I am rethinking Wednesdays. For a couple of years I have done the way we were Wednesdays, I have a lot of old photos, but I am kind of bored with it. Spo - the dear - has been doing Wednesday W's - who, what, where and such, this past week Diaday did wordy Wednesday. I kind of like the variety.
The photo above is of a farm a couple of miles up the road from where I grew up. 50 years ago the farm was one of the few in the area that raised lambs for 4-H and the Eastern Michigan Fair. Most farmers wanted nothing to do with sheep. I was slightly surprised and very pleased to see that the farm is still raising sheep. I imagine that the current farmer is my age, the kids or grandkids of the farmer from 50 years ago. Sheep were a sign of consistency, something that is today, as it was decades ago. The way we were.
What have I been thinking about? Visiting rural Michigan, I was reminded of how difficult the economy was when I left there 45 years ago, it still a tough place to make a living. For every $40 an hour job in the car factories, there a 100 $12 an hour jobs, and $24,000 a year is hard to live on. When I hear the unhappiness with government - part of it is people struggling for a lifetime - with glimpses of prosperity, that never seems to reach them. We expect cheap food - and farmers struggle to find happiness.
Where have I been? The Condo Community Center. It closed for Covid, then underwent a total rebuild. It is much more open, much nicer. It was needed. It took about a year longer than expected. I have to say it is nice.
What have I been reading? I recently finished "How Mind Changes" and "A Perfect Score." Spo mentioned the first one, it is an exploration of how people change their opinion or beliefs. It is very well written, if a little long. The second one is about a winery. It is a print book, destined to go back the building library (I didn't like it.)
Who have I been talking to? My sister, my brother-in-law's medical journey continues to have bumps in the road - two ER visits and a few nights in the hospital. We met a couple of neighbors at the Community Center reopening, there are at least 3 gay couples in the building (I expect more.)
Who deserves to be slapped? The "financial advisor" who manages an endowment that benefits my office, who left the entire balance exposed to market risk. At least three slaps out of five.
Well that is a look back at 50 years ago, a few Ws, and it is wordy. I hope it is not too long. Isn't the sheep sweet and cuddly looking?
I love sheep...so yes! A beautiful old farm from the revolutionary war time and up the road from where I loved near New Hope still raises sheep. I believe you could even adopt them. It's a neat old homestead....seeped in history.
ReplyDeleteYou both loved and lived there
DeleteThis sheep looks a bit lonesome. The breed is definitely different from down under. Sorry to hear about your sister/brother in law with a difficult journey. That kind of unpleasant surprises happen to all of us
ReplyDeleteThere were three sheep in the small pasture,
DeleteThink of all the money the government throws at the military .... trillions every year ... and think of what good things can be done to help We The People instead.
ReplyDeleteThat's my Why for Wednesday.
Time for a rebalance of priorities
DeleteAll sorts of interesting tid bits that I would like to hear more about.
ReplyDeleteFarmers are their own worst enemy, as the son of a farmer and observing what farmers have done in my lifetime.
I grew up on a funny farm - that is a long story or a hundred of them
DeleteGood thing you caught that endowment error!
ReplyDeleteIt is a disaster, I have been scrambling to fix the damage.
DeleteSheep always look so cuddly. When I was still working full time I was at an office located in the far south valley. There were sheep in fields all around the huge buildings at the business center.
ReplyDeleteThe United States Need more sheep, and the world needs to use more wool and less synthetic
DeleteWhat a beautiful sheep photo (well, they're beautiful to begin with).
ReplyDeleteLike you, it is hard to take a bad photo of some people
DeleteThat was a fun read! Never mind rural Michigan; there is not much left and what's there isn't too thrilling.
ReplyDelete