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The Fernwood Café in Niles, Michigan serves pies from the Grateful Pie Company along with breakfast and lunch options. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside Fernwood Botanical Gardens. Pies at the Fernwood Cafe They have fruit pies and hot food pies! Inside the visitor center is the Fernwood cafe, where you can find treats and food made to order. When I arrived at Fernwood Botanical Gardens and paid for my admission ticket, I noticed the café to the right of the visitor desk. I wandered over and saw their cute little pies in cardboard boxes. Someone working in the café greeted us, and we decided to sit and order a chicken pot pie. I was glad to get a snack before walking the trails because I didn’t realize how long we’d be out there. It was nice to have a little energy boost before seeing the trains and walking the trails. The chicken pot pie was delicious, and I ended up getting the lemon lavender bar for dessert, which was also really good. The pies are made by the Grateful Pie Company, which stocks its pies in the café. You can buy them to go or sit down and order a slice. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and they serve breakfast all day as well as lunch foods. Corky Lorenz November 2, 2025

A small patch of stuck shed on a hognose snake’s head or eyes is common and usually clears up on its own. A simple moist hide with damp moss helps loosen it safely. What should you do if your hognose snake has stuck shed on its head? Sometimes a hognose snake will finish shedding its body but still have old skin left on the head or eyes. This is normal and usually clears up on its own once the snake has access to a little extra humidity. In the main image, you can see that the snake has some shed sticking up on its head. The rest of its body had already finished shedding cleanly. My friend said the only other spot that can sometimes hold onto shed is the very tip of the tail, but this snake just had it over the eyes and forehead area. When a snake has a bit of stuck shed, my friend said he’ll just put some moist sphagnum moss under a hide in their enclosure. The snake can go in and out as it wants, and that extra humidity helps loosen the shed naturally. It’s not something you really need to worry about. Just make sure they have a humidity option so they can take care of it themselves. Corky Lorenz November 2, 2025

Sources for powder dye that you can order from online for ice liquid die or other alternative methods of dying shirts. Where do you get your dye? Most of my dye is from Dharma Trading Co, but I also like Jacquard Products. There are several more small shops to get powered dye from. When I first started out with ice dye, I got my powdered dye from Dharma trading Company . I still get their dye often and they are a very reliable source. I also get dye from Jacquard products either through their website or on Amazon. I really love their color jet black for when I am ice dyeing geode style shirts that are tied with artificial sinew. Most powdered MX procion is going to work the same and be great quality. They all come from the same source, but the difference from each place you buy it is usually what ratios they mix the colors in for their custom colors. Corky Lorenz October 4, 2025

Crested geckos can live 5 to 15 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity with proper care. Photos from Critters, Khaos & Creations at the Goshen Reptile Expo show several gecko morphs, enclosures, and supplies for long-term Crested Gecko lifespan support. Crested Gecko Lifespan Crested geckos can live 5 to 15 years in the wild, and up to 20 years in captivity with good care. They do best in environments with stable humidity, low stress, and proper nutrition, which I learned after meeting the vendor Critters, Khaos & Creations. The tail might yeet itself on a random Tuesday, but your crestie will probably live a long time. At the Goshen Reptile Expo, the Critters, Khaos & Creations booth had a wide selection of reptiles and supplies for building enriched enclosures. There were several gecko morphs and color variations on display, each with unique markings and color patterns. As I approached the table with my camera, one of the people tending to guests asked if I wanted to see one of the geckos outside of its container. I said I would be happy to, and she carefully took the gecko out and placed it on top of the light above the display table. The gecko was calm once it got oriented. It didn’t mind being observed closely and gently touched. The vendor answered questions when asked but also gave people space to look around without feeling pressured to talk the entire time. After I got home and looked through my photos, I learned that crested geckos live much longer than many reptiles or insect pets. In the wild, they can live 5 to 15 years. In captivity with ideal conditions, some live up to 20 years. Good care includes consistent humidity, low stress, and a balanced diet with enough protein and limited sugar. Critter Khaos & Creations posts updates about new expo dates on his Facebook account. You might also like to read: Are turtles reptiles? Corky Lorenz November 9, 2025

Turtles are reptiles, not amphibians. They’re cold-blooded animals with scales and shells that breathe air and lay eggs on land. Learn how turtles fit into the reptile group alongside tortoises and terrapins, with examples from the Goshen Reptile Expo. Are turtles reptiles? Yes, turtles are reptiles. They are cold-blooded, air-breathing animals with scales and four limbs, belonging to the order Testudines, the same reptile group as tortoises and terrapins. At the Goshen Reptile Expo , I stopped to photograph several turtles and tortoises at a vendor booth called Jimmy’s Tortoises. He had an incredible collection of species with high-contrast colors and shell patterns that I’ve never seen in the wild. The turtles I usually see near my home are brown and green, blending into the water and vegetation. These, by comparison, had bold yellow and red markings, especially the ones identified as red-footed tortoises and diamondback terrapins. The vendor’s display was busy and well-lit, with tanks and enclosures showing the different species. A woman tending to the animals was friendly and happy to answer questions, even letting me pick up a small turtle for a close-up photo. I noticed its nose shape was slightly pointed, unlike the flatter snouts of the map turtles I’m used to seeing in local rivers. Seeing such variety made me wonder if turtles are classified as amphibians or reptiles. After checking, I learned that turtles are reptiles because they’re cold-blooded, have scales, and lay eggs on land. Amphibians, like frogs or salamanders, have soft skin and spend part of their lives in water and part on land. So turtles fall squarely in the reptile category. Jimmy’s Tortoises doesn’t appear to have much of a social media presence beyond an occasional Instagram post, but his collection is well-known among reptile expo regulars. Many shows across the country announce when he’s attending, which says a lot about how anticipated his setups are. Corky Lorenz November 10, 2025

