Fish Fry To Support Albion Firefighters Coming Up

If you should be near Albion during the Chain O’ Lakes Festival, don’t forget to drop in on the fish and tenderloin fry at the fire station Wednesday, June 7th. This has been an annual tradition for many decades, with proceeds going to equipment and training for the Albion Fire Department. (Indiana, for those of you near other Albions.)

It’s from 4:30-7:00 p.m., with a price of $12 for adults and $8 for children under 12, and it’s darned good food for a good cause. I should know, having eaten it almost every year for ... a long time. The AFD is at 210 Fire Station Drive, on the east end of town.  (It's traditional, when a town has a Fire Station Drive, to build the fire station there.)

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, don't forget to pick up a copy of Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights, the Albion Fire Department's history book, which goes for just $9.95. Come on, you know you want to donate that extra nickle. It took me 25 years to write!

Okay, so I wasn't writing the entire 25 years.

Donations to the department get us all sorts of stuff, much of which helps keep us alive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

Looking For Local Ghost Stories

 I've been contacted by the Acquisitions Editor for The History Press, which is a part of Arcadia Publishing. They do local and regional history books, and Emily and I wrote Images Of America: Albion and Noble County for them.

On an unrelated note, I noticed the Images Of America books are on sale over the holiday weekend:

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/

Long story short, I'm starting work on a new book for them. The tentative title is A Haunted History of Noble County, Indiana. 

Spooky, and I didn't even have to edit. It's an Old Jail--has to be haunted, right?

All I need now is you.

Overall it would be the fifth Noble County related book through Arcadia Publishing, and my second. Just as I asked for old photos for our Images Of America book, I'm seeking help from locals, people who used to be locals, and general history and ghost buffs. I need stories: Tales you've heard about supernatural stuff in Noble County (Indiana!), strange things you've witnessed, rumors, general weird stuff, from homes, businesses, cemeteries, isolated roads ... and, of course, any photos of possibly haunted places, old or new.

I do like old photos, but this book will have fewer pictures and more stories than the last one.

This will be my fourth history book: I found copies of the other ones in the Noble County Public Library's history and genealogy room in Albion.

Of course, in the book I'll credit anyone who sends in anything--unless you don't want to be credited, in which case my lips are sealed. And if you have photos, Emily can scan them and get them back to you. We have scanned historical photos already, from the last project, but we don't have them all by a long shot.

I prefer to communicate through the wonders of the web, like e-mail and messaging, because I work nights and sleep when most people are up; but I can act like a regular person and talk by phone or in person. At least, I used to be able to. How hard could it be? We can be contacted at ozma914 at hotmail dot com, if you correct the at and dot and remove the spaces.

Sadly, this pushes my schedule back on our other book projects, including a second book about the Albion Fire Department, but I promise to get back on those just as quickly as possible. Help me out by sending me those stories! It's a spooky world, so freak me out.

Actually, the genealogy and history section of the library seems to have all my older books, which puzzled me until I realized they were in a local authors section.

http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

I'm the Real Weather Wizard

 Seasonal changes can get confusing. Of course, every place in the world has the same expression: If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes: It'll change. (There are possible exceptions, such as, say, the middle of the Sahara.)

The reason it's a universal concept is because it's true. But I'll add something: I have the ability to effect the weather.

How do I do this? By not wanting to.

Some things thrive no matter what the weather. I am not one of those things.

 

I've known for years that what we used to call Indian Summer would not arrive in Indiana until I've completely winterized the house. September, November--doesn't matter. Winterizing my house, which was built before anyone had ever heard of winterizing, is serious business. A square mile of clear plastic is involved. Six miles of various kinds of tape. I swaddle the air conditioner with a special cover designed just for it ... to which I add numerous yards of duct tape, after once finding the cover wrapped around the bank sign next door.

This must all be done before the last warm weather of summer arrives.

I found this growing in the back yard this spring. Not sure when it was planted, but it doesn't seem to need much water.

 

One year, as an experiment, I didn't prepare for winter at all. We had no autumn that time around: It went straight from summer into winter. Honestly, I don't think the frozen pipes and hypothermia were worth proving the point.

This spring I thought I had it beat (again). I watched the long range forecast very carefully, and instead of opening up the house for spring, I waited until I saw the inevitable spring snowstorm approach. It did, then the temperatures got into the 70s. That Friday I happily turned off the furnace and took down the storm windows.

That Saturday I brought out the space heaters and extra blankets. For meals that weekend we baked every bit of frozen food we had, and slept by the stove. We made the dog sleep with us, which annoyed him greatly--he already has a fur coat.

"Sunshine makes me smile. And pant."

 

So there you have it: I can control the weather. Kneel before me.

Or at least, bring me some firewood.

http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"