big rivalry game in ann arbor today
and the flags are fully flying
state flag, american flag, university of michigan flag
go blue.
—
“i can’t tell people what flag to fly.”
-lesley stahl
one of my favorite places to hike can be found right in the center of ann arbor, a place where i always return, the nichols arboretum. it’s a lovely, quiet, sweeping park where there is natural beauty to be found in any season. one of the most stunning displays is the blooming of the peony garden. unlike any i have ever seen.
the nichols arboretum peony garden is the largest public collection of historic (pre-1950) herbaceous peony cultivars in north america. the university and botanical gardens are currently in the process of rebuilding this historic garden to be an internationally significant, scientifically-documented and culturally interpreted living reference collection.
the garden, open since 1927, boasts more than 270 historic varieties of peony, cultivated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. nearly 800 plants are arranged in 27 beds at the arboretum’s peony garden, drawing flower lovers from across the region when they bloom each spring.
“flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful;
they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”
-luther burbank
cold, morning rain does little but make one anxious to reach their destination, even if that is work or school. this innovative student solved the problem of hands free walking on one such campus morning in 1969. “U-M engineering student gary keck of detroit is too unconventional to raise an umbrella. he wards off the morning rain with a stylish sombrero. ole!”
—
“optimists are neither in denial nor naïve about challenges and difficulties in life.
they simply attend to and acknowledge the positive.”
– eric kim
—
credits: oldnews.aadl.org, ann arbor townies
1970s vintage plaid with a few of my favorites:
Glen Campbell, Johnny Orr, Gerald Ford, Bo Schembechler, Cy Laughter
in honor of the big game tomorrow
this one’s for you, coach bo
go blue.
—
‘the key is to keep company only with people who uplift you,
whose presence calls forth your best.”
-epictetus
—
image credit: ann arbor townies, leslie orr
the end of our last home game
as
michigan beats indiana in our first snow
and
both are cause
for
excessive celebration
in ann arbor

“sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating;
there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. “
-john ruskin
—
image credits: mlive
the university of michigan wolverines
rose to victory in
the university of maryland terrapins
football challenge
put forth by fellow blogger/sportswriter, mark b. –
and even
the 8 hour move-up game time
to head off the hurricane
and an away game location
couldn’t help
those turtles from maryland
who took to their shells
as
the wolverines from ann arbor
showed them what a real storm looked like
with a 28-0 win
and mark was a good sport and gracious enough
to honor his side of the losing bet.
a shot of him in the rain
dressed in the gear of his losing team.
onward!

on a beautiful night
at the university of michigan
home of the wolverines
and the women
of the winning softball team
went head to head
with the georgia bulldogs
worthy adversaries
in the second game
of the ncaa regionals
and we were lucky enough
to have seats directly next to
the alumni marching band
loyal, spirited, musical, happy
as they
jumped up
cheered
played
and
very
enthusiastically
trash-talked
the rivals
and
called the plays
as everyone got in on the act
and
desmond howard
and sons
sat in
on cowbell
and in the end
the wolverines
were victorious
earning a spot
in the college world series
and
all the trash talking
music
hard work
sweat
and
talent
paid off.
—
people are going to talk no matter what you do,
so you might as well give them something to talk about.
– author unknown