Well, it's January 5th of 2023 and we have made it through the stinken pandemic. It has finally turned itself into a bad virus and it isn't as deadly. The last few year years has been pretty rough on our society but hopefully things are finally turning around. Our economy has really suffered the last two years. Inflation is running rampant and the price of eggs has shot up to over $4.00 a dozen. It's so sad. Last summer on July 22, Jim fell and broke his knee. That really took the wind out of his sails for a while. He had to wear a brace for six weeks and then went through six weeks of rehab to get his knee strengthed. He is doing fine now but it was a rough summer. Other than a few hiccups here and there it wasn't a bad year but, let's hope 2023 is better... All for now.

What a terrible year this has been... Riots and Covid have wreaked havoc on our way of life this year. We had to hunker down for the months of March, April, May, and June because of this terrible plague we are dealing with. It has taken a terrible toll on our economy and toilet paper supplies. We learned how to use "Shipt" from Meijers and that saved us many trips to the grocery store. The virus seemed to calm down enough over the summer that we felt safe enough to go out for an occasional dinner as long as we used a mask. The poor barn was neglected until late June and closed up early this year because of Dads heart problems. He seems to be getting back on the right track but the damn virus is rearing it's ugly head again because of the colder weather. We can't win this year.
And to top it off we are dealing with a presidential election and nationwide unrest due to Antifa and Black Lives Matter groups. I'm ready to stick my head in the sand until things calm down... Well, all for now. Love to all.

What a beautiful day! The sun is shinning and temperatures are pretty warm for the 21st of December. It's 46 degrees and I'm loving it! If only we could have this weather until May!
I'm just setting here and looking through my old blog posts. It's been too long since I posted last. I guess we are just distracted by living these days.
   It hasn't been a great year for our family. Shannon is going through an awful divorce after finding out that Gabrielle has been unfaithful many times over the last few years. How do you deal with such hurt and betrayal?  She not only ripped his heart out and stomped on it, but the rest of the family is suffering too.  We loved her like a daughter and it's hard to believe that someone could do such awful things to people she supposedly loved and respected. But I guess that's part of life and we have to deal with it. Anna and Emma seem to be to doing OK, although there is an underlying sadness within them. Things just aren't the same for them, and that hurts me terribly.  I'm sure they will be fine in the long run because they are loved, but hopefully it doesn't make life more of a struggle to feel safe and comfy...  I just wish this divorce was final so Shan can start to put his life back together.
Well, I have lots of Christmas gifts to wrap, so I need to get busy. All for today. Love to all and Merry Christmas....
                                             Stacie

Well, we have made it through the holidays and are looking forward to Spring. It has been a long winter but it has been surprisingly mild for most of it. We do have a spell of polar air coming next week, but hopefully it wont last long and we will be back on track for some nicer temps.
  Not much going on around here. All the kids are doing well, and Alan and Baily have started their college careers this January. Alan is going to Mott, and Baily has gone off to Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan. I am so proud of them both.
Ken and Kathy have sold their home in Davison, and are moving all of their belongings to the place on Six Mile Lake. I am so happy for them, but I will miss my Bingo Buddies on Sunday and Wednesday nights. It's so much work to move and now they are combining two households into one... I feel for them. Such a stressful situation.

It's Fall Ya'll....

 And boy is it gorgeous up here! The colors are in full bloom and it snowed like crazy yesterday. Shan, Anna, Emma, and Landyn came up for the weekend. We had a great time, but they couldn't do much Ranger riding because of the cold snowy weather. That's OK because I enjoyed them being in the the barn. :) We played "Tenzi" and watched cartoons all day Saturday and I may have gotten a hug or two out of the deal.
  It's almost time to close this place up and winterize it. We had a real short summer this year because of a health issue I was dealing with. I had a Kidney Stone that was giving me fits. I had to have Lithotrypsy three times, and a Stent placed before it was finally taken care of. I think it was the middle of June before we could get up here and open the place up. Anyway, the stone was blasted to smithereens and is gone! Yay...
  Jim bought me a new Ruby Royale Deluxe Embroidery sewing machine that I have really enjoyed this summer. I made Korey a quilt, and have made several other rag quilts this summer. Also have done a few T-Shirts for the kids and started putting the Charlevoix lighthouse on my new set of bath towels. It's just so relaxing to sit up on this beautiful hill and sew.
Well, that's all for now. Hugs from here...

