Barbara Noreika

My late grandmother, Barbara Noreika, hailed from Lithuania. She left that country on foot. At the east Prussian border the men left the women and found a way to cross the border through the forest. The women crossed where the border patrol was located. They told the patrol they were trying to find work in Germany.

In truth they were heading for America and soon thereafter rejoined the men who had crossed the border secretly. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean took about 15 days eventually arriving in Calumet. My grandmother and another women helped feed the passengers daily their noon day meal. By passengers, I mean those immigrants that were confined to the hold of the ship. Most were sea sick for the majority of the voyage.

According to the Lake County Court House Library (Book 58, page 283) my grandfather purchased our farm property near Big Bass Lake with a 1913 contract. He acquired the deed a year later. It was re-deeded in 1921 to include my grandmother’s name on the deed.

Rope Swings at Wagner Lake

The Marion Boys Club got to use Wagner Lake each summer for two weeks as a resident camp and much of the activity revolved around this lake.  Aside from swimming, a rope swing was attached to a nearby tree where the boys could swing out and jump into the refreshing water.  Rowboats were also used on the lake for races and fishing.  There was a lagoon on the far side of the lake that for all purposes looked like the Everglades the farther one went into it.

We also had a jump the pit contest where the boys would jump over a mud filled pit and each session pushed the jumping line another five inches back.  As it was only one boy was spared the indignity of landing squarely in the mud by virtue of winning the event.  Fortunately for the boys, Wagner Lake was right next to the pit and ideal for washing off the mud.

I always liked this two-week experience each year.  The boys did too to get away from the club routine.  Mr. Wagner always paid us a visit each trip to encourage the boys to keep his land well. 

Fishing School

This is one school that I flunked hands down.  I don’t know why but fishing always seemed boring to me.  My dad could never get me to enjoy it.  As a young boy, there was too much patience involved.  It seemed that we could never get a fish bite even though we got plenty of mosquito bites.  Maybe that’s what I always attach to my fishing memories.

My dad used worms almost exclusively even though some of my later boys club kids would opt out of worms for peanut butter or cheese as a somewhat better form  of bait for them.  Maybe if I had been taught that my fishing experiences would have been better? 

In those days in the 1950′s our rowboat was wood over that of metal.  Getting a splinter or two was an occupational hazard on fishing excursions into Big Bass Lake.  My dad also preferred rowing to motors even though my uncle had stored a motor at te farm.  So between worms and splinters my fishing days were numbered. 

In my boys club years the kids fished while I still avoided that pastime like the plague.  So my mark in Fishing School 101 was a big fat F.

Our Farm in the Spring

This picture provides you with a glimpse of what needed to be done every spring. The grass had to be cut and what a lawn! It extended all the way to Big Bass Lake Road. A lawnmower would do right around the house and garage but for the field all the way to the road a tractor had to be used, not to mention all the way back to the barn.

Notice all the trees behind the house. A great many of those are now gone to make way for new homes that desired an open view of Big Bass Lake. Instead of the field you see to your right, new homes are now found there. Yes, farms are disappearing in that area all too fast to make room for tourism.

Yes, that tractor of ours sure got a good workout come every spring. It also plowed a pathway through the barnyard nearly to Al Matson’s cabin where Noreika Road’s sandy section begins.

That solo tree has been around for seemingly eons. In a picture published within this site was of me and my sister when I was about five, and that tree is in that picture and it doesn’t appear to have aged a day in this photograph. It has stood smack dab in the middle of our field despite high winds and driving rains and winter gales. Going North on Big Bass Lake Road past the public landing, it is off to the right as you hit the curve taking you due North.

Our garden was something else as both my grandmother and Aunt Beth tended and noursihed it as one of their prime attractions. As a kid I only got to weed it and that wasn’t much fun. I once asked my grandmother why smelly manure could produce such wonderfully aeromatic flowers and she replied, “Just a miracle of nature”.

