ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY on Rainy Lake, we had the joy of spending almost the whole day with Voyageurs National Park Supervising Ranger Mark Miller and his lovely wife,Tammie. On an earlier boat cruise to Kettle Falls with one of my Road Scholar groups, I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Mark, and we discovered a remarkable collection of similar life experiences, interests, abilities, and passions. From intercollegiate tennis to college music majors to singing, recording and performing, guitar and other instruments, to life-changing decisions involving nature and the call of the NorthWoods to a love for Sigurd Olson, to parallel stories with our also similar and wonderful spouses. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen very often, and it felt truly extraordinary. We’ve been looking forward to getting together ever since. And today with Tammie and Kathy, we simply spent the whole day on Fawn Island sharing stories—finding even more similarities—sharing lunch and a sky-blue-waters boat ride, and getting better acquainted.

We look forward to more occasions to share with wonderful new friends, and hope that wherever you may be, you had an enjoyable and beautiful Sunday as well!