Had to take my kid to the ER this morning and then of course wait a
gazillion years to get the results. (She is OK). Feeling all kinds of parent
turmoil, I burst outside into the parking lot, intending to walk but shortly
got stopped in my tracks by a knee level Pileated, working around a tree in
the landscape. It was close and allowed me to watch it for a nice look. A
car finally pulled up and the bird flew, and I found that I was calm again
and relaxed and smiling. Just the medicine I needed this morning.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, writer