Fishing Dog

Recently, I received an email reminder for the 2012 Minnesota Bound Crappie Contest on Lake Minnetonka. This is the 44th year for the fishing contest! I've always been a fan of Ron Schara, Raven-the-Labrador and the good folks who combine their talents to make Minnesota Bound a real treasure for our communities and families. They've done much to make folks aware of the beauty of our land and the need to be good stewards of our woods, fields, lakes and rivers. Through the Minnesota Bound TV shows and documentaries, fishing clinics, event appearances and sponsorship of a variety of community programs – generations of kids have learned about the great outdoors. What a legacy! When you have a few moments, be sure to visit the Minnesota Bound website at www.mnbound.com.

Now I wish I had a good fishing story of my own to tell, but I haven't had too many experiences with fishing. Unfortunately, I wasn't born with an innate knack for fishing nor could I seem to develop the skill. I never quite got the hang of releasing the line and having the hook end up where I wanted it to land!

My Mask

A few years ago, I volunteered for a local Nature Center's celebration of Earth Day. Dressed in costume, I created stories for kids who made masks using paper bags, pictures from magazines and markers. It was pretty fun to tell the little ones about the story I "read" in each of their masks. As part of that event, I gave each child (or parent) a small copy of this rhyme.

I've always been big on the concept of "recycle and reuse". Call me a frugal suburbanite who hasn't lost complete touch with her rural roots. AND I hate the thought of huge landfills, litter in general and the vision of plastic bags eroding in our lakes, seas and oceans. Which, sadly, they appear to be doing -- along with ending up in bird and squirrel nests.

So let me tell you a little story about my love of nature.