close to home, close to the heart

I grew up on and still live on the edge of the Menomonee River Valley in Milwaukee, once home to a huge complex of railroad yards, factories and a  mostly industrial landscape (I worked in one of those industries myself - a huge foundry). I played on the edge of the Valley - although we were strictly warned to stay away from the trains and the tracks. Now part of it has been reclaimed for people and nature. I've studied the birds in various parts of the Valley for a decade. There are not a great many species of birds present here in winter - it's mostly used by birds during migration. But it's a great place for a winter's day walk, though - in the wonderful Three Bridges Park ( see: http://www.menomoneevalley-fromthegroundup.org/three-bridges-park1.html  - the result of the efforts of many good people to create a space for nature and people in the middle of the city). Now it's also "looked after" by many people - especially the wonderful folks at the Urban Ecology Center ( see:
 http://urbanecologycenter.org/our-branches/menomonee-valley-from-the-ground-up.html ).

So the place still "calls" to me, albeit somewhat differently than it did when I was a boy.