Out of the city
Out of the neighborhood
Away from the concerts, the theme parks, and the sports arenas
Away from the job, the school, and the people we know
Away from the politics, the neighbors, and the traffic
Away from social media, cable news, and gossip
Out - into nature
Out into the world
Out into our beautiful state
Only once was I charged, but even then it was more of a threat than a crime. I was innocently walking through a section of forested property with one of my bosses, Lynn Wilds. We were scouting the location for a creative idea I had for another feature on the property when we looked up to see a calf. The buffalo were supposed to be in the west pasture, not in the east where we were. Lynn and I knew if there was a calf, a mother couldn't be far. Where? On the other side of where we stood, snorting and hoofing at the ground. Finding ourselves between mother and child, we jogged backwards, keeping our eyes on the big mama and giving her the space she needed to rejoin junior.
Today, I have great respect for these woolly buggers; I just cannot see them without using the word majestic over and over. If you'd like to spot them, it won't take you long to get to Prairie State Park, near Lamar. It's worth the drive.