'Cold' Is A Relative Thing

A little Michigan humor....

At 65 degrees above zero:
Floridians turn on the heat.
People in Michigan plant gardens.

60 above zero:
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Michigan sunbathe.

50 above zero:
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Michigan drive with the windows down.

40 above zero:
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats.
People in Michigan throw on a flannel shirt.

35 above zero:
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Michigan have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20 above zero:
People in Miami all die.
Michiganders close the windows.

Zero:
Californians fly away to Mexico.
People in Michigan get out their winter coats.

10 below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Michigan are selling cookies door-to-door.

20 below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air.
People in Michigan let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Michiganders get upset because they can't start the snowmobile.

40 below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Michigan start saying...'Cold enough fer ya?'

50 below zero:
Hell freezes over.
The Detroit Lions win the Super Bowl.

Weeping For My Willow

We had a wicked-nasty wind storm last night and my Weeping Willow, not the strongest of trees in good times, didn't fare too well, as you can see. It fell right after my husband left for work; his truck was parked where the top of the tree landed and it would have been damaged, to say the least. It also missed our other pick-up truck, the barn and the garage. I'm so grateful we were spared additional destruction, but I'm really going to miss that tree...

My Ravin'

I wrote the original version of this poem two years ago when Michigan, in the throes of a budget standoff and massive deficits, stood on the brink of a government shut down. Our Governor did not learn from that experience; on the contrary. We now face an even larger deficit and plummeting revenues due to high unemployment, tanking property values and mass population exodus to 'greener pastures'.  Now as then, the Governor's only solution is higher taxes on the few who remain. Of course.

With that in mind, and my sincere apologies to Edgar Allan Poe for poetic license taken, I offer the following commentary on Michigan's current down-to-the-wire budget negotiations.

My Ravin'

by Grammy Cracker

Once upon a midday dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a politician's proposed budget fixes,
While I listened, nearly snapping, suddenly there came a yapping,
An irritating, droning yapping, yapping from my radio.
''Tis the Governor,' I muttered, 'yapping from my radio.'
Quote Ms. Granholm, 'Tax some more!'

Ah, distinctly I remember the elections that November,
And each brazen lie the Governor's campaign told.
Eagerly I wished for Wednesday and the news that she was history,
But the day was filled with sorrow - sorrow for the lost DeVos -
For the fine and decent candidate the voters did ignore.
Quote Ms. Granholm, 'Tax some more!'

Now my state is in a pickle, and with a Governor so fickle
Comes word she will not the reckless spending stop.
She wants instead to keep it lax and impose another tax.
Another tax upon the people? Let me tell you, that is evil!
We should have shown Jenny the door.
Quote Ms. Granholm, 'Tax some more!'

Residents will flee the state, and at Jenny's present rate
No one will be left at last, left to pay her lousy tax!
We'll remember - next November - all who pass a tax increase.
They will have to look for work; in 2010 their goose is cooked.
Say it with me, loud and clear: We won't take it, Governor!
Quote the people, 'Never More!'

Tea Party Express: Troy, Michigan 9/8/2009

Here are the photos I took at the Tea Party Express rally on Tuesday evening. It's hard to get a feel for the size of the crowd because I couldn't find a high enough vantage point to shoot from. The video clip from our local Fox affiliate describes the scene pretty well; please note that the only snarky person was an Obama supporter....

West Michigan Welcomes Senator Carl Levin

Our friends in the Grand Rapids area put together a little welcome wagon committee for Senator Carl 'Lenin' Levin over the weekend. Check out the story and photos over at RightMichigan.com. Great job guys! Thanks to Kevin for the heads-up on this one.

Tea Party Signs, Slogans & Graphics

UPDATE: There is now a separate site dedicated to free-use Tea Party signs and slogans!  Visit Tea Party Signs to see them all.

I've noticed that many of the visitors to this blog are looking for Tea Party signs, slogans and photos. I have lots of that content here, but it has been posted separately and isn't necessarily easy to find. Since (thankfully) the 'Tea Party movement' shows no sign of slowing down, I expect the traffic to continue. So.

I have added a gadget to the left side bar, just under the Archive, which will run a continuous loop of all my photos from all the Michigan Tea Parties I have attended. There are some very creative and copy-worthy ideas here; feel free to use them yourself and pass them on.

Some of the graphics are my original designs; you can find them reproduced on T-shirts, hats and buttons in my Zazzle gallery. I can also do custom designs for your Tea Party events; just drop me a note over at Zazzle.

Remember, Crumb Crunchers: Drink tea, but do not drink the kool-aid!

Half Moon Rising

I went out to walk the dogs tonight and saw this. It was so beautiful I just had to share it.

Michigan Welcomes Obama. Or Not.

Our Dear Leader visited Michigan yesterday to pledge billions in new spending (of your tax dollars) for community college improvements and displaced worker retraining. No word on where he plans to get this money, since our great-great-grandchildren have already been indebted to pay for his other programs.

Not everyone in Michigan was all that thrilled to see ol' Barry, as these photos illustrate.

Get your own Second Revolution flag...

Welcome To Michigan, Mr. President

President Obama is holding an invitation-only 'town hall meeting' on Tuesday, July 14th in Macomb County, Michigan. We are not invited, Crumb Crunchers. Imagine my surprise.

We're planning a little welcoming committee for Dear Leader despite the snub. Please join us. Bring a sign, a flag, the kids, etc. Just be civil, please! Here are the details:

Macomb Community College, South Campus
14500 E. 12 Mile Road (corner of 12 Mile Road & Hayes Road)
Warren, MI

Arrive at 1:00 p.m. Follow the above link for a campus map and driving directions. I'll be there; hope you are, too!

Tea Party Signs: July 4th in Lansing Michigan

UPDATE: There is now a separate site dedicated to free-use Tea Party signs and slogans!  Visit Tea Party Signs to see them all.

Just a few of my favorite signs from Saturday's Tea Party: