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Story by Jill Lorie Hurst | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

Assignment: Cover Andrea Rosenfeld Founder of the Detroit Art & Business Institute, “Where artists, craftsmen and designers come to learn targeted business strategies that allow them to find their passion and increase their value.” Yay! This article will write itself….

Not so! Andrea Rosenfeld is an amazing force of nature but, like a butterfly, or maybe a firefly, it’s hard to capture her on paper. You all need to meet her even if you’re not an artist! In the meantime, a few words: Mixed media artist, consultant, model, business coach, teacher, mother and, my favorite word for her, “Connector.” She connected me to the sweet potato cake at “Good Cakes and Bakes” bakery on Livernois! Yum. The conversation started as she walked into the bakery: First, about D*FINDS, a “consignment shop for the creative community” which will open soon. She’s looking at space in Hamtramck, an area she finds to be very artist-friendly. D*FINDS will be a community space but offer something unique: the ability for creatives to sell their used studio supplies and buy from other local artists. Profits from donations will help fund a student scholarship to help them purchase art supplies.

The Oak Park and West Bloomfield native attended U of M School of Art & Design and New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. She studied fashion, but taught herself merchandising so she could run a business. She stayed east for close to 30 years, married, and raised three children. Motherhood is a consuming job, but eventually Andrea started creating bench jewelry. Work style? “Hands-on, curious. I love to learn.” She sold her work through stores like NYC’s Bloomingdales, Henri Bendel and local art galleries, no small feat.

Andrea loved the East Coast, but felt drawn to the visible resurgence whenever she visited her parents. Two years ago she made the leap and came home to the Detroit area, full of energy and ideas. She started a unique business that would help artists help themselves: Detroit Art & Business Institute. There are so many people who do wonderful artwork but have no idea how to get their pieces out there, where to get grants, legal advice, how to price and profit from their art, budget and speak to potential clients. Andrea is here to help.

“I’m privately coaching artists who want to quit their day job and succeed with their business,” she says. Her average student / client ranges from age 30 to 65, but she’d like to broaden that. Rosenfeld is determined to reach out to students. “Art schools should include business classes in their curriculum.” Agreed. As a start, Rosenfeld partnered with ACCESS Growth Center to teach a first-of-its-kind, eight-week business course crafted specifically for the creative community, “Mind Your Art Business,” at the Arab American Museum starting June 9th, 2015.

She is on numerous advisory boards and committees. In her “quiet time” she models for artist John Hegarty; her time to sit still and engage with her community outside of exhibitions “on the other side of the canvas.” Her mother was a fashion model. In August, Andrea’s jewelry and her mom’s work will be on display at the Historical Museum.

Andrea Rosenfeld is determined to keep the creative community in the Detroit area growing, exciting and profitable. She is open to working with all artists. “I don’t segregate.” She smiles. “It’s all about building healthy relationships. The better I can educate artists in business, well, everybody wins.”

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Find Andrea Rosenfeld at www. thedabi.com or email her at andrea@theDABI.com

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat emasculation and other states connected to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most essential aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story by Sherrad Glosson | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

THE LIGHTS ARE DIMMED, AND A NEVER-ENDING FLOW OF strings and piano create quite the ambiance through the small speakers on this Tuesday evening in May. The weather outside isn’t that bad, but with the chance of slight rain showers it will have your body in need of relaxation. I laid down on a bed in a back room with a pillow under my head and closed my eyes and the only thought running through my head was “Don’t go to sleep.” I was in the first stages of receiving a short complimentary Reiki Attunement.

What is Reiki? “Rei,” meaning “from the universe,” and “ki,” meaning “personal energy,” is a Japanese technique used for stress reduction and relaxation. The idea behind it is that all of us have the life force and energy within us to keep us healthy and alive. “Our objective is to help people in many ways; metaphysical and magical” is what Patty Shaw told me in our interview in her office she calls “The Dharma Room.” When I asked her about the meaning she said, “My interpretation is, Dharma is a mojo that is akin to good luck, or rewards for good behavior. It’s also another word for blessings.”

