Leave it to my Mother to come up with innovative solutions. My parents spend their summers in Central Michigan, not far from where they grew up, or for that matter not far from where I went to grade school. North of Rosebush, and South of Clare on Stevenson Lake. They spend their winters at their home in Holiday, FL less than two blocks form where my Grand Parents retired fifty years ago.

To say my parents are traditional, will get you no arguments, but it does make my mother's idea stand out. It's time to sell their lake home. The 5 lots with 400 feet of water frontage in a park like setting are just a little to much as they get older and the 5 of us kids are no longer around, the Grand Kids are getting to old, to get excited about going to Grand Ma's to ride Grand Pa's lawn tractor on weekends, and the Great Grand Kids are still to young to be outside when the lawn is being mowed. No longer does cleaning the large poll barn for Grand Pa fascinate them, once the patio and fishing boats are launched. Sweeping out the detached garage is ok, 3 to 5 minutes at the most then ask Grand Pa for the boat keys. Asking only $144,900.00 it's time to move on not to a smaller house This one's just right with 2 bedrooms but to one where the only outside work will be their personal garden.

It's that garden that got my attention, with the lake house for sale, Mother didn't want to lose this years crop. So instead of planting as they have always done, Mother had a new plan. She had seen an idea for senior gardeners with ageing backs, to plant their garden not in the ground, but on and in bales of straw! Not only would this save bending, but when the house sells they can have their garden loaded on a trailer and moved to their new home. As I get the story the first croup of tomatoes came up great until the morning when Mother looked out and saw the deer eating all her plants and part of the garden. The second crop fenced from the deer is said to be going well.

I'm familiar with apartment and condo dwellers planting in buckets, but this is the first time I've heard of planting in straw. Leave it to my Mother. To exchange ideas try writing her at ma@reii.org. If you want more information on the lake try 989-386-4929. Please don't call about listing, but ask them to co-operate.

Bill

William J Archambault Jr

The Real Estate Investment Institute

http://www.reii.org