Author Archives: Joe Neely

August 26: Sharp Park to Downtown Jackson

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Joe Neely

Joe Writes . . .  We canoed for 5 hours yesterday and never saw another soul out on the water, at least not until we woke a homeless guy sleeping under a bridge as we approached downtown Jackson.  I’m pretty … Continue reading →

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August 19, 2016: Approaching Jackson

Posted on August 21, 2016 by Joe Neely

Tom writes . . .  We made it from Vandercook Lake all the way to the city limit of the city of Jackson, Michigan. The river flows generally northward in this section, but still is very twisty. The river is … Continue reading →

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August 19, largely photos

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Joe Neely

Vandercook Lake to Ella Sharp Park Joe writes . . .  There is water in the river as a result of 5″ of rain a few days ago.  This was a nice stretch because we had some open water paddling … Continue reading →

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August 7, 2016: Starting Down the Grand

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Joe Neely

TOM WRITES . . .  Joe and I met at a very nice place, Vandercook Lake, south of Jackson, Michigan. And then we drove to a place that is not really even a place, just a little bridge on a … Continue reading →

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Joe Writes . . .

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Joe Neely

July 24, 2016 Drenching rain, lightning and thunder almost caused us to give up without getting the bottom of our canoe wet on this first day.  The explorer in each of us could not allow that to happen – our … Continue reading →

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Tom Writes . . .

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Joe Neely

First leg July 24, 2016 – Source of the Grand River (Pretty much) The Grand River is the longest river in the American state of Michigan. It starts in the middle of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, and flows north and west, … Continue reading →

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July 24, 2016: Exploring the Headwaters

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Joe Neely

Tom Writes . . . The Grand River is the longest river in the American state of Michigan. It starts in the middle of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, and flows north and west, to Lake Michigan.  It enters the lake less than … Continue reading →

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IF THOSE WHO COULD, WOULD: the soul-nurturing joys of buying locally

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Joe Neely

Lord, how I wish my father had lived long enough to experience the whole pasture-raised, grass-fed, know-your-farmer movement.  Ralph Neely was a man who knew good meat, knowledge nurtured in the family-owned butcher shops he sought out and supported in … Continue reading →

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AND A NEW LIFE IS GONNA’ BE MINE (Thank you, Marshall Tucker Band; haven’t heard that song in ages)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Joe Neely

Back in the summer of 1977 my former father-in-law told me there’s nothing really difficult about business.  George knew business and his words stuck with me. “You’ve got an apple tree in your backyard, see, and you need to sell … Continue reading →

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EAT WHAT I SAY, NOT WHAT I ATE: Recipes and Culinary Survival Strategies of my Youth

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Joe Neely

At any given time I’ve got several ideas for a book floating around my mind.  Recently I’ve been trying to flesh out a book of recipes and observations centered around what those of us growing up as white, middle-class baby … Continue reading →

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