Pure Michigan

The rock garden two weeks ago before the Snow on the Mountains and pinks bloomed What is blooming here are the creeping phlox, primroses , forget-me-nots and thrift

Clematis

columbines

Snow on the Mountain which has spread all over the place. Anyone want some?

Purple  and white iris

Last month returning from New York, we crossed the state line into what the sign says is Pure Michigan. Naomi, Ms. Literal, asked what is that supposed to mean? What is so pure about Michigan?

It is sort of a silly motto. Yeah I know we presumably have experiences that can only be had in Michigan (officially: a better state). I suppose it is better than what is on the state flag saying something about seeking a better peninsula in Latin. Perhaps the writers did not know the plural of peninsula but the Upper Peninsula took offense that again, they were forgotten. From time to time, they threaten to secede. They already have chosen a name for their new state: Superior. Ha! They are not merely better but....

This morning, I went with Naomi and Maya to their It Takes Two to Talk class for the speech delayed. Maya is the youngest and the only girl. There is always this element of blame if your child is not doing all that they should, you must be doing something wrong. And I know I could never claim the title of Good Mother as my child became a teenage mom. What didn't I teach her? And my favorite, was I a teenage mom too?

I have a bunch of these this year. I planted them 3 years ago and this was the fst time they bloomed. My lavender ones are missing in action though

The set-up is that for an hour, they entertain your child while you go off with the other parents and learn 'the right way'. Ms. Maya still has stranger anxiety so if I am not there, she screams when Naomi leaves. But I was there today so all was right in Ms. Maya's world. One of the helpers was a former soccer and volleyball teammate of Naomi's, a student at UM now. Maya had her 6 month evaluation the other day. Aside from her lack of  spoken language (she has reasonable receptive language), she is developing fine. Maybe she can become a mime? She is now combining gestures and signs. She is very cute.