She opened it in 2010 and expanded it into a Reiki Healing Center. With many different lamps accompanied by track lights above, comfortable chairs, paintings and a collection of books on the shelves, the room is a peaceful refuge from the outside world.

Patty Shaw and sister Jackie Smith were both born and raised in Michigan. They started the Candle Wick Shoppe and Coventry Creations back in 1992, and since then they have become the premier supplier of magical candles in the U.S. When the opportunity came about, they opened their first shop in downtown Ferndale in 2008. Their first location was located in a building amongst other retail shops in the basement, and hard to spot.

Although bright on the inside, it could be easily overlooked. Just recently they were blessed with the opportunity to relocate next door in their own personal building with big showcase windows you can’t miss. Products such as candles, incense, books, positive reinforcement necklaces, beads, and pretty much anything you can think of that will keep your mind on the bright side of life are there. While visiting the shop, I observed people from all walks of life coming through the door, searching for something to uplift their spirits.

There’s more. The sisters have also authored books. Patty’s first book is titled “Healers Almanac.” Her next offering was “DIY Akashic Wisdom; Access the Library of Your Soul” (co-authored with her sister), and Jackie authored “Coventry Magic.” These books went on to receive awards for “Coalition of Visionary Resources” and “Vendor of the Year”; huge accomplishments for these two powerhouse women, who just want to help people in any way they can.

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You can find their books on Amazon.com www.candlewickshoppe.com
The Candle Wick Shoppe and Reiki Healing Center is located at 175 West 9 Mile in Ferndale.

If something happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction switch on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Story by Jill Lorie Hurst | Photos by Bernie Laframboise

I CAUGHT UP WITH RABBI ALANA ALPERT AT HER COMFORTABLE, book-filled home in Detroit. She led me upstairs, apologizing for the messy house (for the record, it wasn’t!) and explained that she was still changing her kitchen for Passover, the first time she’d done it on her own. “I keep calling my father to ask him if I’m doing it right.”

A California native, Rabbi Alpert got her BA in Community Studies at UC Santa Cruz. She worked and studied in New York and Israel, and in 2014 received her ordination from the Hebrew College in Boston. Her partner Justin is a Mississippi native who got his PhD at the University of Memphis. So why did they decide to settle in Detroit?

Well, Detroit offered something she never thought she’d have – a congregation. Most of her work has been as a community organizer and Congregation T’chiyah was looking for a hybrid; part-time rabbi, part-time community organizer. Rabbi Alpert also has a little Motown history of her own.

“My Grandma Shirley grew up in Detroit.” She smiles. “Detroiters are very welcoming if you’re not from Detroit, but if you have roots here, it helps connect you.” Detroit turned out to be what she and Justin were looking for. “Justin wanted a place with grit, and I needed a Jewish community that wants to do more than just talk about social justice. Detroit has both.”

They arrived this summer. Their original housing fell through. Their first weeks were spent with others until they found a place to live, which worked out just fine. It gave them a chance to explore the area, rather than immediately setting up a home. A colleague, Rabbi Silverman, heard about their present home “at her yoga class, which is taught by my guitar teacher.” I smiled at the image of young rabbis at yoga class, playing guitar, and asked

about the challenges of bringing young people into a congregation. “The young people show up. But becoming a member is not part of their mindset. We’re reevaluating.”

She spoke of her installment as Rabbi, which is set to begin in mid-April. Usually it happens sooner (Rabbi Alpert will have been with the synagogue for nine months,) but she’s glad, because it will feel more “personal” now. Last fall, funding fell through and she started considering other offers. “Justin’s work has been unstable as well, but we really couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. This place is so complicated, so alive in history. It’s intense, but we really want to make it work.” Justin encouraged her to fight to stay in Detroit. Now, fundraising has become a big part of her life. “It’s hard,” She admits. Again, that smile. “I’ve been hustling. I’m a Detroiter now.” A Detroiter with “a wonderful congregation” and a community she loves.

