BALDWIN LAKE ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER


    JULY 2005 VOLUME 12 ISSUE 3

     

    OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

    BALDWIN LAKE ASSOCIATION

    All members of the Baldwin Lake Association are hereby officially

    notified of the Annual Meeting of the association to be held

    Saturday, July 16th, 2005

    At the Cass County Conservation Club on US 12

    9:00 A.M. (IN) 10:00 A.M. (MI)

    A social time with coffee and donuts will begin one half hour before the start of the Meeting.

    The business of the Meeting shall be:
    1.   Reports from the officers and committee chairs

    2.   Election of one Vice President and of the Secretary for 2 year terms of office. Incumbents, Greg Buss and Carolyn Stevenson have agreed to put their names on the slate. Additional nominees can be made from the floor if the nominee had agreed to run.

    3.   Open questions and discussion from the floor.

    By resolution of the executive and advisory boards,

    Alice Ann Troy, President

    President’s Corner

          I recently attended a workshop sponsored by MSU Extension on lakescaping and shore preservation for water front properties. It included a tour of the Kellogg Biological Station on Gull Lake which was very impressive, a session on water quality and erosion control (alternatives to sea walls), and landscaping possibilities and suggestions. It is offered yearly in Centreville and if anyone would like more information or to look at the handouts let me know. The station is open to the public and features four shoreline venues with examples of landscaping and erosion control techniques.

          Despite efforts of the association we were unable to schedule a boating safety course locally this year. Please contact the marine officers in the surrounding counties to inquire about openings if it necessary for someone to have this credential. We will be having a boat inspection day on Sun., July 10th, 10am to at least 12 Noon (MI) at the docks on the Crofoot property (north east side of the lake).

          The Annual Meeting of Baldwin Lake Association will be Saturday, July 16th at the Cass County Conservation Club. At 9:00am(IN)/10:00am(MI). Refreshments will be provided. Dues, mosquito spraying donations and payment for home water testing kits will be collected there. The Annual picnic will be 2:00pm(IN), 3:00pm(MI) that same day on the lawn of the Parks’ residence on Hartshorn. Hamburgers, brats, soft drinks, and table service will be provided. Please bring a dish to share and special beverages if desired. Boat docking is available. Hope to see many of you there.

          The home drinking water kits can be picked up at the Annual Meeting or at the picnic. These should have been reserved by now. But if you contact Scot Billings before July 4th, there still may be time to get a kit. The cost is $55. for members and $75. for nonmembers.

          I have heard some renewed interest in having a flotilla and some interest in a Poker Run to raise money for mosquito spraying. If you have any interest in these events make it know to your advisors, at the Annual Meeting or at the monthly meetings held the third Monday of the month (except July and December) at the CCCC at 7:00pm(IN) 8:00pm(MI). We have almost a year to plan for these events if supported by the members.

          Mark your calendar for the first Saturday in December for our Annual Holiday Dinner Dance. A lot of work has gone into the planning and it promises to be a good time.

          Hope you have a great summer and don’t forget to vote on the White Pigeon School Bond Issue in Mottville at the Mottville Township Hall (the former Little Chief’s School on August 2nd, 7am-8pm.

                Alice Ann Troy

                BLA President

      Required Boating Equipment Checklist

      PWC

      Boat less than 16'

      Boat 16' to less than 26'

      Boater Safety Certification Card

      *-1

      *-1

      *-1

      Certificate of Number Onboard

      *

      *

      *

      Validation Decal Displayed

      *

      *

      *

      PFDs: Type I, II, or III

      *-2

      *-3

      *-3

      PFD: Type IV

      *

      Type B-I Fire Extinguisher

      *

      *

      *

      Ignition Safety Switch

      *

      Flame Arrestor

      *

      *-4

      *-4

      Ventilation System

      *

      *

      *

      Muffler

      *

      *

      *

      Horn, Whistle, of Bell

      *-5

      *-5

      *

      Daytime Visual Distress System

      *-5

      Night time Visual Distress System

      N/A

      *-5

      *-5

      Navigation Lights

      N/A

      *-6

      *-6
      1. Applicable if operator is a minor
      2. Those on PWCs must wear a PFD at all times. Inflatable PFDs may not be used.
      3. Those under the age of 6 years must wear a PFD when riding on the open deck of any vessel
      4. Required on inboard and stern drives only
      5. Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes
      6. Unpowered vessels (sailboats under sail, rowboats, etc.) are only required to have on hand a flashlight or a lantern.

     

    Baldwin Prairie School

          It has come to the attention of our association that the Township Zoning Board will be holding a public meeting to hear a zoning change for the Baldwin Prairie School Property. A trucking company is requesting the change to build a trucking terminal on the site. Out best guess is that this meeting will take place some time in August and we would like all residents to have a chance to attend this meeting to voice your opinion on the planned use of this property. As soon as we find out the exact date and time we will try to let people know. This is an important meeting because although we may not be directly involved it will impact our community. Additional information will be on our web site.

