I defer to no Alabamian in the degree of my love of New York State. We have indeed at least two states to be proud of–the greatest city on earth, and some of the most beautiful nature. (I will concede that nature in Alabama and elsewhere is equally beautiful, though in different ways.) Our way is mountain laurel, maples, hemlocks, gorges, cascades, lakes, streams–and in the valleys and flatlands, orchards and rolling fields. The procession of blossoms from humble colt’s foot in March to asters in September is beautiful and, yes, heartbreaking. As the Japanese poet wrote: “A world of dew is a world of dew. And yet, and yet–”

Then the snow and the ice.