I knew the minute I saw this blue jay’s feather stuck in the ground while mowing the front yard today what it meant to me. Okay, seasons; okay, life: I surrender! It looked like a white flag of submission to me. I hereby surrender to the seasonal swing into fall which I totally embrace. I hereby surrender to coming to terms with my Mom’s death which I am still struggling with. I surrender, but I’m not admitting defeat. Of anything.

Well, congratulations to Krista (coffespaz) for correctly guessing a canoe! Letty was close though in first mentioning a boat. And my sister, well, I don’t know why she said she hoped it wasn’t a boat!

Yes, this beautiful hand-crafted canoe was gifted to Rick by a good friend. We are both in awe of this gift and it is truly one of the most wonderful gifts he or I (hey, I get to share the joy!) have ever been given. It’s very special. We are beyond words of thanks. What a wonderful gift. We’ve had a canoe before, in Colorado, and presently it lives at our mountain cabin there. But it’s like riding in a cold, tin can (it’s aluminum) and can’t compare with the craftsmanship represented here.

This morning we loaded it up onto the Suburban and headed down to our local Green Turtle Pond. You’ve seen it before here in my blog. Where I walk the dogs, where Bart liked to wade, where the swans were this past winter.

Ahoy, mates! Strap on your PFDs and prepare for the maiden voyage! (PFDs = personal flotation devices; better known as life vests)

From the moment that we launched her (well, boats are always referred to as “she” aren’t they?) it was sublime bliss. She glided through the water effortlessly and every so silently. The only sound was our paddles hitting the water and the water dripping off them.

We paddled into one of the coves to get used to maneuvering again. It’s kind of like riding a bicycle; once you know how it comes back quickly.

After getting our canoe skills back, we then headed for the open water. I hope we weren’t over zealous, but we paddled the perimeter of the entire pond, which is really like a small-ish lake to me. Probably about a mile. Here I am doing my bit, but thank heavens I don’t have to steer.

But the real work comes from behind:

Someone has to start things and this tree may have gotten a bit ahead of the others in prepartion for winter.

Wait, Rick says, what’s that in the water ahead? Looks like a turtle ... whoa ... it IS a turtle. Image a turtle in Green Turtle Pond! How very apropos and how very timely. Thank you, Mr. Turtle! Looks like a Snapper to me ... what a tail!

As we headed for the boat ramp we couldn’t help but think once again how lucky and grateful we were to be given this gift.

Yesterday I was cited for one of the “best of the Jersey blogs.” How exciting is that? I didn’t even know this site existed until a comment from a reader led me there. Thanks to Hilary for letting me know. Her blog was also one of the “best.”

Take a look! Click here to see my blog in print!

Look who came back to visit!! Last night we had another visit from our Golden Toad. Just about the same time of night, in the same spot on our deck yet again. There he was looking very regal.

He didn’t seem to mind the flash going off in his eyes, poor thing. I stroked his head ever so lightly with one fingertip and he closed his eyes half-way in what I took for sheer contentment. Much like a cat being stroked in a favorite place. He was enjoying it, no doubt about it. He didn’t flinch or budge when I touched him. His skin was dry and bumpy to the touch.

Rick tried his stroke technique out too. Here you can see him to scale with Rick’s hand. He’s not very big. We’re not certain if it’s the same toad or just another one like it.

Because Reya and Pod said that the last time he visited I should have kissed him—this time I did. I planted a kiss right on the back of his head. His skin was cool, almost cold to my lips. What do toads turn into when you kiss them if frogs turn into princes?

This time we opted to let him alone and not put him back in the yard. After all, he seems to know how to get up the stairs, so why not back down?  I went back out a few minutes later after downloading my photos and he was at the top of the stairs contemplating the way down. I went back inside for another few minutes and when I checked on him he was on the second step from the bottom—almost home. Obviously a very smart toad.

As I turned out the light I whispered to him “please come again you lovely Golden Toad!”  And maybe he will.