I remember helping my Aunt Beth shuck beans and I must confess that they tasted better that night. We had just about every vegetable imaginable in that garden. Not that far away down the field was our orchard full of tasty fruit. As I mentioned in a previous post, there were also blackberry bushes in the middle of our property not ten yards off the dirt road that cut our property in half.

Yes, that unique tree and our garden will also be in my memory as such good things came from the latter into our larder. Then there was the compost pile but that will be saved for another day and post.

The Great Scottville Rubber Duckie Race

Being from the greater Scottville, Michigan, area, I would much rather be known for being the town of the Scottville Clown Band over the town that hosts this race. Granted, this race is great for the kids of the area with the exception of the teenagers.

The race is really big in this area and has even garnered media coverage. I just make sure that I’m not in the way of the camera on those days. Our rubbie ducks are yellow which means they are even immune to Green Lantern’s power ring should he ever make his way to Scottville.

I often wonder how many bets are waged on the winning rubber duckie? Does anyone give odds? Do they allow for catfish interferance? Maybe Ludington would like to take this event for a couple of years? You think?

Rubber Duckie Rebuttle to Mike Reynolds by Duckie Sara

No, Mike, that isn’t a lemon slick coming down the Pere Marquette River but a yellow duckie slick and one that is very slick indeed!  How dare you be so obtuse as to think Ludington should get such a race!  That really ruffles my plastic feathers!  If you want a tip bet on the duckie in the middle of that “slick” as Ora Duckie can really float!

This race puts Scottville on the map and we’ve become even more famous than those jokers that dress as clowns and play band instruments.  Anyone can do that!  But how many rubber duckies do you know that can float down a river with such ease and grace? 

I’m the reigning Duckie and I really strut my stuff with that honor.  In the race almost anything goes to get across that finish line first.  I even hired a carnival guy to take some pot shots at the lead duckies.  KM Duckie thought she was going to win this year but I sure showed her.  Yes, these rubber duckie races can become ruthless in our mad desire to win first prize.

Last year I got featured in Rubber Duckie Review before I was stuffed into some easter egg to be given out to some kids.  Us rubber duckies just don’t get any respect.  Nuff said, Mike?

Rubber Duckie Family Dispute

My husband, Mike, and I live quite close to Scottville, Michigan, and we can both agree that the Clown Band provides the community great exposure. However, Mike is less than enthusiastic for the Rubber Duckie Race that happens each year. I, on the other hand, think its just great for kids and also for grown up kids as well.

The waters of the Pere Marquette River are brightened up by the release of 1000 bright yellow rubber ducks that float down the river in a mad race to the finish line. And while Mike shows no pains in expressing his displeasure at this race, I have often wondered how real duckies view this proceeding? Do they ever try to make new friends with their artificial cousins?

While I stroll along the banks of the river, Mike rolls his eyes in disbelief and my enjoyment of this race. I have wondered if Mike was ever deprived of rubber duckies in his bathtub as a youth? That could well explain a lot!   Or maybe he’s just denying the inner youth within him?  Hmmmm?

Some Reflections on Big Bass Lake

One of our readers (Kevin) left us a comment in regard to our recent poll on what lake was one’s favorite and he suggested that Sauble Lake was because it had no public landing and thus had a minimum of speedboats on the lake.  I remember those times on Big Bass Lake in the 1950′s and early 1960′s.  After Frank Benish died, his family sold their land to the State of Michigan who in turn put the public laning on the southwest corner of Big Bass Lake.

At the time, our dock was the first one to the north of that landing  and the landing itself was right next to our land.  It was not only the noise that affected our family now but also the junk from the landing that was caught in a net cage under our dock that was frustrating.  Add to that the constant flow of boats into Big Bass Lake from Memorial to Labor Day which turned the once peaceful waters of Big Bass Lake into a flurry of churning waves and noise. 

In the 1970′s, I took many a trip to our wooded beachfront with several Boys Clubs of America groups and we used to drink the water from Big Bass Lake (along wth helazone tablets for purification) but that could no longer happen as the water is permeated with gasoline and oil.  Once our public landing went in the purity of Big Bass Lake was lost. 