Alpert is adapting a model she learned while living in NYC. “So often, people just need to be invited into movements for racial and economic justice. At Detroit Jews for Justice, we tap into the relationships in the Jewish community, drawing on our faith, tradition, and culture, to stand in solidarity with those on the front lines of struggles for social change.”

“As community organizers, we invest in a process, rather than take on specific issues. We figure out what a community is working on so we can support them.” Detroit is changing, but for whose benefit?

Alpert: “We want to work to make sure those changes benefit the community. Detroit doesn’t “need” us. People have been working and fighting for Detroit’s survival all along, but we can be useful. We can help continue that work.”

—-

You can check out Congregation T’chiyah’s website at www.tchiyah.org or contact them via their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/congtchiyah

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Story by David Wesley Photos by Jeff Lilly

San Francisco may implement one of the strictest bottled water bans in the country if the Board of Supervisors approves a proposal to ban its sale on public property. The proposed legislation from Supervisor David Chiu would gradually phase in a ban on the sale of bottled water of 21 fluid ounces or less on all city properties with leases signed after 2014 and at concerts, large events, parks and food trucks. “Given our access to incredibly healthy clean and tasty Hetch Hetchy water, which is some of the highest quality municipal tap water in the country, it just doesn’t make sense for us to have this addiction to plastic water bottles,” Chiu told the San Francisco Examiner. [Pub. note: The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir provides San Francisco with its drinking water.]

The city’s Board of Supervisors approved the measure unanimously in May; it will head to the mayor’s desk after one more board approval. Violators of the ban found selling plastic water bottles 21 oz. or below on city grounds after October 2015 will be subject to a fine up to $1000, according to the San Francisco Examiner. The ordinance exempts sporting events and gives food trucks and large nonprofits until 2018 to comply with the new ordinance. “We all know with climate change, and the importance of combatting climate change, San Francisco has been leading the way to fight for our environment,” Chiu said, according to SFGate. “That’s why I ask you to support this ordinance to reduce and discourage single-use, single-serving plastic water bottles in San Francisco.”

San Francisco isn’t the first city to consider such a policy. For years there has been concern in Ferndale on how to affordably keep the city clean. As a city big on recycling and re-purposing, it’s no surprise both the citizens and politicians of Ferndale have discussed more beneficial means of recycling. Former Ferndale Mayor Craig Covey weighed in with Ferndale Friends about similar pieces of legislation he proposed for the city. “When I was on Council and Mayor, I got a resolution passed that the City itself would not buy water in plastic bottles, though I doubt if anyone follows that anymore. We also wanted to ban plastic bags at stores, grocery stores, but our city attorney claimed that we would not have the right to do so, that state law may trump our ability to do that.”

BanTheBottle2Not everyone approves of banning plastic, however. Former School Board President Keith Warnick has worked in the plastics industry for 40+ years, and he describes the proposed ordinance as “Just another in a long line of ‘feel good’ legislation suggestions that we have been hearing for years.

The number of plastic bottles (PET) being recycled has doubled in the last ten years to nearly 30 per cent. With continued education of our citizens and young children we can expect thosenumbers to continue to rise. Those bottles save about 4 barrels of oil for every ton recycled and there are millions of tons recycled. They become items such as clothing, carpets, filling for pillows; insulation, baby seats, benches and non-food containers and more. Some of the top beverage manufacturers are advancing technology and addressing consumer’s concerns. Nestle, maker of Resource® & Arrowhead® bottled water, has reduced their plastic content by nearly 40 per cent while using 50 per cent r- PET (recycled PET) in many of their bottles. They also contribute to the Michigan economy with a bottled water plant in Stanwood, Michigan. Recycling uses less energy than producing new bottles.”

In San Francisco, the sales ban at events of 100 attendees or more on public property would be fully implemented in 2016, and the City would need to ensure there is access to an alternative potable water supply. To make the initiative feasible, the city will study how to better supply water at events and prioritize installation of water fountains and reusable bottle filling stations.

Similar steps could be taken in Ferndale to help reduce the city’s annual city spending. Prohibiting the use of City money to purchase bottled water could send an extraordinary ripple throughout Ferndale’s economy, just like in San Francisco, where the initiative shaved $500,000 off of annual city spending on a product environmentalists warn creates waste and uses excessive natural resources.

