We’d awaken very early,
The grass still covered with dew;
We’d eat something…very hurriedly,
Then, we’d be ‘off’…just us two!

One morning we strolled along,
Down the path to the lake;
And, we happened upon something,
That made Gramma’s heart break.

Gramma loved trees…trees of all sorts,
But, something was not right;
There were caterpillar nests,
And, they were eating the leaves…bite by bite.

She explained to me the problem,
When trees are stripped of their leaves;
The tree will slowly die,
And, for this…Gramma grieved.

I was soon to learn that Gramma,
Was a ‘Naturalist’ at heart;
And, ‘tis the gift she gave to me,
Right from the very start!

Gramma took her walking stick,
Twisting it around each nest;
And, with a flick of her wrist,
To the ground…it was wrest.

Then, she would stomp upon it,
Encouraging me to do the same;
No more leaves would be eaten from that tree,
To us…it became our little game!

We did this…many times,
And, for many days…too;
We had a mission…’save the trees’,
I’m sure that we saved quite a few.

You never know just what you’ll see,
As you start out…on a walk;
There’s something new…every day,
What’s best is…WALKING TOGETHER!

********

April 6, 2004

Aimee Love
(LHG)