  Well, it sure has been a while. I was just reading my past blogs and was wondering why I haven't posted in over a year. I guess our interests change and evolve. 
  We are doing just fine as far as life goes. We are at our place up north and are enjoying our retirement to absolute fullest. We spend most of the summer traveling around northwest lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. We are only an hour from The Mackinac Bridge to the north and Traverse City to the south. So many places to explore and we certainly do our best to hit them all!
  When we aren't doing the little day trips we have lots of other  things to keep us busy. I bought a beautiful Viking Sewing machine that also embroiders, so I have been playing with that. It isn't nearly as complicated as the CNC Machinery I used to program at work, but it takes a little finagling to get things just the way I want them. It's a fun distraction from everyday living. :) 
  Well, I guess I should go do something. I have stalled long enough.
Hugs to all from The Barn....

The Great Lakes National Cemetery

This National Cemetery has been in use for about two years now. It is only a few miles from where we live, but for some reason we have never taken the time to visit. Right now it is still under construction in some of the more remote areas, but for the most part it's finished and being used.


I especially loved seeing the "Avenue of Flags"... As far as I'm concerned there is nothing more beautiful than our "Stars and Stripes" flying in a stiff breeze.
It's very humbling to see all the headstones, and know that every one of them represents an American Soldier that has passed. A very somber place, and yet it is so gorgeous to see. It overlooks a small lake with rolling hills all around. I hope you enjoy the photos...
All for now from Grand Blanc. Hugs, Stacie

Grandpa Weston passed away on October 8... His kidneys finally gave out after many years of struggling. We are sad that he is gone and we miss him, but his suffering is finally over and that's a relief.
    Now we are just getting ready for Christmas. Today I'm going to start the wrapping of the presents. We haven't bought much for the older grandchildren and are going to give them money instead. I'm too old to know what's in fashion any more so with the money they buy what they want. Not much fun to open on Christmas, but I'm sure the shopping cash will be appreciated. :0)
   Korey is looking great and working lots of hours. Her weight loss has slowed down some but she is still losing and wearing  a size 12 Jean... Something she hasn't done since she was a teenager. Alan is doing so well in school and has really matured the year. He has a girl he hangs out with and she is just a sweet kid.
  Eric has started a new job at "Skipper Buds" marina as the loan manager. He had to go to Wisconsin for a week to learn what his responsibilities will be. I hope this works for him.

Not much happening at the Brugger household. We are just staying home and taking care of grandpa. He is doing fine - but still having a few bad episodes here and there. Not much we can do to help him except watch his sodium intake. His kidneys are getting progressively worse and the coughing is still going on. The pneumonia really took it's toll.  Jim and I take a few hours here and there to get out of the house but we can't leave for too long. He is very unsteady on his feet and we worry about him falling. He has his emergency button so if something happens while we are gone he is still protected...
   Our grandchildren are doing great, and are all growing like weeds. Alan has really sprouted this last few months, and is now taller than his grandpa. Unfortunately we  don't get to see Baily, Hannah, and Carson nearly enough - but little Emma, Anna, and Kendall are here to play and keep grandma entertained about once a week... I sure enjoy my grandchildren! They are all such a source of joy. 
   Korey is doing great on her diet. She has lost about fifty pounds so far and looks wonderful. Her clothes are getting too big - so she picks up a few things here and there to keep her from looking like a bag lady!
  Well, I guess I will close for now. Hugs from here...

Grampa is having a hard time...

Just thought I would let you all know how things are going here....

My dad is holding his own. The medication change hasn't really helped a lot, but he isn't getting any worse so I guess that's good.

The pneumonia is kicking his butt, and the fluid from the I.V. antibiotic is backing up in his system because his kidneys are failing - so that's another whole problem.... The doctors are trying to balance out the medications to get the pneumonia under control without drowning him... I feel so bad for the old guy. He sure hasn't had much fun the last couple of years.

