WHAT YOU SEE DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU STAND . . .

Minnesota has thousands of lakes. For many years, car license plates
carried the slogan "Land of 10,000 Lakes." The DNR states there are
actually 11,842 lakes 10 acres or larger. Each lake has been given a
name with some of the "names" being simply numbers . . . like Lake
22 or Lake 23.

The lakes sometimes share the same name. For me, amount all the 154
lakes named "Long", one Long Lake will always be special.

     It was where I saw a Cerulean Warbler for the first time.


                                     Cerulean

                           A small flutter of a bird
                               traverses tree tops.

                 Part of springtime passing through
                                   to elsewhere.

                            I lift my eyes skyward
                               hoping to glimpse
                        its ethereal, sky-blue back.

                                   But see only
                            a clear, white breast.

                            Next year, I will walk
                         along a high-ridge trail,
                               to look down on 
                                     tree tops.

                                 

BLUEBIRDS REMEMBERED

They turn in lilting flight,
descend to trees and fences and
begin a gentle conversation.

In loose clusters, never alone
as if they have
a fondness
for each other's company.

Always in my memories,
their graceful flight
and soft calls
always -

turning blue skies 
more blue.

May Day ! ! May Day ! !

I remember a May Day in London. Elizabeth and I had just visited
Westminster Cathedral and out in front was a significant gathering of
people watching a circle of young girls dancing, holding ribbons, and
twining the ribbons around a May Pole. I had heard about May Poles . . .
but had never seen one. And here I was watching it all happen!

But, that wasn't all.

The group invited me to join them. Now . . . I'm not a "dancing type"
person, only having danced once with Elizabeth at our high school prom.
But, there I was dancing. I will never forget that day in London with
Elizabeth.

I can hardly wait to see what special thing Elizabeth and I will do
on this May Day!