I remember how the lake changed after Labor Day as I could take out our rowboat without being concerned about the wake from large boats knocking me ascunder.  It was similar to what Kevin had alluded to in regard to Sauble Lake.  In that light I hope that no public landing is ever installed at the Sauble Lakes.  That scenerio is forever lost at Big Bass Lake as the boats coming in seem to be getting bigger and bigger with even more horsepower than ever before.  Oh, for the return to much simplier tmes at the lake!

Our Rowboat at our Pier

On an eerie morning at Big Bass Lake, I went down to our pier to take our rowboat out for a trip to our wooded beachfront.  The lake had a low fog hanging over it.  I had planned to chop some wood for a fire at the beach for a later swim time with a neighborhood youngster.  Rick and  I were then to have some time for swimming followed by a hot lunch.

We got out of our civies behind a couple of trees and into our swimming suits.  Just prior to that, I got the wood arranged in the fire pit topped off with some birch bark for easy lighting.  After a great time of swimming, complete with inner tubes,  we roasted hot dogs and then ate them with soda pop and potato chips.  It was a great afternoon. 

After gathering up our clothes we hopped in our rowboat for a return trip to our pier some 700 yards away to the south.  Rick was related to the Benish family and was visiting that summer with his aunt.  We spent a great amount of time together making our wooded beachfront a great area to be at.  There was even an overnight at our former boys club campsite that summer.  It reminded me of all the trips that I took there with various boys clubs in the 1970′s. 

Grant’s Resort on Big Bass Lake

Grant’s Resort, located on the north side of Big Bass Lake, has been another allusive entity until only just recently for me.  There isn’t much about this facility on the Internet, let alone  photograph of the place, that is until Apryl supplied me with this picture and some information about this resort.  I have tried calling the phone number connected to this resort (231-266-5679) for a few days but all I have ever gotten was voice mail.  I had hoped to get the resorts history so maybe some reader f ours will supply that data for us by way of a comment.

Apryl informs us that this resort has 3 cottages, two have two bedrooms and the big cabin has two bedrooms, a fold out couch and a futon on the screened in porch. They do supply row boats for each cabin. And I believe they are open year round as the cabins have furnaces. No televisions or phones.  The owner is Audrey Grant however her son pretty much runs it now and he checks in every day.   When Apryl  first started going when there when she was little, there was no hot water or even a shower, so her family had to take baths in the lake!

And this info will have to suffice until some of our readers provide us with even more.  I’m glad that we have this to promote Grant’s Resort as several comments each year have asked about cottage rental on Big Bass Lake.  By the way, I like the nice touch of having a small tent situated just before one of those cottages. 

Ludington Beach and Breakwater

I’ve often captured the Ludington Lighthouse and Breakwater on photographs as the majestic waves crash upon this structure but today I wanted to provide you with the FULL prospective.  Here you can observe the breakwater’s full concourse and the Lighthouse from the beach.  See where the breakwater angles off to the lighthouse?

When walking that’s quite a distance out into Lake Michigan and when the waves are high they really crash into the breakwater sending water high into the air.  However, I prefer this wonderful beach for many days in summer and some still into the fall.  After all 80 degree days are no stranger to Michigan September’s. 

The water temperature is still rather refreshing until mid-September so I visit the beach even after Labor Day.  The beach is far less crowded at those times since summer tourists have long since hit the road.  In the summer months Ludington swells to nearly triple its normal size what with all the tourists.  But the time for sun bathing and swimming is just about over until next June.  I, for one, will miss it!  But the breakwater and lighthouse are still there to use and photograph!

Looking South on Big Bass Lake Road

This picture was taken just past the intersection where Luke’s Corner Store used to be found.  In the far distance would be Matson’s Road to the left just as Big Bass Lake makes a turn to the west.  Until then, all along this road are venue points to the North side of Big Bass Lake to your left. 

