Made In Flint

My grandmother riding in a wagon being pulled by a goat (?) on Dayton Street in Flint, Michigan. This image is hard to imagine (and particularly humorous) if you are at all familiar with the present day Dayton Street. 

  
  There are, surprisingly, a large number of Michigan transplants living in Massachusetts. Nearly every week, I encounter a new person with a Michigan connection of some sort. Because of this, I frequently get asked (from both former Michiganders and my Massachusetts coworkers and friends) what it’s like to be from Flint. Flint fascinates people! Saying you’re from Flint is like telling people you survived living in the jungle. People are incredibly curious how someone can come from such a violent, infamous city and turn out “normal” (apparently they don’t know me THAT well!). They’re curious how someone can get so nostalgic for a place that they appear to both love and hate. For lack of better explanation, I tell them this...
 
  Flint is an abusive relationship that I will never escape. We have a history together and a lot of good memories, but we just couldn’t stay together. As much as I tried to hold it close to me and make it better, it beat me down and pushed me away. I will always have a mad, crazy love for Flint, but it will never show me any love in return.
 
  OK, maybe that’s not totally true. I’ve gotten quite a bit of love from Flint; after all my roots are there. My grandparents were raised in Flint. My mother and father grew up in Flint. I was born in Flint. I attended both elementary and high school in Flint. I graduated from college in Flint. I met my husband (who was also raised in Flint), fell in love, and got married in Flint. My son was born in Flint. I had a very happy childhood and young adulthood living in Flint and created some very happy memories there over the years. 

My great aunt Ellen (on the left) and friends at a high school dance in Flint.

  
  But I also have some not-so-happy memories. I have memories of scary situations,  of danger and crime. I have memories of bikes being stolen, friends and neighbors’ houses being broken into, my car being stolen (twice!), my purse being stolen, drugs being dealt next door, guns being pulled on people, all kinds of real, scary events that one can potentially witness when they’re from a city like Flint. Flint is mixed bag of memories.
 
  However, those of us who were born and raised there wear that baggage like a badge of honor, and to outsiders it’s like a neon sign flashing, “I survived Flint.” For some strange reason, we are proud! I will never escape Flint’s presence in my blood, nor do I necessarily want too. But what I’ve learned in the past 10 years is that you can take the girl out of Flint, but you can’t take the Flint out of the girl. It’s a big world and I think deep down I always knew that Flint wouldn’t hold me back forever. I knew eventually I would spread my wings and break free.
 
  Although I’ve always been appreciative of my experiences there (good and bad), I know breaking up with Flint was the best decision for my family. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally reminisce about my time in Flint or wonder what it would have been like if I would have stayed. I know it wouldn’t have ever worked out, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t keep it in a special place in my heart. That doesn’t mean that I never have deep, painful urges to go running back. That doesn’t mean that I don’t miss all of the wonderful, smart, talented people that I met while living there. That doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate all of the good things that it has done for me. It’s a conflicting set of emotions.

  Flint will always be my hometown. It will always be both the good AND the bad. It will always make me feel happy AND cause me pain. It will always be bittersweet memories.

This is what it’s like to be from Flint.

Outlook Farm & Digital Photography

   Fall is my favorite time of the year! I love breaking out the warm sweaters and cute coats in preparation of the cooler weather, watching the leaves on the trees change color and fall to the ground, putting out Halloween and fall harvest theme decorations around the house, but best of all, visiting apple orchards! Growing up in Michigan, apple orchards were a must on the list of "places to visit" in the fall. Each orchard would host an "Apple Festival" on one of the weekends in September or October where families could go apple picking, take a hay ride, shop craft booths, pet farm animals, make jump ropes, look at old farming equipment, pick out pumpkins, watch how apple cider was made and eat delicious food! You could indulge in all sorts of tasty treats such as hot dogs, bean soup, popcorn, candy sticks, caramel apples, apple cider, and best of all, hot, crisp, fresh out of the oven, apple cider donuts! These donuts were amazing! Nothing was as crunchy or delicious as these donuts! Just thinking about fall makes my mouth water for donuts! Anyway (I got a little off track thinking about the donuts), when we moved to western Massachusetts, we were bummed to learn that apples and apple festivals weren't really the thing around here. Blueberries and blueberry picking are more popular. It was devastating for a Michigan transplant! Fortunately, after some research, I was able to find a charming little orchard along Route 66 in Westhampton that made me feel like I was back in my home state.