     I'm just worried that they are going to want to dis-charge him from the hospital in a few days, but there's no way I can take care of him as weak as he is...
 I'm afraid he will have to go to a rehab facility to help get him back on his feet... (If he can rebound from this???) Since he is almost 88, I'm starting to wonder if he will.  He knows he isn't strong enough to come home with me and he is getting depressed.

I just hate seeing him struggle so.
All I know is that it's hell watching your parents get old.... And I'm getting old too because - I'm so worn out from setting at the hospital all day... All for now, and thanks for any good thoughts...

Hugs, Stacie

__._,_.___

Lake Michigan by BarnDweller : Weather Underground

Lake Michigan by BarnDweller : Weather Underground

It's Summer Again!

Well, it sure has been a long time since I posted anything here. I guess I just haven't been in the mood.
  I do have good news for myself though. Since I posted the last time I have lost 92 pounds and I feel wonderful! I still have a long ways to go before I get back to fighting weight but it sure is a start...  The weight loss has really slowed the last few months but I am contributing that to being able to eat some of things that I couldn't in the beginning. I did finally have a bagel today but it was whole wheat. We aren't supposed to eat bread but after ten months I figured one bagel wouldn't hurt too bad. So I ate it and it was yummy!

  We have been up north for the last week. I love it up here. We have been coming here together since before we were married and I love it just as much today as I ever have. The beauty of the area never ceases to amaze me. We missed the blooming of the Trillium this year but "Mushroom Weekend" is coming up. We never hunt the morels but it's a big weekend for the businesses here and an unofficial start of summer.

  Jim and I are looking for a small trailer for camping. He loves to go hunting in the fall and needs something to stay in. Just a little one that will be easy to tow and maneuver.

  Well, that's all for now. It's time to fly into action.  Hugs to all from "Up North"....

Each full moon has a special name...

Here is a listing of the "Indian Tribes" full moon names, as well as the dates and times for 2010. Unless otherwise noted, all times are for the Eastern Time Zone.
Jan. 30, 1:18 a.m. EST -- Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the Moon after Yule. In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next moon. The Moon will also arrive at perigee (it's closest point to Earth on its non-circular orbit) less than three hours later, at 4:04 a.m. EST at a distance of 221,577 mi. (356,593 km.) from Earth. So this is the biggest full moon of 2010. Very high ocean tides can be expected during the next two or three days, thanks to the coincidence of perigee with full moon.
Feb. 28, 11:38 a.m. EST -- Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon. .
Mar. 29, 10:25 p.m. EDT -- Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. In 2010 this is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed six days later on Sunday, April 4.
Apr. 28, 8:18 a.m. EDT -- Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad come upstream to spawn.
May 27, 7:07 p.m. EDT -- Full Flower Moon. Flowers are now abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
Jun. 26, 7:30 a.m. EDT -- Full Strawberry Moon. Strawberry picking season peaks during this month. Europeans called this the Rose Moon. There will be also be a Partial Lunar Eclipse that coincides with moonset from the western and central sections of the US and Canada and coincides with moonrise for parts of eastern Asia. At its maximum the Moon will be overhead for observers in the South Pacific;nearly 54-percent of the Moon's diameter will become immersed in the Earth's dark umbral shadow.
Jul. 25, 9:37 p.m. EDT -- Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes it's also called the Full Hay Moon.
Aug. 24, 1:05 p.m. EDT -- Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because when the moon rises it looks reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon. Since the Moon arrives at apogee about 12 hours later, this will also be the smallest full moon of 2010. In terms of apparent size, it will appear 12.3-percent smaller than the full Moon of Jan. 30.
Sep. 23, 5:17 a.m. EDT -- Full Harvest Moon. Traditionally, this designation goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal (fall) Equinox. The Harvest Moon usually comes in September, but (on average) once or twice a decade it will fall in early October. At the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the night by the light of this moon. Usually the moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice -- the chief Indian staples -- are now ready for gathering.
Oct. 22, 9:36 p.m. EDT -- Full Hunters' Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it's now time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, as well as other animals, which can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest.
Nov. 21, 12:27 p.m. EST -- Full Beaver Moon. At this point of the year, it's time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon come from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. It's also called the Frosty Moon.
Dec. 21, 3:13 a.m. EST -- Full Cold Moon. On occasion, this moon was also called the Moon before Yule. December is also the month the winter cold fastens its grip. Sometimes this moon is referred to as the Full Long Nights Moon and the term "Long Night" Moon is a very appropriate name because the nights are now indeed long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. This particular full moon makes its highest arc across the sky because it's diametrically opposite to the low Sun. In fact, the moment of the Winter Solstice comes just over 15 hours after this full moon, at 6:38 p.m. EST.
Last, but certainly not least, this will also be the night of a Total Lunar Eclipse. North Americans will have a ringside seat for this event (totality will last 73-minutes) and, depending on your location, will take place either during the middle of the night or during the predawn hours. Observers in Western Europe and western Africa will see the opening stages of the eclipse before the Moon sets; South Americans will see the Moon set either during the total phase or as the Moon emerges from the shadow. At mid-eclipse, the Moon will appear almost directly overhead for observers in southern California and Baja Mexico.
More Moon Info:

