Nebraskaland

May 2022 • Nebraskaland 43 me and the insects each morning. Monarch butterfl ies fl oated among the milkweed, while a symphony of grassland birds sang their songs. A mulberry tree, heavy with the ripe taste of summer, would provide a welcome treat. Sitting in its ancient shadow, I refl ected upon the history of this place and how it was becoming a part of me. Days after this visit, a reminder of those mulberries remained stained on my thumb. A monarch butterfl y nectaring on milkweed. A squirrel keeping an eye on my wanderings.

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