And I found twelve wood ducks, six blue-winged teal, four buffleheads, four geese, five mallards, a bunch of ‘snoring’ leopard frogs, ‘quacking’ wood frogs, and singing chorus frogs, the first ruby-crowned kinglets and song sparrows of the year, a black squirrel, three red squirrels, a red-bellied wood pecker, two mourning doves, a yearling white-tailed deer, a quiet blue jay, my usual coterie of friendly chickadees, the first wild leeks and trout lilies of spring, a mossy log, and a red maple with red buds, kept company by several young white pines. And Sparky the Cardinal. And two nesting eagles.

It was a quiet day.

Then, on returning exhausted from this mighty

exploration, I found that Kathy, co-caretaker of the Church, had ‘dressed’ the deck. Making a fine place for sitting and resting. Did I find ‘another world’ on my outing? No. But I got reacquainted with the one I love.