Business Insider estimates that bottled water production uses 17 million barrels of oil per year and requires triple the amount of water to make a bottle as it does to fill it. “We thought it’s important for the city to set our own example first to show that this can be done easily, well and in an environmentally conscious way,” Chiu said.

San Francisco’s ban follows similar laws elsewhere. Concord, Massachusetts outlawed all sales of single-serving bottled water in the city in January. Currently, for Ferndale, such serious steps have not yet been taken, but many people would like to see a greener Ferndale, helped along by introducing and imposing sensible legislation that concerns itself not only with the status quo, but with the economic and ecological concerns of our time. Americans use 50 billion plastic water bottles a year, according to an anti-plastic bottle campaign called Ban the Bottle, and just 23 per cent of those are recycled. If the political leaders in Ferndale would seriously consider adopting a similar initiative, the impact both economically and environmentally could help boost the city further at home and nationally. Steps are being taken in both East and West Coast cities. Maybe it’s time for the best that Middle America has to offer, to reach for a working model for healthier and wealthier cities.

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states united to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual malfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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Story By Jill Lorie Hurst | Photos by Heidi Bowen

Hummingbirds. Colorful, diverse, independent…they are the perfect summer addition to our community. And it’s not all that difficult to get them to be a part of Ferndale’s summer celebration year after year.

As you read this, it’s a lovely time to be here. The front yard gar- dens are shaping up, the wind chimes are chiming and the memo- ries of slipping on the winter ice are fading. The big Michigan sky stays light late into the evening, the sunsets and thunderstorms are amazing. And there’s a possibility you will have the chance to get acquainted with those small, pretty visitors feasting on nectar out of various specially designed feeders or diving into delicious plants and bushes planted especially for their enjoyment. Yes, the hum- mingbirds are hovering in Ferndale. We, as good hosts, should en- courage them to stay.

Most hummingbirds arrive in our area in May and leave in Septem- ber, which right there makes them wise creatures. They fly upside down, know a good “sweet” when they taste one and never forget a reliable food source. My new heroes.

Some facts about those hovering hummingbirds:

– According to Native American tradition, they are the symbol of spreading life on the earth.

– Early Spanish explorers called them “flying jewels.”
– Five types of hummingbirds make their way to Michigan; the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the Broad-billed Hummingbird, the Green Violetear, the White-eared Hummingbird, and the Rufous.

– They can fly sideways and upside-down, at up to 35 mph.

– Most hummingbird species flap their wings from 50 to 80 times per second, and have heart rates as high as 1260 beats per minute!

– They do “hover” and perch because, although they have feet, they can’t really walk.

– Most are brilliantly colorful, but there are some albino humming- birds spotted every year.

– Their brain is 4.2 percent of their body weight.

– They remember every flower they encounter, can see and hear better than humans, but have no sense of smell.

– They use their W-shaped forked tongues to lap up nectar.

– They eat seven times an hour for 30 to 60 seconds.

– Their favorite color is red.

– They do indeed hum, due to the rapid beating of their wings.

– Hummingbirds are known as the “promiscuous species.” They do not form pair bonds at all. The male doesn’t help raise the babies. The female builds the nest all by herself, then generally lays two eggs.

– Every year, ruby-throated hummingbirds make a 500-mile, non-stop migration flight over the Gulf of Mexico.

– One species, the bee hummingbird, is the smallest bird in the world. Adults weigh less than a penny.

– They feast on the sweet nectar from gardens and the feeders especially set up for them, and on insects for protein, but because they are so tiny, their natural enemy is an insect: the Praying Mantis.

– They have a cake named after them. “Hummingbird Cake” is a spice cake with pineapple, nuts and cream cheese frosting. Southern Living Magazine said it’s their most requested recipe.

There’s a lot of information available on the web and at the library if you are interested in growing a hummingbird garden or putting out a feeder. A few basic tips:

– Plants and Flowers Hummingbirds Love: Milkweed, morning glories, lilacs, sage, snap dragons, bleeding heart, day lilies, delphinium, foxglove, fuschia, hollyhock, hosta and honeysuckle.

