4 Red Leaves!

This totally goes on the "What In The World" shelf. The other day (date is important here), I found, under my maple tree, are you ready for this? 4 RED LEAVES!

"So what?" you might say!

"???" I say! (complete with silent waving of arms and expression of disbelief on my face)

"What does finding a few red leaves on the ground have to do with anything?" you might say.

Well, for one, it means that fall is coming. You know. Fall. Autumn. The season before all of the white stuff falls from the sky and covers everything for months and months and months. And it gets really cold. Yeah, Fall, you got it now. It's coming. Soon. The Maple Tree says so.

"But it's only August", you might say.

"I know, right?" I say. (I love that new "saying"), it fits so well. Kind of like when my teenagers started the "whatever". "As if". thing.

But back to reality.....Yeah. Red leaves in August.

Everyone I've told this too just about shrinks in horror. With all of the dire warnings no doubt contrived from NASA, NOAA, the Farmer's Almanac and Uncle Joe. But to tell the truth. It happens every August. Right after the blackberry season. This is the first tree in all of Michigan to start the color show.

Before long, the whole landscape will look like this:

Yeah, I get it, it's gorgeous, and Michigan rakes in big bucks from tourists looking for color tours in mid October, but it's a harbinger of whiter, colder times. When all of the reds, yellows, golds and half of the greens turn into varying shades of grays, browns and whites.

When the whole world is covered in white. When Jeff Foxworthy, the famous comedian states, "You might be from Michigan if you sit on a frozen lake and wait for your dinner to swim by". Yeah, good times!

But before you get all "awwwwww, these pictures are gorgeous, I wish I lived there....", note that the REAL result of these red leaves falling and the soon to be white stuff on the ground is the end of motorcycle season. Go ahead and say it now..... "awwwwww......"

Snow. Again.

This time of year, snow is a moot point up here. There's gonna be snow. There's gonna be lots of it, and then there's gonna be more snow. It happens. Every year, you can almost set your calendar by it.

End of year, get lots of snow.
Beginning of year, snow starts to not fall quite as hard, quite as often, this is a sign that the big lakes are frozen over (or mostly frozen over).
Middle of January, the sun (remember mr. sun?) makes his appearance again, once in awhile, you know, just for a teaser. There's no heat in this sun, it's just pretty and yellow and mostly deceiving, because it makes you think thoughts of going outside to do stuff like plant the garden (which is under 3-4 foot of snow). Deceiving.
End of January, the January Thaw! where traditionally temps rise above the average for a week or so, again, deceiving us into believing that the winter gods are done with us for yet another year.
But it's not so. Phil lets us know every Feb 2 that we are not to be deceived. If you don't believe him, ask the natives. They get deceived also, but know better. They'll tell you that the snow won't go away until August (they're mostly tired of it by now and view it as a never ending curse).

Me? bring it on. I love it. I love staying inside and looking out at it. I love being outside in it. I just love it, yup, a northern girl at heart. What can I say?

But, even though I profess my never ending love of winter every chance I get, does not mean that I invite head shots with snow shovels, ice picks or skiis. I didn't do it. I didn't make it snow, I just like that it does.
And, I look forward to the thawing of the lakes, so the great Lake Effect Snows can once again dump enough of the white stuff in 20 mins to cover a house.

So what do we do until it starts snowing again, but it's too cold? (cause snow and cold, while seemingly compatible, are not! It can comfortably be 30 degrees and still snowy, what I object to is 75 below zero with a wind chill just short of Mars).
We do as Jeff Foxworthy suggests and go sit on 18+ inches of ice, drill a hole and wait for our dinner to swim by!

Gotta Love Michigan!

Walking!

Here's the newest idea rambling around in my brain.

I'm going to start walking to work. Why? Well, back at ya.... why not?

I live 4 miles from work (3 if I hoof it through the woods). I can make it in 45 mins, a lot less time than some people spend commuting. Especially if I have Bu-Dawgh to help me "Go".

Imagine the benefits.
1. Walking is wonderful exercize. If I walk 6-8 miles a day, imagine the benefits in my on-going delusional weight loss goals.
2. Stress and anxiety will all but disappear with 2 daily walks through the woods, fields, meadows, listening to the birds and squirrels, the wind in the trees, the scents of the seasons. Just imagine. Other than the Pteradactyl sized mosquitos, the bears, coyotes and snakes that reside in the woods, it will be a wonderful way to relax and center with the universe around me.
3. Toning and breathing! Need I say more? And, since in July I have a standing arm wrestling competition with my neice, L, I will be in darn good shape to whip the tar out of her. By the way, L, have your people get in touch with my people to set this up.
4. I don't know, there seemed like soooo many good reasons when I made this epic decision.
5. Oh, I remember. Think of the knitting I'll get done with an extra 1.5 hrs a day. Yes, I can knit while I walk, knit while I sleep, knit while I drive (this has been discouraged for some reason by hubby and a multitude of others), knit while I watch tv, actually, the only thing I can think of that I can't do while I'm knitting is diving. I'm sure the water would seriously mess with my gauge.

Now.....
This is why I didn't walk to work today.
1. Rain is threatening, which, by the way, it either needs to do (rain) or get off the pot. Enough already. We need the rain, a lot, my hay fields depend on it, as does all the plants that I haven't planted yet. (this weekend, one way or another, my garden WILL get finished). So being as how I am of delicate nature and will most probably felt if I get wet, we (me and the Bu-Dawgh) didn't walk today.
2. I have to go to the courthouse to finish up all the passport crap that I, as a Natural Born American Citizen have to have to return to my country of birth and entire life life-ness. Don't get me started. But, to get my passport, I have to show a birth certificate and a driver's lisence to prove that I really was born here and really do reside here. Why can't I just show the driver's lisence and birth certificate at the border to prove that I was born here and live here? Because then the State of Michigan, or US government, or someone will miss out on an extra 90 bucks. I'm just sayin' is all..
So... will I walk tomorrow? You betcha, I have yet to give myself a free pass for tomorrow. I WILL WALK TOMORROW!

Tonight: Game 6. Will we walk (skate) away with it? Only time will tell. So as of 8 pm tonight, I will be cush-ily (a technical term) parked in my chair (with my knitting) and the current resident 2 year old and will watch my Red Wings skate their way to the Stanley Cup. Go Wings.