Hey, thanks for being a part of the conversation. This is Forest Stories.
I am the Poet in the Forest, a children's series that I pinned
out in the nineteen nineties. Now, none of it would be possible if
it wasn't for this forest right here in South Charlotte, North Carolina. I
talk about it so much that I thought maybe it's time that you get to
know what has inspired me for thirty years. Thanks for being a part of
the conversation. Welcome back to the forest. Today, we're standing on Larry
Lane. Larry Lane is a special section in the very very front part of
my section of the forest. Larry was a black and white rescue dog rescued
in Los Angeles, California, that came to my wife because somebody just dumped
the dog out a vet and my wife said, no, no, no,
this dog is too lovable. This dog needs a loving home. Well,
she provided that loving home in her rock star lifestyle. That meant a
lot of famous musicians got to meet Larry, and many of them even today
talk about it. Was Richard Marx. Richard Marx new Larry. Richard knew
of Larry's personality and his incredible warmth and love for all people. This is
a part of the forest that a lot of people do not know unless you
uncover the plaque that is inside the forest floor. The plaque explains the story
of Larry Lane and how it served as the beginning of what would soon grow
throughout this entire forest. Because we've talked about the statue, the Nicky statue,
We've talked about the bridge where Woji closed his eyes and now he awaits
the day that he can open them and see me again. But Larry Lane
was chapter one of really kind of just specializing the forest with true love,
my love for all animals. In fact, just over here across from Larry
Lane is what I call the jazz Park. All of my beautiful birds that
provided such amazing music in the morning, the afternoon, and at night,
they all are sleeping right over here, and I know, late late late
at night, they gather together and they have their performances. It's like this
gigantic band bringing their own sights and sounds, and those that are present will
hear their music. And that's what this forest is all about. The music
from Larry Lane. Larry sings as loud as he can. Nikki and his
statue stand so proudly. And the bridge where Woji, Sophia, Misha,
and my Chinese crusted Sammy. We all sat there when our eyes grew closed.
But Larry Lane a special little place the first chapter, on this fall
day in Carolina. It's covered with leaves except for the plaque where it's lit
up with solar lighting. So at night Larry can sit there and watch anything
and everything that's moving by, because in his heart, this is his forest,
and he made sure of it when he was on this planet. He
ran through those waters in that stream, he would make the biggest noises.
He was a child, just like the original family who came to this lake
to escape, the family that I spoke of when we were talking about Heartbreak
Hill, Larry Lane, the music, the poetry, the love, the
love, and just think, one day we'll be opening up our eyes to
see each other again. Hey, thanks for being a part of the conversation.