(VERY Be-lated) Nov. 10th - "I'm Thankful for: "

     Living in the State of Michigan.
     My parents moved us here right when I was turning five (5). From then until well into my high school years, we traveled "back home" often. Early on in the history of those trips, that drive "back home" took a good six and a half hours, in great part due to the fact that a lot of the highway systems between here and there, had not yet been built. Therefore, we saw a lot of Indiana country side while en-route. ;-p
     Shortly after we were married, Brian looked into a job possibility in the State of Texas.
While Indiana is quite a bit different than most of Michigan, Texas is a whole lot different!!! Now true, I have never personally been to Texas, so my view is based on information gathered from other sources. But I do remember some things about it from studying all of the United States back in school geography days. And things I've seen in magazines and on news reports. And things Nate M. told us about it. o;-p 
     And while both Indiana and Texas have good things about them that Michigan does not have, I never the less am very thankful that I grew up in and still live in, the state of Michigan.

   Things about Michigan that I like so much:
       (yes, those other two states, as well as many others, have some of these features too. I just love Michigan's version of them. o:-> )

 - Michigan usually fully has all four seasons. In great splendor. To full effect.
   Now true, there are occasional years where it seems like we only get two days of true spring like weather, and then it goes straight into a summer of extreme high heat and humidities that never seem to break. But usually we have beautiful, story book quality springs, that are oh so beautiful and soul comforting after our long cold winters.
    And sometimes our falls do a rush job and allow the cold bitter north wind to take over long before it should, thus shortening the beauty we most often get to experience during the fall season. Michigan has beautiful fall seasons!!!
    Our summers usually have lots of good days for going to the beach, or on a picnic, or any other fun summer time activities.
    And most often, our winters have more than enough days for the snow skiers and snowmobilers and toboggan runners to enjoy those activities.
    Michigan definitely experiences each and every one of the four seasons to the full extent.

  - While traveling in Michigan, you seldom see far across "flat" land, because Michigan is full of hills and dales! Some of the hills are small. But others are far from small. And some of the medium sized (also know as "good sized") hills, have this tendency to grow - while your trekking back up them, hoping to slide down on an inner tube, on the snow, yet again. o;-p

  - In this state, you are never more than six miles (I believe the saying goes) from a body of water. We have millions of streams. Thousands of rivers. Thousands of 'ponds'. And literally hundreds of lakes!!
     A lot of the rivers are good for canoeing on. You can choose ones like the White River, which are very mellow and thus easy maneuvering. Or you can pick one similar to some of the branches of the Pere Marquette, which while they aren't any wheres near the equivalent of Colorado's white water rafting rivers, they never-the-less do have rapids and sharp bends, etc. .
    And the high majority of the ponds are wonderful swimming spots. Some are even good for fishing, due to being fed by a river.
     And oh do we have lakes! We have small lakes. We have medium sized lakes. We have large lakes. We have huge lakes. And then we have all five of the 'Great Lakes'! :-)

  - While due to fully experiencing all four seasons, there are certain types of crops that don't grow well here, Michigan still does host a huge variety of naturally grown product! From apples and pumpkins, to asparagus and blueberries, and even a short span of strawberries. And m-a-n-y other things as well. Yummy things! Things that you can often pick up while on a country drive at road side stands. Besides at farmers markets, or the grocery store.

   - Michiganders are the only ones that can easily show somebody where with in the state we live, by holding up our hand and pointing at it. We are "the glove state". Some  Michiganders live in the "thumb area", some up near the point, some down along the cuff, and some along the pinkie side. Many others live someplace in between, which while not as easily described, is still easy to point out! And then there are those for whom it takes both hands to show our state. The right hand, turned backwards, fingers held together but thumb sticking out. And the left hand held front wards, fingers held together, thumb sticking down. The left hand signifies the lower peninsula, the left hand signifying the upper peninsula. 
     And yes, we have our own names dubbed to those whom live in each of the peninsula's. o;-p

     I am so-o-o thankful that I live in the state of Michigan!


[Yes, this is very *belated. Go HERE if you want to know why.]

The 2010 "I'm Thankful for: " Challenge   - if you don't know what this is, follow the lead on our side bar.