I have to write about this.
The former Glen Arbor Township Cemetery, off Forest Haven Road, November 9, 2019
Nessen Mill Crew 452 on the Crystal River, Glen Arbor, courtesy Andrew White. Many of the poorer workers who came to Glen Arbor during the lumbering days could not afford headstones. Many more graves exist at the 1 3/4 acre Glen Arbor Cemetery than the 13 gravestones there currently represent.
We did have a nice plan for the 8th graders to visit the cemetery last week. I hoped for them to see the situation as it is today, with all the downed trees everywhere, and the place abandoned; but unfortunately, Glen Arbor received 43 inches of snow in 24 hours two days before the field trip.
Yes, I know that figure never made it into the papers. I know everyone was talking about Empire and its 30 inches. But ask about the measurements taken on a certain deck. Ask about measuring 24 inches the night before, then shoveling it off only to find another 19 in the morning. Ridiculous. Who ever heard of that in Michigan? Maybe in Buffalo. Maybe. But in Michigan?
Halfway through the 11-11 storm
So the trip was postponed until this week, but still too much snow, and now, in order to get to the cemetery, we would have to walk IN the road, not on the shoulder, so no way. Safety issue.
That was Wednesday. That afternoon, the call came. The loggers, those blessed lumberjacks from Parshall Tree Care Experts are going to be able to do some good this weekend. Tomorrow, actually. Saturday.
They might not be able to get everything they would like to get, but they can do a good day's worth of work. Ten of them--eight men, two women. Two would act as sawyers; the rest would move the logs, stack them, and clear a new path in--five feet, plus two feet of clearance on either side, with six feet up above.
Look out, Bob Sutherland, you're going to have to duck your head when you visit the cemetery behind your mother's house now. But at least you'll get in easily. You'll just walk right in.
After the phone call, driving home from teaching my art students up in Lake Leelanau, my lovely Wednesday ladies, it occurred to me that I might do something to thank these workers who are coming from their business HQ in Interlochen. But what? Bake cookies? Didn't seem like enough. Bring hot chocolate? How would I do that? In a thermos? Were they going to want to stop and drink my hot chocolate and eat my cookies? No, they wanted to work. What could I do?
Tracy delivers a check for her mother, Barbara Siepker.
And then I realized this wasn't my project. This is the town's project. Maybe there were places in town that might speak for the rest of us. I thought of businesses. They always get hit up, but there I was walking in again. And guess what happened.
Arts is donating their lunches. Cherry Republic is putting together a box full of snacks and trail mix for them. Anderson's IGA, Brad Anderson, bless his heart, is going to put something together for me to pick up tomorrow. That's still a mystery, but I bet it will be good. Maybe Anderson's cider?
And now, individual donations are coming in that will cover drinks and tips for lunch, three of them so far. How unbelievable is this?
Oh, and, Duh. Each worker will receive a signed copy of "Aaron's Crossing" to take home. I just realized today that none of this would have happened without him, my Aaron. Blessed, beloved Aaron. Thank you, sir.
Lunch on the house for the loggers tomorrow, courtesy Arts Tavern in Glen Arbor! Thanks, Bonnie and Tim! Nice delivery, Vicki!