When I was 11 years old, I was fishing on a stream, a bit far away from where my parents and siblings were casting their lines. I sat with my back against a tree, watching the bobber bounce up and down on the water. Suddenly, a buzzing filled my ears and a hummingbird landed on my fishing pole. I held perfectly still, watching the beautiful jewel take a rest. I felt honored and, for the first time on that trip, hoped disparately that a fish WOULDN'T take the bait.

This encounter is the reason I became interested in nature. I wanted to know more. What drove that hummingbird to land on my pole instead of a nearby branch? Why did it make that buzzing sound? What caused its feathers to glow like that? I don't remember anything else about that trip, but that single moment formed my life.

Marian Murdoch
Belfair, WA
marianmurdoch at yahoo.com