Race Weekend

This is what you get after drinking 1 Million gallons of Coca-Cola

I found this in a giant Wheaties Box

I never knew my Toy Cars were Real!

Well here we go again. This Magical Mystical time of the year when traffic jams last for 5 hours and you run out of Sunscreen. What! You forgot the Umbrella? If you don't like the idea of burning to death at the race, you can always come to town and partake of many exciting events, like listening to live music, eating great greasy foods and last but not one bit least, *Guzzling the Sudz!* Cheers! The Weather could not be better. Ninety Nine Degrees and 80% Humidity. I sure hope the guitar amps don't melt. Honestly tho-If you like the race, please enjoy it to your heart's content but don't forget to mosey into town for some NightLife.

Psychedelic Castle

Underground Ink Tattoo Parlor

Talk about Eye-Catching. This is self-advertizing at its best. This old innovative building is located right on a curve and I wonder how many car accidents it must have caused with all the drivers turning their heard to get a better look at such a Day-Glow Monstrosity. Maybe it glows in the dark! A Full Moon would help also. Be great to hold Halloween Parties in. I don't often see many brightly colored buildings in this area. Most are in New Orleans or in Europe so it was refreshing to see this. Not sure if this place helps or hurts property values but being a Tattoo Parlor as it may, I suppose the customers can be a problem especially if they are not happy with their tattoos. I wonder what business this building held before Underground Ink came there? Making cannonballs? :-]

Clowning around with Beauty

Ronald McDonald with Rosequeen and the Runnerups

On Sunday June 3rd 2012, Jackson Michigan held its Rosequeen Parade and Ronald McDonald happened to stop by and pay a visit. I just happened to catch him posing with the Rosequeen and her other contestants. I  never knew Ronald was such a Ladies Man. He even told them the best eyeliner to use that wouldn't smudge. Remember, he must put on his makeup hundreds of times a year, so having a quality brand is imperative to keep one's face from cracking up. The Rock Group KISS realized that a good exquisite exotic cosmetic is necessary to save one's skin. Ronald certainly did not forget his core Fans: The kids. He posed many times with the children along the parade to give them a memorable keepsake forever. This Jimio saying: "If you have a local parade near you, check it out. And take a camera!"

A Good use for a Tree Trunk



Giant Wood Eagle in front of home near where I live



History has a "Little Surprise"



Top Statue "Defense of the Flag" Bottom Statue "The Child, theParent and theBook"

While taking a photo of the bottom pic at my local library, I just thought I would do a little research on it. Come to find out the man who designed The Child the Parent and the Book went to Jackson High School and graduated in 1947. Now, the statue in the top pic was by Lorado Taft and was paid by General Withington, a civil war general from Jackson Michigan to honor the men from Jackson who served in the Civil War, I think the 1st and 17th Infantry of Jackson. Well Freeman Schoolcraft who designed the Library statue met Lorado Taft while he was in town to dedicate the Foote Memorial. Schoolcraft showed Taft some of his work and Taft was so impressed that he gave Schoolcraft an Apprenticeship in Chicago. Schoolcraft remained in Chicago for 40 years teaching at Art Institute of Chicago,the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. In 1982 the Director of the Jackson Library asked Schoolcraft to make a sculpture for the library. Schoolcraft completed the clay model but died in 1983, however his wife took the clay model and had it made into a statue with help from a Foundry in Yipsilanti. What I find interesting is the "Defense of the Flag" statue by Taft is only about 200 feet west of Schoolcraft's statue and I never knew that the student had decided to design a statue so close to his teachers statue. Sort of like Honoring the teacher, himself and the library all at the same time.

Classics and all that Jazz

Jackson Sympony Orchestra

Every town needs an Orchestra to give it that Classic appeal. Hearing the Greats is a wonderful experience especially in a fantastic accoustic hall. All those strings and woodwinds and blaring brass and the pounding of the drums and timpani. Our Jackson Orchestra has been around since 1949. They play classical along with opera, jazz, blues and rock music. The current Director is Stephen Osmond a Yale graduate and University of Michigan Professor. He has performed in New York's Carnegie Recital Hall. Artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Ralph Votapek, Mannheim Steamroller, Ann Murry and Manhatten Transfer have performed at the JSO. What's great is they have programs for under-priviledged children in which around 350 kids participate. Jackson Symphony also has a Home Schooled Orchestra where kids meet twice a week. I remember taking my Mom back in the early 1980s to hear the Jackson Symphony Orchestra perform Vivaldi's 4 Seasons. She was crazy about classical music and she enjoyed this concert very much. During the summer JSO gives free concerts outside in the Amphiteater out on the lawn. The sounds are great going into the sky and then swirling around inside your cranium. :-] This is Jimio saying treat yourself to a Classic Concert this Summer!

Where is Winter?

All ready for Night Hockey on Gilletts Lake

Does anyone know where winter went? I don't think it ever came to Michigan this year. Winter decided to stay in Canada I suppose. Here's the weather temps for Feb 20-24 Monday high 45F low 28F- Tue high 43F low 30F - Wed high 48F low 32E - Thu high 52F low 32F As you can see, not the kind of temps that produce ice, so no skating this year unless we get a few cold weeks in March as a Last Blast, tho I'm not counting on it. Night Hockey was a blast but it did take a while to find the puck if it got away from you. My trusty Coleman Latern I got in Christmas of 1972 lit up an entire rink for endless hours of dark time hockey. Even just skaking around the lake [I called it going Cross Country] with my latern was a thrill and chasing snowmobiles kept my adrenelin levels up. This is Jimio saying "This is either an Early Spring or it was a very long Fall"