A Cold Wind Blowing

It has been a cool summer in the west central Michigan.   I can count on one hand the number of days this fast departing summer had temperatures reaching the low 80's.  Now, in the last days of August, temperatures drop into the 30s overnight.  Cold fall winds are blowing in early off Lake Michigan and the long gray winter suddenly doesn't seem far off.

Like the weather, the Michigan economy is gloomy.  Folks sell firewood, apples and yard sale trinkets to get a small amount of cash.  How much of that gets reported to Uncle Sam?  Wouldn't help anyway. 

Toys from more prosperous times line roads.  Boats, travel trailers and other paraphernalia can be had for a song.  Not many cars, I guess the clunkers program got most of them.  Deteriorating roads make for rough driving. Walk into a store: You will find solicitous clerks but few customers.

With an unemployment rate over 15%, real estate values continuing to drop, and a cold winter approaching things seem bleak.  One hopes the red, orange and gold leaves of October will help.