Happy Wednesday! Sorry for the resolution lost in the process of transferring these pictures, printed on paper back in the late 1990's, into digital format. I will work to improve on this in the future. You deserve quality content from Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor.
For now, I hope you enjoy. See you Friday!
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August 11, 2018
Happy Saturday! While “On The Road with Victory & Valor”, here’s a brief look at the Looking Glass River in mid-Michigan. The Looking Glass River flows westerly for about 70 miles from its source in northwest Livingston County, winding its way through Laingsburg (Shiawassee County), and Dewitt (Clinton County), before draining into the Grand River at Portland, Michigan in southeast Ionia County. There are numerous locations along its path ideal for fishing, the western portion below Dewitt being more suitable for other recreational activities such as canoeing and kayaking. These photos were taken in Clinton County. Hope you’re enjoying the weekend! Keep following us here for more “On The Road with Victory & Valor.” August 10, 2018 Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week and I’m glad you’re following Mistletoe Enterprises. Today, we’re “On The Road with Victory & Valor” in Mason, Michigan! Mason, Michigan is the county seat of Ingham County, Michigan, about 15 miles south of Lansing. Mason holds the distinction of being the only city in the country to host its county seat while in the same county as the state capital. In 1847, Lansing was selected as the capital of Michigan, but the county seat remained in Mason. According to historical records at www.masonmuseum.org and public information at the city of Mason website www.mason.mi.us , Mason was first settled in 1836. It was named after the first Governor of Michigan, Stevens T. Mason, who served from 1835-1840. Mason was incorporated as a village in 1865. And as it was a growing hub of business and government activity, it was incorporated as a city in 1875. The heart of Mason is its people. But the centerpiece of Mason is the historic Ingham County Courthouse. According to documents from December 1971, placing the Ingham County Courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places at https://www.catalog.archives.gov/id/25339527 , the courthouse was inspired and modeled after a similar structure in Hillsdale, Michigan. The Ingham County courthouse was completed in 1905. Today, the historic character, antiquity, and charm of the courthouse is surrounded by a Downtown Business District that compliments its style, and invites economic growth. The city of Mason has grown to a population of about 8,200. The Mason area hosts numerous events throughout the year including the Ingham County Fair; Independence Day celebrations; an annual Mason Holidays celebration; and parades on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as other events. Mason preserves history, too. The Mason Historic District Commission ( www.mason.mi.us/historical.htm ) was established by the City of Mason in 1982 to safeguard its heritage and foster civic beauty. In doing so, they honor those who made history. The most conspicuous example of that is the memorial wall, prominently situated on the grounds of the courthouse, displaying the “Honor Roll” of those from Ingham County who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II.
The mission of Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor is to educate others by sharing stories of history and heroes. We compliment the Mason community for their efforts to preserve history, and we will certainly return to Mason soon to share more stories about the people and the businesses that continue to make Mason, Michigan such a welcoming place to stay or visit. And we’ll be back here Monday with another installment of, “On The Road with Victory & Valor.” Hope you’ll be back with us! Have a great weekend! August 9, 2018 Happy Thursday! I hope your week is going well. We had been scheduled to begin our “On The Road with Victory & Valor” installments a few days ago, but extenuating circumstances delayed the departure. Thanks for your patience. I hope you’ll think it was worth the wait because today, Victory & Valor went on the road to Grand Ledge, Michigan! Grand Ledge is a city with a population of about 7,700 residents, situated along the Grand River about ten miles west of Lansing. It was first settled in the 1830’s. By 1850, the area residents selected the name Grand Ledge for their Post Office, based on the Native Americans’ of the area who referred to the tall sandstone ledges as “Big Rocks.” It was incorporated by the state legislature of Michigan as a village in 1871, a couple years after the first railroad came to the north side of the village. By 1893, Grand Ledge was sufficiently developed into a popular retreat and resort town, and it was incorporated as a city. It is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year! The businesses along Bridge Street enjoy an old-town, small town appeal. And Victory & Valor will return to Grand Ledge in the near future to provide a more detailed installment focusing on the businesses here. But the emphasis of this installment is the beautiful scenery and natural wonder that it retains. Having travelled to many places, I’ve often been disappointed to discover how so many town planners of previous eras erred in their plans to strike a balance between developing economically while preserving the beauty and natural appeal of the environment. With multiple parks and areas accessible to the public, Grand Ledge captures the balance of nature and development. This is my humble opinion, of course. But on a twenty-minute walk along Second Island, just west of Bridge Street, as I reached the western edge of the island and readied my camera I recognized the familiar site of an immature Bald Eagle perched in the bare branches of a tree, high above the river, a few hundred yards away.