When Big Bass Lake Road makes that turn to the west, our former property began on the left side of the road all the way to the Public Landing.  It was largely forest land until just past Noreika Road (named after my grandparents) where the scenery then turns to farm land. 

One can make out Big Bass Lake barely at Matson’s Road and then again after Big Bass Lake Road makes a turn to the east just before the Public Landing.  In the 1950′s this was a dirt road but now its fully paved all the way around the lake. 

The K&K General Store Fire Sale Bargain Gasoline

If you want to get a good gasoline bargain, head out to the K&K near Big Bass Lake where the sign says $1.72 per gallon.  Of course, that was the going price about two years ago and that is the last time the K&K was in business due to a suspicious fire that no one seems to know how it got set!  This is just another in a long line of area general stores being put out of business.

Preceding it were the Big Bass Lake Store and the Sauble Lake Emporium.  The lone one left standing would be Larry Bender’ General Store and it is no secret how he wanted the Big Bass Lake Store to go out of business.  When that store ceased operations it also began an era with no gasoline at all being sold directly on Big Bass Lake.

Maybe one of our readers would care to let us know a little bit more about the K&K.  Was this the one located in close proximity to Harper Lake?  Also are there any speculations as to just how that fire got started?  Leave us a comment with your thoughts!  By the way, this photograph came through the lens of Don Clodfelter. 

Camp Mishawaka Ends Yet Another Camping Season

You might notice that the docks are missing in this picture which means that camp ended yesterday for the 2011 season.  That means that there was no bugle call this morning and the counselors that are left are probably more than glad about that.  Yet there is still much work to do as camp must be closed down before another season dawns next summer.

When that last bus rolled out of camp yesterday filled with campers heading for destinations around the country and beyond,  memories remain with most of those kids not to mention the counselors.  The camp must now seem hauntingly silent.  No more are heard the shouts of excited boys and girls around the waterfront and the ball diamonds are empty.  The horse stables are now only filled with horses until they also head for greener pastures. 

The soccer field and tennis courts are bare and only the sound of rustling winds can be heard through the trees.  Yet as soon as winters blanket of snow has melted away there will be new sounds of new kids for the 2012 season which is only a short ten months away.  The clock is ticking!

Aerial of the Former Camp Martin Johnson

It’s now hard to imagine but once this property you see here belonged to Camp Martin Johnson, which bordered on three lakes, those being Big and Little Bass Lake plus Bluegill Lake.  All are now part of the Heritage Bay Development  with only a few remnants left of camp such as the basketball and tennis courts.  A huge boulder sits atop the gravesite of camp founder, Martin Johnson, however the plaque honoring his name has long since been removed.  Just to the left of this camp is the now privately owned Four Winds Island which was also once a part of the camp.

If you want to learn more about Camp Martin Johnson you can read the page of its history at the top of the page or connect with the category Camp Martin Johnson on the sidebar.  The legacy that Martin Johnson envisioned for countless boys and girls has now become a high-priced zone for homes.  I can almost imagine a large sigh coming from the direction of heaven in that regard. 

The Little Island Over The Years

I knew this island when it was called Grandma’s Hat because of a tree that for all appearances looked like a plumed hat.  It’s also been called Tiny Tim and Loon Island over the years but now it could well be called Bushy Island as it seems to be over run with them.  There is a lot of vegetation on this island per square inch.

It always had a great sand beach around it which I presume exists to this day.  When it was called Grandma’s Hat in the 1950′s there was ample land so that one could be seen on that island from as far away as the Big Bass Lake Store.  Now unless you are my height (6’10″) that would no longer be the case as you would be absorbed by leafy bushes. 

Maybe the island could be renamed just “Bush” Island in honor of one of the former two President’s?  That’s a thought!

The Joplin Boys Club Softball and Bubbleball Field

This is the Joplin Boys and Girls Club circa 2010 however it looked almost exactly the same as when I was the Executive Director there back in 1979. We used this field for both softball and bubbleball games. As to the latter, bubbleball was played using a plastic beachball type ball that could be purchased at nearly any drugstore. It was light in weight and about as big as a basketball.

