2019

A Magical Wintery Morning

Oakland County, MI Government 2 Comments

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

December 1st, Sunday morning at 7:30 – Misty rain was falling across most of the county, but in the higher elevations of northernmost Oakland County, snow was winning out over the hail pellets that bounced off my porch railings. Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers switched into a feeding frenzy mode at my window feeder in response to my offering of sunflower seeds. They were restless and so was I. I am an unabashed partisan of hiking in almost any weather, even when others would rather stay home. With that thought in mind, I called a friend who would likely be up for an early morning snowy adventure. Forty-five minutes later we were en route on back roads through a world of swirling white to the Lost Lake Nature Preserve, a 537-acre sanctuary that encompasses sections of Oakland County’s Holly Township and Genesee County’s Grand Blanc Township. It first opened to the public in the fall of 2015 and I had been there three times since then, but always as an attendee at official events sponsored by Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy (SMLC) and never in wintery weather. Continue reading →

Operation Good Cheer at Oakland County International Airport Delivers Thousands of Presents to Children this Holiday Season

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This weekend, Operation Good Cheer will take to the skies to deliver more than 20,000 Christmas gifts to over 7,000 children in foster care throughout Michigan. Donated gifts will arrive for sorting inside a Pentastar Aviation hangar at Oakland County International Airport (OCIA) on Friday, December 6. Volunteers will then load the gifts into more than 200 airplanes for delivery to 29 airports around the state on Saturday, December 7.

“Oakland County loves supporting Operation Good Cheer because it has such a positive impact on thousands of children in foster care throughout Michigan,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “We’re grateful for the hundreds of volunteers who are making a difference in the lives of these children.”

Check out the video below to see their hard work in action:

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The Big Reveal Kicks Off the Holiday Season in Milford

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Downtown Milford

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!

WIndow display at Gina's Bridal

“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.

Acorn Farm Storefront

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Be Thankful for Our “Wilder Side” Lands

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WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Oakland County has a diverse array of protected wildlands and hundreds of miles of trails, thanks first to the forces of nature, and then to the dedicated work of planners and civil engineers, and finally the support of trail advocates and the general public. And so today, on this Thanksgiving week, I’ll profile ten of my favorite wilder side sites for outdoor adventure and “nature embracing” in any season of the year, starting with Kensington Metropark.

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