Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
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I know last week happened because here we are into a new week already. Between a flooded basement (twice – once for faulty pipes and once for Saturday’s 100-year rain), and various and sundry other things, I didn’t have a chance to post much here on the Gazette.

So here’s a smattering of photos from around the neighborhood, including a flooded Swaney Road where a tree collapsed into the road (someone had cleaned the tree up by the time we got there).

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We were surveying the “Water Over Road” sign and someone pulled up next to us asking if the road was open. “We don’t know, but blaze a trail and we’ll follow you!” we said. So he did, and we did.

You can usually get through there when it floods; the water just pools in that low spot on the first S-curve past Debbie Bee’s house headed east.

Swaney Road flooded on the Old Mission Peninsula; July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo
Swaney Road flooded on the Old Mission Peninsula; July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo
Swaney Road flooded on the Old Mission Peninsula; July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo
Swaney Road flooded on the Old Mission Peninsula; July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo

Meanwhile, on the other side of Center Road (Swaney Road “West”), the rain carved a nice gouge in the side of the road there. I heard there were other parts of the OMP that were washed out or flooded, too, including down by Montague Road.

Rain erosion on Swaney Road "West" | Jane Boursaw Photo
Rain erosion on Swaney Road “West” | Jane Boursaw Photo

I believe Third Coast Fruit Co./Wunsch Farms has wrapped up their U-Pick Cherry operation on Wilson Road for the season, but here’s a photo of their cool truck down by Center Road.

Third Coast Fruit Co. (Wunsch Farms) | Jane Boursaw Photo
Third Coast Fruit Co. (Wunsch Farms); U-Pick on Wilson Road | Jane Boursaw Photo

Tim and I stopped by Mario Tabone’s farm stand at 14998 Peninsula Drive the other day (PSA: They have ice cream now), and grabbed a few photos of Mario and his wife Mary Ann.

I believe Mary Ann said the mural on the wall next to the farm stand (which features their dog!) was painted by her cousin. They have pretty much any sort of fresh farm produce you could ever want there.

Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Mary Ann and Mario Tabone at their farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

I’m always on the lookout for Sandhill Cranes ever since I started seeing them out here a few years ago. The other day, we spotted a couple on the North End on our daily drive around the OMP. Here’s one of them…

Sandhill Crane on the North End of the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Sandhill Crane on the North End of the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

And speaking of birds, here’s a Blue Heron that was rescued on Peninsula Drive by the Peninsula Township Fire Department the other day. From their Facebook page

Today’s not so usual rescue… Crews came upon a blue heron on the side of the road with a fishing hook in its beak and fishing line wrapped around its beak and neck. After a small chase down crews were able to get the poor animal, safely remove the entanglement and set it free!”

From all of us on the OMP, including the Blue Heron – thank you!

Peninsula Township Fire Department rescues crane on Peninsula Drive | PFD Photo
Peninsula Township Fire Department rescues Blue Heron on Peninsula Drive | PFD Photo
Peninsula Township Fire Department rescues crane on Peninsula Drive | PFD Photo
Peninsula Township Fire Department rescues Blue Heron on Peninsula Drive | PFD Photo

If you’ve seen a farm crew out baling hay around the OMP, there’s a good chance it’s the Warren family. Here they are on Center Road near the Seven Hills Road intersection a few weeks back.

Warren family baling hay on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Warren family baling hay on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

Peninsula Community Library is hosting some fabulous history talks with Tim Carroll and guests (“Tim Talks”). In June, his guest was Senator George McManus, who grew up on the Old Mission Peninsula and wrote the book, “The Boy from Archie.”

I didn’t make last week’s “Tim Talk” on the History of the Ogdensburg School because of the aforementioned flooded basement. But I was able to attend the previous talk with George, and he is a fun storyteller with lots of OMP tales to tell. (Based on some of the stories I’ve heard him tell about growing up with the Boursaw boys – Tim’s dad and brothers – probably not all of them are fit for public consumption.)

