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Membership Sideblog

  • The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
    July 31, 2010 | 7:45 pm

    Growing up in North Dakota during the 50s and 60s, I was privileged to experience something that's all too rare now - the old-fashioned family doctor. "Doc" delivered babies, set broken bones, treated pneumonia, and helped Grandpa with his newfangled hearing aid. Doc knew the community, the families, and the individuals whose basic medical needs he treated from birth through the end of life. Some of you who grew up in that time, and perhaps in smaller communities, may remember a Doc of your own. . . . → Read More: The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group

  • Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
    July 28, 2010 | 10:51 pm

    Let’s talk about cats, cats and more cats! Why?? Because Prairie’s Edge Humane Society is full of cats and we have many more arriving daily. As of today, there are 44 cats on the adoption floor with more awaiting their surgeries so they are ready for adoption. There are cats in every corner of the shelter who need homes! We are in desperate need of homes for these cats. We cannot emphasize this enough. So we are having a cat sale and we are calling it Kitty Mania !

    Kitty Mania is this weekend, beginning Thursday, July . . . → Read More: Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl

  • On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
    July 12, 2010 | 11:50 am

    The free market does many things well, but we know it does not do everything. Even market fundamentalists concede that the public must build roads, put out fires, police streets, and provide national defense. Most people, at least those to the left of the Tea Party edge of political spectrum, accept that the government must also be involved in education, disaster relief, and health care. That is, certain services must be rendered — necessary services, universal services — whether or not those services are financially profitable. If your house is on fire, you do not have time to . . . → Read More: On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift

  • Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
    July 12, 2010 | 10:56 am

    Okay, so most of the news about the Vintage Band Festival so far has been about the bands. But there’s a number of other events during the weekend. Like the VBF Contra Dance, for instance.

    The Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance will feature music by The Dodworth Saxhorn Band of Ann Arbor, Michigan and will be led by dance instructor/caller Robin Nelson.

    Dancing will begin at 8:30 p.m. with a “Grand March” led by 60 costumed members of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Brigade, followed by a variety of period dances including polkas, contra dances, schottisches, reels and waltzes.

    . . . → Read More: Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson

  • The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
    June 27, 2010 | 8:00 am

    Even before I read the first word of this article I had a visceral reaction to it. The accompanying photographs — my eyes tend to skip over photographs in magazines — affected me in a manner that is difficult to articulate. I knew, immediately I knew, I was not going to like what I was about to read. In fact, for that reason I put the piece aside. Not now, I thought. Maybe tomorrow, I said to myself. But, then, I couldn’t not read it, either. If you have not done so already, I hope you will read . . . → Read More: The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift

  • Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
    June 27, 2010 | 7:54 am

    June may be Adopt A Cat month here at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society and we have lots of wonderful cats, but we also have PUPPIES!

    We have a male Newfoundland mix named Chong who is 6 months old, he was a stray so we don’t know a lot about him.  He loves to play! We also have three Australian Cattle Dog mixes who are two months old.  Marcia, Bobby and Cindy were born at the shelter and spent some time in one of our fabulous foster homes.  They are now back at the shelter and ready to find . . . → Read More: Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch

  • Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
    June 23, 2010 | 9:35 pm

    The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at local parks or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events.

    Relay for Life of Rice . . . → Read More: Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl

  • Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
    June 16, 2010 | 9:04 am

    Now Showing! Live Kittens playing! You can now watch our adoptable animals at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society (PEHS) live 24/7 on the new Critter Cam installed in conjunction with KYMN Radio. Thanks to the fine folks at KYMN radio we now have a live feed of our adoptable animals showing on our website and KYMN’s website, Tim and Jeff are AWESOME!

    Currently the Critter Cam is featuring kittens available for adoption. Watch them play, sleep, eat, and everything else they do 24 hours a day 7 days a week! It’s better than anything you can see on TV! . . . → Read More: Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl

  • Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
    June 11, 2010 | 11:34 am

    A BIG Thanks to all of you who came to last Monday’s Volunteer Organization Meeting, and to those who contacted us saying you wanted to help but could not make the meeting.

    We have pretty full support for Communications and Design and Build sub-committees, and we got a web graphic designer to help with the site.  Alice Thomas is facilitating the Communications group, and Steve Edwins is facilitating the Design and Build group.

