“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
Home Gail Alexander

Gail Alexander

Blog_tag

Featured Lake - Donnell Lake, Vandalia

11-28-08
Gail Alexander
Donnell Lake : It's a Southwest Michigan lake hot spot! 246 acres and 65 feet deep it is said to be fed by 6 springs with very clear water. There is an island where residents anchor, meet, and have fun. It has a very active lake association if you want to participate. Safety classes, a Decorate Your Boat contest and many other contests throughout the year. The shape of Donnell is very appealing to the eye and to water sports enthusiasts. Located just east of Cassopolis in the town of Vandalia. This lake offers a nice firm bottom, great swimming, not a lot of weeds and usually a nice gradual slope in the water. The water is absolutely wonderful in this spring fed lake. A deep 65 feet makes for incredible Northern Pike and Perch fishing- sizes reaching the upper numbers. Good bluegill too. Donnell Lake Fishing Information Personally, I have fond memories of Donnell Lake - one summer in particular when my children were getting a bit older. We spent a week at a cottage on Donnell during the OJ Simpson car chase! That was a great visit - lots of swimming, kids riding skateboards, playing board games, jumping off piers, and relaxing. It was a great summer. Others have great memories at Donnell, too! Don't take just my word for it!

Jeremy Vohwinkle, a Donnell Lake resident and a retirement plan specialist/finance writer says, "It's beautiful, clean water, good people, and an amazing 4th of july fireworks show!"

We hope to see you on Donnell Lake soon! Call or email us for any further information or questions you might have.

If you have a great Donnell Lake memory, please share!!!

Homes for Sale

View Larger Map
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Palmer Lake, Colon, MI - Magic Capital of the World

11-05-08
Gail Alexander

I am so excited to write about Palmer Lake, Colon, MI. Not really because of the lake as much as it is because of the village of Colon. This is no ordinary Southwest Michigan Lake community. There's something magic about Colon. Literally. Home to almost 1300 people, Colon is the Magic Capital of the World. The sign says so. Home to Abbot's Magic Manufacturing Company, the largest magic manufacturer in the world, Colon has a long history centered around magic that began in 1925 with Harry Blackstone's relocation to Colon. Colon is where he perfected his magic and featured exhibits for the residents. Each year in August, Colon's magical history is celebrated during Magic Week. Magicians from all over the world come to Colon hoping to share and learn their craft. Colon's name alone invites you to slow down. When naming the town, a dictionary was pulled out and the first word that was seen was 'Colon' - a mark of punctuation indicating a pause almost as long as that of a period. The town really is a pause in history - an invitation to sit down and pause for a bit. Palmer Lake is the largest lake in Colon, with 450 acres. An all-sports lake, Palmer Lake offers year round recreation. With a nice public beach on the north shore. Blatent plug: Check out this awesome retreat for sale now! Want to view homes for sale in Colon? Let us know! We'd love to show you around town. Photos of Colon Signposts to Colon
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Magician Lake ~ Dowagiac, MI

10-29-08
Gail Alexander
You may not have an Amphicar but you can still have a roarin' good time on Magician Lake in Dowagiac! MichiganVacations.com describes Magician Lake: Magician-Lake is part of the "Sister Lakes" region of Lower Michigan, about 20 minutes east of St. Joseph and six miles northwest of the city of Dowagiac. It is the largest of the lakes in the Sister Lakes area with a total of 498 acres, three islands, two marinas and a sand bar. The gradual depth of Magician Lake makes it a great swimming lake for children, and boat rentals, fishing, water skiing and other lake activities are also available on the lake. Most of Magician Lake lies within Cass County; the other lakes of the region include Round, Big Crooked and Little Crooked and Dewey Lakes. There is one outlet on Magician Lake that is known as Silver Creek, located on the eastern shores. It drains south into the Dowagiac River and then into the St. Joseph River watershed of Lake Michigan. Other recreational activities in the area include hiking, biking, golf, hunting, skiing, snowmobiling and sledding. The nearby town of Dowagiac is filled with beautiful Victorian architecture and has a vibrant downtown area for shopping, restaurants, theaters and museums. Magician Lake is located 2 hours from Chicago, just thirty miles north of South Bend, Indiana and one hour from Kalamazoo. Even though Dowagic is an 'off the beaten path' kind of town, it is not devoid of fun! You can feel life slow down a bit as you drive through downtown. Just check out the list of Dowagiac events! Whether you have a desire for meandering fun or a rockin' good time you can find it here. Fruit stands and art museums by day, live music and theater by night. One of the best things about Dowagiac is that you get all of this without being secluded. You have quick access to other nearby smaller towns like Edwardsburg or you can drive 1/2 hour to South Bend for Notre Dame games or any of their artistic fine dining venues. With Kalamazoo only an hour away your options are endless. Slip back to a carefree and relaxed time at Magician Lake! Magician Lake Homes for Sale
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Featured Lake - Diamond Lake in Cassopolis, MI

09-26-08
Gail Alexander

Each week, Michigan Lakes Team will be featuring a certain lake in Southwest Michigan. We hope this information will help give you a better feel for each lake, what it has to offer and how you could imagine yourself living there. You can view all Southwest Michigan lake homes for sale on each lake, too.At nearly 1050 acres, Diamond Lake is the largest lake in southwest Michigan. Cassopolis is a short drive to Notre Dame in South Bend, IN and only 2 hours to Chicago. Situated near all of the charm of the Michigan Wine Country, Diamond Lake is a resort lake for year-round and vacationers alike. Diamond Lake even has its own 43 acre occupied island, accessible by ferry. With its sandy beach, marina, and public access area, Diamond Lake is a popular destination.

Day trips are plentiful around Diamond Lake. You can visit Fernwood Botanical Gardens and walk over 8 acres along the St. Joseph River. Take a drive during the fall to watch the leaves changing. Harvest time is a special time in Southwest Michigan. Pick up some fresh apple cider, Honeycrisp apples and any of the many road stands along the way. Local wineries have fantastic celebrations with music and wine-tasting. Winter is not a time to shy away from lake living. Swiss Valley Ski Resort is just 10 minutes from Diamond Lake.

Come experience lake living with us!

Diamond Lake Homes for Sale
Map
Diamond Lake Association

0 Comments
Blog_tag

Boat Insurance Basics

09-24-08
Gail Alexander

Boating laws and regulations vary by state. The old saying" Buyer Beware" was never more true than when it comes to insurance!

There are two basic of boat coverage.
1. Agreed value/stated value
2. Actual cash value

Agreed policies require an agreement between you and the insurance company on the value of the boat hull and everything attached to it. Cash value depreciates.

Some policies exclude underwater objects as well as freezing. What boat owner in their right mind would have a policy that won't cover damage from underwater objects?

Do you know if your trailer is covered? Maybe not.

Another issue affecting payout is liabilty. There are two types- split limit and protection and indemnity. Split limit might be set up as 50/150/50 meaning if you had an accident you would have $50,000 in coverage per person, $150,000 per occurence and $50,000 for property damage. If five people were involved that $150,000 would have to be split five ways. You have a single dollar limit for liability and property damage combined with protection and indemnity. Towing liablilty covers anything being towed by your boat.

Do your research and work with a company you know and trust. Safe Boating!!

0 Comments