Keeping Alabama Forever Wild

Sunrise over Wheeler Lake

This spring Al.com is publishing a project called Keeping Alabama Forever Wild. Alabamians were invited to send in essays and photographs to share about their special place in Alabama - places that contain deep meaning for them. Selected submissions for this project are running now and ends on Earth Day, April 22, 2011. A new essay is published daily. This project is done in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy of Alabama and Conservation Alabama Foundation.

American White Pelicans at Wheeler Dam

The Forever Wild Program was established in 1992 by constitutional amendment to provide for the purchase of public recreational lands. Since its inception Forever Wild has acquired eighty six (86) tracts totaling 222,771 acres located throughout the state. (source: Outdoor Alabama)

Morning mist rises above Wheeler Lake

My submission is one of the chosen and will be published this Friday, April 1st. Regular readers can guess the area I've written about. The title - "I Am This Flowing Water."

Great Blue Heron and the fish that got away - Wheeler Dam

An excerpt: " It is here, walking along the winter banks at low pool that evidence of Alabama's past can be found lying about, untouched - rock, flint and clay. I observe and enjoy its sandy shores and driftwood, soft water, spongy bottom, shorelines littered with mussel shells and rocks, and breathe in the river's perfume. Wide sky stretches from here to there, a canvas for unusual cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets, storms, lightning in nighttime clouds, mists rising from the lake, rainbows, a gazillion stars at night."

Rock and leaves - Wheeler Lake

It was tough sticking to 600 words or less but I think the essay reflects fairly accurately my love for my lake. Reading these submissions has brought back fond memories of my life here in this beautiful state. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.