Seasons in Michigan

Right now we are in the process of collecting photos of our district, homes and families in preparation for our team presentation. As I gathered these photos, it occured to me that in Michigan, the weather changes pretty dramatically from season to season and from one part of the state to another.

In the middle of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, we are blessed with gorgeous, temperate summers (average daytime highs 70-80 F or mid-20's C) from late June to early September. Although it occasionally gets hot and humid (90+ F or 30+ C), it nearly always cools down into the 50s or 60s F at night (10-15 C), which helps keep the hottest days quite bearable, even for those without air conditioning. In the summer, I spend as much time as possible on my deck or in my garden, and I enjoy using ingredients from my own yard and from local farmers' markets to make specialties such as cherry salsa, rhubarb pie, calabacitas con queso (using local corn, cilantro and zucchini), and mint iced tea.

Our winters are long and relatively cold, with average highs around 30 F (-1C) and average lows in the teens (-6 to -10 C) from late November to end of March. We have a moderate amount of snow -- usually just a few inches at a time with occasional thaws in between. That's enough snowfall to enjoy local winter sports, such as snowmobiling, ice hockey or cross-country skiing, but rarely enough to disrupt traffic or business. By contrast, Joey's family hails from the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan (not in our district), where they measure their snow in feet rather than inches and are disappointed if they don't get at least ten feet in a given winter. Up there, it is common to build homes with an exit door on the second floor, in case the ground level exit becomes completely blocked by snow! I'm glad we don't need that precaution in Midland.

The other two seasons in our region are comparatively short, but we do have a rather mushy thing called spring when the snow thaws, the rivers flood, and flowers and leafbuds begin to emerge. This is also the time of year when we typically have more tornados (April to June). It is often too muddy to enjoy outdoor pursuits, so when I get spring fever, I like to take roadtrips and enjoy the sunny landscapes from the comfort of my car. Spring is the best time to view Michigan's numerous waterfalls at their peak flow. I also like to stop at our many historic lighthouses and catch a glimpse of the barges as they resume their travel on the Great Lakes after the ice clears.

Fall lasts a few weeks in late September to early November, with wide swings in temperature and lovely displays of colored leaves on the trees. That's when I like to visit Michigan's apple cider mills, rake leaves, and attend American football games.

Below: Megan's house in Midland, Michigan (summer and winter); Megan and Joey at Eagle Harbor Lighthouse in the Keweenaw Peninsula, Upper Michigan (fall - but notice the winter coats needed up there); Megan and Joey at the pumpkin patch in Beaverton, Michigan (October.)