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Dear Editor:
I. Spring breezes bring the fresh scent of plowed earth.
Blue birds dance between the trees.
Sunlight sparkles on the streams and lakes. Trout jump after mayflies.
II. Wild and free, eagles and hawks wheel over the amazed.
Owls hoot in the night.
Coyotes dance over unsuspecting farmer's fields,
And deer browse unafraid.
III. Bountiful harvests feed the nation.
Maple syrup from the forests, cider from the orchards and honey from the friendly pollinators sweeten our lives.
Tourists flock from far and near awed by the natural beauty.
Scientists study the geology, ecology and history of the unique and special area.
IV. Huge towers span the countryside.
The quiet is broken by snapping and whining power lines.
Clear-cut timber lies cast aside and wide corridors of scorched earth gash the landscape.
What are we doing to our Driftless?
Jane Batha
Mineral Point