Time and again, tasks that I dread looking forward turn out to be pleasant experiences once started. Drizzle. Fog. Dreary dampness. That was the view as sat in the kitchen to slip on my boots. But outside, dread was immediately distracted by a peaceful chipping sound coming from a tiny bird that was feeding on the wet moss. I felt surprising warmth in the humid air. The drenched leaves made for quiet walking, far better than the noisy crunch of dry weather. I got relatively close to four deer, a couple of squirrels, and another small bird before I was detected and they darted away. This was a great day to be outside, but that wasn’t something I was ever going to know by sitting in the kitchen.
