Published Date: October 27, 2020

American writer William Carlos Williams is known for his staccato-short poems. One called “So much depends upon” gives two images: a red wheelbarrow glazed with rainwater, and several white chickens beside it.

Why these barnyard items and nothing more? To remind us of beauty in what is very ordinary, taken for granted without a second thought.

The poem clicked in my memory when I read Roger Digges’ guest commentary (“News-Gazette,” September 1, 2020) on the upcoming referendum to increase taxpayer funding for The Champaign County Forest Preserve. Digges briefly spotlighted elemental gifts in the county Nature preserves that have helped him and other visitors to weather the pandemic: running water, ancient trees with rough bark, spring blooms, a soaring bald eagle.

I was moved.

I would like to do something similar for another Champaign County Forest Preserve treasure: the Museum of the Grand Prairie at Lake of the Woods in Mahomet.