George McManus was the guest of Tim Carroll at a recent history talk at Peninsula Community Library | Jane Boursaw Photo
George McManus was the guest of Tim Carroll at a recent history talk at Peninsula Community Library | Jane Boursaw Photo

Most OMP farm stands are open through the fall, offering a variety of fresh fall produce. “The Farm at Cherry Hill,” located at 13200 Center Road, now has blueberries at the stand – which I’m always super excited about when it happens every year. They also have spiffy new packaging with beautiful branding.

I also noticed a new farm stand out towards the Lighthouse, just past Tompkins Road on the right – see second photo below. I’m guessing it might be part of the Tester horse farm there, but am not 100 percent sure on that. If you know or if this is your farm stand, tell us in the comments section below. The day I stopped, they had gorgeous flowers and cucumbers for sale.

Blueberries at The Farm at Cherry Hill farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Blueberries at The Farm at Cherry Hill farm stand on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Farm Stand on the North End of the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Farm Stand on the North End of the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

There was a good crowd at Haserot Beach on the Fourth of July. I took this photo right after the “Patriotic Walk Around Old Mission” that day.

Haserot Beach on July 4, 2021; Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Haserot Beach on July 4, 2021; Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo

The photo below isn’t great technically – by photographer standards – because I took it with my phone. But I shot this as my daughter and her friends were coming into the dock at the Bowers Harbor boat launch the other day.

I’ve heard that the hazy sunsets we’ve been having are due to the fires out west. Anyone know if this is true? Tell us in the comments section below.

Bowers Harbor Sunset | Jane Boursaw Photo
Bowers Harbor Sunset | Jane Boursaw Photo

And I’ll end this photo gallery back where we started – with a picture of our driveway after the storm on Saturday. Our drain was working overtime, and we had two hoses draining water from Lake Boursaw over the bank.

Every time we get a torrential downpour, our basement floods, which is always super fun. I texted Nate McManus – who owns Oliver and Company – over the weekend, and he got right back to me this morning (thank you, Nate!).

He’s going to come take a look at the situation this week. I think re-arranging the dirt for better drainage might help the situation, and it sounds like Nate agrees.

Tim and Jane's Driveway after rain storm on July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo
Tim and Jane’s Driveway after rain storm on July 24, 2021 | Jane Boursaw Photo

A NOTE FROM JANE: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper. Because the Gazette is mainly reader-supported, I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks my way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. Check out the donation page here. Thank you so much for your support. -jb

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Yes, the fires in the west, mainly in British Columbia are responsible for the smoky haze you are experiencing here. I have just arrived from Kamloops, British Columbia to visit daughter Susan and son-in-law Eddie Shipman. I can attest that there are massive fires burning in BC, as of today the provincial fire service is reporting 293 fires in the province. One of the largest at approximately 173000 acres (7000 hectares) has its eastern flank only 11 miles (19 kilometers) from where I live. The smoke is so thick we wear masks to go outside for a walk to keep the drifting ash out of our nose and mouth. The visibility in our city when I left a few days ago was about 2 blocks. This really hampers the water bombers and helicopters trying to drop water and is terrible for the fire fighters. We have been fortunate to have fire fighters come from other parts of Canada but also from Mexico and Australia to assist our fighters but it is a horrendous battle. I am sure it is hard to comprehend how awful it is. One small town about and hours and a half drive from Kamloops was completely burned to the ground, the whole town and the fire roared through so quickly they had only minutes to leave. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in various parts of the province and some of those have only a burned out shell to return to. So Old Mission-ites, be grateful for your lovely weather and beautiful scenery. I shall enjoy the reprieve here and the chance to spend time with family whom I had not seen for almost two years.

    • Thanks, Bonnie, for the detailed report from the front lines. So horrific, and so sorry you’re all having to deal with that out there. Sending lots of love and prayers to everyone in the path of the smoke and fire.

      (And thank you for sending along that cool postcard a while back! Love it.)

      • Thank you for your response Jane. I love the O.M.Gazette. Especially in this long two years since I was last able to visit Susan and Eddie either with them here on the peninsula or having them visit me, it really helped me feel connected to them by knowing what was happening around here. Thank you for all your hard work.

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