under the big top in glen arbor, michigan
there’s always lots of action in all 3 rings
and then,
we relax and look ahead to another adventure tomorrow
Keep the circus going inside you, keep it going,
don’t take anything too seriously,
it’ll all work out in the end.
David Niven
—
animated image credit: bil keane
on a walk
by the detroit river
one cousin
two years older
and wiser
offers the other
a show of support
and perhaps
a small bit of advice.
—
Whatever advice you give, be short.
Horace
all of the
grand babies
cousins
from
near
and
so far
meet in one box.
all on one continent together
for the very first time.
and it is a summit meeting
of the highest order
where they
talk about
important things
like
should we go climb in something else?
do you have squirrels or kangaroos where you live?
can you read?
how old will you be when it’s your birthday?
can you ride a bike?
does anyone know where my sippy cup is?
and
in an instant
they know
they are
all
one family.
I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars. E. M. Forster
waking up on their first morning here,
the aussie joeys begin their day,
amidst
junk food,
stuffed animals,
blankets
and
cartoons.
and
in the cottage
of their grandmother,
peaches
who loves them.
—
life would be perfect if:
Mondays were fun, junk food was healthy, drama didn’t exist,
and goodbyes were only until tomorrow.
– author unknown
the more time i spend in the “always interesting” world of online dating, the more i’m amazed by the many options and specialized sites that appear. npr recently featured the latest in michigan dating sites: yooper. singles.com.
for those of you not familiar with the state of michigan, it’s made up of two peninsulas. the lower peninsula, and the more remote and rustic, upper peninsula. the upper peninsula (u.p.), is where the ‘yoopers’ live. originally settled by the native americans, and later the cornish and finns who came to work in the mining and logging industry, they have their own dialect, and have tried off and on to become their own state. much to their dismay, they are still a part of our state as of this posting.
one of the food mainstays for these hardy working people were pocket sandwiches/pies known as pasties. filled with root veggies, and with or without meat or fish, a pasty is considered an art form in the u.p., with recipes passed on through generations.
and just like people from every culture all over the world, yoopers are on the universal quest for love. thus, their site was born, and just like every other dating site, it has its own slant, target demographic, and set of parameters. to register you’re required to answer a series of questions only a yooper would love:
a) how do you prefer your pasty served?
naked, with ketchup, with gravy
b) favorite color?
carharrt tan, real tree camo, duct tape grey
c) interests?
wearing plaid, bear wrestling, outdoor snow activities, chopping wood, home brewing
d) favorite great lake?
and then there’s the pitch:
At Yooper Singles we will match you with a quality Yooper. Each of our members is looking for a long lasting connection, that’s deeper than Lake Superior. Every year, dozens of single Yoopers seek love in the vast forests of the Upper Peninsula and along the beaches of the Great Lakes. Yooper Steez pioneered the dating industry in the Upper Peninsula by launching Yooper Singles and within days, YS has served as many as eighteen Yoopers, across all fifteen Upper Peninsula counties. We continue to redefine the way single Yoopers meet, flirt, date and share pasties, proving time and again that you can make love happen in the Upper Peninsula and that lasting relationships are possible. Our members aren’t only serious about finding flannel, saunas, and pasties, they also seek love. Yooper Singles puts you in control of your love life; meeting that special Yooper and forming a lasting relationship, where you can live happily ever after … in a log cabin. Whether you’re interested in Lumberjack Dating, Fisherman Dating, Finnish Dating, Native American Dating, or just finding someone to share your venison with, we can help you find the date or relationship that fits you best. Search free through all of our online personals. Literally, dozens of single Yoopers in your area have posted their dating profiles on Yooper Singles. Young and old alike, bearded and not, from everywhere around the world, there is a Yooper waiting for you. Find your Yooper today!
and the reviews:
I have finally found my lifetime sauna partner — Toivo
Thanks, for helping me find my lumberjack— Jane
love, eh?
maybe i’ve been looking on the wrong peninsula?
i do really love the great lakes and pasties and accents.
still not sure about the bear wrestling though.
Right now, I’m as single as a slice of American cheese.
Nick Cannon
credits: npr/stateside, yooper.singles.com, michigan pasties
happy birthday sweet baby girl
you are the last
of the grandbabies
six under six
to turn two
little r.
and your beloved dog, baron
and the rest of our family
will always watch over you
and look up to you
even if you are the youngest.
One of the virtues of being very young
is that you don’t let the facts get in the way of your imagination.
~Sam Levenson
the aussies have finally landed on the continent
and the little joeys have been like this since their arrival in nyc.
can’t wait until they hit ann arbor on sunday night.
—
jet lag is your soul trying to catch up after flying.
ryan ross
and i couldn’t be happier.
part of my family lives down under.
and soon
they will be up top with us for a while.
and i will have my dream
of all of the daughters
and all of the sons in law
and all of the grand babies
in one place at one time.
and it is sure to be an adventure.
—
Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future.
Gail Lumet Buckley
and on this mother’s day,
i am reminded of when my girls were young and we had no money,
but we had each other,.
and they went to the neighbor’s garden to pick flowers for me,
as a very special mother’s day gift.
they knew i loved flowers.
and they did so fearlessly.
and they didn’t worry about getting in trouble.
and they hoped i wouldn’t be mad.
and when they told me,
i hoped the neighbors, if they saw them picking,
understood why, and wouldn’t be mad.
these flowers meant the world to me.
and they were dirty and smiling and proud to have a gift.
and i hugged them and was so happy to be their mother.
to all of the mothers and children out there,
this day is for you.
and to all of their neighbors.
if you see a child picking flowers in your garden today,
please understand and smile,
and wish them a happy mother’s day.
out on a hike around the lake with the kinders,
and a is walking back with c, close by her side.
a tells me, ‘he says he wants to marry me.’
i ask, ‘do you want to marry him?’
a says, ‘yes.’
then a says to c,
‘and i will always sleep when you sleep.
and we could go to the park together.
and we can get ice cream.’
c says, ‘okay.’
as we all walk on, i think about how wise a is with regard to marriage.
if we always sleep when the other sleeps, go to the park together, and get ice cream,
we might have many happy marriages.
===
I didn't have my glasses on.... 