
I gained a gift by simply being in a small area of nature for 8 hours and watching the day progress. I witnessed the coming and going of birds, small mammals, and lizards. I spied on a hawk courtship, spotted a flicker, and charted a woodpecker's travels through favorite trees. I delighted in the aroma of old growth live oak and redwood, the sweetness of everlasting, and the familiar pungency of sun drenched white sage…