North Shore Living
September 2024
By: Jean Marie Modl
Warm summer-like days have greeted us most of this September. Our care center garden has produced beautiful yellow and orange pumpkins to mark the fall season. The Autumn poem by Alexander Posey begins: “In the dreamy silence of the afternoon, a cloth of gold is woven over wood and prairie…”
Near Lake Superior, the trees have been slow to give up their vibrant green color and drop their leaves. Summer has lingered this year.
One of our summer interns, Ben Obinger, had a chance to interview an older man named Ken in August. Here are some of the notes from that wonderful visit.
Ken grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, a small town. He was always outside, doing anything to stay active: biking, running around the woods, and climbing things. At about age 12, Ken became known as a birder, someone who observes or identifies wild birds in their habitat. To this day, Ken continues to enjoy the birds. In high school, Ken was a three-sport athlete participating in football, basketball, and baseball. Basketball was his favorite sport but he received a football scholarship at Cornell University. Ken graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering. He was drafted for two years into the Vietnam War where he worked on bridges and railroads for the military.
Ken met his wife Molly in Duluth. Molly was the voice of the birds on WTIP and shared many a walk in the woods with listeners eager to learn more about the birds. Ken and Molly became property surveyors in Cook County.
When asked about his wife Molly, Ken said he missed her and that she was the best thing that ever happened to him. When Ken was asked about his advice to the younger generation, he hesitated and said: “That is a very hard question.” After thinking about it a while, he talked about how important it is to find balance in both work and fun. Most of all, however, he says that you need to find a significant other person that you truly love. That seems like very good advice.
And what has been happening at North Shore Living?
Doris Blank has become our Patron of the Aviary, with a generous donation that will cover professional services for the birds over the next year. Thank you, Doris! Doris and her good friend Patty also keep bird feeders stocked in the Serenity Garden here at North Shore Health. Anne Marie and her mother Ethel are dedicated volunteers that look after the Aviary birds, bringing them fresh fruit and vegetables several times each week. They also keep an eye on the fresh water and seed available to the birds. Babies were born this year, so there are quite a few little birds in the aviary. When asked if she had a favorite little bird, Ethel said, “I just like them all.”
We have been enjoying bowling this month. We have discovered that some of our residents were in bowling leagues in the past so this is a fun activity for them. We use full size heavy plastic bowling pins and knock them down with baseball softballs. There have been lots of gutter balls, spares, and even some strikes!
Friday Happy Hour has featured Tom Novotny, a talented one-man-band who entertains us with music as wide-ranging as polkas, movie songs, and ballads. During one Friday Happy Hour, Nona’s family surprised all of us with a special visit. Nona’s daughter Sally came with her son and his son; four generations of the family were all together. This made everyone happy; it was a great day. Last Friday, we combined a birthday celebration with Happy Hour: wonderful music, balloons, drinks, and treats added up to a fun party.
We are accepting Christmas decoration donations, rebuilding the care center’s collection. Please call Jean Marie at 218-387-3518 Extension 518 if you have some nice decorations looking for a new home. Also, the care center is looking for a new professional hairdresser to help our residents look their best. We have a nice salon at the care center and can provide one to two days of work each month. Please call Jean Marie at 218-387-3518 Extension 518 if you can help us out. Thank you.
And finally, Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem A Walk begins:
“My eyes already touch the sunny hill, going far beyond the road I have begun…”
This poem explores the idea that a simple walk can change our view of the world and even change us.
Take yourself out for a walk today, and if you can, bring along a friend.