Sumacs offer a fuzzy, tasty local treat

By Codi Yeager Sun staff writer Many of us have seen or heard of the Sumac. It flourishes in much of Leelanau County, growing in large clumps of tropical looking green foliage. The Sumac is a small, twiggy tree with large compound leaves that turn bright red and yellow in the fall. The fuzzy branches […]

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Row, row, row Tarot, gently down the stream of consciousness

By Stephanie Mills Sun contributor Purpose and intention are all very well and good, if a bit over-esteemed. They’re the starting blocks we adults kick off from in the forward hurtle over the hurdles of life. Purpose and intention are critical and only a teeny constituent of destiny. Over 500 years old, the Tarot deck […]

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When your teenage daughter wants in on Victoria’s Secret

By Erika Vidal Sun contributor You’re at the mall shopping for your teenage daughter’s back to school wardrobe. You’ve bought her the ever so necessary low-rise jeans, the shoes, and some basic tops. Everything is going surprisingly well. She has only pretended not to know you once, and that was because a group of boys […]

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Heavenly chocolates made by Grocer’s Daughter are so good, you’ll moan!

By Pat Stinson Sun staff writer Oh, divine chocolate! They grind thee kneeling, Beat thee with hands praying, And drink thee with eyes to heaven. — Marco Antonio Orellana, 18th century For three centuries after the Spaniards brought the first cacoa beans to Spain from Mexico, “chocolat” was known only as a thick beverage, full […]

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Picking cherries during the Great Depression

By Helen Westie Sun contributor In the midst of the Great Depression, American families harvested the cherry crops here in northern Michigan. They were the forerunners of the migrants who came much later. It was 1931 and I was 13 years old when my family camped in the orchard of huge cherry trees (the trees […]

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Hidden beneath all the hype exists a great Democratic divide

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor Despite presenting a unified front at their convention in Boston last month, many politicians, delegates and progressive voters swearing allegiance to the Democratic Party to rid America of George W. Bush find themselves torn between the party line and their true beliefs on volatile issues like the war in Iraq […]

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Oomen’s memoir “Pulling Down the Barn” is Ripe in the Land of the Sleeping Bear

By Norm Wheeler Sun editor Empire poet, playwright, and teacher Anne-Marie Oomen’s memoir “Pulling Down the Barn” is being released by Wayne State University Press. A frequent contributor of poetry to the pages of the Glen Arbor Sun, Oomen has written several plays based on local history, including “Aral: A Folk Opera” (about a double […]

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Religion corner: Never leave God at home

By Rick Leland Sun contributor A right turn and it’s two blocks to Lake Michigan. Three bicycle riders, looking ready for the Tour de France, opt to go left. Cruising past a small enclave of shops beckoning tourists to stop and spend, they find their Sunday morning destination — breakfast at Cherry Republic’s outdoor cafe. […]

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Moving Beyond the courthouse debate: Smart Growth debate sparking interest

By Jim Lively (Michigan Land Use Institute — Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition) Sun Op-Ed Contributor The Leelanau Smart Growth Coalition is disappointed but not discouraged by last Tuesday’s election. Yes, we lost on an issue we worked very hard to win: Keeping the county seat in Leland. But we, along with many other citizens, sparked […]

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Author Judith Guest Is No ‘Ordinary’ Person

By Joanne Bender Sun contributor Judith Guest, author of the bestseller (and movie directed by Robert Redford) “Ordinary People,” has written a new book, “The Tarnished Eye,” and was at the Cottage Book Shop in Glen Arbor on July 2. Bookseller Barbara Siepker arranged for the author’s visit. Guest met, charmed and talked with close […]

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