Today we took the kayaks up to Hope Valley and paddled on pretty Wood River for a few hours. We started just across Wyoming Pond from the house where my children spent 4 wonderful years long ago, and followed the channel up to the white bridge and then on into the narrow, shady river. We loved the life of the quiet river -- the countless insects skating and spinning everywhere, the turtles taking sunbaths on logs, birds everywhere swooping and soaring (including a great blue heron that swept away when he heard our voices), the lovely flowers, and even a single, silently-swimming muskrat. We both said we'll be back on that river many times in the coming years.