Jackie, but we are fortunate in what we can see in nature videos, photographs on the Internet, books, magazines. The information age has provided opportunities to expand our consciousness if we don't lose our souls in the search.

I heard a lecture by a naturalist a few years back, and he was lamenting the fact that much we see in the wildlife programs gives a very false impression of the life of the naturalist. He said that the chance encounters naturalists spend months seeking appear to be easily accessible because of these programs. He was expressing the life of the naturalist--those four hours a day walking (a minimum) that Thoreau wrote about in something of his I read long ago about walking.

I'm simply grateful for the largesse we know, and the chance for inspiration to get up off my duff and take a tromp through the woods, after deer season, of course!

Hope you have many happy hours watching those foot steps and seeing some pretty remarkable penguin programs.

Best regards,
Woodward