Have You Ever Wished Upon A Star?
by Dave Ponke

There is so much more to going through life than just rolling with the punches, and accepting the delivery that arrives without reaction.

That is, your life is simply what you make of it. Complicated? Not really. Complex? No, not really…not as complex as wondering about what life may deliver to you, like a curveball from a baseball player.

Back in the “day...” Grandma used to bake the best biscuits in town, years ago. That hasn’t changed.

And if you were to ask her today about the chances of popping open a package of the ready-made type, and baking them for a special occasion…well, you may just get the scorned-look from her, along with the wagging finger!

I cannot remember a single holiday that did not include grandma - and she would be there, with help from mom, of course, both busy in the kitchen preparing for a holiday.

Thanksgiving comes to mind as the golden opportunity to gobble up some of the best grub you could ever imagine!

Of course, the traditional turkey, laid upon the platter, garnished with stuffing (yes, it WAS very tasty!)…but you know what actually seemed to stand out as the BEST item?

How about the mashed potatoes? Yeah, the white, pasty, sticky potatoes that you would think would be easy to make, and no big deal as far as whipping (ahem, pardon the pun) up in a jiffy!

Why did they taste so good?

Quality, and quantity. That’s what I would seek! Plopped up the plate, covered in rich, thick brown gravy that grandma and mother developed from giblets…can you imagine that? Oh. My Goodness! A tasty treat to relish and appreciate!

And the time spent with family is precious, not to mention priceless.

So don’t forget; always ask for second servings of stuffing.

But leave plenty of room for the pumpkin pie.

• • • • •

The children used to frolic aimlessly into the pine trees. The trails that bordered the Sans Souci area in the 1940s and 1950s provided a perfect playground for Carol Kelley, while growing up, as she visited with her brother Robert while growing up in Detroit.

“That area near our cottage (on Harsens Island) was the greatest….”, she said. “We made our way towards the (Upmal’s) cottage next door and played…baseball, picked up sticks…whatever we could find. We had a great deal of fun.”

Children enjoy adventures much in the same fashion today, as well; bicycling, sledding or other activities are popular now, much as they were years ago.

“We used to do all sorts of things…on the island,” Carol recalls. “Fishing (along the South Channel), playing in the yard, my brother and I found practically anything to do. Skipping rocks in the river was always a lot of fun.”

And children echo those same thoughts today.