photos by Steve Pappas

You might live in Ortonville (Ortonville is located in Brandon Township in northern most Oakland County) if you fall asleep to the yip of coyotes and the pre-dawn hoot of great horned owls. You might live in Ortonville if  layers of mud coating your car is the norm. You might live in Ortonville if you burn your fields in the spring and shun the silliness of leaf blowers in the fall. You might live in Ortonville if you dial 911 and firefighters and paramedics- who are also your neighbors - climb out of bed at 2 a.m. to  race to your aid in their personal automobiles.  You might live in Ortonville if going for ice cream means a short trip to Cooks Farm Dairy for world class home made ice cream and a visit with the cows out back. You might live in Ortonville if a small creek that meaders through town and next to the A&W Drive In Restaurant is also your favorite trout stream.  You might live in Ortonville if your bird feeder draws in deer and flocks of wild turkeys. But you most definitely live in the Village of Ortonville if  early on a Saturday morning the downtown coin operated car wash brings a sight such as this! Ortonville, a place where horses are as loved - - and often cleaner than our cars.  I am happy to say, this town is my town.