Majestic! Magnificent! Unforgettable! Those three words do a superb job of describing an Osprey’s behavior when it’s time to fish for dinner. Ospreys are amazing fish-hunting birds that are found along ocean coasts as well as the shorelines of many large lakes and wide rivers on all continents, excluding Antarctica. They are a truly remarkable raptors, well deserving of their colloquial name, the Fish-Hawk.
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“A sap-run is the sweet good-by of winter. It is the fruit of the equal marriage of the sun and frost.” John Burroughs, Signs and Seasons (1886)
Eastern bluebirds had been flitting about my meadow for the past few weeks. Skunk cabbage emerged from frozen mud down at the marsh. Great Blue Herons and Sandhill Cranes stalked the edge of our county’s wetlands as the duel between the seasons accelerated. Those signs all teased of the approach of spring and then the county was bathed in blue sky with temperatures flirting with the 50 degree mark last weekend. Continue reading
Honor Martin Luther King, Jr. this upcoming MLK Day on Monday, January 20th, by attending an event or participating in a day of service. Observed as a national day of service, Martin Luther King Jr. Day encourages all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. Learn more about the MLK Day of Service on their website, where you can also search for volunteer opportunities or register a project. Additionally, the United Way and Volunteer Match have additional resources and opportunities to make it a “day on, not a day off.”
Downtown Milford is celebrating 150 years on a high note with events and activities sure to spread holiday cheer! This year’s holiday season in Milford kicked off with their annual Big Reveal downtown.
The Big Reveal is one of the most magical downtown events year after year. Nearly 40 businesses along Main Street, between Library Street and Commerce Road, set up festive holiday window displays they gift wrap for awaiting eager children to unwrap after the countdown for the Big Reveal!
“The Big Reveal is when all of the businesses in town decorate their windows for their holiday display. It goes from now until after the holidays,” explains Gina Salaski, owners of Gina’s Bridal Boutique. “We tend to do a pretty elaborate display, we like to do a winter theme, and feel good theme, something that’s obviously very sparkly, that what we’re known for here (Gina’s Bridal Boutique). It’s a fun event for the kids to come and unwrap the windows and kick off the holiday season in town.”
Did you miss this year’s Big Reveal? Don’t worry, we have a video recap for you to enjoy and plan your trip for next year:
The Big Reveal is the only the first in a series of holiday events to enjoy with your family and friends this season in Milford.
“The Big Reveal is just a fun event we do in downtown Milford to kick off the holiday season,” shared Kathy Magaluck, owner of Acorn Farm. “All of us store owners plan special window displays for the season, we get them done and then the windows get paper up. On the night of the big reveal children line up and down the streets and when the countdown/announcement comes, they tear off the paper and that begins the start of the Christmas season in downtown Milford. It’s just a fun magical evening that night.
Shopping small is a great way to support local businesses and find the perfect gift for anyone on your list this holiday season and throughout the year. Oakland County is home to several independent toy stores that offer a variety of specialty toys and gifts. Check out our full list of independently owned toy and gift stores:
Surprise the little ones in your life with something they’ll treasure from a local toy store. Find classic kid favorites as well as the latest and greatest toys at Adventures in Toys in Birmingham, The Village Toy Shoppe in Milford, and Funky Monkey Toys in Oxford.
For the hard to shop for on your list, check out unique stores featuring Michigan-made, whimsical, and lifestyle gifts at Catching Fireflies in Berkley or Rochester, Green Hippo Gifts in Lake Orion, or Leon and Lulu in Clawson.
Looking for something specific? Check out our interactive map of toy stores and use the legend to sort by different types of specialty shops: Collectibles; Comics; Dolls; Games; Hobby; Magic; Anime, Manga & Kawaii; Blocks & Robots; Toys; and Toys & Gifts.
Do you know of any other independent toy or gift stores in the Oakland County area? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter, by contacting us at socialmedia@oakgov.com, or leaving a comment below.
Follow along with Oakland County on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube using #OaklandCounty, or visit our website for news and events year-round.
