Every so often you have one of those extra special summer days, where every minute is filled with fun and beautiful memories are stored up, to be brought back out and savored during the long winter. We had one of those days in August, when we visited Madison County, Iowa,  and its wonderful covered bridges.  Here are a few pictures from our exploration day, with a poem by Arthur Franklin Mapes, one of Indiana's poet laureates. 

“The Covered Bridge”

I came upon a covered bridge
Weather-beaten and old,
Where deep blue stream and wooded ridge
Were framed in twilight gold.

It was wonderful to see
A scene so old and quaint,
A rustic masterpiece
That only God could paint.

Could I, a humble poet,
Pass through the bridge of time;
And learn its treasured secrets,
Then put them into rhyme?

Could I, with words, portray
The sky, the stream, the ridge?
Would I, with words, betray
The secrets of the bridge?

The colors slowly faded
As the shadows crossed the stream;
Then, at last, the velvet darkness
Changed it all into a dream.

But God gave me a picture
To keep within my heart,
With all its rustic splendor,
A priceless work of art.

Yes, God gave me a picture
That can’t be bought or sold,
A picture of a covered bridge
Framed in twilight gold.

Don't you love how summer memories can be enjoyed all year round?
Let's make today a special day of memories, too, by taking a few moments to take in all the beauty around us and store it in our hearts.  And please remember...

Today is a good day for a good day!