A Cub, A Dream, A Legacy: The Story of Dean Oswald’s Bear Ranch

By Allie Brawley | Photos by Abby MoranThis article was originally published in Cloverland Connections, September/October 2025. When Dean Oswald was 6 years old, he and his...

Hartwick Pines State Park: Evading the Axe

By Yvette Pecha Before being known for automobiles, Michigan was a primary hub in the logging industry. In fact, it was the nation’s leading lumber-producing...

Road Trippin’ With Christal Frost: Marquette & Ebben Ice Caves

As a lower Michigan native, it’s hard not to feel the magic crossing the mighty Mackinac Bridge into the Upper Peninsula. To me, the...

A Family Quilt

By Mary Ellen Wynes, a HomeWorks Tri-County Cooperative member A single mom and career woman years before it was common, my grandma never had time...

Happy New Year. Out With The Old, In With The New.

"Out with the old and in with the new.” This year, that phrase has a distinct meaning for me and Thumb Electric Cooperative (TEC)...

Rural Michigan Pickleball

By Christopher Mulder, Great Lakes Energy Cooperative Member My mom was a trendsetter when she picked up and started to share her newfound pickleball game...

Featured Recipe: Salmon Salad

1 bag salad greensthinly sliced red onion rings1 (4-ounce) can sockeye (red) salmon1 sliced hardboiled egg1 tablespoon capers (salt dried, if possible) Vinaigrette Dressing:1/4 cup...

Nature Memories

Growing up, our family always kept a flower garden. It was filled with roses, dahlias, and peonies. The Peace rose was my dad’s favorite....

Memories Of An Ice Fisherman

By Rick Fowler, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member 1958…the earliest memories of being on the ice would probably spark the flames of many of...

A Glimpse Through The Thousand-Yard Stare

Darren Bettinger, Midwest Energy & Communications Growing up on the lake, I always looked forward to visits from my grandfather. He lived out of the...

Chill Out! No-Cook Recipes Due by May 1

Share your favorite “Chill Out! No-Cook” recipe with us by May 1 and you could win a $100.00 credit on your electric bill. Plus,...