Green Day

Michigan is the same and not the same as I thought it would be. The area I am in (roughly thirty minutes outside of the Dearborn/Detroit areas) is pretty rural. Many trees, many fields, many small "joints" selling pizza or gasoline on street corners. Yet just a fifteen minute drive brings one to any number of attractions. I'm struck by the amount of shopping available! Yesterday I drove to Canton with the intent of visiting Target and saw a Kohl's on the way. Sidetracked! Kohl's was having great sales, by the way :-). Border's, Target, Kohl's, Old Navy... the list goes on. It's not like one big mall with stores crammed in - they line the road and spread out. We are five minutes from a public park. Sweet. It's huge and has good running paths. Trees, sun, shade, playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, a river... it's really nice. The water table is high here - therefore the grass is green, the trees are green, the weeds are green, the fields are green. Wildflowers spread down the roadside. The dirt looks like Jersey dirt, the woods look like Jersey woods. I'm reminded of my home state in many ways. The pizza is good, there are ice cream or frozen custard stands dotted here and there. I love the grassy fields crossed by flat roads, extending into ... what? Perhaps another farm, maybe a town. Were I laden with many extra hours the temptation would be too great - I would go on an exploring binge and see what I could see. From Michigan, have a sweet day!

Michigan

Hi...from Michigan! Long story short: I'm staying with my aunt, uncle, and 3-1/2 yr old cousin in a little town near Detroit for a few weeks to help out. My aunt is expecting a baby girl any time! I apologize for the lack of photo - I hope to be able to take some and post them up here soonish. For now, I am keeping busy doing this and that and getting to see some of the lovely Michigan scenery. In many ways it reminds me of rural southern New Jersey (where I grew up). Very green, very flat, quite scenic and pretty :). Roadside ice cream stands and farmer's markets show up in every drive I take. I'm missing my family and friends, but I'm enjoying my time here, especially since I know this is where God wants me right now. Till later!

Today it is Pancakes.

** Today's thing that makes me smile: the first pancake (in my house we affectionately refer to it as the "test pancake"). It sizzles, it cooks, and when it's done I swoosh it around in the pan to soak up/spread around the extra cooking spray. I eat it with my fingers, completely plain. It's odd, but I love the slight crispiness of the outside with the cooking spray soaked in a little... ************************************************************************************(photo courtesy of poppyseed at photobucket.com: http://media.photobucket.com/image/pancakes/poppyyseed/Food/AZN7wsuV4qbt8cw8lywnXyKPo1_500_larg.jpg?o=10)

Well, it just does.

I have a cereal bowl. In the bottom of the bowl there are three little squirrels painted. This makes me smile.