For my 800th post, I proudly feature a poem by friend Vicki Van Eck Hill:

WINTERLUDE

Some years you cannot escape winter’s reach

At least weren’t shivering on a Florida beach,

At the inception days ago of the season, spring,

Winter dropped in, but temperature did a low swing

In a week we’ll depart, car laden with art treasures

Hoping to extend some to our community, share the pleasures.

Luckily our long johns weren’t given away

We’ll wear them back, since winter conditions wish to stay.

Experienced “mitters” who hail from the U.P.

Carry winter wear 11 months: our season lasts more than three.

We won’t go home by a different route, wise woman and man,

Because for 5 weeks we monitored the Mackinac Bridge cam

Saw blizzards with only a few cars, just days ago

Know that even in April it could shut down for snow.

So here we come, Badgers, who call YOUR state shape “mitten”~~

Yeah, a wicked witch ‘s squashed glove: who are you kiddin’!!

—–  Written by Vicki Hill on March 23, 2013