Welcome to Grand Ledge! Victory & Valor will be “On The Road” again tomorrow bringing you more stories of history and sights of natural wonder. See you then! August 6, 2018 Happy Monday! This installment was expected to be, “On The Road with Victory & Valor.” Unfortunately, there has been a delay in the scheduled departure! All is not lost, though. While we will set out and visit some interesting places very soon, this installment can be salvaged, hopefully, by sharing with you some sites of one of my previous travels, several years ago, in Washington, D.C. Our capital city is rich with history and incredible architecture. The U.S. Capitol Building is the centerpiece. According to the Architect of the Capitol website, when French engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant was commissioned to plan the city of Washington, D.C., he said the elevated site – the Capitol Hill – was “a pedestal waiting for a monument.” L’Enfant had a vision for the Capitol Building, but he refused to provide sketches or drawings. So, he was dismissed, and Dr. William Thornton’s plans were selected after his designs were reviewed. George Washington gave his formal approval of the plans on July 25, 1793. On the interior of the dome of the Capitol, the murals painted by Constantino Brumidi over a 25-year period from 1855-1880, capture our nation’s early history and celebrates our values. Gazing 180 feet upward from the visitor’s level in the Rotunda, the “Apotheosis of Washington” is directly under the dome; and the “Frieze of American History” contains 19 panels covering a 300-foot circumference, encircling the base of the dome, 58 feet above the floor. Washington, D.C. is a beautiful place to visit. It holds many treasures, and it belongs to all of us. It is worth a trip to visit the Capitol, and the many buildings of the Smithsonian to learn and explore. We will return here tomorrow with more sites and stories of history while “On The Road with Victory & Valor.” See you then! August 3, 2018
Happy Friday! As promised, it’s time for Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor’s “Big News” announcement! Starting Monday, August 6, Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor will be sharing our stories of history & heroes while, “On The Road With Victory & Valor!” Call it a working vacation. Call it what you want. We’ll be posting frequently from our Victory & Valor Blog, and from our website and Facebook pages as we travel around and share with you some of the spectacular sights we find, and stories of some of the special people we meet along the way. While, “On The Road With Victory & Valor,” has some specific destinations in mind, the best word to describe the nature of this journey is definitely: “spontaneous.” Truthfully, it is a vacation for me. But it is indeed, a working vacation. So, for our regular followers, you might see fewer posts on the Mistletoetom Facebook page, but more frequent Victory & Valor Blog installments. (The blog normally posts directly to the Mistletoetom Facebook page, anyway. So, there shouldn’t be much difference.) Anyway, we’re looking forward to sharing with you some of the beauty that makes our country so great! We hope you’ll join us, “On The Road With Victory & Valor.” Enjoy your weekend! Talk to you Monday from…. August 1, 2018 Happy Wednesday and Happy August! I was looking at my Facebook newsfeed yesterday and noticed a couple pictures that inspired today’s blog. The pictures served notice that we are now in prime season for state and county fairs! Our country has many traditions, but few traditions like the fair. The fair is a celebration of our agrarian roots: our Founding Fathers expected our country to grow with farmers being the backbone of our society. 242 years after declaring our independence, our farming communities honor that vision. And the fair, while offering a variety of attractions, celebrates the work of farmers more than most other events. As I said, there’s lots of variety, but some things take center-stage at the typical Midwest county fair: Future Farmers of America, 4H, livestock, food, vendors, arts & crafts, and carnival rides. I asked my friend, Julianne Stenger, what was her favorite part of her visit to the Ingham County Fair? Her reply: “Elephant ears, of course!” Elephant Ears are popular. They rank up there with cotton candy, popcorn, and warm pretzels. At the Texas State Fair, as well as at the New York State Fair, the Butter Sculptures are among the most popular attractions. At the Washington State Fair, kids can learn to churn butter – the old-fashioned way. And the Ohio State Fair has a popular Homebrewed Beer Competition, as well as an impressive line-up of musical entertainment and concerts. Obviously, technology has changed the atmosphere and scenery of the modern fair compared to the fairs of two hundred years ago. But the popularity of the fair has not waned, although fairs adapted to the economic realities in times such as those during the Great Depression. At the Eau Claire County (Wisconsin) Fair, for example, fair exhibits during the Depression included entries such as “best patched garment and best darning on a hose.” But the centerpiece of the fair focuses on the farmer. Agriculture, horticulture, livestock, and educational activities for youth are the prime drivers of the fairs all across our country. Mistletoe Enterprises and Victory & Valor salute our farmers. We encourage youth to participate in educational programs such as 4-H or Future Farmers of America to develop knowledge, and to build leadership. Enjoy the rest of your evening! Talk to you again Friday. And, see you at the fair! (I’ll be the one with the Elephant Ears!) |
AuthorTom Davis is the owner of Mistletoe Enterprises LLC. He also publishes and distributes the Victory & Valor Flyer, it tells the stories of heroes from all walks of life. Archives
December 2018
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