Canadian Terms??? I use a lot of these!

Become familiar with following general terms:
Deadly - a reaction to something done "over the top"; overdone; excessive. Can also be used as a response to something done very well.
Loonie - the Canadian one-dollar coin.
Toonie - the Canadian two-dollar coin.
Deke - a sports term meaning to dodge and out-maneuver.
Brown Bread - whole wheat bread.
Homo Milk - homogenized whole milk.
Dooryard - front garden.
Wicked - something or someone amazing, i.e. "Cheryl is wicked at her job."
Beauty - expression used to refer to something done extremely well.
Double-Double - said when ordering a coffee; indicating two creams and two sugars.
Growl - to yell.
Runners - athletic sport shoes.
Gitch - tighty-whities.
Longjohns - long, thin waffle-knit thermal underwear used in extreme cold.
Timbits - the doughnut hole-like small pastries available at Tim Hortons.
Timmies - Tim Hortons, a chain of coffee shops.
Brutal- an adjective for something bad or unfair.
Chesterfield - a couch.
Eh - (pronounced "ey", as in "hey" or "hay") word you add to the end of a sentence, to ask for a response of agreement or disagreement, similar in meaning to "don't you think?", or "right?" (ex. "Looks like a storm comin' in, eh?"). It is also sometimes used with "I know", and in that case it doesn't really mean anything. ("Wow, the Calgary Flames really kicked butt tonight!" -"I know, eh?").
Gawn- to showoff, or to force.
Two-Four - (pronounced "Two-Fer") a case of beer, so-called because it contains 24 cans.
Pissed- term used as expression of getting intoxicated.
Mickey - a flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.
Texas Mickey - a 3 litre bottle of hard liquor.
Touque - (pronounced "tuke") a knit cap usually worn in winter. Known as a Beanie in the USA.
Toboggan - a simple sled and a traditional form of transportation. Now used primarily on snow to carry one or more people (usually children) down a hill for recreation.
Balaclava - a knit touque/face mask combination, usually worn in winter. The origin of this word is British English and takes its name from The Battle of Balaclava 25 October 1854 during the the Crimean War and the famous Charge Of The Light Brigade.
Click- a kilometre.
Hydro- a reference to electricity, not water. Synonymous with electrical service in provinces where most of the power is supplied through hydroelectricity. "The hydro is out," means there's no power, not no water. This phrase extends to things like 'hydro poles,' 'hydro wires,' and having a 'hydro bill.'
Canadian bacon - is the American term for back bacon cured in maple syrup, which is referred to by Canadians as "peameal" or "back bacon".
Francophone - someone who speaks French as a first language, as opposed to an Anglophone, who speaks English as a first language.
Housecoat - type of bathrobe you can wear to get the morning paper, and not worry about being seen by the neighbors.
Kerfuffle - Scottish word referring to a flurry of agitation, as in, "There was quite a kerfuffle after Mike asked for the project three days early."
States - The USA is almost always referred to as the States, except in writing, when it becomes the US.
Washroom - bathroom and washroom are used interchangeably to refer to a place where you would find toilets. There is not always necessarily a shower or bathtub within a washroom.
Soda vs Pop - Canadians drink pop. Ask for a soda and you'll get soda water (Especially in British Columbia and Ontario).
Pencil Crayon- colored pencil.
Joggers- sweat pants.
Run a message- means to run an errand.
Learn the local slang for the area you're going to:
Chinook - From the aboriginal word for the language of trade used by First Nations people. Refers to a warm westerly "trade" wind that blows east from British Columbia over the Rocky Mountains and blankets the Alberta foothills with out-of-season warmth, changing the temperature rapidly. Picks up moisture across the prairies and dumps onto Toronto and Chicago as "The Albertan".
How's She Bootin'er? - Atlantic Canadian equivalent of "How's it going?"
Whadda'yat? - Newfoundland term meaning "What are you doing?"
Bunnyhug - Saskatchewanian term for a hooded sweatshirt.
Poutine - (pronounced poo-TEEN) gravy poured over cheese curds and French fries. Originated in Quebec.
Caisse populaire - kind of co-operative bank, or credit union, found mostly in Quebec. Popularly known as a caisse pop.
Depanneur - in Quebec, a corner store or variety store. The word derives from "dépanner", meaning "to help out temporarily"
Guichet - Quebec term for automatic bank machine
Look out for the following derogatory terms:
Hoser- Hoser: a guy who hosed (siphoned) wrong fuel from a tractor into his truck and ruined his engine on the way back to town. A dumb crook whose luck ran out in public, for all to see.
Newfie - derogatory term for a person from Newfoundland and Labrador. The term is primarily used in "Newfie jokes," the typical Canadian ethnic joke. Many Newfoundlanders use the term with pride amongst themselves, not taking offense to it when used without intention to insult.
Frog - derogatory term for French Canadians.
Square head - derogatory term for Anglophone Canadians. Mostly used in Quebec.
Quebecois - Official term for people living in Quebec, mostly in reference to Francophones. "Quebeckers" (often pronounced K-beckers) is often used by Angolophones.
Gorby- derogatory term for tourists.

