Today is -

- - - > our Brandon's 23rd Birthday :-D WOW!!!! You've come so-o-o far!!!!!!!!!!!! What a blessing watching you do so has been!!!! (I best stop, getting teary eyed, he'd be rolling his eyes at me o;-p)


- - - > 'Officially', it's the first day of spring. However, in spite of the fact that we've averaged temps in the high 40's to mid fifties this past week, we awoke to gently falling white flaky stuff this morning. :-{
     No, it did not totally surprise us. We do live in MI after all. And there is an old (too often proven true) saying around here - "In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb. Or it will be vise-versa." The saying is referring to the month of March. It did not come in like a roaring lion this year. So this new stuff did not surprise us. We (yes, most all Michiganders!) are really hoping that "we will only be getting the inch or two mainly only on the grass, etc." like a local weather man stated.
     But last week we had been in the high 40's and even mid 50's!!! Around here, that means that coats get shed. And for a few hours each afternoon, certain windows in the house get opened a bit. And the grills get pulled out FOR REAL! (we are known to grill in mid winter). And yards get re-evaluated, etc. . Sure hope this 'return of the white stuff' passes QUICKLY!!!!

- - - > Today is the day that our governor tagged as a "Meat Free Day". Her reasoning had to do with getting people to eat more vegetables, and pointing out some of the health dangers associated with red meats.
     However, and this my friends is a HUGE however(!), agriculture is the second largest industry state wide in Michigan!!! There is a lot of beef raised in this state. And there are a lot of farms who grow the feed for the beef. And there are a lot of companies that make the equipment for the farmers who grow the feed to feed the beef. Hey, I bet I could turn this into a song o/~ . he he he!!
     Most people will admit that our governor probably did mean well, she probably just didn't think it all the way through, and we've ALL done that!!! And she did issue a revision which suggested eating lots of vegetables and maybe a hamburger .... But oh has she 'stirred the pot' so to speak!!!
     Many are heading to Lansing (our states capitol) today, to join in an enormous beef grill out/off. I bet the downtown Lansing area will smell ab-so-lut-ly delicious today!!!!
     And some of our local meat shops are running 'today only' sales.
     While talking about all of this yesterday, Brian and I thought she should have waited till all of the 'farmers markets' are open and running state wide. Then she should have encouraged people to buy chicken or fish from a local shop (vs. national chains). AND encouraged people to shop at the farmers markets, thus supporting Michigan's agriculture industry, and have a 'lettuce' salad, several vegetables, and a fresh fruit salad for dinner. Because when you go to your local grocery store, you don't always have the option of buying Michigan grown products. You have to buy what ever the store carries. But at a 'farmers market' you can choose only in state grown products!