– Hummingbird feeders: Two cautions when you make or buy hummingbird nectar. Even though red is their favorite color, the red dye that is usually part of their nectar can make them sick. Also, do not use honey, syrups or artificial sweeteners. The best nectar is made of one part plain white table sugar (Do not use brown sugar, “sugar in the raw,” or turbinado sugar; the iron content can harm them) to four parts water. Bring mixture to a boil and stir for two minutes while it boils. Then remove from heat and once it has cooled it can be added to your feeder.

– Clean your hummingbird feeder every three to four days with either warm soapy water or white vinegar.

When I started researching this article, I typed in “Hummingbirds in Ferndale MI” and found that a band named The Hummingbirds will be performing here this summer. I look forward to hearing them and seeing what they have in common with their feathered, brightly colored counterparts!

Something else I read on a website called “World Of Hummingbirds” made me understand why hummingbirds are a great addition to Ferndale.

“Hummingbirds don’t read books on what they are supposed to do and tend to do what they want”.

Come hover with us in Ferndale, hummingbirds! You’ll feel right at home.

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a preparation. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this physic is not for use in women, it is not known whether this therapy passes into breast milk.

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Multi-Talented Artist Jimmie Thompson Draws From A Big Bag Of Tricks…And Deep Artistic Roots

Story by Jeff Lilly | Photos by Ed Abeska

You could easily apply famous clichés to Jimmie Thompson. You could say he wears many hats. Has a lot of irons in the fire. To expand on that thought, you could say he paints many canvases, draws many cartoons, designs many floats, sculpts many sculptures, builds many shadowboxes… and teaches others how to do it all, too.

“I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family of artists.” Jimmie says, one sunny morning in mid-March, curling himself into a chair in his living room. The room is comfortable and eclectic and almost every square foot of wall is covered with art, most of which Jimmie has a personal connection to.

“My grandfather was an artist,” Jimmie says, pointing to a series of landscapes hanging next to the piano. “His nickname was ‘Birdseye Thompson’ because he used to paint buildings, what they would look like, before they existed. The ones done by computer today, he did those by hand. My father was a commercial artist. My mother was a classical cellist.” Jimmie’s wife Jane and daughter Jenny are artists as well, and his son Ray a musician and songwriter.

JThompson

 

His own art has its place in the room, too. On the back wall is a huge 3D shadowbox, filled with dynamic, colorful, cartoony figures. Jimmie’s own style, to a T.

“I’ve loved to draw ever since I can remember. As for direction, at different times I’ve been a cartoonist, an animator, a puppeteer, an illustrator, and I am working on two childrens books.” Jack of all, and master of all of them, too. Right now, his bread and butter is “special events,” or translating others’ ideas into floats, decorations, character balloons, and installations for parades and festivals. He’s worked for 26 years on Detroit’s own America’s Thanksgiving parade (with a brief hiatus), starting as a designer and sculptor, moving up to art director and finally Vice President of the parade company. His designs have been a yearly sight at the Festival 500 Parade on Memorial Day in Indianapolis. He also currently creates designs and teaches workshops for the Festifools and Fool Moon events in Ann Arbor.

He shows me a photo of his favorite creation, a “Jack & the Beanstalk” float from a past Thanksgiving parade. “We had a height restriction because of the People Mover. So I rigged it with a hydraulic system so that after we cleared it, the stalk would shoot up.” He smiles. There’s a good helping of the mad inventor in Jimmie, too!

“I love character development.” He says. “Everything I do stems from that. Often, people come to me, and they have an idea but don’t know how to do it. I can help them, find out what they like, what they don’t, and translate their ideas into something that appeals.”

He leads me to his basement workshop as he talks about some projects on the table right now, including working on a design for a snow globe. He’s an artistic Swiss Army knife! His studio is neat and well-organized, but crammed full of portfolios, supplies, and materials. A drawing board has several pages of inked designs taped up. There’s a spacious workbench, and hanging from the ceiling is a 3D wire frame of a cartoon animal, which I promptly bump into. That’s a piece for the class he’s currently running for Festifools, teaching others how to build sculpted luminaries. Another shadowbox leans against a wall. On a desk are designs for the kind of stand-up displays where tourists put their heads through and have their pictures taken. A paper maché sculpture leers impishly from a corner.

