Monday, September 12, 2011

Weekend in Ann Arbor

I've been in Ann Arbor this weekend, the first such two days I've had off for a while. As everyone knows Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC. As you can well imagine folks here in the US are focused and reflective on those events a decade ago. Its hard to overstate the profound impact on the American psych the attack had at the time and since.
Ann Arbor is a small university town in the American heartland.
In so far as the State Michigan is concerned, its a town with an uncharacteristic liberal orientation.
I've always been struck by the quiet pride in country in Ann Arbor.
I must have passed the houses in these pictures dozens of times since I moved here as they're within a couple of blocks of my house.
I'd seen the flags before, but on the periphery of my consciousness
They weren't put up in recognition of September 11th, but I guess I only noticed them for that reason.
One of the unusual features of my neighbourhood are gardens that have sprung up in patches along the sidewalk. To my non-gardening eyes, these had been dismissed as an eyesore resultant from poor city worker maintenance rather than dedicated green thumb diligence.
As early Autumn is now upon us, its clear there is more design than chaos in these patches of scraggly greenery.
 
I've provided one of my size 12 shoes to give you some scale.
Quirky place this Ann Arbor.
Not much but rambling today.
Hope all is well with you wherever you may be.
T

2 comments:

Sister Sara said...

I love this post - the veranda, flag and especially pumpkin with shoe for size perspective ! Makes me long for pumpkin pie - great N A dish. Must get to deli on Lisburn rd the only place I can find canned pumpkin in NI - although that culinary delight is lost on you will have a slice for you anyway ! Xo

Sister Sara said...

I love this post - the veranda, flag and especially pumpkin with shoe for size perspective ! Makes me long for pumpkin pie - great N A dish. Must get to deli on Lisburn rd the only place I can find canned pumpkin in NI - although that culinary delight is lost on you will have a slice for you anyway ! Xo