I dropped my son off at the kinder kickstart program at his elementary school this morning. Although kindergarten doesn’t officially begin for a few more weeks, this papa is full of all the feelings.

We took a country drive out to Carlton this morning to go swimming in their public pool, which was nicer than expected. In fact, the entire town was cuter than I expected. I had forgotten that some vineyards use it for their tasting rooms.

Afterward, we went out to our friend’s house in a nearby rural area. The kids spent time with her father (“Pa”), taking rides on a makeshift train the guy made out of an old electric shopping cart (Amigo?) and several trailers he constructed himself out of old water filtration tanks.

Our friend has been growing flowers and giving them away for free. I think it’s a really sweet idea and a nice way to brighten people’s day. The adults and most of the kids helped put together some bouquets for their roadside stand.

We ate a fresh lunch and I went out and said hello to the mules. I think we connected, but they may have thought I had treats.

“…[T]he nations with the biggest surpluses of grain have always exerted power over the ones in short supply. Throughout history governments have encouraged their farmers to grow more than enough grain, to protect against famine, to free up labor for other purposes, to improve the trade balance, and generally to augment their own power. George Naylor is not far off when he says the real beneficiary of his crop is not America's eaters but its military-industrial complex.”

// The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Growing up in MI, I always thought Grosse Pointe et al. was just a bougie area. My perspective has changed. They are gorgeous, rather urban former street car neighborhoods for which there is no affordable counterpart in the PNW.

Passing through Lansing and stopped for a bit. I lived here for over 10 years and I do not miss it. In fact, pretty sure I’m dealing with some minor PTSD having been trapped here for so long.

Still, I had to see how things had changed, and how they’ve stayed the same. My old house on Allen Street:

Someone sure put a lot of love into this backyard.

My buddy Dan’s once meticulously kept lawn is now an urban prairie.

Hunter Park:

And of course, one of the glimmers of decent memories, Dagwoods. I can almost taste their olive burger.