February Snow - Tuesday, February 9, 2016

My feral black cat showed up yesterday; I hadn't seen it since Christmas. I'll call it Felix (of course) or Felice. I wonder if the name Felix has the same root as felicitation. As you can see in the photo below there was no snow yesterday. But this is February, the truly winter-month here in Michigan, in my opinion; the exact opposite of August. The second month and then six months later, the eighth month, they are found 180 degrees opposite one another traveling around our sun. Clicking on photos enlarges them.

Some photos during the storm: -

 

 

Looking a little bedraggled after having flowered for more than two months are two rescued plants taken from one of my favorite brunch cafes after they stopped flowering and were junk-tossed: a cyclamen, from me, and a cactus, from Iris. Their red flowers brighten up winter days and are welcome winter bright spots. I've had them both for several years now. I think I'll be able to keep the cyclamen going for much longer. If not, it regularly produces seeds which are easy to germinate. The cactus is a "picky eater" and survives unwillingly.

 

Reliable Rick from Harbor Beach came early and plowed the road in and then my driveway. Darin's crew cam yesterday but left early without doing anything, anticipating, I think, the snow's arrival.

Another "Rick", Michigan's governor, is not so reliable apparently. Our Rick billed himself as a nerd and a relatively non-partisan republican. He has over the years appointed financial managers when our cities have had financial crises because of the economic slow down in Michigan. He has done the same for some troubled school districts creating a multi-tiered system with charter schools and private schools to replace many public schools in financially strapped districts. Our schools were struggling because of the economic downturn causing lower tax revenues from 2008 on. Those struggling schools also had appointed financial managers replace district superintendents.

I honestly don't know what to think. However, appointing bosses, not responsible to the voters, does not sound like democracy to me at least. Recently the financial manager for troubled Flint, Michigan switched the water supply from Detroit water to water from the Flint river in order to save money. Deteriorating pipes released toxic lead into the water of residents and poisoned people for more than a year. Lead is a heavy metal which cause numerous problems especially in children and fetuses but also in adults of all ages and genders. Apparently 'they' knew about the problem for more than a year and did nothing. The effects are long lasting and apparently permanent. Childrens' minds have been permanently damaged. The organs of adults have been damaged, perhaps beyond repair.

That same Flint financial manager was rescued from Flint after their crisis and then appointed to oversee the Detroit school system. This whole thing does not pass the sniff test. It sounds and smells bad.