When I was young I loved the river. It was my place of solace. I used to go out and watch the herons gently walking along the shore. The Otonabee river, the “river that flows both ways,” was my home.

While we were back visiting we saw a group of large birds sitting in the trees along the rivers banks. At first, we thought they were herons but we’re pretty sure they were cormorants. Stacy stopped the car right away so I could jump out and get a photo (she’s very used to this slow kind of driving with me by now). It was a really nice moment.

Later, after finding lots of feathers and having tea with my mom and sister, I did see a heron. A small moment of wonder reminding me of how connected I feel to the river.

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