Petunia sits on the ground with her knees drawn up under her chin, arms wrapped around her legs, gazing at the flickering embers that are the end result of their after supper camp fire. Kaylar and Crewman are still keeping company. Prof Bolo and Crowoman have crawled into their sleeping tents. The three of them are silent, in a very noticeable satisfied silence, at the end of their remarkable day.

The companion crows had departed, each to his own roost and family, after accepting some food from the humans, before they went into the food tent for their own supper. Crowoman had been very entertaining during the meal and campfire with her stories about her adventures with the crows.

Kaylar eventually speaks her thoughts out loud. “She makes it sound as if it's all so natural, but of course I can talk to the crows.”

“Well, I feel all played out, my mind doesn't want to consider any more words about it,” Petunia responds, getting to her feet. “Good-night, then.”

As she heads to her tent, she hears Crewman engaging in the conversation with Kaylar.

* * * * * * *

Journal notes.

I'm sitting at my desk in my student room.

I can see the poster up my wall that Crowoman sent as a thanks from the crows. It is a pattern of red and purple crow footprints crisscrossing each other. Crowoman made the ink from berry juices, it is quite neat. It seems they got the publicity they were hoping for. I'm still seeing articles appearing in different publications, two weeks later now, about Crowoman and the incredible organization of the crows.

Prof Bolo is a man with a mission, these days, getting his students to research different parts of his report. I'm in on the soil health part, analyzing soil samples that Prof Bolo keeps bringing in from different locations all over the place. I've been on two day trips collecting with him.

I love the opportunity to explore different rural settings, and Prof Bolo is the perfect person to go with. His knowledge and enthusiasm are limitless. But, as he says, ultimately it's not about what we learn or how we talk about Nature, it is the energy exchange with Nature itself that is important.

We feel recharged and animated by our time spent out in the open, while the land, air, water, plants, animals and all the beings and inhabitants respond to our attention and intentions.

What we give energy to, we strengthen.

* * * * * * * * * * *