In a large black portfolio are examples of Jimmie’s cartoon work. We talk about the impact of political cartoons, and their ability to pack a profound message in a deceptively innocuous wrapper. “It’s a very powerful medium that’s been used throughout the centuries.” Jimmie says. “I’ve known politicians through the years who have wanted to befriend cartoonists.” He smiles knowingly. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer!

I ask Jimmie if there’s anything he hasn’t tried, a medium or a project he’s always been eager to tackle. He pauses, and his voice grows eager. “I would very much love to start and be a part of an event here in

Ferndale. Something immersive, along the lines of Festifools. I’ve got some ideas, but haven’t hammered them out yet. We have a lot of great events here, but I want to do something that’s a little more… well, that people walk away from and say, ‘I haven’t seen anything like that!’”

With Jimmie Thompson involved, that would be a sure bet. Let’s give it a go, people! Give him the keys and let the Jack of all Dreams take us to places we’ve only imagined.

—-

Jimmie’s new comic strip debuts in this issue. Check it out!

If some happened with our health, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states connected to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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Local author Clay Boura is on cloud nine with the success with his first book on idioms.

By David Wesley | Photos courtesy of Clay Boura

FOR AS LONG AS HE CAN REMEMBER, Clay Boura has always been fascinated with the English language. Between all of the rules, silent letters, words with multiple spellings and meanings, and all of the colorful sayings, it can be quite a complicated fascination for anyone, especially for a young child learning to read.

As he became an adult and his first child began learning to read, it occurred to Clay how literal children can be at early ages. Thus, an idea was born!

“Leave it to Beamer” is a children’s book series about a young boy, Beamer, who dreams up wild, imaginative ideas for where he believes English idioms and other figures of speech may have come from. In the end, Beamer also learns the true meanings of these silly sayings. The series is humorous, adventurous, and educational, and appeals to all demographics of readers.

Ferndale Friends: How long have you lived in Ferndale and what’s your relationship with the city?

Clay Boura: I was born in Ferndale back in 1978. I attended grade school at Taft Elementary, middle school at Best Junior High School (which is now Kennedy Elementary where my kids go to school) and I later graduated from Ferndale High School. I lived in Ferndale up until about ten years ago when my wife (whom I met at Ferndale High School) and I moved to Oak Park. So as you can see, my entire life, and now my kids’ lives, have centered around Ferndale!

F.F. Who are your biggest influences artistically?

C.B. Ever since I was young, I have always loved to write and draw. Initially, my dream was to become a cartoonist and have my own cartoon strip in the newspaper. My biggest influences were always Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Jim Davis (Garfield) and Bill Amend (Fox Trot). Then I started having kids and realized how much enjoyment I got out of sitting and reading books to them. I decided that I wanted to write and illustrate my very own children’s books. On that front, my biggest influence is probably none other than the Doctor himself, Dr. Seuss.

F.F. What has the reaction been to your children’s book series Leave it to Beamer?

C.B. So far, everyone I have shown the book to has loved it. A handful of people even told me they want to buy the rest of my series (and this is only my first book!) I have honestly been blown away by all of the love and support that I have received. So many people have shared it through social media and sent other people to me to buy copies and offered words of encouragement. It has been tremendous so far.

F.F. Do you have any future projects in the works?

C.B. Yes, “Leave it to Beamer” is definitely going to be a long series of books. I just finished and published my first book in the series “Don’t Let the Cat Out of the Bag” and my second book is already completely written. I just have to complete my illustrations and hope to have that finished later this year. Since my series deals with English idioms, the possibilities are endless. I currently have about a dozen other ideas for future books typed out and every day I hear some sort of idiom or silly phrase that I think could be another book idea! I am also going to be donating a copy of my book to the Ferndale, Oak Park, and Berkley public libraries and I am working on setting up book signing events at a few local bookstores.

www.facebook.com/ClayBouraBooks
Twitter @ClayBoura

Boura’s books are now available for sale at Modern Natural Baby in Ferndale, the Book Beat in Oak Park, and Paperback Trade Inn in Clawson. Boura will be signing and selling books at this year’s Oak Park Summer Fest on August 8th and 9th.

