Metaphysical healers, musicians and artisans gathered in Lake Linden
The Fall Colors Healing Fair will be an annual event.
Jackie Froiland offered magickal treatments to visitors at the People’s Celebration Fall Healing Fair in Lake Linden Saturday. Photo by Paula McCambridge.
Fall Colors Healing Fair will be an annual event
LAKE LINDEN — With Friday’s full moon and resounding thunder, it was as if nature itself couldn’t wait for the People’s Celebration Fall Colors Healing Fair in Lake Linden Saturday.
By Saturday morning, the storm had subsided and, instead, the sun emerged and shone its light on more than 20 metaphysical healers and artists from across the Midwest. The healers basked in the summery weather, starting their day in a meditation and prayer circle outside the site’s cream-colored yurt, a large, round tent.
They prayed, they held hands, they hugged — hugs were plentiful to both friends and strangers throughout the day.
And when the healers dispersed from prayer, they sold their services - readings of tarot, chakra, akashic records. Tarot consists of a deck of special cards used by readers to gain insight on past, present, and future. The chakra refers to energy points throughout the body, and akashic records are records of a soul’s life from creation, including past lives.
“This gathering is a safe place for healers, metaphysicians and artists,” said Kent Richards who organized the event with Jen Nilsen. They plan to make it an annual event during the last weekend in September, so consider this your save-the-date.
Aware that the healing arts sometimes create discomfort among those unfamiliar with it, Richards and Nilsen hope those who are curious will come to find out what it’s all about.
“You’re forced to grow when you go into the unknown,” Nilsen said.
Kent Richards creates a sound bath for those visiting the Fall Colors Healing Fair in Lake Linden Saturday. The fair was organized by Jen Nilsen and Richards at his Wild Blue Wander UP, 20 acres available for camping on Rice Lake Road. Photo by Paula McCambridge.
The fairground filled a section of Richards’ Wild Blue Wander UP, which he describes as a sacred 20 acres between Lake Superior and Rice Lake where people can camp and hike for solitude. There are suggested prices and what Richards calls a love donation. Visitors are welcome here regardless of their finances - if you have more, share more; if you have less, they still want to share their fire pit with you. The fair charged no admittance.
Nilsen describes the land as magical like the people who are drawn there, people like intuitive guide Jackie Froiland who set up her table of spell jars and inspirational cards.
“I’ve always been into this,” said Froiland, a Copper Country local, formerly an obstetrics technician. “I took three months off to become a better tarot reader, and that three months became a year.”
Why the life change? Froiland said she’s called to help empower women, especially those who have found themselves in relationships with narcissists.
“My big thing is to show women their worth,” she said. “It’s been too long that we’ve been told we come last.”
That thread of empowerment connected the work of one healer — fostering strength, courage and confidence in those who visited them.
Len Novak displayed his hand-made percussions, including one hollowed out tree limb filled with Lake Superior stones. It slowly rattled as it was tipped from end to end. He called it a lake essence percussion creation meant to sound like the shores of Lake Superior.
Visitors regularly spent a half hour or more with the empathic Novak whose eyes filled with tears whenever his musical work mesmerized a listener.
Len Novak presents the sounds of the Lake Superior Shoreline in his lake essence percussion creation. He sold handmade percussion creations at the healing fair Saturday. Video by Paula McCambridge.
Hiking trails through the property brought surprises, like an outhouse that appeared to be a door standing in the middle of nowhere. Tiny gnomes and fairies dotted the paths resting on tree stumps and reclining in mossy ground. The delighted squeals of children could be heard as they discovered each one.
And then, there were group experiences in the yurt. Richards himself led a sound bath with the cost simply a donation. Sound emitted from crystal and brass singing bowls, steel drums and flutes. The crowd came in chattering in introductions and soon fell into a shared state of calm as Richards drew them together in soothing sound.
For healers, the fair isn’t all there is. Anyone looking for community with fellow healers can join the group at Wild Blue Wander UP every two weeks through November and again in the spring.
“It’s a time for us to do healings on each other,” Nilsen said.
Weekends are open to all - just contact Richards through his website at WildBlueWanderUP.com. He said he also responds to the good, old-fashioned phone call. He can be reached at 906-369-1819.
More News
U.P. Flooding State of Emergency Deepens
As snow continues to melt and recent rains add to the water flow, the State of Emergency declared over spring flooding has expanded to cover eight counties in the Upper Peninsula.
Storm drains in Lake Linden have been cleared, but flows remain and debris is still on the road. Photo by Lily Venable.
As snow continues to melt and recent rains add to the water flow, the State of Emergency declared over spring flooding has expanded to cover eight counties in the Upper Peninsula.
On April 14, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a State of Emergency for the flooding in Houghton and Gogebic counties. This emergency declaration applies to all of Houghton County, with most reported damage being in Lake Linden and Dollar Bay.
According to a press release from the governor's office, State of Emergency declarations have also been granted to Alger, Baraga, Dickinson, Iron, Marquette, and Ontonagon Counties as of Friday. Keweenaw County has not reported any significant damage at this time.
“Flows are way down from what they were,” Emergency Operations Manager Chris VanArsdale said. “We’re waiting to see, when the storm passes, if they’re going to pick back up or dry out. We’re in a holding pattern while the weather subsides.”
