Responding to your comments

Dear Children -

To Christina, Tiffany, Xavier, Kiara, Paul, Jenna, Bianca, Sashala, Jordan, Lucas, Alasdair, Tony, Emanuel, Zelaya, Kevin, and Dianna (corrected list):

I was very pleased to see so many comments on my last entry. You are a wonderful bunch and I want to respond to your observations and questions. This time I will group my answers together instead of trying to write to each one of you.

As of yesterday, I had walked 219 miles between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Birmingham, Alabama. You can see my path on the map I told you about a few days ago. There's a link to it at the right hand top of the page. 

About the forests: I don't know how long it takes for the trees to grow and mature. Different trees grow at different rates, and I think that pines grow faster than many other trees. The pecan trees probably take longer. Whenever we damage or cut down a tree we need to think about how long it takes for a tree to grow and how important trees are for our health.

About the boat that was abandoned near the river: I agree with one of you that the most likely explanation is that the boat was lifted up during a flood and then left high and dry when the waters went down again.

I was surprised by your idea that so many people are crazy - crazy enough to put a boat in that spot. Why do you think that people are crazy? I guess I don't see many crazy people where I travel. You said that people sometimes don't know what they're doing where they are, and I agree with that. I believe that there are lots of reasons for people to feel bewildered, frustrated, and confused. 

I'm not sure why some of you talk about radiation. Yes, radiation is a danger, not only to human beings but to many animals as well. And now that summer is coming it will be important for you to protect your skin with sun lotion from the harmful rays of the sun. 

Finally, yes, Alabama is beautiful, especially at this time of the year when the flowers are blooming and the trees are covered with bright new leaves. I also love the rivers and creeks. I'll take some more pictures to send you later this week.

Let me know if I missed anyone's name or question. (Thanks, Christina, for sending me two names that I'd missed.) 

Love, Nana Greta