   Outlook farm hosts two festivals in the fall: an apple festival in September and a pumpkin festival in October. Both festivals feature a hay ride, apple picking, and tons of delicious food such as soup, sandwiches, apple cider, donuts, candy sticks, and a pig roast and barbecue. While the donuts aren't quite as fresh and crisp as what we're used to back home (I'm telling you, those donuts are hard to beat!), Outlook has amazing cookies! The molasses spice cookies are to die for! Outlook is a wonderful place to take the family in the fall and and the festivals are a fun, annual event to look forward too. It makes transplants like us feel at home! This year, unfortunately, it was raining during the pumpkin festival so my pictures aren't that great, but we still had a great time and I think you'll get the idea!

  
   For more information about Outlook Farm, visit http://outlook-farm.com/index.html. To visit some of my favorite orchards in Michigan, go to Spicers in Fenton http://www.spicerorchards.com/, Wolcott Orchards in Flint http://www.wolcottorchards.net/, or Almar Orchards in Flushing http://www.almarorchards.com/.

   And now a few words about digital photography... You may be surprised to learn that I made the switch to digital photography only a few years ago (back in 2008). When my father closed his photography studio, we bought his camera and have used it every since. In that amount of time, I've probably had to learn at least a dozen different programs for altering my pictures. I've also recently switched from a PC to a MAC, so I'm still navigating those changes (which explains part of the reason for my long gaps in posts). There have been things about each picture program that I have loved and things that I have hated, but I'm always excited and willing to learn new things and improve where I can. Still, I admit, sometimes I miss film. I took a black and white photography class in college and I fell in love with the process of developing film! My friend and I were very close to investing in the equipment to create our own darkroom, but I moved out of the state shortly after the class so there was no way we could do it. There's something very real and pure about film but I love having the ability to improve my art. I just can't help myself when it comes to playing with my pictures. While I don't believe in perfection, I like making something that I see in my mind come to life in a photograph and being able alter it until it is close to perfect (brightening a color here, removing a blemish there). Anyhow, I hope you will and have enjoyed my photographs. I wish I could dedicate more time to taking them, but I also believe in everything in moderation and finding a balance in life. Thank you for reading!

When In Rome…A Lesson on Learning the “Language”

 

   When I first moved to New England, I didn’t expect that there would be many differences between Massachusetts and Michigan. After all, both states are in the northern/northeastern part of the country, they are in the same time zone, and have similar weather patterns. What could be that different? Little did I know that I would discover MANY differences between the two states. The geography was different, the people were different, the houses were different, the way of living was different, the attitudes towards the environment were different, the list could go on and on of the differences. But one difference I wasn’t expecting was the slang or terms that people say. I really had to adjust some of the words I was using and get used too the new terms I was hearing. I recently asked some of my coworkers to help me create a list of popular New England terms and I tried to create my own list of “Michigander” terms. I know there must be some terms I have forgotten about, so I would love ANY feedback or additions to these lists. Without further ado, I present to you the list of New England slang I have learned!

 

1. Wicked=Very

2. Rotary=Traffic circle

3. Pike=Massachusetts turnpike (not the fish)

4. Tonic=Soda (Boston area specific)

5. Downstreet=City

6. Sneakers=Running shoes, basketball shoes

7. Bubbler=Water fountain that you drink from

8. Jimmies=Chocolate sprinkles (I hear this is derogatory and not used much any more)

9. Rainbow Jimmies=Rainbow sprinkles

10. Grinder=Submarine sandwich

11. Hoodsie or Hoodsie Cup=A prepackaged cup of ice cream or sundae made by Hood (the local dairy company)

12. Frappe=Milkshake (long before McDonald’s started carrying them and coffee shops)

13. Ripper=Keg party

14. Carriage=Shopping cart

15. Tag Sale=A sale someone has at their house where they attempt to sell their old belongings for a small price

16. Soda=And soda pop beverage such as Coke, Pepsi, etc.

17. Pocketbook=Purse

18. Packy or Packie=Short for the Package Store which is where liquor and beer are sold because they aren’t sold in many of the grocery store chains (such as Stop & Shop)

19. Run to the Packy (or Packie)=Going to (the package store to) get alcohol

20. The "T"=Subway (Boston area specific)

There are also many fun ways of pronouncing words with the same meanings in both states such as:

Aunt=pronounced more like “Ont”, in Michigan we pronounce it like “Ant”

Car=pronounced in the Boston area like “Ka”

And so on…

I can’t speak for the entire state, but here are some Michigan terms (with the MA translation) that I am familiar with…for my Massachusetts peeps:

 

1. Pop=Soda (aka “soda pop” or any fizzy beverage such as Coke, Pepsi, etc.)

2. Purse= Pocketbook (that thing women carry on their shoulders). When people in Michigan hear “pocketbook” they usually think of it as something their 90 year old grandmother would say in reference to a wallet. Example (in an old lady voice): “Sonny, let me go grab my pocketbook to pay you for mowing my lawn.”

