My wife Jean and my daughter Lucy and I went on the Kings River this morning as a 4th of July Getaway. It beats fireworks. These days we pass over water high up on bridges designed so we are no longer conscious of what lies beneath. But there is a remarkable real world that starts at the water's edge. For those who live their lives so busily in cities as to miss the natural world completely, I have some sadness and express my regret. It may take some effort to step beyond the routine, out of your comfort zone of home, office and car. I suspect you might find it rewarding.

Among the birds I saw were kingfishers, and a green heron that kept slightly ahead of us on our trip downriver. In the bright sunlight, the green heron often looks coal black. It is one of the world's tool using birds. It will drop bait in the water and then eat whatever small fish are attracted to it. The photo below is of my daughter Lucy in a kayak.