What do you hear?

Though you see a completely peaceful spot - possibly my favorite spot - on this river there are eleven 4 year olds running around exploring and playing and teaching me new ways to see this special place. Tomorrow I suspect our splash wars will be even bigger..

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In the Pines

Today, I was talking with my friend, JoJo, about pines.  It turns out he too has a relationship with pines similar to mine.  He was telling me today that when he is under the pines he feels calm and like the world is right.  (Those are my words of what he was describing to me.)  He was telling me about one pine tree in particular that he loves because it makes him think of his dad.  As we were talking I was sharing with him my love of the pine warbler.  It is my belief they sing to the pines and we are rapidly approaching the time when they begin their spring song.  I was telling JoJo they would begin singing soon.  The earth will begin stirring in just a few weeks and even though our weather will be cold the light will change and the yellow of spring begin to appear.  As I was telling him of their song, as if on cue, one sang.  At first, I was not certain of it - maybe it was just my mind making things up.  Sure enough as the day grew warmer the pine warbler offered its songs to the pines a few more times.  It sang enough for my good friend JoJo to hear it too.  Now, he also knows the pine warbler.  Maybe he will hear them when he is in his stand of pines and think to himself of how they sing so sweetly to the pine trees.

Hope

The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for.  And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.
~ Barbara Kingsolver