Sure has been rainy up here the last few days. I don't think the Sun has peeked out since we got here.

The weather forecast for the 4th of July weekend is calling for low to mid 70's and partly cloudy. Sounds perfect to me but I'm sure all the family members coming up for the long weekend would like it a lot warmer. As I look across the hills, all I can see is fog right now. As long as the rain clears out and they aren't stuck in the barn for five days.... That's the important thing. Lol..

We haven't done much since we got here. It's been very quiet and relaxing. We drove to Petokoskey yesterday just for something to do. I took a few photos of the Beaver Island Ferry coming in from the island. It was pretty overcast so the pics aren't great. But like I say "You can never have to many photo's of the ferry"...

Leslee had her knee replaced on Friday. She is doing OK now but it was a little hard on her. I'm finding out that we aren't as young as we used to be. She will be the rest of the summer trying to get her knee back in shape. Poor thing. I feel for her, but I'm sure once she gets through this tough spot her knee will be so much better. It aint fun when something is hurting all the time. Well that's all for now. Hugs from Up North...

Stacie

Michigan Facts....

Subject: Fwd: Interesting Facts about Michigan

THIS IS MICHIGAN ...
Detroit is known as the car capital of the world.
Alpena is the home of the world's largest cement plant.
Rogers City boasts the world's largest limestone quarry.
Elsie is the home of the world's largest registered Holstein dairy herd.
Michigan is first in the United States production of peat and magnesium compounds and second in gypsum and iron ore.
Colon is home to the world's largest manufacturer of magic supplies.
The state Capitol with its majestic dome was built in Lansing in l879.
Although Michigan is often called the Wolverine State , there are no longer any wolverines in Michigan . However, one was spotted in 2007, so there are some.
Michigan ranks first in state boat registrations.
The Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit manufactured the first air-conditioned car in 1939.
The oldest county based on date of incorporation is Wayne in 1815.
Sault Ste. Marie was founded by Father Jacques Marquette in 1668. It is the third oldest remaining settlement in the United States.
In 1817, the University of Michigan was the first university established by any of the states. It was founded by priests. Originally named Cathelepistemian and located in Detroit . The name was changed in 1821. The university moved to Ann Arbor in 1841.
The city of Novi was named from its designation as Stagecoach Stop #6 or No.VI.
Michigan State University has the largest single campus student body of any Michigan university. It is the largest institution of higher learning in the state and one of the largest universities in the country. Michigan State University was founded in 1855 as the nation's first land-grant university and served as the prototype for 69 land-grant institutions later established under the Morrill Act of 1862. It was the first institution of higher learning in the nation to teach scientific agriculture..
The largest village in Michigan is Caro.
Michigan's state stone, the Petoskey, is the official state stone. It is found along the shores of Lake Michigan .
The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan . It spans five miles over the Straits of Mackinac, which is where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The "Mighty Mac" took three years to complete and was opened to traffic in 1957.
Gerald R Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and became the 38th president of the United States . He attended the University of Michigan where he was a football star. He served on a World War II aircraft carrier and afterward represented Michigan in Congress for 24 years. He was also an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.