If something happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What men talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual dysfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a state called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk.

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CJ Forge’s artistry brings blacksmithing into the modern age

Story & photos by Jeff Lilly

You’d miss the place, 99 times out of 100, if you weren’t looking for it. Driving along Ten Mile Road, just west of John R in Hazel Park, among the row of humble and nondescript industrial buildings, it’s easy to look over the graphic of the anvil, the sign announcing “Blacksmith,” one of the oldest of trades.

A blacksmith? Here? In the 21st century? Yes, indeed. The art and the craft of forging tools, accessories, and decorations from steel, coaxed from a stock piece by fire, muscle, and sweat, is alive and well for this generation and many to come.

What is a blacksmith’s shop like? It’s a bit different from the depictions you might see in historical reenactments or in fantasy films. It mainly looks like a modern machine shop, with rack of tools and benches. A power hammer and mill take up a lot of the space. But the anvils are there, and the hammers, and the forges piled high with coke, hissing and orange. When I shake hands with the three men inside, all of them have steel-hard grips and big smiles.

“Blacksmithing was the center of life.” explains Owen C. Creteau Jr., master blacksmith and one of CJ Forge’s founders. “People today think it was all about horseshoes.” While shoeing horses was indeed important, the blacksmith “made just about everything of metal. Every tool, every hook.”

“If you were building a house,” chimes in Kevin Keena, master blacksmith and CJ’s other senior member, “you had to go to a blacksmith and have all of the nails made.” No hardware store, no big box store. In the old days, Owen adds, people used to burn down their old, dilapidated houses just to recover the nails to re-use in another structure.

Today, there’s less need for horseshoes, but plenty of demand for skilled, durable metal. A display on the wall shows the kind of work they do. Coat racks, hooks, fireplace sets, toasting forks, trivets, hinges, wine racks, and even furniture. Kevin shows me the skeleton of a coffee table, ready for a marble top. Owen points out a hanging pot rack, based on a customer’s drawing. “If they can draw it, we can make it.” He says.

I walk over to the workspace of Donnie Miller, a younger fellow with a full beard. He walked in a few years back, looking for information on working metal, and ended up working, period. “I told them I’d do whatever I had to. Sweep floors, clean toilets.” He laughs. An old-school apprentice in an old-school trade. I watch as he thrusts a steel bar into the pile of glowing coke (a medium-size job will consume fifty pounds of the stuff,) heating it until it glows bright orange. With his hammer, he taps and shapes it into a leaf. Hanging on a rack next to him is a work in progress: a mirror frame, decorated with steel vines and leaves. It’s a wonderful mix of beauty, ruggedness, and simplicity. Like everything CJ Forge makes, it will doubtless last a lifetime and will hopefully become an heirloom. Art and practicality, meeting in the best possible way.

Owen, meanwhile, is working on making a pair of tongs for another blacksmith. It’s amazing to watch him shape a featureless bar into a precision tool. As he works, he tells me how he used to give demonstrations at Greenfield Village. They don’t any more, sadly, as the blacksmith shop there is now just a static display. But blacksmithing as a trade is alive and well, he assures me. There are organizations for promotion and training. Classes are offered, and CJ Forge makes the rounds to many art fairs and exhibitions, where they are always a popular draw.

As I get ready to leave, Donnie hands me a gift. It’s the leaf he was working on, the stem twisted around a key ring, still warm to the touch. A reminder of a great day that will no doubt outlast me!

CJ Forge is open on a by-appointment basis (to protect patrons from flying sparks and loud noises) and they’re eager to talk to you about your design needs. Phone 248-543-4010 or visit their web site at www.cjforge.net

If some happened with our soundness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What people talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you should look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual disfunction turn on injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a status called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual disfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this curing passes into breast milk.

