11.12.2002
Sixty five tornadoes across the United States! It's not even the tornado season now, but a crazy double jet stream is messing us up! Yes I could go on and on about global warming and how we're doing it to ourselves, but I'm not going to let diversion lead me astray this time. People may wonder why somebody would want to choose a place like Michigan to live in for a lifetime - just because they were born there. Lots of Michiganders like to move south - at least for the winter - when they retire and no longer are "tied" to a job. Others actually like the snow - and cold weather sports.
Why do I like Michigan? Four distinct seasons - well usually, although global warming is changing that somewhat. Summertime, especially a long luxurious one, is my own personal favorite season. It's summer picnics, easy family get-togethers, walking in the woods and along the lakeside, getting wet, cooling off and gnerally "vacation" time. Autumn is beautiful in all of her many-colored splendor... Mother Nature sort of making one last spectacular statement before taking a "long winter's nap." Although Winter is number four on my grading scale for seasons, the first snowfall is a delight! ...and who doesn't "dream of a white Christmas?" But then it seems to drag on a bit too long. Springtime!!! Rebirth of the earth... everything becomes fresh and new again. Okay, that's one reason why I like Michigan.... but
... here's the other! All those tornadoes, even in a normal year, thank God, those in Michigan are minimal... and our little piece of this state is in a bit of a valley - further protecting us. Earthquakes on the west coast... mudslides and floods... hurricanes... !!! Michigan, thank God, seems to be tucked safely in a nice little area - protected from nature's wrath. We can turn on the air-conditioner in summer - or better yet - spend a lot of time by the lake, collecting those gentle breezes blowing over the water to cool us. We turn up the heat in winter... grab an extra sweater or sweatshirt - bundle up warmly when we go outside. Sure we had a flood in 1986 - they called it a "hundred year" flood, and bad as it was, it went away and there probably won't be another for another hundred years. Living through that flood gave us an empathy for those people who live through such disasters year after year.
Why do I like Michigan? Four distinct seasons - well usually, although global warming is changing that somewhat. Summertime, especially a long luxurious one, is my own personal favorite season. It's summer picnics, easy family get-togethers, walking in the woods and along the lakeside, getting wet, cooling off and gnerally "vacation" time. Autumn is beautiful in all of her many-colored splendor... Mother Nature sort of making one last spectacular statement before taking a "long winter's nap." Although Winter is number four on my grading scale for seasons, the first snowfall is a delight! ...and who doesn't "dream of a white Christmas?" But then it seems to drag on a bit too long. Springtime!!! Rebirth of the earth... everything becomes fresh and new again. Okay, that's one reason why I like Michigan.... but
... here's the other! All those tornadoes, even in a normal year, thank God, those in Michigan are minimal... and our little piece of this state is in a bit of a valley - further protecting us. Earthquakes on the west coast... mudslides and floods... hurricanes... !!! Michigan, thank God, seems to be tucked safely in a nice little area - protected from nature's wrath. We can turn on the air-conditioner in summer - or better yet - spend a lot of time by the lake, collecting those gentle breezes blowing over the water to cool us. We turn up the heat in winter... grab an extra sweater or sweatshirt - bundle up warmly when we go outside. Sure we had a flood in 1986 - they called it a "hundred year" flood, and bad as it was, it went away and there probably won't be another for another hundred years. Living through that flood gave us an empathy for those people who live through such disasters year after year.
# posted by sherle : 8:55 AM
