Pleasant Peninsula with O.W. Root

Michigan Enjoyer

O.W. Root lives in Northern Michigan and writes about life, style and culture. The 24/7 news cycle is pointlessly addicting and shallow. Where life lives is in the crooks and crannies, the cracks and the corners. It's about what we eat, what we wear and what entertains us. This show is about deep culture, stories that make life worth living, not clickbait. michiganenjoyer.substack.com

  1. Episode 49 - First Snow, New Baby

    1D AGO

    Episode 49 - First Snow, New Baby

    For O.W., the first snow of the season doesn’t just bring beautiful scenes of white wilderness. That first dusting or storm has coincided with new life at the Root household, and it just happened again! Plus, he’s one of the most prolific kid’s authors in the world, and his spooky headquarters is located just off the highway in Northern Michigan. O.W. takes us inside Chillermania and gets insights from its creator, Jonathan Rand. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    10 min
  2. Episode 48 - Leaf Blowers Actually Suck

    NOV 3

    Episode 48 - Leaf Blowers Actually Suck

    O.W. pits noisy leaf blowers against the soulful scrape of rakes, celebrating autumn’s quieter rhythm and human-nature bond. He then unveils a 1970’s eastern U.P. UFO cult, where Warren Gates crafted a barn-born saucer to flee apocalypse via Lake Huron’s mothership. O.W. ties it all to Michigan’s remote wilds, where isolation sometimes sparks strange beliefs. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    10 min
  3. Episode 47: The Tourism Epilogue

    OCT 27

    Episode 47: The Tourism Epilogue

    O.W. Root takes a fall road trip through northern Michigan’s “Tunnel of Trees,” fueled by cider, color, and a touch of melancholy. Then it’s south to Mount Pleasant, where he asks: how “Indian” is a town with a casino, a university, and a Starbucks on reservation land? The answer lies in the quiet corners—the Ziibiwing Center, an old Ojibwe mission, and a cemetery where the past rests amid crops and windmills. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    9 min
  4. Episode 46 - Trunk Or Treat: Harmless or Harbinger?

    OCT 20

    Episode 46 - Trunk Or Treat: Harmless or Harbinger?

    O.W. shares what he believes is one of society’s greatest failures: the ability to wear an appropriate, stylish jacket. He has some fail-safe recommendations to get you through to winter coat season. Plus, have you noticed Trunk Or Treat on the ascent while Trick Or Treat gets smaller every year? Is it just a harmless new trend, or a harbinger of something bigger in the American way of life? Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    10 min
  5. Episode 45 - Make Halloween Tasteful Again

    OCT 13

    Episode 45 - Make Halloween Tasteful Again

    Have you noticed Halloween decorations going from spooky and scary about 20 years ago, to gory and downright terrifying nowadays? Corpses hanging from trees, pour souls being disemboweled on your neighbor’s front yard. Why has our PG holiday suddenly become rated R, and why are people so touchy when you bring it up? Plus, the ghost towns of the U.P. No, not the spooky kind, but the ruins of times gone by, and why it’s worth it to see them up close. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    9 min
  6. Episode 44 - On Jumping in the Lake

    OCT 6

    Episode 44 - On Jumping in the Lake

    O.W. reflects on Bruce Catton’s Waiting for the Morning Train and how plunging into Michigan’s cold lakes feels timeless. While technology constantly changes, the dilemma of charging in or wading slowly remains universal. Plus, an exploration into how the lumberjack has shifted from rugged worker to modern competitor, where skill and spectacle meet. These contests, like the ones held by the Jack Pine Lumberjacks in Mackinaw City, still embody values of strength, courage, and camaraderie that once defined the American spirit. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    11 min
  7. Episode 43 - Big House or Big View?

    SEP 29

    Episode 43 - Big House or Big View?

    What’s the smell of autumn? If you live up north, you know that spring has a distinct aroma, but what about fall? It has a lot to do with the falling leaves. Plus, would you rather live in a giant mansion surrounded by concrete and traffic or a trailer with a spectacular view of the lake? Both are options in our wonderful state, but which one speaks to your soul? Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    9 min
  8. Episode 42 - Indian Summer at the Beach

    SEP 22

    Episode 42 - Indian Summer at the Beach

    What is an Indian summer anyway? O.W. gives the definitive answer, plus the key to enjoying every minute of it at the beach. Plus, have you ever heard of “gleaning?” It’s a tradition rooted in the Old Testament, but still very much alive today through the volunteer work of food gatherers, working with farmers to feed the hungry. And the best part, you can get in on the joy of serving and have fun doing it. Discover more at Michigan Enjoyer Follow O.W. Root on X: @necktiesalvage This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michiganenjoyer.substack.com

    9 min
See All (48)

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

O.W. Root lives in Northern Michigan and writes about life, style and culture. The 24/7 news cycle is pointlessly addicting and shallow. Where life lives is in the crooks and crannies, the cracks and the corners. It's about what we eat, what we wear and what entertains us. This show is about deep culture, stories that make life worth living, not clickbait. michiganenjoyer.substack.com

Information

You Might Also Like