Love land . . .

From Linda Black Elk::::

Have you ever been to the prairies of North and South Dakota?

Today it is raining and Mother Earth is soaking it up and nourishing all of those roots and tubers that are going to sleep for winter. There's still a ton of wildflowers - goldenrod, sunflowers, cleome. The butterflies and bees are still busy - even in the rain - and the bald eagle couples are settling into their massive nests to keep warm in the coming months. Some of them have eaglets.

When the wind blows across the tallgrass prairie, it looks just like golden ocean waves. The hawks love to look for mice on those windy days, because it's difficult for the rodents to hide among the moving grains. The pronghorn and bison graze lazily next to each other, while herds of white tail and mule deer, skittish because of the coyotes, stand in tight cliques...always on guard.
The Missouri River - the Lakota call it Mníšoše - winds through the prairie - moving steadily in its altered course. I always wonder what it was like to stand on the shore, underneath massive cottonwood trees, before the river was dammed. It is still so beautiful, quiet, and alive with the activity of jumping fish, frogs, and water fowl.


This is why we are here. This is what we are fighting for. This is what we are protecting. I just wanted you all to know what is in my heart. #NoDAPL