A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
The main attraction of northern Michigan is the opportunity to immerse ourselves in tranquil nature scenes like this one, all blue sky and water and lush green wilderness. Although I love nature in all her many forms, this preserve was of particular interest to me simply by virtue of its name- Arcadia! I recalled learning about Arcadia in my English literature classes in high school and was intrigued to discover how this preserve and surrounding settlement got its name. Arcadia is both a real, historic region in Greece as well as a mythological place that has come to signify an idyllic wilderness, the home of the god Pan, Hermes, and Atalanta (the heroic daughter of the King of Arcadia). Arcadia, Michigan, is rather idyllic as well, though I still have to find out what inspired its naming. Funnily enough, I attended a lecture on J.R.R. Tolkien and Arcadia at the Tolkien conference in Rome last month and mentioned to the speaker that Arcadia actually existed today- a tiny village of 309 souls in northern Michigan. The speaker, who was from Argentina, then surprised me by telling me that he not only knew of Arcadia in Michigan, but had been there himself! It's a small world, after all....
Liturgical: Memorial of Sts. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs
"Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare."
Sanctoral: Charles Lwanga and Companions, Uganda +1886; St. Clotilde, queen of the Merovingian dynasty (475-545)
Human: World Bicycle Day. This wonderful invention has a patron saint! Our Lady of Ghisallo in Magreglio, Italy, has a museum dedicated to this sport so beloved in Italy. One day, perhaps next year, I will participate in the annual "Chase the Sun" bikeathon from coast to coast across Italy in one day.
Natural: The Marsh nature preseve of Arcadia- 289 species of birds, 155 native plant species.
Italian Word of the Day: Sonno (sleep / sleepiness)
Quote: "A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance."
Hunter S. Thompson
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