Today is the last day we're free to walk down along the river by Princeton, Iowa - where we've gone with the dogs every day this summer. Duck hunting season opens tomorrow and the whole place is closed until after Christmas. (Fly away my feathered friends!)
Last winter, I had walked Gabe at Rock Creek, where the peaceful solitude was wonderous. I had dreaded the coming of spring, when I knew the isolated place would fill with noisy campers and boaters. But, when spring came, Karen and I did some exploring and were lucky enough to find this path in Princeton. We have been delighted all summer with it's beauty, quiet, and solitude. And yet, we would never have found this place if the other hadn't become unavailable. I can only hope that like that experience, the closing of one door will open the door to other places and experiences I might not even imagine yet.