Games were seven innings long with two outs per inning. The difficulty of this game was due to the lightweight of the ball as it was greatly affected by the wind. A pitched ball might be heading right to the plate then taken way outside by the wind. Some of our older members became highly frustrated by that. Also once hit, the ball could fly over second base high in the sky and the wind take it into foul territory.

Windy days indeed proved a challenge for bubbleball. Another aspect to this game is that the ball could be tossed at baserunners anywhere below the neck in order to get them out. This game was greatly enjoyed by the kids there and even became part of the Superstars events against adult teams from the community.

New to this field are those metal bleachers you see on each side of the baselines as well as a fence extending around the entire activity field.

The Twin Islands in Close Proximity

Sometimes when you come upon these two islands from various directions, it is hard to tell which is which. The main difference is that Four Winds Island has buildings on it whereas Turtle Island does not. For a time, Four Winds Island was owned by Camp Martin Johnson whereas Turtle Island is owned by the Manistee National Forest. It would be fun to check out the structures on Four Winds Island and hear them “talk” of the days of Camp Martin Johnson. Some have graffiti still on them with a voice out of the past to those that choose to hear.

Turtle Island, on the other hand, would be intriguing to camp upon and explore what little is there. Could this island support even one structure? And what is the distance that separates these two islands?   How far are they in proximity to the channel between Big and Little Bass Lakes?  How have the structures on Four Winds Island been altered to fit the new owners plans?  Is there any option to winterize any of those buildings? 

Any answers out there in Big Bass Lake and Beyond  land?

Property Phone Lines

In the 1950′s the State of Michigan divided our forested property almost in half with the creation of electrical phone lines. A trail still exists today through that area. It crosses Noreika Road about midway across our former land. The trail today is a little scrubby with ferns and other plants growing up around it. Depending on how many people hike that area determines how deep the undergrowth is.

I don’t believe our boys club trips ever hiked that area except for where it meets our big swamp on the north side of our property along the logging trail. For about seventy yards that was the only trail of choice that eventually continued on the logging trail, went straight along the phone line to North Big Bass Road, or cut off to Matson Road on a smaller trail.

Our boys club trips rarely hiked south of Noreika Road exept to pick blackberries. The phone lines to the south cut close to “Lost Lake” which was just behind our barn. That was a more watery swamp. At times, though, to get to the Bloody Antler Trail, the kids and I would take a shortcut from our wooded beach, across Noreika Road, and across a secondary field that was close to the road. We then got to the main field and onto Big Bass Lake Road so that we could cut over to the Bloody Antler Trail.

Maybe we never hiked the full length of the phone lines because it was too open? In the winter that phone line trail got a lot of use from snowmobilers.

The Old Ski Jump on The Southeast Side of Big Bass Lake

Does anyone remember the ski jump fairly close to the tiny island known as Grandma’s Hat? ? It was in full view of the Big Bass Lake Store. I remember it up in the 1950′s.

And does anyone know why it was removed? Many lakes today do have ski jumps as it offers skiers another change to hone their craft. Now about the only time one can have even something similar to that experience is if another boat’s wake hits the skier at just the right time.

It is dangerous because of the possibility of catching a toe in front of the ramp. The catastrophic nature of these falls weren’t worth the benefit of the event overall. I heard of a guy who is a quadriplegic from breaking his neck falling on a ramp and learned of two others. Seeing guys catch a toe and slam headfirst on the ramp then lay unconscious in the water was probably a reason why the Big Bass Lake ramp was removed.

Maybe now the north side of the lake would be more appropriate for a ski jump? Comments anyone?

Camp Martin Johnson Tennis and Basketball Courts

If you look closely at the picture of Big Bass Lake, you can see the fence surrounding the tennis courts in the distance. The athletic field also ran parallel to the lake. Now that the camp has been sold and almost completely renovated, one of the lone remaining features of the former camp are the tennis and basketball courts. No doubt they are used as a form of country club atmosphere for the new complex.

