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May 1

Denise Poloyac

• 2 min read
May 1
2024: In the Swamp. Taken at the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Refuge near New Orleans, LA

In 2021, Mony and I traveled to New Orleans – our first real vacation together and the first flight since COVID. We wanted to go out for a swamp tour, and Louisiana Lost Lands Environmental Tours was recommended to me. John was going to be our tour guide, but big storms cancelled our tour. A few weeks later, John reached out to me to ask if there was anywhere in Chicago where he could store his kayaks for the weekend since he was visiting his sister on a return trip from Minnesota. We offered our garage and we had a chance to meet. He promised us a tour to us the next time we were in New Orleans – and that tour happened today. We were able to paddle for a few hours and learn about the swamp and all of the challenges to the bayou caused by the petrochemical industry, the levees, and climate change. We also got to see among others: alligators, a prothonotary warbler (aka a swamp canary), a limpkin, black-bellied whistling ducks, osprey, and best of all a swallow tail kite. This is John in his kayak during our lunch break.

2020: What They Sell on the Street These Days. Taken on Lawrence Ave. just east of Kimball in Chicago
2018: May Day. Taken on Clark Street near Congress in Chicago. There was not a lot of planning or turn out efforts that went into May Day this year -- but still there was an energetic crowd. May Day is always interesting since it is a day that is owned by such diverse groups: Traditional labor unions, immigration activists, and every socialist and communist group.
2016: Today’s soldiers with yesterday’s cannon. Taken at Cemetery Hill in Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
2016: April Showers on May Day. Taken on Stetson Ave just south of Wacker Drive. 

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