readers of my blog will know that Sam is blind.]</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">I reached the bottom of the staircase without it seemed, touching any step. It was a sickening feeling to see a bundle of yellow on the basement floor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">After my wife had switched on the lights I could see that the yellow bundle was Sam, sitting on his haunches. He hadn&rsquo;t made a sound.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">With my encouragement he stood up and started to use his nose too explore the surroundings.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">To our relief there was no harm done; Sam allowed me to lead him out of the basement door to the grass outside to take him to the dog flap in the garage door. Now he knew where he was. Inside the house he just lay down and slept the rest of the day.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The staircase door has been oiled and a heavier counterweight added.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: "><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_HcW1R2xVTKA/SoRbCU4YhqI/AAAAAAAAARg/h7IDIhYxESg/s512/Sam%"></a></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" align="center"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 18pt;">1 North Washington Street</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">The Michigan Historical Commission registered the building at this address as a Michigan Historic Site in September 1992.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Built around 1900 the original two storey brick building was bought by the Oxford Savings<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Bank and torn down to&nbsp;the terrazzo floor which still remains today, The bank rebuilt the structure with Indiana limestone and occupied the premises from 1922 to 1966.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Empty for several years it was donated to the Village of Oxford to House the North East Oakland Historical Society. Their museum was dedicated and opened to the public on August 5, 1972.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">The Society maintains the museum which is staffed by volunteers. It&rsquo;s open from 1 to 4pm on Saturdays and on Wednesdays in June, July and August.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">The Society co-sponsors an annual &ldquo;Somewhere in Time&rdquo; historic home tour during August&rsquo;s &ldquo;Celebrate Oxford&rdquo; festival. Different homes are chosen each year to highlight early village life.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">Museum displays on the main floor include a Victoria parlour, a bed room and a music section with a square grand piano. On the lower level there is a collection of tools from the Old Tunstead Tin Shop (Est. 1862), hand tools from homes and farms as well as turn of the century kitchen.</span></p> <p><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Showcases contain many fascination photos and mementoes of the <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt;">past, Oxford High School graduates can view class pictures from the 1890s until today.</span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" align="center"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The Thomas Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills was the venue on 13 May for a Michigan Notable Books program presentation by Dr James McClurken.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">His book Our Journey, Our People &ndash; The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians presents a landmark history of the tribe.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The Michigan tribe has survived despite the policies that nearly robbed it of its identity in the late 1800s. McClurken describes in words and pictures every major lineage and family of the Little River Ottawas.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">The Band struggled to find land to call its own over several centuries. Hardships began with European exploration of the upper Midwest. The Little River Ottawas successfully integrated their economic and cultural practices with those of the Europeans but were forced to cede land to American settlers.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">In 1858 the Little River Band was forced onto a reservation on the Pere Marquette and Manistee Rivers where they settled with other Ottawa bands. However the treaty meant to provide The Grand River Ottawas with a permanent &ldquo;homeland&rdquo; allowed non-Indians to acquire nearly two-thirds of the land within the reservation by 1880.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">It took until 1994 before the federal reaffirmation signed by Bill Clinton restored the first land to the tribe.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">McClurken&rsquo;s presentation detailed the treaties and lawsuits necessary for the Ottawas to reach this stage. At one time all Indians were required to move to Kansas &ndash; The Ottawas refused to go. One tribe (not from Michigan) rounded up for an enforced move was then shot down with gatlin guns. Even in the 1970s officially there were &ldquo;No Indian tribes in the state of Michigan.&rdquo; Up to the 1970s it was still practice to remove children at age 10 from their parents and place them with non-Indian families.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">It was a privilege to listen to Dr McClurken present the history of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. I shall treasure the signed copy of his book.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;" align="center"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">******</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 310.5pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: ">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: -8pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: ">Note:</span></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border: #d4d0c8; padding: 0.75pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: ">&nbsp;</span></p> </td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border: #d4d0c8; padding: 0.75pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: ">The Michigan Notable Books program annually selects 20 of the most notable books published in the year. The selections reflect Michigan's diverse ethnic, historical, literary, and cultural experience.</span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border: #d4d0c8; padding: 0.75pt;" colspan="2"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;" align="center"><a href="http://www.michigan.gov/notablebooks"><em><span style="font-family: ">www.michigan.gov/notablebooks</span></em><span style="font-family: "></span></a></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

<p><span style="font-size: medium;">We have had great news today that makes us very proud.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our daughter has passed the Michigan Bar Exam. So it's congraulations again to Rachel G., a Reader member of Writelink.</span></p>