    What we are missing and really need are Fund Raising people.  We have two grant writiers, but we need folks who are committed to the . . . → Read More: Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent

  • Photo albums: 2010 Prairie’s Edge Humane Society Walk for the Animals, by Bridgette Hallcock Photography
    June 11, 2010 | 8:09 am

    Thank you to all of those who came to Alexander Park on a beautiful Saturday morning in May to help support Prairie’s Edge Humane Society!

    I have placed all of the fun photographs on my Bridgette Hallcock Photography Facebook page so that everyone can see how much fun we had!  See the two 2010 Walk for the Animals albums here and here.

    If you would like a print, please contact me, as the proceeds will benefit the animals at PEHS.

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    The great Xmas tree debate: real vs. artificial

    Ace Hardware, Northfield Lansing's Hwy Xmas tree lot
    There are now at least three Xmas tree lots within the city limits of Northfield: Ace Hardware, Lansing Garden Center, and one on So.  Hwy 3 between Jesse James Lanes and the Super 8.  So it’s time to update the argument on the environmental impact of real vs. artificial Xmas trees. (We have an artificial one and love it.) Some background:

    1) Which Is Greener, a Real or Fake Christmas Tree?; 2) The Great Debate: Real Vs. Artificial Christmas Trees

    10 comments to The great Xmas tree debate: real vs. artificial

    • 1
      Felicity Enders says:

      Test post…

    • 2
      Griff Wigley says:

      Another test comment, this time via my G1 smartphone. My apologies but Felicity started it. ;-)

    • 3
      Felicity Enders says:

      Score!

    • 4
      Griff Wigley says:

      Now back to the Xmas tree conversation.

      ‘Twould be interesting to know if the artificial trees sold locally are hazardous, as mentioned here:

      most artificial Christmas trees are made in China, typically from oil-derived, pollution-releasing polyvinyl chloride (PVC). A number have been found to contain lead.

    • 5

      For me, it’s important to keep in touch with the past, lest I forget. So, I had both kinds back when I was a kid. One Christmas had a real tree, and the next had some pink flocked dealie that only my mother could love. Last year we bought a tree outline, 3D style with LEDs which took about three minutes to assemble and disassemble. We have also had real trees in here so big we had to cut it down a few feet before we could bring it indoors. That one took me about 8 hours pulling long scotch pine needles out of the carpet after we took it down.

      But, like even when I am a full vegetarian, I will eat a little
      ham or something to remind me of times gone by on a visceral level and then some other levels kick in. It’s a sacred thing to do.

      Of course, the best thing to do is to replant your Christmas tree and that you have to plan for way ahead of time. Then have all the little artificial trees you need to please everyone. It’s a bit excessive, but to me, Christmas is a time of celebration and you need light and love to do that.

    • 6

      Oh,not the pvc type of course!

    • 7
      John S. Thomas says:

      Sustainable, locally grown Christmas trees available from Just Foods have become a tradition in our household.

    • 8
      Robbie Wigley says:

      I love real trees. I love the smell and the process of choosing and cutting or rescuing that sad, bedraggled, last one on the lot and making it a thing of beauty… but many years ago we realized that at least 2 of our kids and my mother were always sick at Christmas. Finally it dawned on me that maybe there was mold in the trees or something else that was making us sick. This is when we broke down and bought a very nice artificial tree. It feels like paper and looks pretty real. It has lasted for about 15 years or more. It has been flexible in that it could be made to fit a corner, around a radiator or even reduced in size, a bit. We still have it and it continues to be an event to put it up and take it down. However, fire is not an issue, nor is watering it, needles in the carpet and no one has gotten sick from the point we moved to the artificial tree. I think it has proven to be cost effective and certainly saved a few trees…. I still love real trees but this has proved to be a good solution for us.

    • 9
      Jane McWilliams says:

      What about Rieber Paulson’s Xmas Trees on Greenvale Avenue? As a west side family, we used to go over and tag one in November, and then, weather permitting, we dragged it home on a sled. Like you, Robbie, I had qualms about cutting it down. After New Years, we’d put it out in the back yard bedecked with pine cone and peanut butter bird feeders, and we enjoyed it all winter. That salved my conscience a bit.