I’m sure the former campers appreciated the tennis and basketball courts and I’d daresay that the latter was the more popular of the two given the fact that an inner city YMCA sent campers to this Michigan facility. Yet of all activities I’m sure the Big Bass Lake waterfront took first prize.

Campers and counselors feel free to comment about your tennis and basketball courts.

The Dinty Moore Resort

There are some subjects regarding Big Bass Lake that I know nothing about and Dinty Moore Resort is one of those subjects.  I know that it was on the north side of Big Bass Lake but when did it begin and what did it cease operations?  How many cabins did they have and did they have an established swimming area?  Was the resort year round? 

It will be up to our readers to fill in the blanks by way of a comment and I know that several of our readership have ties with the Dinty Moore family.  The forum is now open!

Camp Season Ending Soon

When I was a counselor at either Camp Mishawaka or Union League Camp in 1969-70, school started after Labor Day.  Now, each in their last two-week sessions, these respective camps have to fight another spectre, that being the early school calendar which has to cut down on their attendance for this last session. 

Camps like this don’t deserve this fate.  And, it could get much worse as some schools are going to a full year schedule.  I believe kids need a good camping schedule during the summer months and each of the aforementioned camps served a great purpose.  Mishawaka catered to the upper class while Union League had a much poorer membership but each kid had a great time at both camps.

I personally benefited from both camps as my area of expertise at each was camping skills.  That, after all, is the real emphasis of any camping experience for one can always receive sports training in a childs home community. 

I hope each camp is allowed some room to continue their camping seasons into mid-August both now and in the future.  Kids need camping experiences!  It is part of their overall education.

Driving Toward Lake Michigan

I’ve always liked to call these venues into the Lake Michigan area “Anticipation Drive” as they are my lead-in’s to either jogging, kayaking (once), or swimming.  I don’t think I’ll ever repeat my kayaking experience here as I prefer the calmer waters of the Pere Marquette River.

Even though I live near Scottville, I spend a lot of my time in Ludington even in the winter as I take the polar plunge every year just as Darlene checks my sanity for so doing.

Darlene likes to take pictures of Lake Michigan especially in stormy weather.  I like to jog on the shoreline at those times.  I’m always impressed with the sheer ferocity of Lake Michigan and the high waves in storms. I’m vert respectful as well as I have seen many fools venture out onto the breakwater in high waves. 

The sad times are when I drive away from the lake heading home to Scottvlle.  Someday maybe I’ll own a house right on the lake.  Yes, someday!

Barb and Beth Noreika

My Aunt Barbara and Beth were quite competitive each in their own ways. I always thought Aunty Barb was a little envious of Beth’s government career with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) as Beth was one of the first women agents. Later in life when Beth contracted the disease Emphysema, she was always short of breath on hikes and Barb kept kidding her about not being able to keep up with her. Her disease got progressively worse and she had to have oxygen packs which she detested and often fought against.

Then again there were the religious wars. Beth was a Christian Scientist who believed in divine healing even though she was never delivered from Emphysema though spending quite a bit on Christian Science practioners and healing centers. Barb, on the other hand, was Full Gospel with her husband Willie.

Once while watching a medical segment on healing at 60 Minutes on CBS Beth began singing at the top of her lungs to which Willie angerily stated that he would do not work for Beth that summer if she continued. She also once asked me how Barb and Willie would react if she replaced their picture of Jesus Christ in their summer room with one of Mary Baker Eddy, the patron founder of Christian Science. That event would have brought upon World War Three.

Though they loved each other dearly, they bickered like sisters do back and forth. There always seemed to be the slight bone of contention between them. In the end Barb had a stroke and was even weaker than Beth and soon thereafter died. Barb was always so industrious that the stroke must have been very painful for her as it slowed her down in a way she was not accustomed to as Beth’s Emphysema eventually did to her as well.