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Column & Photo By Becky Hammond

FERNDALE’S GREENEST SPOT: There is a list of reasons that Ferndale’s Library is our top local green spot, besides that conspicuous roof. The Oakland Press ran a story last month about the library’s United States Green Building Council award recognizing the building’s silver- level ranking, listing LED lights, awnings, reflective roof materials, geothermal heating and cooling, watering the grounds with collected rain water, energy-efficient glass, and CO2 sensors that automatically open vents as green features.

But libraries in general have always been green. When we share materials we reduce amount of resources used, and libraries provide a great deal of information for green and local living, as well. A walk through the Ferndale library last Saturday revealed an impressive variety. Michigan guidebooks are shelved in the 917s (local travel is green travel) and include guides to hiking, canoeing, scenic drives, and breweries. Look under 632 for gardening books, including natural pest control. Natural health is shelved under 615-616. Between 796 and 799 I saw books on urban biking, and hiking and fishing how- tos. Books like the Eco-Living Handbook and Cradle to Cradle are under 333. There are even books on outdoor and handcrafted weddings (395).

The DVD collection has crafts like knitting, and acclaimed series like Planet Earth and Blue Planet. The magazine section has Mother Earth News, and some indirectly- green offerings, like bicycling (as long as you don’t fly to bike), Vegetarian Times, local travel resources like Midwest Living and Lake Superior, and Utne, which always has something related to the environment.

Bikes and Helmets Department: According to NPR, California is considering a bill making bike helmets mandatory for adults. 21 states and DC have helmet laws, usually for

riders under 16. There are 49 local ordinances nationwide, including two in Michigan, in our Metroparks and in the town of Starkville. NPR mentioned that 91% of cyclists killed in accidents were not wearing helmets. No doubt helmet laws save lives. Yet Michigan repealed our motorcycle helmet law in 2012. Only a fourth of Michigan motorcyclists ride helmet- less, but they accounted for nearly half the deaths in 2013.

Ferndale is a bike-friendly city, with lanes, an abundance of downtown racks, and our Downtown Ferndale Bike Shop. Would we ever join Starkville in making helmets mandatory for adults? When we do all get our bikes out, we’ll be dodging plenty of potholes. Our bad roads and the weird inability of Lansing to just deal with funding road repair remains a puzzle.

Backyard Habitat News: Gardening is the only American hobby more popular than feeding birds, and we Americans spend, according to Wikipedia, over

$3 billion a year on feeders and seed. With the ongoing concern over rats, maybe relocating feeders could help. High places like balconies could be used as feeding stations to keep the inevitable spilling of seeds off the ground. I’m putting seeds in shallow dishes for ground feeders like cardinals and juncos and bringing them in at night. Apparently trays are available that hang beneath feeders to catch falling seed (and the seed that some birds seem to enjoy flinging). I notice a steady decline in number of birds at my feeders the last few years and it worries me. Hawks will clear the yard instantly, but hawks are not around every day; they patrol different spots in the hood. Anyone else notice less birds? By the way, if we poison the rats, we poison their predators.

Seed Department: Western Market has organic seeds for sale, both vegetables and herbs. They have heirloom and open-pollinated varieties, and some favorite hybrids like Roma tomatoes.

Warming: NASA says 2014 was the warmest year on record. Climate Central in New Jersey states that 13 of the 15 warmest months occurred since 2000, and the odds of that happening without man-made greenhouse gasses are less than 1 in 27 million.

Although Michigan had what I personally considered to be a wonderful winter, NOAA has declared the winter of 2014-15 as the warmest on record. And Don Wuebbles, a professor at the University of Illinois, points out that 2014 being the warmest on record is surprising given that it was not an El Nino year. Sobering news about a change happening faster than expected.

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Becky Hammond still thinks Michigan is a great work of art. She hopes that this remains kind of a secret, though.

If something happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a medicament. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotence and other states coupled to erectile disfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What humanity talk about “viagra stories“? The most substantial aspect you have to look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.

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