Enjoying Autumn?

Summer’s gone. By week’s end, September will join the past and October will hold the near future. Tomorrow is World Rivers Day and this morning I stumbled into some river resources I should have known about but didn’t. I’ll share them tomorrow.

Today is, among other things, National Public Lands Day. I sent emails to my congressperson and two US senators asking them to support additional funding for national wildlife refuges. The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists 21 facilities in Minnesota. The Star Tribune, several years ago, published a guide to 13 national wildlife refuges in the state. Full disclosure: almost all of my Minnesota goose hunting has been done at a state wildlife area/refuge, Lac qui Parle, in western Minnesota.

Carlos Avery, Canada geese, 2014

Photo by J. Harrington

Minnesota’s regular waterfowl season opened today. I didn’t hear much shooting this morning, which isn’t a surprise since I’ve not seen many birds around Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, which is, literally, in our back yard.

Since today is Public Lands Day, I’m going to close with the full version of a Woody Guthrie classic, but not until I’ve noted that the indigenous inhabitants of this land were driven from their homes to make public lands. Treaties Matter.

This Land Is Your Land

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

This land is your land, this land is my land
From California to the New York island,
From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters; 
This land was made for you and me.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway 
I saw above me that endless skyway; 
I saw below me that golden valley; 
This land was made for you and me.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps 
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts; 
And all around me a voice was sounding;
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling, 
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling, 
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting: 
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking I saw a sign there,
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing." 
But on the other side it didn't say nothing.
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people, 
By the relief office I seen my people; 
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking 
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me, 
As I go walking that freedom highway; 
Nobody living can ever make me turn back 
This land was made for you and me. 

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