Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday My Town Shoot-Out : Red

I've read the My Town Shoot Out posts for a while now, and finally got up the wherewithal to join. This week's theme: Paint the Town Red.

Welcome to Metro Detroit. For this assignment we won't be in the big city, nor will we even get county-wide. Honestly? We're staying in a two-mile radius, but that's pretty much my life these days. So put on some comfortable walking shoes and let's get to it.
This lovely RED Maple is my neighbor's. Her yard is lovely. So lovely, in fact, that I decided to copy a bit of it last year for my own yard. I bought this same kind of tree and planted it in exactly the same spot in my yard where hers is in her yard. Her tree is thriving. Mine is dead. I choose to believe it died of natural causes.

Looking across the street, we can play a game of "I Spy." I spy with my brown eye, something RED that is hidden causing grave traffic dangers.


Do you see it? Look a little closer.


Please, people who take care of Michigan traffic signs: make this sign visible before someone  who lives in this house else does it and angers the tree owner.
Well, that was exhausting, how about a RED snack?



I bought those berries at the much-maligned Michigan-based Wal-Mart wannabe.

Friends always tell me how they would never buy meat or produce there. I counter with the concept that if I don't shop at the better produce/meat markets, I really don't know what I'm missing. A Meijer gal I am.

Michigan has been hit very hard by unemployment and foreclosures. I am not certain if we are #1 or 2 in foreclosures, but this scene is very, very common.

I've lost track of the number of dumpsters I've seen in my neighborhood in the last year. There does seem to be a pattern, however. First the house appears unkempt. Then, weeks or months later, it seems vacant. Eventually, a dumpster is brought in and we marvel at what people leave behind when they lose a house. Sometimes it takes more than one dumpster to clear it all out. Finally, an auction or for sale sign gets put up. While I sincerely hope not to see more of these, I truly believe with the automakers' woes, there will be many, many more of these.
That last picture was too sad, so let's end with a true Detroit RED image.

GO WINGS!!!

14 comments:

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Great shots!!!! That's a fantastic snap of those lucious looking strawberries!!!
The Red Maple is very nice as well, that cracked my up about your's dying of "natural causes".
We're so happy that you joined our little gang!!! I'm throwing gang signs to you right now :)
Have a weekend filled with love, joy and laughter and......

Steady On
Reggie Girl

MsTypo said...

Awesome photos. I love that red maple!!

We used to shop at Meijer when we lived in the midwest. It's cheap and they have carry a wide variety of food.

Oh and regarding that Red Wings photo...
Maple Leafs rule!!! ;)

Jeannelle said...

Great post, Caution! Nice to see your neighborhood.....hopefully there won't be an inscrease in dumpster sightings.

Never heard of Meijer before, or of "My Town Shoot-out". Good idea! Have fun over the holiday.

Decadent Housewife said...

Torn again. Leafs or Wings.

won said...

Thanks for helping me "see red" this morning!

And I did answer your question on my blog, and gave you a shout out to boot.

Have a nice long weekend. Any plans or local events I should know about? Oh...there is the Warren garage sale in the parking structure, fyi. It's usually good. Let me know if there's anything I should know.

Busy Bee Suz said...

Great post. I can't believe your tree died...perhaps it was suicide? All those red dumpsters can bring you down...even if you are a tree.
The stop sign? SOOO dangerous.

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Welcome to the club! Great shots of RED. Save me a strawberry!
Have a great holiday weekend.

Betty said...

Loved the pic´s of your neighborhood.

Mental P Mama said...

I love me some RED!

Mrs4444 said...

I've heard that, and I don't understand it. Let me get this straight--People go into debt buying tons of "stuff" and then leave it all behind when they foreclose? I don't understand it. Your pics are great; I'd give you an "A" on the "red" assignment. :)

Lawyer Mom said...

Dumpsters in driveways, too many to count. The situation is heartbraking and sad. This economy and the PPIP plan and CDOs . . . argh. I better stop now before I get really wound up.

The red maple tree pics were soothing, though. Maybe your's had a different exposure?

Lawyer Mom said...

P.S. Umm, my unconscious self things I'm a botanist. But maple trees? No idea where that came from. Anyway, the red was good. Colorful. Good.

tipper said...

Love all the red-except the dumpster. Our area has been hard hit too. Our county unemployment rate is well over 11%. I can't believe they'd leave that much stuff behind either-I'd be wondering if there was anything good thrown into the big red dumpster-I might even be tempted to take a peek too.

Debbie said...

I'm a dumpster diver, well not literally, but I also would be tempted. It IS sad and I hate to think about it. You know why the tree died? It knew it was a copy and not the original. They are weird that way BWHAAA. I have no idea.

You did a great job, especially just in the neighborhood. Now when I look out the windows I'll be searching for red :)