Retired in Michigan:
Home Sweet Home!

by Tom Leitch
(Clinton Township, MI.)

I most certainly envy you folks in Arizona when winter comes here to Michigan. It seems like it is cloudy and overcast from November through March. The trees are stark and foreboding against the grey skies.

I've learned to understand that the trees are asleep. Come spring the oak, elm, maple and ash trees are resplendent in their green glory. I think the trees enjoy the wind blowing through their branches and leaves. I imagine them to be laughing.

And the ground in winter is a frozen tundra, hard and unrelenting. On sub-zero and zero days and nights one can imagine winter fist-squeezing us inhabitants.

But spring comes and crusted fields of snow give way to the 'verdant green pastures' with dandelions announcing the coming summer. Then asters make their apperarance and later azelia bushes bloom and the northern climes become a paradise.

And then there's the water. I am a life-long Michigander, born to water. I just have to be near water. In Michigan we have just as many lakes as Minnesota's supposedly 10,000 lakes. If you mapquest my Zip Code 48036, you can scroll east and see I'm only a few miles from Lake St. Clair. If you scroll my son's Zip Code, 48044, and my daughter's Zip Code 48329, you will find that they live right on the water. Did you know that Michigan has more registered pleasure crafts than any other State?

I think the starkness of our winters are similar to the starkness of the never changing deserts of Arizona.

Some say that God so loved the area of Michigan He left his hand imprinted in the shape of a mitten.

In the near future I'll be returning my mortal remains to the Michigan soil from which I came. I would not want to be anywhere else.

Tom Leitch

Wendy Changed the title of this post, Tom, as it's simply very sweet to me. I want Michigan retirees (and others) to find it.. hope you don't mind. As you know, I also live in Michigan (quite close to you too) and love the four seasons too!
Very beautiful!! thanks!

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Home Sweet Home!

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Retired in Michigan's thumb
by: ronaldj

I live in the thumb of God?s left hand? would not want to be anywhere else?.

Wendy I just drove up to Lexington (towards the bottom right side of thumb), for the day, a few weeks ago and we had a fantastic day.

Three gals just took a ride (an hour and a half for us from home) to a cottage on Lake Huron. The lake shore in front of her cottage was half beach, half rocky, and so ruggedly nature-at-its-best! There were a few large rocks jutting out of the water a few feet off shore, just beautiful!

We had lunch in Marysville, shopped in Lexington, chilled for a bit at the cottage, walking down the beach, eating munchies, just enjoying each others company, then dinner in Lexington, and back home we drove.. wonderful day.

Great memories!

I agree -- love my Michigan!

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