I was digging through some stuff on my desk, and found a few things I had set aside to celebrate ”Michigan Week”. Yes, as a matter of fact I do really celebrate Michigan Week. Apparently that is more radical than I realized. 

I had coloring books, activity sheets – stuff that was starting to form a nice little theme.  I also bookmarked a “Michigan Week” website and made a mental note to myself to make Michigan cookies too. Because of course, I have a  Michigan-shaped cookie cutter.

I kept checking back to the link as the date got closer, and nothing. Still “Michigan Week 2009″ every time I looked. Then the website was suddenly updated, and announcing Michigan Week had met is death with the budget cuts.  How can a state kill its own week? Ladies and Gentlemen, Big Binder Readers, and the Committee To Kill Michigan Week;  I am not going to take this lying down. 

I’m going to celebrate Michigan Week, Big Binder Style.

The Michigan Week Death Notice website is very snively. Yes, snively is too a word.  Something about ”wah-wah we don’t have any money we can’t have a party”. We haven’t had any money since we’ve had kids, and we still have parties. You just ask everyone to bring something. So that’s what I’m going to do. 

I am declaring Michigan Week as May 23-30 and inviting you to join me.  Just like my potlucks, you can bring whatever you’d like; it’s pretty open.  Kids will be running everywhere, some people will be drinking wine and some will be drinking pop. Sorry soda, I do need to insist on that term; given the nature of the party.

Have you written a post about Michigan? Link it up – even if you wrote it long ago, back in the olden days when there actually was a Michigan Week. If you don’t live in Michigan, you can leave a comment about your perceptions of it, or a memory if you have visited. My parties get pretty interesting and there are always diverse views discussed politely. I’m sure it will be the same way here. I’ll even Tweet your link, Facebook Like your page, and follow your RSS feed if you participate. Pretty sweet.

Like a good hostess, I’ll get the conversation started.

• The state capital is Lansing (not Detroit. I know you thought it was Detroit. Everyone thinks that).
• The state motto is “Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice”, which is Latin for “If you Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You.” I learned this in elementary school. I did not understand it English or Latin until high school.
• The state bird is the Robin.
• The state fish is Brook Trout.
• The state fish is delicious.
• Michigan produces 70 to 75 percent of the tart cherries grown in the United States.
• I am obsessed with cherries.
• The five Great Lakes contain the largest supply of fresh water on earth; 20% of the earth’s total fresh water. Only the polar ice caps contain more fresh water.
• Michigan is shaped like a mitten, and we hold up our hand and point to our city’s location. That really happens.

OK. Now it’s your turn. Write up a post and link it up. Leave a comment. Let’s show our poor state some love this week.

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