In 2012, I--along with most of the MSNBC reporters I listened to constantly--used Mitt Romney's line about the "trees being the right height" as further evidence of how dopey he was (e.g., the dog on the roof of the car, the"cheesy grits," the fake use of "y'all" et al.). However, having lived in the Upper Peninsula for 4 years (or half years), I have come to realize Mitt's claim about tree height was a great insight.
In fact, in Michigan, the trees ARE the right height. As you drive up the mitten of the Lower Peninsula towards the Mackinaw Bridge, the landscape becomes greener, denser, and more beautiful.
On the other side of the Big Bridge is the eastern shore of the Upper Peninsula. As you drive west (as we do to get to Lake Medora in the Keweenaw) you are literally driving through a forest for most of the trip.
If you grow up in a landscape, it feels "right" in a way that is visceral and alway evoked when you come back. For me, it is the piney woods of North and South Carolina. I have lived in Michigan enough to sense this feeling when I cross the state line from Indiana to Michigan and see the "Pure Michigan" sign.
Although, I did not agree with Mitt Romney on most of his policies (though he looks pretty good compared to his current fascist counterpart), I do agree with his insight about the beauty of Michigan, which lies in its vast green spaces that envelop you as you proceed through them.
#TreesAreRightHeight
#MittRomney
#landscape
#PureMichigan
