It had been a frigid Christmas day in 1829 when group of armed Privates from Company G assembled outside their commanding officer’s quarters. Lt. Ephriam Kirby Smith had just angrily hauled their comrade, Pvt. Levi Stephens, into his quarter’s to flog the soldier for sharing whiskey with his friends at […]
Yearly Archives: 2023
42 posts
With rumbling chugs and hissing steam the 1225 Pere Marquette rolled into “The North Pole” located in Ashley, Michigan. This remarkable 1941 steam engine had been Chris VanAllsburg’s inspiration for his well known story about a train journey, “The Polar Express.” Today, families board in Owosso, Michigan for the hour […]
“Let’s say the intro from a distance, so you can see the whole Bronner’s store in the background.” Chuck had suggested as we had been capturing video footage of Christmas traditions around Michigan for our Restless Viking YouTube channel. Bronner’s is the largest Christmas store in the world located in […]
Have you ever wondered about the enormous Christmas tree that stands in front of our state capitol? This year’s story is especially touching. Join my husband, Chuck, and I as we follow the journey of this year’s state Christmas tree. Let’s begin in Onaway, Michigan which is located in the […]
On our overlanding trip into the Algoma Canadian wilderness, our drone had become tangled in some high branches. Sadly, we were unable to recover it. As we neared Wawa, a city meaning “Wild Goose” in Ojibway, Chuck grabbed his phone and called, “Do you have any availability for today or […]
Dale Otto Remling, a charismatic criminal, had spent two years constructing his scheme for a third escape from prison. This elaborate plan involved a helicopter and three “get-a-way / decoy” cars. Join Chuck and I as we investigate Michigan’s malicious marauder and head to Jackson State Prison for this curious […]
Wait? What? Kalamazoo had once been the second highest producer of celery? Chuck and I had lived in Kalamazoo in the early 1990’s while attending Western Michigan University. Neither of us had known the important role that CELERY had played in the economy of K-zoo. Join us as we embark […]
I had no idea that Kalamazoo held a secret, Arcadia Creek. Chuck and I had attended Western Michigan University in the early 1990’s. We’d explored urban areas, usually at night, with no idea that a creek had been spying on us from beneath the streets. Join us as we put […]
A collection of flyswatters?!? I haven’t given these tools much thought, but when Chuck, my husband, and I entered the Kalamazoo Valley Museum we were captivated by the display of flyswatters! Some hung from the ceiling in front of three glass cases filled with many styles of these pest controllers. […]
There’s a secret piece of history in the Mackinaw Straits! Join Chuck and I as we explore a boulder. Yes, you know I love to collect rocks, but this boulder couldn’t fit in anyone’s pocket. This serious stone has made a mark in history as an aid to navigation. But […]