The Kellogg Company has made Battle Creek the Cereal Capital of the World. The Kellogg brothers accidentally discovered the process for producing flaked cereal products and sparked the beginning of the dry cereal industry.
The painted turtle is Michigan 's state reptile.
The western shore of Michigan has many sand dunes. The Sleeping Bear Dunes rise 460 feet above Lake Michigan . Living among the dunes is the dwarf lake iris the official state wildflower.
Vernor's ginger ale was created in Detroit and became the first soda pop made in the United States . In 1862, pharmacist James Vernor was trying to create a new beverage when he was called away to serve our country in the Civil War. When he returned, four years later, the drink he had stored in an oak case had acquired a delicious gingery flavor.
The Detroit Zoo was the first zoo in America to feature cageless, open-exhibits that allowed the animals more freedom to roam.
Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office..
The J. W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for 125 years.
Indian River is the home of the largest crucifix in the world. It is called the Cross in the Woods.
Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world.
Michigan has more shoreline than any other state except Alaska .
The Ambassador Bridge was named by Joseph Bower, the person credited with making the bridge a reality, who thought the name, Detroit-Windsor International Bridge, as too long and lacked emotional appeal. Bower wanted to symbolize the visible expression of friendship of two peoples with like ideas and ideals.
Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles of streams.
Michigan has 116 lighthouses and navigational lights. Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver has been guiding ships since 1895. The working light also functions as a museum, which houses early 1900's furnishings and maritime artifacts.
Forty of the state's 83 counties adjoin at least one of the Great Lakes.
Michigan is the only state that touches four of the five Great Lakes.
Standing anywhere in the state a person is within 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes.
Michigan includes 56,954 square miles of land area, 1,194 square miles of Inland waters, and 38,575 square miles of Great Lakes water area.
Sault Ste. Marie was established in 1668 making it the oldest town between the Alleghenies and the Rockies.
Michigan was the first state to provide in its Constitution for the establishment of public libraries.
Michigan was the first state to guarantee every child the right to tax-paid high school education.
Four flags have flown over Michigan - French, English, Spanish and United States.

Isle Royal Park shelters one of the largest moose herds remaining in the United States ...
Some of the longest bulk freight carriers in the world operate on the Great Lakes. Ore carriers 1,000 feet long sail Michigan's inland seas.
The Upper Michigan Copper Country is the largest commercial deposit of native copper in the world.
The 19 chandeliers in the Capitol in Lansing are one of a kind and designed especially for the building by Tiffany's of New York. Weighing between 800-900 pounds apiece, they are composed of copper, iron, and pewter.
The first auto traffic tunnel built between two nations was the mile-long Detroit-Windsor tunnel under the Detroit River.
The world's first international submarine railway tunnel was opened between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada in 1891.
The nation's first regularly scheduled air passage service began operation between Grand Rapids and Detroit in 1926.
In 1879, Detroit telephone customers were first in the nation to be assigned phone numbers to facilitate handling calls.
In 1929, the Michigan State Police established the first state police radio system in the world.
Grand Rapids is home to the 24-foot Leonardo Da Vinci horse, called Il Gavallo. It is the largest equestrian bronze sculpture in the Western Hemisphere.
The State Motto (written in Latin) translates to: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."

