Many Marionites are all in the same boat this week. They are suffering the after effects of Old Fashioned Days. In short, they have a good old-fashioned, Old Fashioned hangover. It comes from the anticipation, preparation and realization of our own yearly homecoming event. This happens most often to those involved with the planning and realization of said celebration. And there are a lot of unseen and under-appreciated folks who put in countless hours, many of those throughout the year, to pull off our personal party. In short, it takes a village to put this thing together and pull it off successfully. Marion does it every year.
Marion’s Old Fashioned Days takes a lot of volunteers. The good folks of the Chamber of Commerce don’t hire a party planner; they do it themselves with the help of a wide variety of tireless volunteers. Many of those volunteers see this as a good way to give back to the community. If you don’t do anything else throughout the year, lending a helping hand for our big day is a good way to do it. The folks at the Chamber have a pretty good blueprint to follow, since they’ve been doing this particular event since 1958. The covid years have been challenging and this year was no different. We say a big thanks to the Chamber and to all of the helpers for a job well done. Old Fashioned Days, the party for us, was a good time.
Our Old Fashioned Days isn’t without critics. Folks begin second guessing the events and the schedule as soon as word hits the streets. They complain about the timing of some and the inclusion or exclusion of others. OFDs generates a lot of talk around village coffee pots after July 4. It is the next big thing on our list of local things to celebrate. In the end, this was, as it always is, a good time for all. If anyone missed those old timey ice cream socials or thought there should be even more horse calling cards in the street, we didn’t hear about it. On the other hand, we did hear some talk about kayak races on the pond once again…
In the immortal words of the late Ova Brown, long-time neighborhood columnist for the Marion Press, who knew one when she attended one, “A good time was had by all.”
Thanks to all once again. We always have a good party.
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Some of the birds are flocking. I was amazed to look up to see a large flock of gold-eyed grackles marching across our yard. My first thought was, “where did they all come from?” and secondly, that it cannot be time for fall crickets, a favorite fall bird snack. I rapped on the window. They all gave me the startled gold-eye and left in a flurry of black.
So, with that said, I’m here to say that fall is here. I’ve seen it. Just this week, there it was, as plain as day; sitting on our corner, under the stop sign, soaking up the sun. You all know what fall looks like when it first makes itself known to you. It is a personal thing. I don’t have to describe it. And once seen it cannot be unseen, no matter how hard I try. Fall is lurking and I think I’m alright with that. It is my favorite season and I’m hoping for a long, colorful, warm but not too hot fall. That combines the best Mom Nature has to offer as I see it. If you are a lover of snow and cold, your turn will come.
You know this is true. It happens to all of us even if we don’t realize it. We’re Michiganders. The change of the seasons is in our bones. We know it and we feel it, long before we are aware that the next season has already arrived. We even look forward to it. The scenery and the weather are always surprising here. I didn’t say that we all love each season and they aren’t always fun, but the seasons as they change here are never boring. Just like Marion’s Old Fashioned Days, Michigan has something for us all.
Our photo this week is from Old Fashioned Days, 1959. Please note that we marched from the other direction in those days and did so for the entire length of Main Street. Travelers along M-66 sat, waited, and watched the parade.