     

    Copies of "Windsong of Baldwin Prairie" needed

          Joseph Planck, the grandson of Dr. Planck, Union’s doctor in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s is coming to visit Union this summer.
    He would very much like 1-2 copies of

    "The Windsong of Baldwin Prairie".

    If you have a book that you no longer want, or know of someone
    who is moving or has passed away, please phone
    Donna Rodwick
    or the author, Charlotte Fletcher.
    We will buy the books from you.

    Summer Solstice by Mike Crofoot

          In previous articles I have expressed on the virtues of lake living coinciding with the visual effects of wild life sightings. At no other time of the year can we enjoy Mother Nature at the peak of her glory with all the plant and trees in full foliage. The creatures that have migrated of come out of hibernation are with us also.

          Because I am on the lake a lot, and out in the woods, I do see varieties of nature others don’t. There have been things I’ve noticed this year that I’m really glad to see. There appears to be an abundance of frogs and toads, which is a good environmental quality indicator. Being amphibians, they have porous skin and absorb pollutants faster than other animal species.

          The nesting bluegills the fisherman so highly prize, came in late because of the below normal Memorial Day water temperatures. Since then, of course, we have made up for this with some very warm June temperatures and good fishing to follow.

          If one has been out on the lake this year you may have also noticed quite a few Great Blue Herons. This too, is probably because of the reptile and fish population being up. These are a major food source for them. My wife and I observed another member of this bird’s family while navigating the lake. We were surprised to identify a White Heron that was in a tree by the water going into little Baldwin. These are smaller that the Blue Heron.

          I have been noticing in my travels through the country that there are quite a few wild turkeys along the roads and in the fields. These birds have made a good comeback from years past.

          Those of you that know your birds probably have heard the "wild peacocks" on the North end of the lake. We have seen these come through the yards in the past. At night and through the day we hear them calling. They actually are rather loud and their call is quite different and eerie at night.

          With all the wild life species we have, along with the food chain, come the insects. So far with the heat and lack of rain, (which we need) the mosquitoes haven’t been that bad. There is plenty of everything else flying around though.

          We have a large night light in the back of our yard, which attracts bugs, and this brings other flying creatures called bats. On a hot summer night it is enjoyable to watch the bats swooping and gathering insects. Knowing that bats eat half their weight nightly in insects should bode well for their place around our properties. We all have seen bats working the skies around us, but probably don’t know that Michigan is home to nine different species of bats. The most common in the brown bat that most of us see. Underneath our night-light, a considerably large bat, called the Large Brown Bat, was noticed last week. He is lighter brown and twice the size as the common Brown Bat. It is always is a thrill to observe something rare in nature and we all ore fortunate to live in an area that presents us with these opportunities.

          We hope to see everyone out and enjoying the lake this summer. Feel free to pass on some of your "sightings". I would like to hear about them.

     

      GREAT BLUE HERON

      SANDHILL CRANE

      WHITE HERON

    JUDY’S JOTTINGS…..

    Submitted by Judy Kankel

          OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS: Two majestic species of birds, the Great Blue Heron and the Sandhill Crane are very similar, but are often confused. They both are large wading birds with pointed black bills, long necks and legs, but there are a few major differences:

    1) Herons fly with the head and neck tucked back to their shoulders in an "S," while cranes fly with their necks outstretched.

    2) The rapid upstroke of the wings is a good field mark for Cranes in contrast to the slow steady flap of the Great Blue Herons.

    3) Cranes nest separately on the ground, while Herons nest in large colonies in trees (cottonwood, willow, and others) called rookeries.

    4) Finally, Cranes have a loud trumpet-like call, while the Great Blue Heron utters low hoarse croaks.

    5) Adult Sandhill Cranes are easily recognized by the dull red cap…they are also known for their large, elaborate dance. (Great Blues have yellow beaks and black markings on their heads)

          On a recent trip to Shipshewanna, I am positive I spotted several flocks of red-hatted, purple breasted female bargain-pickers all over the town. Quite a site to behold!!

          IN THE GARDEN: Sorry to report my super colossal elephant ear got rotten at the base, so I had to bury it, literally, with no hopes of gigantic leaves…Did you know you can root willow in water? I got a few cuttings from a curly willow tree in Ohio three yrs ago, rooted them in water, and now they are several feet high and thriving!! I have also rooted coleus leaf cuttings the same way. The Mason- Union Garden Club is on the verge of a very interesting project at the Firestation on US 12….keep watching….We also hope to do some work at the Post Office in Union.

          FROM MY KITCHEN: One of my daughter’s favorite vegetable dishes:

    BROCCOLI SOUFFLE

    2 pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli

    1 Cup Velveeta, cubed

    1 can cream of mushroom soup

    2 beaten eggs

    1 ½ tsp. instant minced onion

    1 Cup Mayonnaise

    Buttered bread crumbs for topping, optional

    Cook broccoli and drain. Add cheese until melted. Add rest of ingredients. Bake in greased casserole at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

          PARTING THOUGHT: (one of my favorite Cryptoquotes)

                It is better to deserve without receiving than to receive without deserving…..

                                        A. C. Ingersoll