Remember this picture that I posted a couple of weeks ago? (if not, just scroll down a bit, it's still there along with a few other from the same place.) We had found the perfect picnic spot. My kids talked about the beauty of this spot for days after we spent the afternoon there. They loved it and want to know when we can go back. I am sorry to say I'm not sure if we'll be able to go back. Just a couple of days after our picnic there, the govenor of our state made an announcement to shut down the park as well as several others in the area. I could hardly believe it. How could it be that these beautiful, natural places could be closed?

Children need more time outside, enjoying the good things in life like trees, rivers, exploring animals homes and wildflowers, learning from nature. They need this park. All of us need these parks. If we cut off access to these natural spaces, what sort of message is this giving to kids about how to love and care for the earth? How will they learn to appreciate what is good and natural and free about our state?

It really saddens me to think we may not be able to visit this park again or any of the others on the list of state park closings. Budget, smudget. It just doesn't make sense. We worry about childhood obesity. We worry about childhood nature-deficit disorder. We worry about the kids who are turning pale and drooling on their video-game controllers. But then we take away the living, green places, where children -and adults- can play, exercise, hike, climb, splash, paddle, explore...