3. Cart=Carriage (aka Shopping cart). If you say “carriage” in Michigan, people are going to think of a horse-drawn buggy or an old fashioned baby stroller.

 

My grandmother in a "carriage"...although in this case it is being pulled by a goat?

 

4. Sub=Grinder (aka a long bun sandwich with meat and cheese). When I hear “grinder” I think of a shredded steak sandwich, not a club.

5. Sprinkles=Jimmies

6. Coney=Hot dog with chili, mustard, and onion

7. Coney Island=Any diner/restaurant (aka “greasy spoon”) that is open 24 hours which usually serves Coney dogs (although doesn’t necessarily have too). A popular spot for food once the bars close.

8. Traffic Circle/Roundabout=Rotary

9. Expressway/Freeway=Highway

10. Soda=Soda water/fizzy water

11. Garage Sale (or Yard Sale)=Tag sale

12. Vernors=Ginger ale (Vernors is a local brand in Michigan of ginger ale, so many people just refer to ALL ginger ale as Vernors)

13. “U”pper=Anyone who lives in the upper peninsula of Michigan

14. Troll=Anyone who lives in the lower peninsula of Michigan or “under the Mackinaw bridge (this term is more common in the upper peninsula)

15. “Going Up North”=Meaning "going on vacation", most likely in northern Michigan...but not necessarily

16. “Detroit”=I believe this is more of a Flint local/regional term, but it pretty much refers to any city along I75 that is south of the city of Holly. For example, many people in the Flint area refer to the city of Troy as “Detroit”, but it is actually about 22 miles from Detroit. Another example, many people say they are going to “Detroit” when they go to concerts at DTE Energy Music Theatre (or Pink Knob as it used to be called) but it is actually in Clarkston, Michigan. The people in the cities closer to Detroit don’t usually use this term unless they mean the actual city of Detroit, but I found that it is more commonly used in the Flint area to describe most cities south of Flint.

17. Deuce-Deuce=A 22 ounce bottle of beer (I thought this was common slang but the people in MA didn't know what I meant when using this reference) 

 

   I could go into more specific terms to specific areas of the state (such as using "Hamady Sack" in Flint in reference to a brown paper bag) but I wanted to focus more on the state as a whole.  

 

   So there you have it! All of the new (and old terms) I’ve had to work into my vocabulary. The New England terms I struggle with the most are the pronunciation of “Aunt”, and the terms “pocketbook” and “carriage”. Whenever I am at the grocery store and I hear the store manager ask the cashier to go collect the “carriages”, I will forever picture horse-drawn buggies. Some things you just never get used too!      

 

 

Traverse City Salad

A little taste of Northern Michigan…

My family used to vacation in Traverse City, Michigan every summer when I was growing up. I have many fond memories of hanging out on the beaches with my siblings, swimming, jet skiing, shopping downtown, and (my personal favorite) eating out! There’s one particular dish, a salad, my parents used to order at one of the restaurants that always brings back those happy memories every time I recreate it at home.

Behold the Traverse City Salad! The ingredients consist of:

A Mix of Romaine & Iceberg Lettuce

Grated Asiago Cheese

Pecan Pieces

Dried Cherries

A Grilled Chicken Breast

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

That’s it! Simple, right? Over the years, I’ve made a few changes to it. I prefer to use only Romaine lettuce (I rarely eat Iceberg) and Blue Cheese instead of the Asiago. Both versions are delightful! After some research, I discovered that there several other variations of the salad.

Another version from http://www.tcfirefly.com/soup.html:

Lettuce (doesn’t specify what kind)

Dried Cherries

Ginger-Candied Walnuts

Goat Cheese

Red Onion

Cherry Vinaigrette Dressing

Another version from http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Traverse-City-Salad-Recipezaar.

2 Cups of Greens (mixed)

1 Slice Red Onion (chopped or separated into rings or to taste)

3 Tablespoons Cherries (dried, taste)

3 Tablespoons Walnuts (pecans, roughly chopped)

6 Grape Tomatoes (1 small tomato quartered)

2 Tablespoons Blue Cheese (crumbled or to taste)

4 Ounces Turkey (optional or chicken cut into strips optional)

Raspberry Vinaigrette

The list of variations could go on, but you get the idea. No matter which one you make, I hope you’ll enjoy the salad as much as I do!