Known for its Olive burgers and standard fast food menu, this location in Sturgis Michigan is the last remaining Hot n’ Now restaurant. Is Hot n’ Now still open? There was one remaining Hot n' Now location in Sturgis, MI, but recently a second location has been opened, in Wayland, MI. A few months ago, a friend asked me if I’d ever been to Hot n’ Now. I said no, and he was appalled. So we immediately drove from Elkhart to Sturgis Michigan. He got the famous Olive burger, which is in the picture above and I got a normal cheeseburger. We also got fries and onion rings to share. The crispy fried foods were exactly as you would expect and lifted my mood as intended. It seems like they stayed consistent with the branding and menu, even though they now operate independently. I noticed in the drive-through they had Hot n’ Now merch that they were selling. This is a very nostalgic fast food place for a lot of people because when I posted about it on Facebook, it went kind of viral locally. Corky Lorenz October 5, 2025

Bamboo fleece is soft, floppy, and absorbent for cloth pads, but some prefer structured fabrics like cotton flannel or Zorb for easier sewing. Best core fabric for sewing cloth pads? The best absorbent fabric for sewing cloth pads depends on what your goal is. My favorite, for being thin and soft, is 400 gsm bamboo fleece. When I was regularly sewing and selling cloth pads, the most popular option people would choose was bamboo fleece. I would get it from Nature’s fabrics. They have variety of weights and fiber blends. You can get it in bulk, in a roll from them, as a lower price. People who prefer bamboo fleece, like how floppy the fabric is. The pad ends up feeling really soft and moldable. It can shape to your body and feels cozy. It’s also considered a very absorbent fabric, which many people love for cloth pads and cloth diapers. There are some people who don’t like using pads with bamboo fleece, and there are people who don’t like sewing with bamboo fleece. Some people like their pad to be more structured and less floppy. They will usually opt for something like multiple layers of cotton flannel or Zorb. When sewing pads, I do find it a little annoying that I have to wash and dry bamboo fleece on hot 3-5 times to make sure that it’s fully prepped before sewing. Corky Lorenz October 19, 2025

Here’s how the RecPro team lifts new air conditioners onto the roof of an RV to install them. How do you get a new air conditioner onto the RV roof? There are 2 main ways that people get the AC lifted up to the roof. When it’s available, they use a forklift. Most people use a ladder and help to slide the box up. Last week, at work, the content team was recording new install demonstrations for air conditioners. I noticed that they coordinated with the forklift operator to get the units up and down faster. They would take it out of the box and lift it up and down. In the past, the team would use a ladder to move the whole box. Without unpacking it, 2 people pulled from the top of the RV, while one person pushed from the bottom. I’ve even seen videos of an RV tech getting the AC box up the ladder alone, with careful technique. Corky Lorenz October 7, 2025

Apply a continuous ring of self-leveling sealant around the 14 ¾-inch roof opening. If no gasket is pre-installed, attach it first, then seal around it to stop leaks. How should an AC unit be SEALED on the RV roof? Apply the self-leveling RV roof sealant in a continuous ring around the roof opening before mounting the unit. If your model doesn’t include a pre-installed outlet gasket, attach it to the roof first, press it down firmly, and then seal around it to prevent leaks. Preparing the Roof Start by ensuring the roof surface is completely dry, clean, and free of oil or debris.A clean surface helps the gasket and sealant adhere properly and prevents leaks later. Attaching the Outlet Gasket If the air conditioner’s outlet gasket isn’t already attached: Peel the backing paper. Center it over the 14 ¾ × 14 ¾ inch (360 × 360 mm) opening. Press evenly to ensure full contact and adhesion. Applying the Sealant Use a self-leveling RV roof sealant and apply it in a closed, unbroken circle around the outer edge of the gasket.Make sure the sealant fills all gaps to prevent water intrusion,but avoid contact with the rooftop unit itself. If Your Unit Has a Pre-Installed Gasket Skip the attachment step and apply self-leveling sealant directly in a continuous circle around the square opening before installation. Corky Lorenz November 4, 2025

Historic images of the Carl D. Greenleaf home. The Ravenscrofts were the last residing family before it's tear down, by the new owners, around 1989. 1415 Greenleaf Blvd, Elkhart, Indiana Originally considered to be the home of Carl D. Greenleaf. The Ravenscrofts were the last residing family before it's tear down, by the new owners, around 1988. Originally built in 1917, and 9,000 square feet, with 3 floors. It was referred to as the "Carl D. Greenleaf" home. The address was 1415 Greenleaf Blvd, Elkhart, IN. Included in the album below: The black & white photo published by The Elkhart Truth after tear down Likely the last photos taken of the home, in color. Exterior views of the front, back, yard, and St. Joseph river. Corky Lorenz December 29, 2025