Was that interesting or what?
With all of the negativity due to poor economics and housing markets these days, let us try to remember and say something positive about our beautiful and interesting Michigan !! We will strive to thrive once again! It would also be a good thing to keep our Michigan in our prayers and thoughts, too.
Thank you, and may God bless our Michigan and her people.

New trees and flowers.Yay!!!!!

What a nice "Mother's Day"! The weather was beautiful, and my family planted three trees for me out in the yard. I loved it.... Our very sparse yard is finally starting to shape up a little. The trees we planted will take a while to grow, but they have to start somewhere. The funny thing is that we bought the new trees from the very same nursery as Jim did twenty seven years ago, for our original house.
That is one thing I miss about our other house... The yard. Jim really had everything fixed up nice over there, and the trees he planted twenty five years ago are gorgeous... I always enjoyed sitting in the Sun Room and listening to the wind blowing through those big old Maple trees. And the birds! Oh my gosh we had lots of birds over there. Probably because of all the trees. Lol.
With Korey owning the house now, it isn't like we can't go back for a visit with our feathered friends and trees. Maybe I could trick her into a cup of coffee out in the sun room. That and the newspaper would be a treat.
Alan brought me the prettiest Hydrangea. It's a perfect size to put into a pot for the patio out back. Also, my little Anna got her Grammy a bright red hanging basket for the front porch. I'm hoping it will bring in a Humming bird or two...
So that was my Mother's Day. Three nice little trees that will hopefully stand tall and proud in a few years, a hydrangea, and hanging basket... Gee, you'd think my family knew me or something!!! Heh, heh, heh...
Hugs from here.

I belong to a group where the members make tags for each other - and Cindi made this one for me. I thought it was cute so I wanted to show it off. Thanks Cindi! Lol... I have been kind of lax lately about my tag making, but I think today would be a good time to get back into the swing of things.

Jim is outside doing a little yard work and cleaning the garage. I would like to be out there keeping him company, but yesterday I woke up with a muscle spasm in my lower back, so I'm laying low for a while. I hate taking any muscle relaxers because it puts me to sleep, but I may have to if it doesn't let up soon...

It's going to be a beautiful sunny day with temps in the mid sixties - and I love it! We haven't had a nice day in ages. It seems the "April Showers" had a grip on the whole month, but it's May now and time for a little nice weather... We are hoping to head north on Wednesday to open the barn up for the summer. This is the latest we have ever waited for our initial Spring trip, and yet we are still hoping it isn't too early for the stairs and hubby's injured knee.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Hugs to from Grand Blanc.

Well, it has been raining again today. It seems like this has been a very wet and windy Spring. We really do need the water for our Great Lakes but a warm sunny day once in a while would be such a nice change of pace.
Other than the rain there isn't much going on here so I thought I would share an E-Mail.... I guess what my Mom always told me is really true.

"With age comes wisdom"


Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio " To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here goes:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14.. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood..
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Hubby and I finally visited our Great Lakes National Cemetery. It is only a few miles from our home here in Grand Blanc, but for some reason we have just not made it a priority... We were very surprized to see so many Graves, because it's only been in service for two years.

I really loved seeing the the "Avenue of Flags". It was a very striking entrance to the rolling hills of the cemetery...

The National Cemetery is situated on a small lake that is surrounded by rolling hills.


This is one of several Pavallions that are used for Graveside Funeral Services.


We were surprized to see that so many Veterans have already been buried in the cemetery.



This is the "Avenue of Flags". Such a beautiful site to see all of the "Stars and Stripes flying in the wind.