Photo courtesy of the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The Houghton County Emergency Division warns residents to be mindful of water over the road and also of very soft roads. Gravel roads will be extremely soft, so drive towards the middle of the road if possible to avoid getting stuck. Also watch for soft shoulders on roads. The Houghton County Emergency Division continues to monitor water flow.
In a joint statement, State Senator Ed McBroom and Representative Greg Markkanen said in a press release, “We are grateful for the quick turnaround upon these local emergency declarations and needs. The MSP has been working diligently to help all our local officials and citizens. Our offices are ready to provide any assistance and work for the support we will need to repair and rebuild after the water recedes.”
DAMAGE REPORTS
Residents who have damage to their property are asked to report it either online at https://arcg.is/10ab1j or by calling 211. The purpose of reporting damage is so that the Houghton County Emergency Division can assess the damage as well as report to the State of Michigan how much assistance is needed through FEMA. There are two types of assistance to be applied for: public assistance (infrastructure, roads, municipalities, etc.) and individual assistance (privately owned properties and houses).
VanArsdale says that most damage being reported is road damage, so funds from the State of Michigan will go to stormwater system repair, road and shoulder repair, and repairs to any public infrastructure, including labor, overtime, and fuel for responding agencies.
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL AND STATE
“The disaster relief process is complicated,” remarks VanArsdale. “We’ve been through it, but some of the other counties haven’t, they’re learning as they go. The State has been great seeing what we need. They have been a great partner, and we are really happy working with them.”
The Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (EMHSC), a branch of the Michigan State Police, has used their resources to broadcast public information, as well as to set up and maintain the 211 phone line and web link for damage reports.
“Every morning, they’re asking, ‘What do you need from us?’,” remarks VanArsdale. “[EMHSC Captain] Kevin Sweeney has been on our calls every morning. Actually, he called me Wednesday morning to see how the flooding is going and what we need from them. I was really impressed that he would take the time personally to see what we needed locally.”
WHO’S IN CHARGE OF MAINTENANCE?
The washed-out railroad grade above Lake Linden. Photo courtesy of Chris Van Arsdale.
In Lake Linden and Hubbell, most damage comes from several abandoned railroad grades. In Hubbell, the water is flowing through the grades, while in Lake Linden, one of these grades was blocking the flow of stormwater, becoming waterlogged, and subsequently bursting, causing a flood emergency.
“The railroad grades need to be checked. They’re not designed as dams, they’re designed as bridges,” explains VanArsdale. “The gray area is whose responsibility it is to maintain the culverts, and that’s a question that hasn't been resolved. So a lot of them aren't maintained. That causes problems.”
According to VanArsdale, EGLE recently paid an estimated $10 million to clean up some of these streams and culverts all over the Keweenaw, so some say it is EGLE’s responsibility to maintain the culverts. EGLE said they permit work on them, but it is not theirs to maintain. Some say the county should maintain the culverts, while others say the responsibility should be left to private landowners, where several of the culverts lie.
The washout of a home’s yard in Lake Linden. Photo courtesy of Chris Van Arsdale.
In spring of 2019, before the year’s snow melt, a meeting was conducted between Houghton County fire departments, police departments, and township and municipality representatives to discuss the county’s stance on the issue. It was ultimately decided that the responsibility was going to be left to the municipality to maintain the drains, but the conversation is still ongoing.
ACTIONABLE STEPS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
If you are a landowner, have land surrounding these grades or gullies (there are 33 of these drainages in the area), or live next to one, make sure you aren’t dumping any garbage that might block the culverts.
“That’s definitely been an issue – dumping in the woods,” remarks VanArsdale.
Ask your local elected officials: What are they doing to maintain the drains? Is there a program in place? Are they having a contractor coming to check them or clean them every year?
Individuals or municipalities can petition the County Board of Commissioners to establish what’s called a county drain, a watershed which the County Drain Commissioner is responsible for maintaining. The county would then be responsible for maintaining the drain rather than the local municipality. This is a common arrangement in other parts of the state.
Flooding causes local state of emergency
Flooding between Lake Linden and Dollar Bay has led to Houghton County declaring a local state of emergency, according to a release from the Houghton County Office of Emergency Measures.
Flooding between Lake Linden and Dollar Bay has led to Houghton County declaring a local state of emergency, according to a release from the Houghton County Office of Emergency Measures.
Rapid snowmelt led to fast-moving waters and the bursting of an abandoned railroad grade that was acting as an earthen dam. Storm water systems have been overwhelmed, causing road closures and washouts.
Photos courtesy of the Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Van Arsdale.
The local declaration is the first step in requesting state assistance with the cost of the recovery. Initial estimates already put the cost of recovery over $150,000. First responders and government agencies continue to work to protect people and property, and restore road access.
The state of emergency began on Thursday, and will last for a week unless renewed.
UPDATE, April 14, 2023:
Houghton County has submitted a request to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a State of Emergency for the flooding, which was signed at 3:20 p.m. for Houghton and Gogebic counties. This clears the way for state assistance in management and recovery.
With the potential for wet weather this weekend, the Houghton County Emergency Manager is encouraging residents to drive with caution and be aware of the potential for rapidly changing water levels in streams and ditches.