---

Take pictures, leave only footprints. As summer residents of Longville for the past six years, my wife and I have had the pleasure to experience some of Minnesota's true north country beauty. On one of my wife's early morning bike rides she discovered dozens of pink and white lady's slipper blooming in the road ditch. We have enjoyed the flowers every year since and when we stopped this June to take some photographs, I not only saw the beautiful blossoms but noticed three holes where someone had removed several clumps of our state flower. Though it is illegal to remove them, these flowers are not there for the taking, they bloom so all can enjoy the beauty Mother Nature shares with us. Please, Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints.[[In-content Ad]]

---