The selected haiku in this collection reflect many facets of my life. I am a wife of 22 years, a mother to two teenage children, and a person who loves the outdoors. We live on an old farmstead in the flat cornfields of Illinois. We have a creek that flows through our farm named Kickapoo Creek which is surrounded by grassy pasture. The simplistic beauty of this part of the prairie inspires my imagination and soul. I love the prairie and all the small secrets it holds. Even though we do not actually farm the ground around us, I do feel for the farmers and the challenges they face every day. Currently we are having a drought—this is what inspired "prayers for rain," my signature haiku. I usually write about unique observations I encounter throughout my day. I may not write it down immediately, but I do write it in my head for reference later. "Tall pasture grass" is about the beagle we had for 10 years and this is how I will remember him. "Snowy day" is about my youngest of three brothers. He would stay outside and play in the snow until he was forced to go back inside. I remember him standing on the heat register trying to thaw out his overchilled body. If anyone has ever done this, they know how painful this process can be. He-- is no longer with me either. The haibun was written at one single sitting- when I was able to escape from my family for a few moments. It reflects my personal views of the world around me and my life.