All photos taken in the city of Detroit ("the arsenal of democracy") during World War II. From the Virtual Motor City Collection at Wayne State University.

Previous Inspiration
 

This blog is intended solely to share the things I come across that inspire me. If I have posted a copyrighted image, I have only done so to the extent necessary to comment upon or discuss it; I will always include a link to the original source of the image if that source is online or acknowledge the source if it is in print. If I have reproduced anything of yours here that is copyrighted and you want me to remove it, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will do so right away.

Francis "Bug" Mauer of Nashville, Michigan died last year after spending two decades building a miniature version of the large working farm on which he grew up near Roscommon, Michigan. Now his son and grandson transport the farm to county fairs on the back of a flatbed truck.



"My wife said I had to get a hobby. So I had a dream to build an old-fashioned farm. I started working on this in 1987.

In building this, I build and take apart until it looks right to me. All the shingles are made from a cedar board and tapered by hand and nailed on. I've been to Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota to pick up livestock and machinery.

When I came back and told my wife how much it cost, she said 'Don't have a dream like that again.'

I know things are cramped, but I only had so much space! It was designed for a 200-acre farm. There's a lot of work to be done yet."
----Francis (Bug) Maurer





"I still think he should take up whittling!"
----Mrs. Francis Maurer

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This blog is intended solely to share the things I come across that inspire me. If I have posted a copyrighted image, I have only done so to the extent necessary to comment upon or discuss it; I will always include a link to the original source of the image if that source is online or acknowledge the source if it is in print. If I have reproduced anything of yours here that is copyrighted and you want me to remove it, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will do so right away.

For about a year now we've been getting our milk exclusively from the Calder Dairy, a farm less than hour from downtown that you can visit any day during the week and just wander around among their many animals, watch the cows get milked, feed the calves from giant bottles, and grab a dish (and a quart for home) of the best ice cream you can imagine. The milk comes in old fashioned glass bottles and they even do home delivery just like the old days. Gram is drinking breastmilk only in the morning and evening (no more pumping) so he's going through a couple gallons of whole milk every week. I believe Calder chocolate milk may be the only explanation for the fact that I run six miles several times a week but don't lose any weight (or chins). Oh well: it's totally worth it.

Last weekend we made our spring trip to the farm. It's always nice to show a couple city kids where their food comes from.

Previous Entry

This blog is intended solely to share the things I come across that inspire me. If I have posted a copyrighted image, I have only done so to the extent necessary to comment upon or discuss it; I will always include a link to the original source of the image if that source is online or acknowledge the source if it is in print. If I have reproduced anything of yours here that is copyrighted and you want me to remove it, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will do so right away.