Another Night in Michigan

I had intended to write this post a number of weeks back when we were in the midst of Michigan winter. But my internet was out for a week, then life was busy, and before I knew it the promise of winter being over was here. When I was fed up with the snow and the ice and the cold, I saw a facebook post with someone commenting , “Well, folks, we do live in Michigan…” I hear similar comments every February when yet another snow storm is predicted and we are all sick of the scrolling closings at the bottom of the screen during every evening tv show. In an attempt to not give in to the winter blahs and complaining (I ended up giving in any way!) I started to think of the benefits and perks of living in Michigan. So here are my thoughts…

1. People write songs about Michigan. No one ever writes songs about states like Idaho or Ohio. One of my favorites is the Hello Dave song, “Another Night in Michigan.” Another great one is Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long,” which, in true Kid Rock style, praises summer pastimes in Northern Michigan like smoking “funny things” and sipping whiskey on the beach.
2. I know how to drive in snow, ice, sleet, hail and any combination of the above. I don’t like it, but I can do it. Something to be said for that knowledge and skill.
3. Michigan has the best fruit and veggies around, and some of the biggest variety as well. Living in the “Heart of the Fruit Belt,” in Southwestern Michigan, I have come to love our fresh produce. Last summer I switched to buying our produce almost exclusively at the Farmer’s Market all spring, summer, and fall. We all felt healthier and it certainly tasted better. My kids refuse to eat canned fruit now, but there certainly are worse complaints they could have.
4. A compliment to living in the fruit belt, is that I live in a corner of Michigan extremely conducive to growing grapes, and therefore, producing wine. I can easily rattle of a list of local wineries and some of their treasures. One of my favorite wines of all time is Tabor Hill’s Demi Sec. A recently discovered close second is Leelanau Cellar’s Winter White. I think this may be the summer I get to know my area a little better by taking a wine country tour.
5. In Michigan, you are never more than a couple hours from the beach. Surrounded by water on three sides is a blessing I often take for granted. You can see the sun rise over the lake on the east side of the state, go for a leisurely drive, and catch the sunset over the lake on the west side of the state. I haven’t seen a lot of the sunrises, but those sunsets are some of the most beautiful sites ever created!
6. Finally, if you don’t like the weather – wait a day; it will change!