Nisqually Delta

These pictures I took at Nisqually Delta reminded me of a poem my grandfather wrote. He liked to write poems and this one is about his love for the state of Washington. I'm not exactly sure when this was penned, but I'm guessing it had to have been sometime in the 1920's. I recently became reacquainted with it while going through a drawer I have of old family history material.





Love Washington

I've traveled the highways through portals and gates
I've traveled the by-ways in all our fair states
Nature's beauties I've seen north, east, south and west
Of them all, I would deem fair Washington best.

Her grand scenic mountains prime forest and lakes
Her cascading fountains with mists in their wakes
Her sage-covered hillsides, green valleys, clear streams
Cool incoming surf-tides are all in my dreams.

I often can see them asleep or awake
My memory will sure stem all chance of escape
And yet there is no danger though no native son
But only a stranger I love Washington.

I love Washington.

Proud snow-capped Mount Baker, majestic Rainier
And climate help make her a state without peer
How happy her rangers, how proud each fair son
When all perfect strangers can love Washington

So hail to her bounty there is none can compare
It seems natures duty to weave everywhere
Within her four borders the scenes that have won
All true beauty lovers to love Washington

Though we wander far astray none can long remain away
From those sylvan scenes which charm us everyone
So we all came back to you and our hearts are longing too
For your lakes and verdant hills dear Washington

For majestic Mount Rainier where the air is so crystal clear
For the fields where golden grain and fruits abound
For the land of no regrets where most charming of sunsets
Silhouette Olympic's peeks of Puget Sound

Where the rhododendrons bloom where all nature is in tune
Back to your own grand home state, dear Washington