AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES this morning, silence and peace-and-quiet are not the order of the day. Rather, many joyful spring hymns are being sung and there is much welcoming back of friends and relatives who traveled south for the winter months. A rambunctious ruby crowned kinglet sings from the pines and balsam firs by the riverbank. Our little butterbutts (yellow-rumped warblers) flutter around the church grounds. Cormorants fly up and down the river, returning to their island haunt, where the geese also raise a morning ruckus. The jays, not to be outdone, holler and shout. A red-bellied woodpecker, resplendent in his Sunday best, sends his throaty trill from the woods, where Sparky the Cardinal—church soloist—seems particularly inspired by the beauty of the day. The little phoebes flutter over the sparkling river. Deer mosey around quietly while squirrels drink holy water from the bird bath. And all wait excitedly to see who will turn up next from southern climes. From beneath the tall deacon pines, we wish you Good Sabbath!