Michigan +9

Yesterday afternoon was actually somewhat busy. Not long after yesterday's trip report my uncle decided to install his digital TV antennae. While this shouldn't have been a particularly complicated process it did require about three people; my uncle was on the ladder with the equipment, my father was holding the ladder and relaying messages, and Neil was working the TV remote and scanning for channels. Eventually the device was placed in a position that allowed my uncle to catch about 20 channels, though some number are duplicates of the same channel (though they seem to be showing different content).

For dinner we had fillet mignon that we cooked on the barbecue. For some reason, presumably laziness, we didn't brand our steaks. To accompany our meat we had some nice corn on the cob and a few fresh vegetables. The most notable of the raw vegetables were a few plum-sized peeled turnips. As it turned out, the small turnips really weren't that tasty. I guess the good thing is that I won't like be tempted to serve too many more raw small turnips (I will stick to turnip sticks).

After dinner my uncle and I installed a solar-powered light on a tree in his backyard. Unfortunately the height at which the light was to be installed meant that we couldn't used the extension ladder but that the would be to short if properly used. As you might have guessed, we mis-used the step ladder (my uncle stood on the top step while I held it against the trunk of a tree). While holding the ladder I was quite taken with the sounds made by the cicadas. Not only was the volume impressive, but also the fact that it almost sounded as though the sounds were gradually moving from one side of the yard to the other.

Though I probably haven't effectively captured it, I did record a short clip of the sounds that these animals were making near the tree where we installed the lamp.



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After the lamp installation I manned the burning operation for a little while. Aside from burning the lamp packaging, I also burned some scrap newspaper. Much to my surprise, this process took much longer than I originally expected. Apparently if you throw enough paper in to one of these you can really get quite a fire going and have it burn for quite a while.



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Later in the evening we were visited by a form high school classmate of my father's and two of his daughters. We basically just sat around the back porch and had a few drinks and snacks.

This morning we started to make our way back to the east side of the state. While in Fenton for lunch we saw a great sign at a BP gas station.



Shortly after we arrived in Ypsilanti my father, sister, and I headed out to a raspberry and blackberry u-pick. In about 30-45 minutes we picked 6 quarts of raspberries and 2.5 quarts of raspberries.



While picking raspberries I happened to spot a small frog.




I have seen frogs like this only in Michigan, though I presume that they exist elsewhere in the world as well.

Tonight we will likely do a little visiting and whatnot. Actually, I think visiting and whatnot will consume much of the rest of the trip.