Spring is trying, but winter still lingers. Omena Bay is half frozen, half clear; half white, half brilliant blue.

Some Omena residents are enjoying both the ice on the bay and the open water beyond. Bob Krist is keeping his brother Tom’s ice sailing boat while Tom is living in Oregon. Bob played Pied Piper with the boat on a beautiful blue-sky, but brisk, Sunday afternoon and the neighborhood turned out. Making their ice-sailing debuts were Julie Krist, Walter Gaudette, Caryn DeVries, Jim Miller, Shelbie Lingaur, Jill LeClair and Dave Dickerson. Dave had also been canoeing in the open water on Saturday.

Last week’s potluck was hosted by Bea Kimmerly, Sunny Colling and Diane Joyce. Everyone enjoyed the St. Patrick’s Day decor.

Sunny is recovering well from minor foot surgery. Daughters Cheryl Huffman, who came up from Bloomington, Ill., and Diane Joyce have been helping out.

Members of Herbal Renewal – Beverly Gaudette, Lin Emmert, Julie Krist, Cindy Rosiek, Liz Porter, Jane Lienau and Michele Worden – enjoyed the Michigan Herb Associates Conference during Agriculture and Natural Resources Week at Michigan State University. Chuck and Janet Dickerson were also in attendance for the wildflower conference.

Conway Smith was host to Tim Smith of Portland, Ore., a week ago, and Marjorie Smith from Denver, Colo., this past weekend. Tim and Marjie also visited with relatives Mary Smith, Les and Debby Disch, and the Rink Smith family.

Stu and Suzie Mulligan are back from three weeks in Mexico. They spent the first two weeks in Guadalajara, and the last week visiting friends who live in San Miguel de Alliende. This past weekend, their son Rob and his wife Natalia Gomez and their twin 17-month old boys, Ian and Connor, came up from Grand Rapids for a visit.

Mary and Steve Stanton just returned from two weeks in sunny Gulf Shores, Ala. Their children, Emily and Casey, were there for the first week. They visited the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels, which was really cool. Another “small world” story was that the apartment they rented was next door to people from Traverse City.

Terry and Nancy Groesser are on patrol trying to authenticate stories of a deer seen still sporting its antlers.

Happy birthday to Amy Smart and Joan Brown.

By Leslie Disch
Phone/fax: 386-5686
email: phen.omena.2@gmail.com
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