Patricia Harrelson

During our vacation to Alaska, I was acutely conscious of my attachment to the earth and things that grow: trees, grasses, shrubs, moss. Yes, I love the earth, but then there is the water.

Ahh, the water!

Being near water nourishes my spirit. The sound of a stream gurgling or a river thrashing or meandering is a musical offering. A long stretch of lake water is a feast to my eyes: smooth or undulating, rippling or sparkling in a play of light.

Add the pleasure of good company and the opportunity to slip into the molten green liquid of a reservoir, and the only response is a long SIGH!

And dessert. Rushing across the surface of a lake in a high powered boat, wind in my face, clouds pirouetting above foothills.

SIGH! SIGH!