Note: This is a mini-series of posts that look back at 2017 with all its joys and tribulations. It was a year of big changes and adjustments both professional and personal. It feels like the year just flew away like a balloon. 

2017  A Year to Remember

By Emma Palova

January

Quick trip to Czech Republic

When January rolled in like a monster truck, we found out early on that we had to fly out of the country for Aunt Martha’s funeral in Stipa. My aunt was the only living sibling of my father Vaclav Konecny former  math professor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids.

The trip to Czech Republic in frigid temperatures on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean was an eye-opening experience. From today’s perspective, I consider it our last good-bye  to the homeland emotionally.

After the funeral, we met up with the cousins and our teachers from ZDS Stipa School at the local restaurant  “Stipsky Senk.” Deceased Aunt Martha was a math and an arts  teacher at ZDS. Those three hours of catching up were worth a million dollars. My husband Ludek and I met at the ZDS School in mid 1970s. We shared some of the teachers. They remembered us just like we were in school: young and beautiful. We remembered them just like they were back in school: semi-old, bossy and strict.

It’s amazing how 40 years changed exactly nothing about the perception you have established at the beginning. We saw each other through the same eyes.

“Do you write?” Mrs. Slaharova asked me.

“I do, how do you know?” I was surprised.

“Your aunt always said you take after grandma and she wrote poetry, right?” she said.

“Yes, she did.”

I thought to myself, “Yes, it’s true you cannot escape your destiny.”

Lowell Showboat

The Lowell Showboat closed as an entertainment venue on Jan. 4. Santa has no home, but he moves to the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce.

February

A Valentine’s shock

February was a Valentine’s shock.  I got an invite to a Valentine’s party at the Flat River Gallery from the local iconic artist Jan Johnson. We interviewed prior to the party at Johnson’s house at the end of January. We enjoyed each other’s company and coffee. We talked about animation and Johnson’s love of painting circus animals. She was upset that the Ringling Brothers had to get rid of the elephants.

“What is a circus without elephants,” she said.

https://emmapalova.com/2017/02/03/lowell-artist-inspires-generations/

We were both at the fancy Valentine’s party “Champagne & Chocolates” at the  gallery. on Feb. 13. Eight days later, I found out from Facebook that Johnson passed away. We were more like friends. I’ve written more than a dozen stories about this prolific watercolor artist & illustrator.

Circus elephants by artist Jan Johnson of Lowell.

NASA

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star. Three of these planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have liquid water.

Lady Gaga

300 Drones dance behind Lady Gaga during Superbowl half-time show.

Oscar’s Showdown 2017

And the real winner is the movie ‘ Moonlight’ not ‘La La Land.’

March

Spring madness

For me March signals spring, wherever I may live on this earth. I look forward to St. Pat’s Day with all the green traditions. But, the most significant event was the departure of our kids to Bali, Indonesia for our son Jake’s 30th birthday on March 1.

We in turn went to Hastings to watch the grand kids for the stormiest week in Michigan. I am grateful that I could work from the local libraries, both in Hastings and at the KDL Englehart Library due to power outages. I worked on the “Inspiring Women” series for the International Women’s Day on March 8.

 As I drove north to Lowell through the Barry County farmlands on Wednesday, 54-mile wind gusts were throwing the small orange Dart across the country road. Broken limbs and twigs were hitting the dancing car in the wind. 

To be continued………..

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